Time Time Time (I’m in the Palm of Your Hand) by Yndling (Review)
Sometimes — sometimes — the social media algorithms actually do what they claim to do and surface content that aligns with your interests, and isn’t just some slop being pushed on you by advertisers. Case in point, Norway’s Silje Espevik, who records and releases an enchanting blend of shoegaze, dream pop, and trip-hop as Yndling.
There I was, just doomscrolling away on Facebook when one of Espevik’s videos appeared in my feed, promising a blend of Cocteau Twins, The Sundays, and Lush. The song in the video was “It’s Almost Like You’re Here,” the third track from Yndling’s sophomore album, Time Time Time (I’m in the Palm of Your Hand). Those few seconds, and in particular, Espevik’s coo of a voice, were enough to hook me and well… here we are.
Across ten tracks, Espevik hits all the right notes, and every single one of them is silvery and chiming and awash in all sorts of jangly effects, and accompanied by synthesizers and electronic beats. It’s a mixture that’s not exactly original — see Hooverphonic’s earliest albums — but she approaches it with such a wide-eyed eagerness, as well as some unexpected melodic twists (like the final seconds of “It’s Almost Like You’re Here” or the striking bridge on “You Know I Hate It (How the World Moves On)”), that it all feels fresh and re-invigorated.
It also doesn’t hurt that Espevik uses her quiet voice to great effect, often sounding like a little girl lost as she pines away for one unrequited love after another whilst surrounded by a blizzard of shoegaze riffs and trip-hop programming. “Say I’m all you need/Even if it’s a lie, I don’t mind,” she sings on early standout “Even if It’s a Lie (I Don’t Mind).” Later, the title track finds her getting a bit more coy, singing “Time time time/Can’t you feel it’s moving fast/With your hands on my hips/I swear, it used to stand still,” a vibe that’s enhanced by stylish beats and programming that were somehow channeled from 1996.
When talking to The Line of Best Fit for the album’s release, Espevik explained her love of shoegaze and trip-hop: “What I love about [those genres] is that it allows you to make a lot of noise and you can be really quiet at the same time. So for me, because my vocals are kind of whispery and I’ve always had a very soft singing voice, it was so cool to feel that I could really make a lot of noise with the guitars and everything whilst being quiet.” I’ve always loved that juxtaposition between loud and quiet, harsh and gentle, as well, and Time Time Time (I’m in the Palm of Your Hand) offers proof that it’s still a potent aesthetic.