
Thereโs something irresistibly cinematic about habits of a complex mind, the debut LP from Norwegian indie artist ST. NIKLAS. Itโs like stepping into a coming-of-age movie where the camera lingers on dusk-lit streets and hearts get broken in slow motion. Full of bittersweet yearning, 80s-drenched synths, and fuzzed-out guitars, the album captures the whirlwind of nostalgia, heartbreak, and self-discovery that defines young adulthood.
Opening track โICSTWYWHNโ is drenched in dreamlike haze. A misty soundscape of slow, grainy vocals and restrained drums gradually gives way to a fuzzy, urgent build, before it cools back into stillness. The refrain, โI canโt say the words you wanna hear now,โ lingers like the ache of unsaid things.
Midway through, โantidoteโ throws us into the eye of an emotional storm. Gritty guitars grind under ST. NIKLASโ soft, impassioned delivery. The lyrics are raw, vulnerable, and cinematicโโYouโre a drug to me / A hurricane that makes the walls start shakingโโwrapped in lush production that swells with every beat.
Then thereโs the title track, โhabits of a complex mind,โ a slow burn that perfectly encapsulates the albumโs emotional undercurrent. With echoing guitars and a dazed, confessional vocal, ST. NIKLAS sounds like heโs drowning in awe of someone he canโt quite articulate. The track embodies the very โcomplex mindโ the album explores: overthinking, emotional paralysis, and longing that lives rent-free in your head for years.
Fans of Sam Fender and Del Water Gap will find a kindred spirit here. But habits of a complex mind is entirely ST. NIKLASโ ownโa hazy, heartfelt debut that makes overthinking sound like poetry. Check it out on Spotify.
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Photo Credit: Lars Evanger
Review by: Naomi Joan