Les Imprimés – Next Summer
Norwegian musician Morten Martens knows his way around vintage soul, and his Les Imprimés project puts that knowledge to work on “Next Summer.” Summer’s over, but Martens is already looking ahead to the next one, with sultry melody lines.
“Next Summer” is classic soul territory, but the approach feels genuine rather than derivative. Martens plays most of the instruments himself, and the production allows everything room to breathe. Each element sits in its space without crowding, creating the “beautiful, spacious sound” that makes vintage soul work. Martens doesn’t rush the arrangements or pile on unnecessary layers. Instead, he lets the melody lines do their work over a foundation that knows when to support and when to step back.
Les Imprimés proves that loving a genre doesn’t mean copying it note for note. Martens weaves vintage soul styles into something that sounds contemporary without losing the essence that made those original records special. “Next Summer” captures both the longing for warmer days and the musical warmth that can bridge the gap until they arrive.
