IN Kelly releases solo debut single

IN Kelly is the solo project of Norwegian musician Kjetil Rønningen, who’s unveiled the brand new endeavour this year. While the IN Kelly moniker might be a new introduction to the music scene, Kjetil is not stranger to the sonic world, having enjoyed a successful musical career since he started writing songs aged thirteen on an acoustic guitar he received for Christmas.

Kjetil is better known as the frontman of the Oslo-based indie rock-meets-post punk outfit Bravo Papa. Having released five full-length record with his band, crafting their own distinct sound that draws on the diverse backgrounds of the four members, as IN Kelly, he’s stepping out on his own to deliver his unfiltered sonic vision in all its glory.

With his enduring inspirations of bands like The Smiths, The Cure and The Strokes and influences from a varied spectrum of genres of styles, he’s created an upcoming ten-track record as a solo artist for the first time. Sharing with the world the first taste of the latest chapter in his musical adventure, he now brings us his debut single as a solo artist with the song titled “Sleepwalker.”

Recorded in Nesodden, Norway, written, performed and produced by IN Kelly entirely by himself, the single is a stunning crystallisation of his musical journey that spans more than two decades. Distilling the new wave style that’s influenced him so greatly over the years, the artist applies his own sonic imprint to inject electronic inflections to the sound and wrap it in a dreamy aesthetic.

Started with the resonating pulse of a bass synth, gently rolling as the snap of the electronic drums and bright strums of clean electric and acoustic guitars set the backdrop for his smooth vocal leads. Threading storytelling lyricism, abstract enough to leave room for listener interpretation, with “Sleepwalker,” IN Kelly blurs the lines between an uptempo indie sound and a mesmeric soundscape.

Full of sweet melodies and rising energy from the rattle of percussive textures and rise of synths that swell around the guitar-based arrangement, “Sleepwalker” sees IN Kelly make a compelling artistic entrance. Building with layers of vocals and processed repeated lines, it’s a superb display of a talented artist who’s taking his first steps on what promises to be a sensational solo adventure.

Listen to Sleepwalker below