LATE RUNNER, the brainchild of Danish indie-folk songwriter Asger Tarpgaard has unveiled its debut album Nothing’s Real Anymore via seminal indie label Crunchy Frog. The album is an introduction to a promising new artist (in the solo sense) – and a work that, in and of itself, fulfils that promise.
There’s a careful attention to detail in Late Runner’s dreamy alternative pop, drawing on a well of inspiration from the likes of The Beach Boys, Air, Beck, George Harrison and John Lennon. Tarpgaard freely mixes modern clarity with an ear for original and natural-sounding melody with ’70s production vibes. It’s contemplative music expressed with clear, vulnerable, and warm singing and thoughtful and introspective lyrics.
His maturity is evident in both Late Runner’s ruminative sound and lyrics; nothing sounds or feels rushed. “Late Runner is something that I’ve grown into and musically felt ready to write,” explains vocalist, guitarist, and pianist Asger Tarpgaard. “I’m in a place now where I’m finally capable of committing to tape the music that is in my head.” This collection of songs is permeated by a reflection on the past through the morose prism of the present. It conjures feelings of the diffuse sunlight of late summer or early autumn, not unlike the album’s cover art. |