Lykke Li - Wounded Rhymes

5.0

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The follow-up to 2008’s Youth Novel from Swedish indie-pop songstress Lykke Li is an increasingly elevated, sophisticated affair – it’s also much more ‘put together’. Pretty much everything you’d look for in a follow-up. Read below for our full review.

Lykkie Li is that special kind of indie-pop artist who is successful at making that special kind of indie-pop – cheerfully quirky, aesthetically pleasing, differently emotive, highly relatable and subtly addictive. On Wounded Rhymes, Li takes all what makes her music charming and ingests a big dose of atmosphere into it – sort of like having us put on 3D glasses.

Opener “Youth Knows No Pain” is an in-your-face upbeat number fully beat-driven with layered drums, tambourine and organs. This brazen attitude seeps through to “I Follow Rivers” - actually the whole record is underlying with beautifully tough defiance, even on the more vulnerable tracks (“Sadness Is A Blessing”, “Silent My Song”). No element outshines the other in a well-made musical journey guided by the lush, pure voice of Li (highlighted in minimal “Unrequited Love”).

What makes Wounded Rhymes tick is that eventhough there is a transition in sound between the first half and the second – it all feels like it was written in one go - a story blossoming and deteriorating right in front of our eyes. An entirely effortless recording that actually makes a lasting impact - Give it a listen, you won’t regret it.

LYKKE LI - I FOLLOW RIVERS

Editor review

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