Photo: Aki Roukala

From the first few notes of Mirel Wagner‘s eponymous debut album, it’s apparent that this Finnish-by-way-of-Ethiopia singer has the gift of capturing one’s attention without much ornamentation around her songs. The whole record is a sparse affair, with Wagner’s voice and guitar at the forefront. She forces you to listen to what she’s saying, and like recent folk stand-outs Laura Marling or Joanna Newsom, Wagner’s work feels extremely personal and soul bearing — it’s like you’re spying on her, alone in a room, spilling her guts out onto the chords.

Of the nine songs she presents, “No Hands” is one of the more uplifting numbers. It’s narrated from the eyes of a kid discovering life as it casually breezes by. “I remember when I was younger and the summers seemed to last forever and riding your bike was the best thing in the world,” Wagner tells Hive. “I think the song is trying to capture that feeling of childlike innocence, freedom and recklessness.” Indeed, there’s a child-like quality present in her voice, where the days and nights aren’t bogged down by the foibles of adulthood. And really, who wants to grow up?

Mirel Wagner is out March 27 on Friendly Fire Recordings.