From an instrumental point of view, there’s a lot to marvel at within the conservative construct of Morten Nygaard’s “Tomorrow Never Comes,” his virgin outing in the studio. Although pressurized in the master mix, the piano still glistens with a reflectiveness that, when placed next to Nygaard’s dynamic vocal as it has been here, feels all the more impactful than it already would have. “Tomorrow Never Comes” is very melodic, but it avoids the pitfalls of saccharine pop conceptualism by staying a little stoic when we’re halfway expecting it to launch into the heavens above.
Rather than stretching out of the tension as long as he can with the absence of a drumbeat, this player invites a rock-style eruption into the chorus that pulls us closer to his harmonies and allows for a groove to develop almost out of thin air. This is power balladry light, admittedly, but it’s also sporting more poetic depth and intricacy than one initially would expect it to. For the most part, by keeping things as cut and dry as possible on the technical end of the track, this player isn’t just breaking away from the indulgence of modern pop, but showing us that he doesn’t need much to sound like a superstar.
The backdrop here is a little surreal considering the potency of the lead vocal, but I can understand why Nygaard would want to exploit contrast and juxtaposition a bit more than the status quo would call for in this instance. He’s got an ocean of emotions to unburden himself from in this performance, and yet he isn’t looking to unleash a tidal wave all at once (likely for fear of getting swept away himself); timing is his best friend here, and he’s employing it as a means of making his lyrics weightier in addition to their being more relatable at a slow tempo. Like the unfurling of a deeply-held confession, everything comes together slowly and profoundly in “Tomorrow Never Comes,” showcasing a lead vocal at the focal point of the master mix whilst also highlighting an arrangement dominated by gentle rhythm and a sense of urgency sourced squarely from Morten Nygaard himself.
If what I’ve been listening to in “Tomorrow Never Comes” is truly a fair preview of what this singer/songwriter is going to be building his career around, I think it goes without saying that he’s probably one of the more intriguing and provocative rookie recording artists to be making his debut in 2022. He’s got a relaxed energy about him here that really speaks to his potential more than anything else, and had he not been as forward in this performance as he is, we might not be talking about his talents to the degree we are this winter. Nygaard holds nothing back from the audience in “Tomorrow Never Comes,” and with any luck, this won’t be the last occasion on which this excellently gifted player gives us everything he’s got in the studio or the stage the same. His is a voice pop music needs right now, and those with a strong taste for the genre should make a point of hearing him sooner than later.
Claire Uebelacker