* by Simeon Kirkegaard: Album Review

by admin March 27, 2025

March 27, 2025

Simeon Kirkegaard’s * (Yes, Asterisk) has been a decade in the making, recorded across some of Ireland’s finest studios, and touched by legendary hands at Abbey Road, this is a project that oozes both ambition and emotional depth. Kirkegaard, alongside co-producers Gavin Glass and Alwyn Walker, has crafted a sonic journey that swings from grand, orchestral swells to raw, stripped-back intensity, sometimes within the same song. Fans of Radiohead, Oasis, and The Beach Boys will find plenty to love here, but * refuses to settle into easy comparisons.

“Fever” kicks off the album with a storm, fuzzy riffs crackling over an atmospheric haze before the drums burst in, pushing the track into dark, pulsing intensity. Kirkegaard’s high, urgent vocals cut through like a desperate plea, layered over ghostly backing harmonies that wail in the background. Then there’s “Black Dog,” a slow-burning mood piece where melodic electric guitars chime and glisten over steady, sensual rhythms. It’s a hypnotic listen, steady yet immersive.

But the real emotional gut-punch comes with “If Only,” the album’s haunting closer. Opening with a fragile, cautious guitar melody, Kirkegaard’s distinct voice floats gently above it, vulnerable yet piercing. And just when you think the song might drift away like a quiet reflection, the drums kick in, the music swells, and the mystery unravels into a wall of pulsating sound, heightened by ethereal female backing vocals that make the whole thing feel almost otherworldly.

With *, Kirkegaard is building an experience. It’s introspective, cinematic, and deeply human, proving that after a decade of fine-tuning, this album was well worth the wait.