"Special Place" is the biggest pop moment to date from Norway's Great News

03 June 2016, 10:30 | Written by Andrew Hannah

(Tracks)

While Don't Bore Us, Get To The Chorus might be a record title attributed to a certain Swedish band, it's a sentiment shared by many artists from Nordic neighbours Norway, none more so than Great News if this latest single from the trio is anything to go by.

The Bergen-based act, made up of Even Kjelby (vocals, guitar) Ole Einarsen (bass) and Lars Platou (drums) had previously plied a sort of dream pop jangle on previous singles "The Blind", "Love Her" and "Diamonds" before veering into more pop-based jams on last single "Secrets". Here, on brand new track "Special Place" the Norwegians have gone full-blown technicolour pop on their most exhilarating - and best - song to date.

Piling melody upon melody makes "Special Place" feel like more of a series of choruses than having any sort of discernable structure, but the track is all the better for it. While the introduction focuses on choppy guitars, things pick up as soon as Kjelby's breathless vocal comes in, promising "the best is yet to come" and then delivering on the most epic of centrepieces. The chorus is all "woah-oh-ohs", soaring harmonies and sunburst riffing around the lyric "he feels alive...if only for a while". It mirrors the rush of a chemical high followed by the inevitable crash...and that appears to be the tragic theme of the song.

"Special Place" exists as a tribute; there's sadness behind the bluster and sunshine but the escapism Great News provides us with is pure and true. The track is out 6 June via Edda Music and you can listen below right now.