Had the absolute pleasure of reviewing Lykke Li’s sophmore album Wounded Rhymes for the wonderful people at Circle.Square.Triangle and this is what I thought….
It’s been three long years since Lykke Li jungle-drummed her way onto the music scene with her impressive debut album Youth Novels but thankfully she is finally back, and some may say better than ever. Yes our Swedish darling has triumphantly returned with her latest offering Wounded Rhymes and she definitely does not disappoint.
Stepping into new territory with this sophomore release, Li proves that she has done some serious growing up in recent years, not just musically but emotionally too. As you’ve probably already guessed with a title like Wounded Rhymes, the album is a tale of heartache and loneliness. So word to the wise, keep your Kleenex near by because both the lyrics and sound stem from a much darker place than what we are used to hearing from Li. And this combination makes for a somewhat heavy listening experience at times.
In many in ways this musical evolution can be attributed to fellow Swede and producer extraordinaire Bjorn Yttling. His golden touch is present on all ten tracks, creating a rich sound layered with echoes, harmonious vocals and of course, Li’s unmistakable tribal drums.
In fact, it’s these signature drums that kick off Wounded Rhymes with the first track and easy favourite, Youth Knows No Pain. The songs beat is obvious but still completely infectious. Be warned though, Li does not leave you dancing for long as she quickly changes up the albums tone with far more somber tracks like Sadness is a Blessing and Unrequited Love.
Although heart-wrenching at times Wounded Rhymes is still a joy to listen to. All ten tracks are worth their weight in music gold as is Lykke Li herself. With this album she has successfully cemented her place as Indie-Pop’s reigning princess and here’s hoping it wont be another three years until we hear from her again.
