Lukas Graham – Lukas Graham (Blue Album)

Danish band Lukas Graham, named after lead singer Lukas Graham Forchhammer, has made a big splash in the music world. Taking lessons from the likes of Maroon 5 and Ed Sheeran, the Scandinavian band produces a soulful sound that hints at a troubled past turned into an optimistic future.

When listening to their debut album it is clear why their songs hit a million views on YouTube and their single 7 Years went to number one this year. Not only is their debut album incredibly tuneful, it also takes on many different musical influences. The band’s sound is commonly referred to as “soul music” with an Irish folk element, probably stemming from Forchhammer’s Danish-Irish roots. Listeners hear ardent, coming-of-age ballads, while the group hears what they call, “ghetto pop”.

The band’s collective appreciation for old-school hip-hop is detectable in Mama Said, with its appropriation of the hook from Jay Z’s Hard Knock Life. Not only that, but Lukas Graham’s lyrics are a nostalgic representation of his free-spirited childhood growing up in the autonomous neighbourhood of Christiania in Copenhagen: “smoking herb and drinking burning liquor, Never rich, so we were out to make that steady figure”.

Clichés are avoided in their earnest and honest tone, which overshadow any sense of cynicism or negativity. The band’s overarching message is to look on the sunny side of every situation in life. Graham even sees the sunny side in his own death in Funeral, which should not to be mistaken for dark pleasure in fatalism but rather making the best of things, encouraging his friends to “party for me, I’d party party too”, with a gospel choir to back him up. Talk about looking on the bright side of life!

Dominique Perrett

Lukas Graham (Blue Album) is released on 1^st April 2016, for further information or to order the album visit here.