Live Review: Lil Halima unpacks her relationship woes on 'Jasmine'

20 September 2018 | 9:30 am | Holly O'Neill

Nineteen year old Norwegian LIL HALIMA is back with a new single, swapping out sparse scandi-pop for RnB as she explores her feelings over a woozy beat

Norwegian vocalist and producer LIL HALIMA is back with a big announcement and a shift in direction. Along with the official announcement of her upcoming EP Lovesong For Bad Lovers due for release on the 10th of October, she's also dropped a new taste of the release with 'Jasmine'. The nineteen year old has gained a following with her sparce scandi-pop stylings but in this latest single, she explores her RnB range and complex feelings over a woozy beat.

Lil Halima really has a talent for songwriting, penning tracks that feel good to listen to while exploring more melancholy subject matter. 'Jasmine' is no exception, as she navigates jealousy in the time of unspoken boundaries in relationships and unconfirmed "what are we's". Over the track, she's fixated on the titular girl of her boo's affection, redirecting a hatred into melancholy that it's not her in Jasmine's place.

Over a dreamy instrumental featuring stripped back instrumentation, skittering RnB drum machines and funky chords, Lil Halima floats. Her delivery throughout is smooth as honey but in the middle of the track she switches things up, rapping with a soft spoken resentment and melodic sensibility. Her delicate performance really articulates those unspoken feelings within herself, and brings subtle depth to the true emotions of the song.

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On 'Jasmine' Lil Halima expresses a genuine openness with her audience, exploring complicated emotion with ease and an ear for great pop composition. On her upcoming EP Lovesongs For Bad Lovers she's bound to share even more of herself with us, on a release that's set to launch Lil Halima's unique lyricism, left of centre production and a forward thinking pop perspective into the spotlight.

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