Review Summary: The soundtrack album by Anggun for a Danish drama, Open Hearts. Features Anggun as the sole performer in this collection of (mostly) light-hearted tunes. Another great listen.
Made as the soundtrack for a Danish drama, Open Hearts (original Danish title: Elsker dig for evigt), here Anggun is featured as the sole performer and also co-wrote 3 tracks (ironically not featured in the film). Yes, of course this is a soundtrack album and everything here is related to the film's storyline but even if this was Anggun's own studio album, it's still an improvement from 2000's Chrysalis. Perhaps it's the 9-track feature which prevents the album from being bogged down by fillers (truth be told, Chrysalis has a few of them), but mostly it's the material.
[Since this is a pretty short album and I was told to "beef up" the initial review, might as well I go track-by-track. So here it is...]
The opening track, "Counting Down", is a unique display for the singer. The 2-step influence and the breakbeats is certainly a territory Anggun has never been before. Great lyrics as well ("It's funny when you think about it/How coincidence rules/It's funny when you think about your life") and the references to numbers throughout the song is catchy in its own way.
"Open Your Heart" then opens with a refreshing and haunting mode (do give it a listen, as this was the lead single). "Open your heart/To an unexpected, long-neglected love" so it says. A very feel-good song, this will be stuck in your head for a while once you get to it.
"Little Things" is next, a light-hearted track about life surprises and changes. Danceable, ready for radio play... the lyrics tell how the '"little things cut like knives, hurt and sting."
Then comes "Blue Satellite" with its mid-tempo, acoustic feel. This is something to sing along to... just a lovely song with lovely lyrics, particularly the chorus ("Then you said, Me and you we are like one/And I pretend that you're not wrong/We're like blue satellites"). Another new musical approach for Anggun, I reckon this as one of the album's highlights.
Desperate to keep a lover's company is the theme of "The End of a Story" with its hypnotic synth patterns. Then "I'm Your Mirror" throws Anggun into the upbeat territory. Another unique display, the song has a strong hip-hop feel and could have been a hit actually.
Near the album's end, the next 2 tracks showcase even more upbeat materials with "Pray", a pretty dark song but with uplifting lyrics in reverse ("Pray for life/For the living/Pray for love/Pray for tomorrow") and "I Wanna Hurt You", which marks Anggun's first dip into the club/dance scene. Angsty lyrics set against heavy club beats, this was a club hit in the making. If only some dared enough to release a club single out of it.
Then the album's closer, "Naked Sleep", is the complete opposite of anything else on the album. A stripped-down, piano ballad, it showcases Anggun's exquisite, tender vocals with somewhat sexual lyrics ("Because tonight there's only love/A naked sleep/In a naked bed.") Hearing this song, and knowing the film is a love story, it is so easy to see why Anggun's music is used for it.
Credit the songwriting and producing duo Jesper Winge Leisner and Niels Brinck (more credit to the latter) for giving the album consistency, well-crafted and polished production as well as bold songwriting. And definitely to Anggun, who delivers each song with such ease and effortlessness. All in all, the light-hearted, romantic Open Hearts is actually a great accompaniment to the moody, somber Chrysalis. Call it a progression or an extension, but here Anggun shows other great facets to her music and personally speaking, she never sounds quite alive on her previous efforts as she does here. Simply put, an album for those hearts in love, and another great listen.
