In and Out of Weeks

The Norwegian group Highasakite has one undeniable asset in the powerful and nuanced voice of lead singer Ingrid Håvik: she could make anything sound interesting, even standard-issue indie rock but luckily, while the songs on the In and Out of Weeks EP are easily identified as 2010s indie rock, they are anything but generic. The group plays with a fiery passion that feels liable to burst out of the tightly arranged songs at any time. Even the more restrained moments are coiled and ready to explode, and the EP is littered with stray guitar sounds, overloaded synths, and wildly pounded drums that match the passionate fire of Håvik's vocals (and the sometimes raw nature of her lyrics). Most of the five songs have quiet verses and loud choruses — a well-documented way to generate excitement — and aren't a million miles away from really strong Peter Bjorn and John tracks, only with a fire-breathing female at the helm. "Son of a Bitch" is the most memorable, with lyrics about puking and a highly singable chorus, but the rest of the album is pretty sticky too. The band know how to deliver huge doses of drama without sounding desperate, and have a way of making a familiar musical style sound fresh and vital. Though In and Out of Weeks could have been longer, it is a perfect diversion for weary fans of indie rock looking for something just a little different, and made of something that feels real.