New Artist Find: Alice Boman

Sometimes you hear a song and you know that its entire essence can be condensed down into one simple adjective: rocking, folksy, bluesy, the list goes on. Yet some songs defy such straightforward categorization, they bob and weave and maneuver their way through your head in an indefinable gray space, daring you to catalog them. So it is with the song “Waiting” by brilliant new artist Alice Boman.

Boman weaves this haunting little tune like a tapestry made from spider webs - it’s strong, but it feels delicate. Thanks to curator Puken for delivering this poignant piece of music to us; it’s not often I encounter something quite like this.

There’s not a ton going on musically in this song. It’s really no more complicated than anything that could be made with a simple synthesizer. But Boman’s beautiful voice wafts effortlessly over the simple structure and elevates it to an entirely different place.

The video is as eerily beautiful as the song itself.

The first time I listened to this song I had to check its length to make sure it wasn’t only a minute and a half long. It glides by quickly and leaves the listener feeling a little confused, but satisfied. “Waiting” encapsulates that uniquely atmospheric Scandinavian sound in a package that is just undeniably beautiful.

Boman, a native of Malmo, Sweden, has an uncanny way of communicating deep regret and longing with her voice that will make this relatively new artist an act to keep an eye on in the near future. Her talent is undeniable, and I’m very excited to see where it takes her.