Jan Bang - Frozen Feelings (1989)

Previously on OPIUM HUM:
Christian Wallumrød, Arve Henriksen, Jan Bang, Erik Honoré - Birth Wish (2000)

Synth-driven 80s pop from Norwegian singer/musician/producer Jan Bang. Big, shiny production and upbeat arrangements mask some pretty damn dark lyrics. Bang is better-known for his later work in the jazz world, making this sophisticated take on contemporary pop a curiously sugary addition to his discography. Reminds me of Tears for Fears, circa The Hurting.

Track listing:
1. Frozen Feelings
2. One Made Two
3. Fake Delight
4. Blindness
5. Merciful Waters
6. Dance Away
7. Is This Really True
8. Beyond
9. Come with Me
10. I Can't Forget You

Dive deep down

You'd also like:

Nona Hendryx -
SkinDiver (1989)

Eg and Alice -
24 Years of Hunger (1991)

Christian Wallumrød, Arve Henriksen, Jan Bang, Erik Honoré - Birth Wish (2000)

Quietly stunning jazz with ambient electronic elements. According to the liner notes, every noise on the album was originally produced by either piano or trumpet -- from there, they're either left as-is or filtered through a sampler or any number of effects.

Track listing:
1. Drizzle
2. 1866 - 1925
3. Soaring
4. Birth Wish
5. Zero Visibility
6. Bliss
7. Waiting Room
8. Elegy
9. Dark Circle
10. Birth Wish 2

Lights in distant windows

You might also like:

Richard Thomas -
Shoes and Radios Attract Paint (1997)

Arve Henriksen -
Chiaroscuro (2004)