Ida Maria: Fortress Round My Heart

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The story about 24-year-old Norwegian newcomer Ida Maria is that she hassynesthesia, a neurological phenomenon that causes her to see colors when she hears music. Though her geographic origin combined with the old sensitive-girl-with-a-guitar stereotype might suggest an album of icy blues or mellow yellows, her debut, Fortress Round My Heart, actually draws from a much more fiery sonic palette. The album-opener, “Oh My God,” blasts out of the gates, crescendoing into a blistering, punk-tinged tirade highlighted by Maria’s raspy voice and convincing wails.