With artists like Kygo, Alan Walker, and Aurora putting Bergen, Norway as a spot on the map to pay attention to for good music, born-and-raised in Bergen youngster dePresno is showing his listeners that he's also one to watch from his city.
dePresno is only seventeen years old, but his voice roils in rich deepness, which contributes to the beautiful textures of his contemporary 4-track EP that was released not too long ago.
As a whole, dePresno's "Forever" EP can best be described as contemplative in sound. "Stranger In Disguise" is a beautifully poetic song about love that inspires imagery of postcards from faraway places with lyrics like "What do I see? Painting the world with a bottle of gin / Catching a glimpse Of someone looking back at me". Structurally, the song is a bit unconventional, with a rolling piano-driven chorus that contrasts with the more easygoing nature of the rest of the song and it might catch listeners off guard. Overall, "Stranger In Disguise" is a unique track that starts the EP off fresh.
Moving on to "Hide and Seek", a song speckled with trepidatious percussive noises, one cannot help but notice that the lyrical content in this track is a bit less refined than "Stranger In Disguise", focusing more on the strengths of the emotionally-driven chorus ("While you've been away, know that I've been away too / I've been looking for you / Looking for you") above all else.
"Souvenir" is probably the strongest track on this EP, showcasing dePresno's low vocal range, and listeners with good speakers or headphones will be basking in this dreamy, tenderly-sung track accompanied by the solid comfort of drifting piano chords. The song is powerful in its smooth escalation into a heartfelt expression of love as chords are hit harder and dynamics are gradually raised. And the lyricism, while mantra-like in its chorus ("Steal yourself a souvenir / Steal yourself a souvenir / Steal yourself a souvenir / And I'll close my eyes And never tell) is soothingly hypnotizing while retaining a raw emotional side that leaves a resonating impact on the ears.
The titular final track, "Forever" ends the EP on a resolute note, but also addresses the fact that while dePresno exhibits a lot of promising talent, he still needs time to refine his craft to be able to fully drive home the effectiveness of his music. "Forever" is similar to "Souvenir" in that it gradually escalates from a ruminating beginning to a fervent ending. The final line "What are we waiting for?" drifts up and away, like a hanging question mark, and the impact it intends doesn't completely justify what listeners feel; it's not as satisfying as one would hope it to be.
Overall, dePresno's "Forever" EP definitely showcases the promising talent of the young singer, but there is plenty of room for him to continue polishing up his sound. dePresno is barely a novice at this point– the interesting lyricism and richness of his voice is obvious on the EP and is, for the most part, orchestrated well in songs like "Stranger In Disguise" and "Souvenir". However, this EP doesn't do what an album might be able to accomplish, and it is due to the fact that the four tracks on this EP all have a certain thematic similarity to each other. It would be cool to see the other directions that dePresno can flex his talents in with lyrical content, and there's no doubt that listeners will be looking forward to when he does release new material.
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