(5 / 5)
“Fading Forward” is the kind of record that draws you in gently before revealing just how much emotional weight it is carrying. The second full length from Les Imprimés, the project led by Morten Martens, feels warm and inviting on first listen, but there is a quiet gravity running beneath its surface.
Morten Martens is a self-taught Norwegian producer who, for more than two decades, worked largely out of view, shaping other artists’ music and developing a meticulous ear for sound.
His work as Les Imprimés feels like a natural culmination, rooted in a deep appreciation for mid-century doo wop, classic soul, soft focus 80s textures, and the melodic sensibilities of late 90s and early 2000s alternative. That range of influence is woven seamlessly into “Fading Forward”, a classy soul-jazz record that feels welcoming and immersive.
A dozen tracks crafted largely by Morten himself who handles most of the instrumentation, production, arrangement and vocals; this follow-up to 2023’s acclaimed debut LP “Rêverie”, has a cohesive, almost handmade quality. That self-contained approach gives the music a unified tone: intimate, unforced and deeply personal.
There is a sense of discipline in how the album is constructed, nothing ornamental, nothing excessive. Instead, it unfolds with a steady, cohesive flow, as if guided by a single melodic thread, grounding the songs in sincerity rather than spectacle.
Thematically, the album circles life’s more complicated emotional terrain: love in its many forms, the passage of time, and the quiet weight of mortality.
Tracks such as “You and I” bring a sense of warmth and devotion, while “Again and Again” and “Untainted Love” explore the fragility and repetition of romantic experience. “Get Lost” drifts into escapism, offering a temporary retreat from reality, and “Only Love” leans into a mantra-like simplicity. The more upbeat “With You” captures the fleeting spark of connection, while “Miss the Days,” featuring Ama Li, looks back with a quiet sense of longing.
Despite its inviting surface, there is a subtle darkness running through the album. That contrast of bright melodies paired with a more complex emotional undercurrent becomes one of its defining qualities. It is music that feels easy to sink into, yet reveals a deeper weight the longer you stay with it.
Closing track “Paradise” brings everything to a contemplative end, offering a moment of reflection that lingers after the final note. It is a fitting conclusion to a record that is, at its core, about moving forward while acknowledging what is left behind.
“Fading Forward” does not chase grandeur. In an era of maximalist production and declarative emotion, Morten opts for something subtler. After years spent shaping sound for others, he delivers something that feels fully his own, unhurried, deeply felt and above all else, sincere.
By Manja Williams
(1 / 5) ‘Dull Zone’
(2 / 5) ‘OK Zone’
(3 / 5) ‘Decent Zone’
(4 / 5) ‘Super Zone’
(5 / 5) ‘Awesome Zone’
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