MaVe shares new album ‘Ecstatic / Perplexed’

Norwegian artist MaVe, the artistic banner of Oslo-based Marita Vestad, has spent the last decade building a sound that’s as emotionally impactful as it is musically adventurous. Fusing Scandinavian experimentalism with crisp pop hooks and a flair for dramatic contrast, she’s walked her own path with music that spans balladry, grit and everything in between.

Since arriving in 2014 with her debut single “Monster,” MaVe has developed her artistic output through a string of EPs, well-received singles and a critically-praised debut album. Now, she returns with her sophomore record titled Ecstatic / Perplexed, a release that doesn’t just continue her journey, but reshapes it entirely.

Written, produced and recorded entirely by MaVe herself, Ecstatic / Perplexed is a bold self-portrait drawn in opposites. Across its tracklist, the album jumps headfirst into emotional polarities; the wild joy of euphoric highs clashing with the slow swirl of reflective uncertainty. It’s a record that refuses to sit still, shifting moods and textures with an ease that’s both unpredictable and intensely human. But rather than simply documenting this duality, MaVe fully channels it. “This album is about embracing the contradictions within ourselves. It’s an exploration of the exhilarating and the uncertain—sometimes they’re inseparable,” she shares.

The album also marks a key shift in MaVe’s processm for the first time she’s incorporated live drums into her production, linking up with drummer Halvor Dokke to bring a tactile energy to the songs. Engineered by Peter Sørheim, who also contributes guitar and bass, the instrumentation is sharp and engaging, offering a perfect counterweight to the record’s electronic backbone.

To celebrate the release, MaVe performed a launch gig at MIR in Oslo this March, before heading stateside for a showcase at MUSEXPO in Los Angeles. Playing at S.I.R Studios in Hollywood, she delivered a performance that caught the attention of the international music industry, further confirming her status as an enduring, must watch talent. Rounding off the celebrations, she returned to her hometown Ringebu for an intimate unplugged show at VÆRFAST, bringing her latest work full circle, from global stages to the place where it all began.

From the atmospheric, vocal-led album opener “Power Loving,” the album slips the listener into an absorbing musical experience with an enveloping track that pairs delicate melodic writing, pure emotion and a building percussive energy throughout. “Stardust” follows with a grooving R&B-tinged alternative pop outing capped by MaVe’s expressive vocal performance that flickers between Norwegian and English. Built on the rustle of marching drums, bright piano notes and deep bass textures, the track serves up a throughly gripping slice of anthemic pop music.

Other highlights on the album include songs like “Extraordinary” with its rumbling bass elements, commanding vocal delivery and intense, dark pop aesthetic. Closing track, “I’d Remember You” presents a dazzling showcase of MaVe’s alluring vocal talent and songwriting flair via a wholly enthralling jam, providing a superb finale to MaVe’s sensational sophomore record.

Listen to Ecstatic/Perplexed below

Following the success of the album’s release, MaVe has already followed it with a brand new release, sharing the full version of “Someone Else’s House.” Having released the original no drums version of the song on the album, the new rendition reframes the ethereal sound of the song with the mellow energy of rhythmic backing. Flowing from the dreamy sound of delicately drifting tones, emotive vocal leads and the soft patter of claps, the arrangement builds with the laid back strike of a drum kit, injecting a smooth groove while retaining all the sonic beauty of the song.

Listen to Someone Else’s House below