Solo Pleasure

Released last year, Sondre Lerche’s acclaimed album “Pleasure” surprised and delighted many for being a dance party of disarray, diving headfirst into the trappings of desire and regret. If “Pleasure” was the musical equivalent of ordering another drink at the club at 3am, his new release is the musical equivalent of the morning after. “Solo Pleasure” is an introspective re-imagining of these ten songs, shining a light on their lyrical core. His vocals are front and center, raw and exposed, and showcase his versatility as a singer. He can get close to the mic as a gravelly baritone, step back and belt it out as an alto, and deliver a vulnerable falsetto all with equal effectiveness. The bold technicolor pop arrangements have been replaced with a single guitar, and contrary to the original studio album’s inventive and often electronic production, “Solo Pleasure” was recorded to analog tape, in one take, at Studio Paradiso in Oslo, Norway. As such, every one of Lerche’s strains and hesitations is preserved rather than edited out and polished over. This all brings out a beauty and sadness from the heart of the songs that fans may have missed, if only listening peripherally to the studio album’s bombastic arrangements. “Solo Pleasure” is a perfect example of how great songs lend themselves to multiple interpretations. * On Pleasure: "Thrilling and supremely confident” Paste Magazine (8.2 out of 10) “A brilliant sonic reboot” Allmusic (4 out of 5) "Lerche's finest work since his debut” Under The Radar (8 out of 10) 
 "The beauty of Pleasure's vintage danceteria lies in its sharp 21st-century focus and Lerche's consistently reliable songwriting skills” Magnet, (8 out of 10
) "Pleasure‘s success comes in riding the tension between desire and achieving one’s desire, of the thrill of the chase doing its best to avoid the finality of fulfillment" Popmatters, (8 out of 10)