Indie Light

Axel Flóvent is an Icelandic alt-pop singer/songwriter and musician. Today, I’ll be reviewing his album ‘Away From This Dream’ which was released June 7th 2024. 

‘Moonlight’ opens with a light, trilling melody, building slowly, a measured pace leading into a richer, electronic string section, and immediately you’re lost in the music. The vocals kick in, and Axel’s voice is exceptional, harmonious and bright, and you just get lost in the delicate balance of the performance. This was my first exposure to the artist and I can already tell that I’ll be keeping an eye out for him in the future, because he has an incredible talent for putting together strong and engaging compositions.

‘Don’t Wait For Summer’ kicks off with a fast-forwarding fusion of melody that blends into an acoustic electronic melody that incorporates just the right amount of percussion to add texture to the lighter beat of the track. I love Axel’s vocals, there’s a hopefulness and energy to his singing that is incredibly refreshing. 

‘Have This Dance’ is a more synth driven beat, and a little faster and up tempo than the last couple tracks. I liked the momentum of this one, not furiously fast but well paced and with a consistent beat behind it that really worked for me. 

‘Wash It Away’ slows things down a touch, synthy tones building behind the core melody, and reaching forward, and again Axel’s voice is just phenomenal, you really feel his emotions and intent through this performance. I thoroughly enjoy this job because of the amount of tremendous music I get the opportunity to hear, and I’m just blown away by the talent Axel shows throughout this album, but I think this song is perhaps my favourite on the entire release. 

‘Chasing The Night’ kicks things up a gear after the slower more emotional previous track, this has a nice percussive beat, and a good bouncing energy, again like the previous tracks it never becomes too high energy, there’s a consistency and energy throughout the album, which works well with the artist’s voice. 

‘This Feeling’ opens with light piano chords building into a sonorous, ambient synth melody, and again Axel’s voice shines through, like a proverbial light in the darkness, uplifting and absolutely sensational. I’ve enjoyed every track so far, and I’ve already picked my favourite but this is a close second, in particular I loved the interplay between the instrumental backing and vocals on this track.

‘When the Sun Goes Down’ has an opening which blends percussion and chords nicely, another smooth and rich song which expertly supports his powerful voice. I have a tendency to get lost in songs, daydreaming and just de-stressing, and each track on this album has been perfect for that.  

‘Asymmetry’ opens with halting piano chords backed up by a sustained synth note, that slowly flow into some of the strongest vocals on an album absolutely packed full of them. I really liked the piano throughout this track, it added a sumptuous richness to the overall melody while still keeping it relatively stripped back.

‘Honesty’ is another more energetic opening, guitars leading us forward, and as we reach the final couple tracks, he maintains the same incredibly high standard present throughout this entire release. Regardless of how long I’ve been doing this somewhat professionally I still connect to music like a novice, because I think there is a purity to good music, something vital and fundamental and Axel has captured that essence repeatedly and in particular in this track. 

‘Away From This Dream’ ends things on a high note, another soft and ambient melody that just washes over you and takes you on a journey over 3 minutes and 36 seconds. I am so glad that this was sent over to me, because every single track has been brilliant, and as a whole the entire composition has absolutely blown me away. 

So that’s what I thought of Axel Flóvent’s album ‘Away From This Dream’ which you can check out over on Spotify. While you’re at it, make sure and support the artist by following them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.