Bertine Zetlitz - Electric Feet (Album) and singles

Her best-of collection is fabulous, but really all her albums are soooo good. Beautiful So Far used to be my favorite and it still has wonderful moments but strangely the album I return to the most now is Morbid Late Night Show. The songwriting is bulletproof, and I love its forward-thinking kind of deconstructed and rearranged approach to the sounds of its era. It's ~*~chill~*~ while still capturing her trademark menacing energy. Snow On A Hot Day and Getting Out are faves.

My Italian Greyhound and Rollerskating are also fucking superb. She is such a treasure, even though all she does now is do yoga in her insta stories.

 

Morbid Late Night Show is the only album of hers I couldn't get into! My Italian Greyhound is probably her most accessible and instant, the track 500 is just SO good.

 

I started with My Italian Greyhound which probably remains my fave though I really enjoy Electric Feet too. I’ve just stuck Rollerskating on. I get the impression Fake Your Beauty is her best know song in Norway?

 

You: Which album is best?
Me: all of them

I think My Italian Greyhound is her most accessible / highly regarded album and sort of her "peak", I'd say go there next. Sweet Injections and Morbid Late Night Show are brooding electronic vibes as where Rollerskating / Greyhound are much funkier.

Also shouts to Electric Feet. I loved hearing her take on 2012 electropop.

 

But wow what a moment

 

Tikamp: Great album overall, but the way it flops between her usual electropop and the more acoustic folk-y songs is still a bit jarring to me. It needed more elements in the production to tie everything together, I think. The songwriting is good, but it's not as hook-y as her others (obviously not helped by it being in Norwegian).

Electric Feet: Easily her worst album for me. It just sounds tired, the production is so faceless, a lot of the songwriting is uninspiring and vocally she wasn't at her strongest. Saying that the title track is marvelous, and I have a soft spot for Pretend to Dance.

My Italian Greyhound: Didn't blow me away when it was first released, it felt a bit flat production-wise but it's actually stood the test of time really well! Banger after (sad)banger after banger. I come back to it so much these days.

Rollerskating: I don't think I've ever listened to it in full? Shame on me. Fake Your Beauty is still a bop and a half.

Sweet Injections: I played this to absolute death back in the day. It's definitely her iciest and most "calculated" album, but it has some magnificent highs. Twisted Little Star still gives me goosebumps, Chainsaw is so wonderfully weird and fucking creepy, Blow Over heartbreaking in all its glory and Let Armies Loose a career highlight. And Girl Like You, whew. What a song.

Beautiful So Far: Hasn't aged too well to me, but it's still very solid overall. Adore Me is mindblowingly good, ugh she really did that.

Mobid Latenight Show: The first four tracks are just mesmerizing. Never got into the second half, but alongside Rollerskating I definitely need to listen to this more!

 

Mylène, Alaska and Bertine are the holy trinity of European pop music for me.

 

Alaska from Spanish pop giants Fangoria: