Kim Hiorthøy | My Last Day

Seven years after the release of his critically acclaimed debut album, Hei, Berlin/Oslo-based Kim Hiorthøy proves that he is still one of the leaders in the “folktronica” scene with his new album. My Last Day marks Hiorthøy’s first full length since Hei, which was recorded over two years of “on-and-off” work while balancing his other artistic endeavors that include graphic design, photography, writing, book-illustration, and film (not to mention the slew of EPs released since then and tours of Europe and Japan).

Possibly the most accomplished side of his multi-talented career has been his work as a graphic designer, creating striking cover art (see above for the 2002 cover art of Maja Ratkje’s Voice) for Smalltown Supersound, the Scandinavian imprint to which Hiorthøy is signed, and the Rune Grammofon label. He has also graced the covers of graphic design publications Grafik, Creative Review, and Eye, among others. Check out some of his artwork over at Standard (Oslo).

Staying true to his signature sound on My Last Day, Hiorthøy creates engaging electronic pop music blending playful acoustic sounds with melodic synths, MPC sampled hip-hop beats, acid, field recordings, and jazz. Check out the techno-scorcher “Alt Går Så Langsomt” below, but keep in mind this is one of the most upbeat tracks on the record next to the synth-driven opener “I Thought We Could Eat Friends.” My Last Day is available for download at eMusic.

[MP3]: Kim Hiorthøy  ”Alt Går Så Langsomt”
My Last Day, Smalltown Supersound; 2007