Yndling — (I’m in the Palm of Your Hand)

“You should try to take a chance more often.
I have more regrets for not doing it than actually doing it, even though it’s obviously more intimidating.”

Yndling has built a strong brand for herself in a fairly short time. Her self-titled debut EP came out in 2022, setting the template for her shoegaze-influenced bedroom pop. Singles “Like Love is Real” and “Out of My Way”, were built around strong atmospherics and delicate production, resulting in a gentle, warm sound made distinctive by Silje Espevik’s soft alto delivery.

It was followed last August by her Spirit Goth debut Mood Booster. It drew on the same elements, introducing a more polished and confident sound. Incorporating elements of trip hop and more live band instrumentation, Mood Booster was a sparkling and soothing record. A couple of bold singles, including the Portishead-evoking title track and the gently bombastic “After Ten” suggested that there was a bolder, more experimentational Espevik lurking in the shadows.

In January, Yndling began the runup to her followup release with “It’s Almost Like You’re Here”: a rich embrace of shoegaze, drenched with reverb and live instrumentation. With it, she announced that her sophomore album would be released in two parts: (I’m in the Palm of Your Hand) in June, followed by the rest of the record at a later date.

Across the five tracks of (I’m in the Palm of Your Hand), Yndling seems to be showing the confidence she teased on Mood Booster. Mid-record standout “As Fast as I Can” is the prime example of this. It’s a song that seems produced with live performance in mind: a mildly groovy psychedelic song that builds to a towering, fuzzy, riff-driven jam. It’s bolder and more raw anything Yndling has released before.

Even the softer, more vulnerable tracks – May’s “Even if it’s a Lie (I Don’t Mind)” and the record’s closer “Before It Gets Dark” have a strong presence to them: rich synths, strong guitar riffs, propulsive live drumming, and a layered, dreamlike sound. “Before It Gets Dark” stands out, with a sultry and seductive tone juxtaposed with lyrics about disguising depression in performance (“how would you know / you’re watching a curated show?“).

The full release is due in October, and Espevik promises a stronger trip-hop influence, though she notes they’re part of the same coherent narrative as these songs.

“You should try to take a chance more often. I have more regrets for not doing it than actually doing it, even though it’s obviously more intimidating.” Espevik said in a recent interview. It was in the context of relationships, but it seems to be the approach she’s bringing to her new music as well. (I’m in the Palm of Your Hand) sounds like she’s taking chances and finding success — we’ll surely hear more boldness with the rest of the record in October.