Review: Lakeshouse - On Verda Mi (Paper Recordings)

We are told, "Lakeshouse are the new school Norwegian collective who distil a rich heritage of Scandinavian disco and electronica into 12 dazzling cuts" - prepare to be dazzled!  And confused?

The 'Inspector Norse' phenomenon that gave us Todd Terje, Lindrøm and all things Prins Thomas and Full Plupp et al that moved the centre of dance music quite a few degrees north towards Oslo after Bugge Wesseltoft and Jazzland did the same a decade or so before them.  And whilst all this has been going on, Paper Recordings have been keeping their eyes close to the Olso tundra and found Lakeshouse back in 2019 ffor their debut EP.

Lakehouse is a trio collective of Djs and jazz musicians who have space in their house from disco to OST beng leftfield and all they touch, which is the essence of 'On Verda Mi'. And with that knowledge, the album doesn't sound as angular as on first listen: you could say it playfulaly messes with you senses into post-Norse world starting with 'Ubergrensa Harmoni'.

I hope 'Evig Kjærleik' gets loads of radio plays for the non-nordic pronunciation of the title and the slighty warped intro of 'Tales Of The Unexpected' before it goes all vocoder space-funk house thru' "80s Nintendo" vision: see what I mean, sounds an odd combo except as underground Daft Punk rocker.

Chances are you'll be singing along to 'Eg Står opp i Dag' this party season as it's the most Daft-Punked whilst 'La Playa' is at the Lakeshouse Italo-White isle crazy folk fiddle in the jazz bop da, da, da dah. "Disco"!  I thought that would be ideal for a longer edit/remix if you want to go down that road, don't forget our Lakeshoue 'introducion' with the single, 'Renate's Dans' (with Hot Toddy & Gouldian Finch Remixes - see review HERE) where the original is that mix of Synth does Classics vs. 70s TV theme as Stars On 45: don't be scared it's fully in tune with the rest of the album.

The most immediate track is the pumpin' 'Nitti' (Ed. no gritti then?) and if you have "Weeds Up To Me Knees". you'll go for the slow samba beats of 'Secret Plants' which is even a bit leftfield for these guys with a little bit of harp-hip-hop, but who knows what they're growing in their back garden.

If you want a football analogy, this is like a mid-week European-away trip where the club has just relaid a 4G pitch without telling anyone in the middle of the night and then go on to win the game and the cup.  Not the best I've come up with but, as they say, "Watch this space because Lakeshouse are coming!"

N.B. For more Norwegian extremes, we're interviewed Third Attempt on YATM (see interview HERE) to the other extreme, for some real obscure Norwegain, keep an eye on the Norske Albumkassikere label that crowd funds re-issues, although no idea wthy there was a renewed interest last year to revive Vömmöl Spellmannslag's 'Vømmøl Kommune' apart from all them 'o's?

BUY LINK:  Om Verda Mi by Lakeshouse

Artist: Lakehouse 

Title: On Verda Mi

Release date: 29th October, 2025

Label : Paper Recordings
Catalog Number : TBC
Format:  12" Vinyl / Digital / Bandcamp