Maud Scheltinga is a dutch singer-songwriter based in Berlin. Today we have the pleasure of unveiling Scheltinga’s self-titled debut EP, which is released today by our friends at Drunk With Love Records.
Sparse guitar and piano act as a backdrop to Scheltinga’s vocals, producing songs as quiet and unassuming as they are heartfelt and melodious. Most are short and sweet, all offering a different take on the basic blueprint. Take for example ‘Clown’, which begins with delicate finger-picked guitar and breathy vocals, before spiking in peaks of passion.
“The night saw the candles
The evening, dry
She holds her dreams so tight
But we are not asleep”
‘Master’ introduces piano and skittering percussion, sounding part age-old folk song, part stripped down jazz track, like a languorous tune being played from the corner of a smoky cafe. ‘Tomorrow’ is tautly emotional, dealing with being separated from a loved one (“You’ve got to go, got a plane to board, headed home”), and another great example of how Scheltinga creates real feeling using minimal ingredients. If you’re still not sold, try the opening track ‘I’ve Come To Know You Well’, which is perhaps the most sparse and delicate on the record.
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As Drunk With Love describe in their bio of Maud Scheltinga: “Over the past couple of years, Maud has interpreted and re-interpreted the world around her by means of her songs, which act as short stories. Listening to her music feels like listening to a bookshop owner taking different (but equally beloved) books off the shelf and dazzling you with short and direct anecdotes that offer you a peek inside.”
This literary theme is continued in the very special CD package put together by Drunk With Love. The music will come in a second hand book, with spaces carved out for sheet music and the CD. You can order it now from Drunk With Love Records, or digitally form the Maud Scheltinga Bandcamp page.
Maud Scheltinga is currently on a European tour with Jake Bellissimo. There are several dates left, so go check them out if you’re in The Netherlands or Germany!