PAPER CROWN – Letters

RELEASE YEAR: 2026
BAND URL: https://papercrownmusic.bandcamp.com/album/letters

What a lovely and heartwarming gem Letters is, and what a fantastic and memorable encounter Paper Crown is for that matter. Not being familiar with the entity beforehand, I had no idea what to expect from this eclectic duo, but what we have here is a superbly crafted and deeply evocative collection of melancholy pop songs with plenty of nods and references to folk rock, Americana, singer-songwriter, indie rock, and arguably also art rock.

Johanne Margrethe Kippersund Nesdal is in charge of the vocals, and she does a brilliant job at that. More than that, actually. Her voice is soothing and comforting yet tinged with a heartbreaking sense of sadness and yearning that blows me away, and when you couple that with the fact that there are dreamlike sequences, breezy vibes, wistful melodies, and exquisite arrangements aplenty on this twelve-track disc, you simply know that you are in for a treat. Multi-instrumentalist Ørnulv Brun Snortheim conjures up intoxicating soundscapes that are rich in harmonies, layers, and delightful nuances, and it all feels quite Nordic in spirit somehow due to its subtly brooding nature as well as parts that harbor a longing for solitude and introspection. Prime cuts include “Someone Else,” “Four Leaf Clover,” “Ride or Die,” and the title track – talk about beguiling tunes with substance to them!  

Letters is essentially storytelling set to music – deeply intimate, moving, and perfectly relatable all the way through. This beauty truly tugs at the heartstrings, and I could definitely see it attract listeners from all over – be they from the world of morose metal or reflective pop music.