With experiences in rock, jazz and electronica, I was excited to listen to Mikell Hess’ interpretation that is Hess is More. The man behind it all, Hess is very involved in many arrays of art forms, making me curious listen to the album, Hits.

Piano Waltz, the intro track starts off with a soft jazzy sound and gradually morphs into more of an electro track with a rock edge. It wasn’t anything I expected but not too bad, nonetheless. The beginning to Yes Boss reminded me of the good old days going to raves but then the vocals started. I was not impressed with it at all, especially since the music itself was produced so nicely. Ssshhhh was typical of a stale electro song with nothing to offer. In the next track, The Magic Invention, I had fun singing along to the chorus, which I believe is the magic invention from the divine business(?) research center. Other than that, once again, the track didn’t offer anything that made me want to give it another listen. Glove Is In the Air is by far my favorite song of the album. It has a mellow vintage jazzy sound that doesn’t seem to belong with the rest of the songs on the album. With Don’t Tell, the music went back to how the tracks were pre-track five. Listening to this song gives you the impression that the band was trying too hard to impress the listener. The next track has a very dark disco sound. Would Would You Like to Disco puts you in an underground disco is the 60s, while tripping on acid (which I’ve never done but it seems fitting). Rosenkrantz & Gyldenstjerne is electronic music meets church music from the Renaissance era, not the best fusion on genres.
Ever wonder what goes on in the head of someone under the influence? In The Fridge is about a man who climbs in a fridge because it’s so hot out but now he’s stuck in there and sad that he’ll freeze to death. I think the song is the perfect description to someone high and trying to sober up, don’t you? As for the music itself, its very industrial yet soulful. The last track is like the theme song to the drinking game, ‘Never Have I Ever.’ Never seems to be the most poppy track on the album, with playful lyrics, including the chorus of la-la’s but the song still lacked an ingredient that would give it any commercial success, but then again, I don’t think Mikkell Hess was looking for commercial success when he made this album.

Overall, this album has too much going on and at the same time, it does not offer any climax. The album definitely has potential but after listening to the album, its clear to me that Hess is an experimental artist.

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