Album Review: Søren Juul ‘This Moment’

Danish singer-songwriter Søren Juul’s full-length debut ‘This Moment’ is a collection of songs to rival the depth, complexity, and maturity of Icelandic composer Jónsi’s “We Bought A Zoo” film soundtrack, with just a touch of Bon Iver’s pop sensibility.

Imagine the sound of a launching spaceship transitioning into the aural equivalent of a forest clearing, and you have the intriguing opening lines of Ambitions. Juul’s pure vocals are the song’s strongest feature from the start, its gentle textural development a close second. Supported by warm guitar notes, the chorus is like aural respite, and although the second verse develops into a thick tapestry of rhythms and melodies, the vocals are the constant centrepiece. Energetic drumming finishes this irresistible indie-rock puzzle, setting an ambitious standard for the rest of the album.

Dear Child begins with a complex, emotive chord progression resembling Matt Corby’s raw, atmospheric style, leaving room for the rolling, harmonic layers of the chorus to unfurl. Pitching every note with restraint and exacting precision, Juul combines a unique melody with a refreshingly unique rhythm. The track’s easy melodic flow, complete with harmonic vocals and tasteful, modern production, demonstrates Juul’s natural artistic instinct and control, never allowing the listener to get bored or lost.

Imagine the sound of a launching spaceship transitioning into the aural equivalent of a forest clearing, and you have the intriguing opening lines of Ambitions.

Opening to a mysterious collection of notes and effects, Greenpoint leads into a gentle, driving beat, the energetic drive behind the track. All the loose melodic ends are tied up neatly in the chorus, falling in line under the guise of harmonic vocals and warm instrumentation. Like Dear Child, Greenpoint features a melodic flow capable of setting your mind adrift, but during its most mainstream moments, it could almost pass for a modern indie-electro-rock song (think Coldplay in the early 2000s).

Its brooding, emotive beginning gives Don’t Want To Fool You an edge over the warm, mellow piano chords of its predecessors. Following a melancholy intro, familiar effects create a subtly upbeat texture complete with intricate rhythms rhythms and glowing harmonies, the sorrowful introduction always lingering in the background.

Perfect for an intergalactic slow dance, Epic Moon opens to a brooding synth melody beneath hazy effects, subtly anchored by a lilting, rhythmic drum rhythm. Subtle harmonies thicken the chorus, adding a sense of melodic complexity to complement a change in lyrical rhythm. As in Dear Child, Epic Moon’s complex, understated chords add emotional depth, contrasting against a pulsing guitar melody and Juul’s poppy vocals.

Yet another throwback to the Coldplay of 2000 (think Trouble), Manly Beach opens to piano chords and clean vocals with just a touch of glowing synth, continuing through the first verse and chorus. Soon enough, guitar and strings lead into an unexpected key change, sweetened by Juul’s falsetto. Amidst what’s naturally quite a bare piece, small touches really make this track – the echoes and the dramatic beats, key changes, and unexpected synth-led ending – but it’s that beautifully simple closing piano chord that ties everything together, finishing in just the right place.

In another nod to Jónsi’s primal, cinematic style, This Moment is drenched in dreamy echoes, its steady piano rhythm supporting Juul’s impeccably smooth vocals.

Beginning with only hazy synthesisers, punchy vocals, and piano, Soulseeker’s melodic destination is difficult to predict. As thicker harmonies join the track, it grows into a dreamy, psychedelic romp, building tumbling drum rhythms into the chorus. In time, the wandering tune becomes somewhat therapeutic, celebrating moments in the second verse when the drum falls back and allows the interwoven melodies to shine.

With an opening full of straight piano chords and tender pop vibes, Pushing Me Away could easily be mistaken for an Elton John track. Combining steady drums and piano with Juul’s dreamy, echoing vocals, this track is enough to lull you into a trance, but not for long – follow-up Seventeen will wake you up with its surprisingly clever melodic twists and turns. The effect-laden opening lines are only the beginning of a melodic build, culminating in a constant swell of atmospheric synth that still somehow can’t compare to Juul’s pure falsetto.

‘This Moment’ finishes strong with title track, an energetic alt-pop number beginning in much the same way as its predecessors. In another nod to Jónsi’s primal, cinematic style, the track is drenched in dreamy echoes, its steady piano rhythm supporting Juul’s impeccably smooth vocals.

If you’re looking for an album to make you feel a myriad of different emotions all at once, Søren Juul’s ‘This Moment’ should be your first port of call, starting with “Ambitions” below!