Anna Diem is a self-produced artist and songwriter based in Portland, OR. According to the artist “Diem came out of the woodwork in 2019 to begin sharing the art she’s worked so hard to develop throughout her life.” That would eventually become her album Hello Oregon.
It’s a delicate and emotive album that begins with the song “Lucky.” The song revolves around a simple piano melody and her vocals. It’s all about the vocals here which run with a somber energy. The mood shifts as the somber evolves to solace on the next song “Everybody’s Different” which contains a subtle electronic beat, guitar and some atmospheric textures. The message is straightforward but worth repeating. I interpreted it as a song about acceptance.
“All My Friends” is both minimalistic and emotionally resonant. There’s a meditative type of stillness here. The most dynamic aspect is the vocals. There’s also a sense of yearning for change in this song. It’s beautiful but quite sad especially when you hear the thunder towards the end of the song.
The title track “Hello Oregon” contains some unique percussion. It sounds like a slice of white noise and works well in the song. Diem continues to display a warm pillow of melancholy that’s hard to deny. There are brief moments here which transform into a sense of hope.
“Deep Sea Diver” did sound a little out of place compared to some of the other songs mainly because of the vocal delivery at points. It’s a solid song even if it wasn’t one of my favorites.
There’s a piano interlude simply called “Piano Interlude” which was a simple but effective transition into “Hang On.” “Hang On” is fantastic. I loved how the song started with organ, wind chimes. The beat comes and goes but it is stronger each time it returns. Diem sings “If need a shoulder to lean / you can lean on me.”
Last but certainly not least is “Over The Rainbow.” Diem brings her own sound to this ubiquitous classic. It felt like the perfect end to this release. The song takes all the yearning for better days and realizes them. I feel like the song is that much stronger when you listen to all the songs that came before.
Diem is quite the talent. Hello Oregon is a well balanced album that hits you in the heart.
