THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “With their third studio album Insight, Norwegian post-punk duo Mayflower Madame present an expansive canvas of pulsating post-punk, shimmering shoegaze and atmospheric psych-noir, masterfully blended with delicate sonic nuances.
Mixed and mastered by Maurizio Baggio (known for his work with The Soft Moon, Boy Harsher and The Vacant Lots), Insight showcases the band refining their sound into a sharper and more expansive sonic landscape than ever before. This album sees them exploring greater depths and heights, delivering a hypnotic journey through the shadows, filled with haunting melodies and dreamy melancholia. At the same time, it remains catchy and dynamic, with moments of vibrant brightness.
“The recording process was a bit different than on our previous releases,” they explain. “Trond (Fagernes) penned and recorded the guitar, bass, and vocals with a drum machine first, then acoustic drums and synths were added later as well as guitar contributions on some songs by (returning founding member) Rune (Øverby). This process enabled more experimentation and creative freedom with each instrument before adding them layer by layer.
“Insight is the album we’ve always wanted to create, but at the same time it’s the most personal and emotionally hardest we’ve made so far. Lyrically, it delves into a wide range of emotions, from somber reflections about loss and sorrow to feverish depictions of love, escapism and catharsis.”
Insight is dedicated to frontman Trond Fagernes’ stillborn daughter and is bookended by two songs — Ocean of Bitterness and Insight For The Mourning Hours — that directly address this profound sorrow. Between these sombre pieces, the album delves into a wide range of emotions, from nostalgic reflections on lost loves to feverish depictions of escapism and catharsis.
Over the past years, Mayflower Madame have gained a reputation far beyond their hometown of Oslo. They made their debut with Observed In A Dream in 2016, which created a buzz and earned them tours across Europe and North America. Their 2020 sequel Prepared For A Nightmare firmly established their position as one of the continent’s leading purveyors of cinematic shoegaze psychedelia, 1980s post-punk and dark romanticism.”
