What does Gitta De Ridder sound like?

Lush, homely, acoustic-laden folksy ditties that has a skip in their step.

The review of ‘N(i)e(u)w Land’ by Gitta De Ridder

Danish singer-songwriter Gitta D Ridder has been releasing peppy and dainty folk music for years now, gaining a dedicated following that enjoys her homely approach to music and artistry. On her fourth studio album, the slightly difficult-to-read ‘N(i)e(u)w Land’, Gitta embraces her warm ballad side. Cosy, like a blanket and a cuppa on a chilly Sunday morning, this album wraps you up tight and safely.

‘High Hopes’ and ‘Dear Memories’ work as sister songs to open the album. The acoustic guitar is the spine for two sumptuous ballads with additional strings, bass and rootsy undercurrents. Both speak of optimism and reflection and moving on from a past pain point or issue. They do it in an uplifting way though, and this is what Gitta De Ridder does best. There is always a smile in the music, be that the lyrics, chord structure or Gitta’s voice. ‘Hollow’ is a darker track with some interesting instrumentation. A dulcimer-like stringed instrument plucks out one riff whilst an accordion and harmonium mesh with strings and drums to provide a nostalgic, unmoored sound. It borrows from across Europe and sounds uniquely continental.

While big topics crop up, ‘Tough Loving’ focuses on the domestic life of cleaning dishes, tidying clothes, and offering hints of the stress that keeping a tidy house can put on a relationship. The playful acoustic strums mixed with ukulele and warm synths remind me of Emiliana Torrini at times. The lilting strings and light percussive taps of ‘Heroes For A Day’ offer another uplifting and breezy track. This track showcases Gitta’s vocal prowess as she uses her voice alongside string arrangements to create the backing melodies. Warm and pillowy, it closes out the first half of the album with a soft cushion to land on, warmly handing over to ‘Tiny’. This track follows a Latin-tinged guitar motif that transitions to a poppy chorus of dreamy vocals, bright piano chords and lighter waving melodies.

Gitta sifts to bard blues for ‘All of Everything’ with a soulful ditty that strips back most of the production. There is a lot of motherly love that pours out of the second half of this album. Starting with the tiny hand-in-hand from the previous track to declarations of love here. Gitta De Ridder is clearly abundant with emotion but she channels it into succinct songs that don’t labour the points. They get in, land the landing and get out quickly. ‘Chasing Sleep’ is the sole track that nearly hits four minutes on the album and it uses music boxes and mechanical cranks to underscore the guitars and backing vocals for the dreamy song of the album. The production elevates a simple folk standard into something lavish and ethereal.

Love turns to relationships as ‘Everything’s You’ rolls off things Gitta enjoys. It is the first time I’ve heard the phrase “eggy bread” in a love song and I’m here for it! Lazy strumming and understated strings return like comfort blankets across the album. Ridder knows when to rid the song of unwanted clutter, and the album is better for it. That said, when production tweaks are used, they stand out. The closing track ‘Shine Sun Shine’ starts off being played through vinyl spittle and filter effects. The song reminds me of a Hawaiian folk song with its waltzing shimmer and Gitta’s hung syllabic delivery. The song loses the filter effects over time so that as other instruments join in, the song blooms like a sunrise breaking through. Production subtleties like that go a long way to selling an emotional impact, and this album is full of them.

Playful, traditional, unpretentious and direct – Gitta De Ridder’s restraint and streamlined approach to music pays off again here. I feel like I’ve visited for coffee, a gossip, a skim through the photo album and a warm embrace in just over half an hour. I’m usually a music fan of the darker, sadder and pained side of music, but when I need a folksy pick-me-up, Gitta has me covered.

(Editor: This post was originally written in September 2024, but revised for June 2025 for the full album release.)

Recommended track: All Of Everything

Support Higher Plain Music

Higher Plain Music is part of the Higher Plain Network – a one-man indie media project. If you like what I do, please consider supporting me via Patreon for as little as $1/£1 a month. In return, you’ll receive additional perks for supporting me, such as behind-the-scenes content and free downloads. You can also donate using PayPal. Sharing the website helps too or using the affiliate buy now links on reviews. I receive a few pence per Amazon sale. All your support will enable me to produce better content, more often. I’d love to make this a full-time media network and your support can make that happen. Thank you.