Torfinn McKenzie has delivered a stirring folk ballad with his latest single, ‘Song From A Window’.
The Norwegian singer-songwriter kicks off the year with their debut single, produced by Ole-Petter Ålgård, a producer drawing inspiration from the likes of Bon Iver and John Mayer.
The influence of those two artists is abundantly clear on ‘Song From A Window’, which is carried by rustic guitar melodies and the effortless croon of McKenzie’s voice.
A slice of Scandinavian folk, the is carried by sparse production that rightfully forefronts McKenzie’s performance.
While the instrumentation is blissfully simple, with subtle and steady percussion and the twang of finger-picked strums, that isn’t to say it’s devoid of sonic richness.
The breezy rhythm is hypnotic to the point of becoming transfixed, and there’s a leisurely, carefree pacing that feels cosy and relaxing.
While all of this is enough to make ‘Song From a Window’ consistently engaging, McKenzie adds extra depth on the outro, where glittery strings and tinkling piano keys complete his sonic dreamscape.
With its simplicity and subtlety, ‘Song From A Window’ is proof that music doesn’t need to be flashy to be transcendent.
Of course, much of this enrapturing sound is owed to McKenzie’s vocals, which are delivered with rawness and intimacy that makes us feel as though we’re right there in the room with him.
McKenzie flits between airy whispers and soaring harmonies, effortlessly aligning his voice with the transformative power of the production.
The same restrained beauty that defines the production is also present in McKenzie’s songwriting. Fittingly, ‘Song From A Window’ is a simple portrait of the scenery he encounters while perched on a windowsill at dusk.
Poetic and vivid, McKenzie’s lyrics paint pictures of “old sailing boats” and “lonely echoes”, with the result feeling like a fleeting vignette of life passing by.
Speaking of the song’s genesis in a press statement, McKenzie said it was born “while admiring the view from my window… The song just came to me. I didn’t overthink it; I just went with the flow, and this song appeared.”
This tasteful approach to his craft comes with resplendent results, as McKenzie transports listeners in a rich sonic world.
Listen to Torfinn McKenzie’s new single ‘Song From a Window’ below.
Check out more new music here.
