Yndling
Time Time Time (I’m in the Palm of Your Hand)
(Spirit Goth Records)
★★★★★

Hey, fellow eclectic explorer — Yndling’s sophomore album is pure late-night magic. Silje (the heart of Yndling) weaves 42 minutes of hazy shoegaze-synthpop that feels like drifting through warm fog. Her semi-whispered vocals glide over blooming electric guitar synth effects patches and shimmering textures, pulling you into an immersive, ethereal world.

Sure, the Cocteau Twins’ shadow looms — those gossamer vocals and reverb cathedrals echo Elizabeth Fraser’s ghost — but Yndling isn’t chasing Heaven or Las Vegas. This is Cocteau for the scroll generation: TikTok snippets, bedroom-pop intimacy, and a Nordic chill that swaps gothic romance for quiet, modern ache.

Tracks explore introspection, self-isolation, and that tricky gap between inner truth and outer reality. It’s mostly lush dream-pop echoing Mazzy Star or Beach House, but with fresh twists. As Fast As I Can sneaks in fuzzy, punky energy — a quick spark before melting back into the haze. The production is a treat: bass hums low, hi-hats circle like lazy stars. Headphones make it intimate; speakers fill the room just right. Replayable without wearing thin, it’s comfort for off-days.

And the TikTok spark? That’s It’s Almost Like You’re Here, the January 2025 lead single that became my relentless earworm. Its celestial synth-wash and soft croon about slipping words and almost-love hit TikTok hard through understated 15-second clips: foggy Norwegian vistas, slow city lights, on-screen lyrics like “When it’s almost, but not quite.”

Fans dueted with ghosted-text tales and half-crush confessions; lip-sync challenges under bedhead glow racked up millions of views. One rain-on-window overlay alone blew past a million. It wasn’t pushy promo — just organic, letting the bittersweet vibe spread. For me, it lodged during a commute and bridged straight to the album’s deeper sighs.

Smart, quiet conquest of the scroll.