Long-time songwriter and multi-instrumental composer Walter Hansen delivers grooves, soundscapes and songs that are versatile yet consistently unique, interesting, and captivating.
In example, Twilight is a brilliant highlight from the eclectic catalogue of Walter Hansen music, and blends soundscape and song through an impassioned and dreamy organic arrangement, resulting in a hypnotic and distinct modern sound.
What begins as something like lounge music or jazz and trip hop intertwined, goes on to welcome an honest, unfiltered vocal lead, and layers of harmony that inject an essential twist of humanity and realism amidst a fairly faultless production.
Twilight is atmospheric but soulful, colourful but provocative, relaying a quietly contemplative story of romantic longing and love, amidst poetic imagery and scenes that feel both personal and accessible. The song also has an effective, falsetto hook moment, which resolves and satisfies well after the long-form verses.
Elsewhere Walter Hansen continues to build these organic musical soundscapes from live keys and electronic drums, employing the same kind of imagery for story-telling – such as the optimism and brightness of The Beach.
A higher-tempo electro-pop or dance track, The Beach feels like a romantic celebration, rather than desire, and promises an uplifting hook that’s again beautifully harmonised, with a synth downpour akin to the sounds of the eighties.
Other highlights from an unstoppable repertoire include the soaring blues-rock stomp and guitar tone of Good Lookin’, an entirely different kind of style, but still with that Walter Hansen voice and poetic detailing making things snappy, catchy, and compelling.
The collection spans back through the years, with songs like Magic, from 2017, depicting a bold production and vocal feature that lead us into a vast and striking realm. The writing style and honest performance approach are genuinely consistent, while the genre varies, as per each stage in Walter’s creative journey.
Consider the boldly enchanting Girl in White, haunting piano and a Teardrop-esque rhythm, with intriguing lines from a story that draws you straight in and holds your interest throughout.
So many of Walter’s songs are four or five minutes in length – another calling card of an artist making music for the sheer love of doing so, and getting truly lost within the escapism of the process. That authenticity is impossible to fake, and shines brightly throughout Walter Hansen’s extensive catalogue of music.
From trip hop to alt-pop, indie rock, jazz, synth-wave and even funk, Walter Hansen’s music is the work of a creative with an unrelenting passion for writing and composing songs. Even the 2016 EP Perspective provided an early and timeless look at the charm, talent and integrity of his sound.
The instrumental aspects are as valuable as the vocal ones, carving out something meaningful and enjoyable, and that’s a huge part of the trail left by a true artist. Walter’s Spotify playlist is a dream to lose yourself within for a while.
Find Walter Hansen on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube & his Website.
