In dark times people turn to art to restore their faith in the simple pleasures of life. The Danish, New York-based multi-instrumentalist/singer-songwriter/composer Mikkel Hess, a.k.a Hess Is More, has shrewdly revived the art of the absurd in music with just enough dark edges around his quirkiness to maintain a sense of relevancy in relation to the world we live in. And now courtesy of Nublu Records Hess's greatest hits will be released stateside. Simply titled Hits, the compilation reveals Hess's brand of quixotic pop. Dreamlike, catchy and cinematic without becoming encapsulated in a floating bubble devoid of references, the album has an unmistakable surreal patina and there are moments of spaced-out grooves which I like to refer to as inter-galactic pop. Songs like "Yes Boss," "The Magic Invention From T.D.P.R.C," an acronym for The Divine Presence Research Center, and "Don't Tell" display the kind of funny lyrics and out of this world dreamscapes required for head trips and out of body escapes. "Rosenkratz & Gyldenstjerned" is a whistled, space frontier song, while the whistling in "Glove Is In the Air" takes on more carefree, airy nuances and subtle, gypsy-jazz stylings in a ditty that reflects a comfortable familiarity with the known world. "Ssshhhh" is an upbeat, instrumental dancefloor foray that comes complete with an 80's inspired keyboard melody. The mood turns bleak in "In the Fridge," a dark and bluesy existential cry that hails from a cold world annexed by screeching violins and doomsday foreboding. By the end of the album "Never" doesn't necessarily restore your faith in lighter days ahead, though I suppose the 60's inspired la la la chorus and lyrics about never having cheated on his girlfriend or sleeping with a prostitute are tantamount to a step in the right direction.
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