The dark pop of "Au Volant" hints at great things for Elsa & Emilie

Both 20 years old and having played together since the age of 13, Elsa & Emilie from Haugesund in Norway released their debut album back in 2014 and that record, Endless Optimism, won them a nomination for Best New Act at the Norwegian Grammys.

This new track, though, hints at a darker, more turbulent and altogether more interesting direction for the duo. Of "Au Volant", Elsa & Emilie say "This was the last song we wrote for the album. The title is French and means 'driving'. 'Au Volant' is all about the atmosphere, it's not a story, but a feeling."

Recorded by Kristoffer Bonsaksen (Highasakite, Emilie Nicolas), "Au Volant" is all broody synths and jittering percussion lightened ever-so-slightly by chiming guitars and Elsa & Emilie's airy, high vocals. As they sing about "boys with the car keys" who "know how to speak" the impression we're left with is that the duo are left distinctly cold by this show of confidence but it's spurring them on to better things. The chorus - which seems to simultaneously sink and soar - asks the rhetorical question "who do you think got me this far?".....and the answer is glaringly obvious.

This supremely dark pop song might just be the beginning of Elsa & Emilie going even further.

Photo courtesy of Stian Andersen.