Review: Lykke Li – Youth Novels

I have written before on Swede Lykke Li (and I am now informed, pronounced “Lu-key Loo” corrections anyone?) and at that time she was just finishing up her debut album “Youth Novels”. The web-hit “Little Bit” sounded fantastic, delicate and funky, but I had ideas that the makeup of the album wouldn’t reach as far.

Well, after just one listen I was fairly convinced that “Little Bit,” although a highlight, was not the end of it, by far. What struck me at first was her courage in being immensely courageous in the use of different sounds and instruments as well as conventional ones. It’s almost a hybrid between something dainty and sweet and… something like Massive Attack. Tracks like “Complaint Department” hint at a grungy edge, in the music as well as her vocals, whereas “Little Bit” fronts up the delicate love-pop area.

She has also, I would suggest, taken on the whole idea of the album being a progression – having a deliberate track order. Obviously most musicians do this, but its almost as though the lead in and lead out songs in between the main act tracks, have been especially designed for said tracks, making a disjointed listen to the album a complete waste of time and make you not like it as much.

The first track is a spoken manifesto of sorts and is realized quite well through the album (“You’ll be the rhythm and I’ll be the beat”). This leads into “Dance Dance Dance”, the simplicity of which makes you yearning for more. The almost strained tone of Lykke Li’s vocals make you feel like dancing, but only just a little bit – and I think this is part of the whole structure – she is working up a crescendo, and you know it’s already coming on the second track! Personally I think that crescendo realizes itself on “Breaking It Up” with a strong choir section leading into the naked vocals of Lykke herself. The keyboards on this track are amazing and if you haven’t liked much of what you have heard until this track, this track will change your mind completely.

At times, what I perceive to be the desire to mix it up with different instruments gets a little weird sometimes, like the saxophone feature on “Dance Dance Dance”, it is a little bit (excuse the pun) … well it just makes you a little unsure. But most of these instances are merely personal and as such can make you like it just as much.

If you think the sweet little voice will annoy you, becoming old and boring after just a few tracks with the same style, Lykke is obviously capable of utilizing her voice in dynamic fashions as the second last track “Time Flies” shows, which is a wind-down number that is incredibly well down.

In this whole album structure it could be perceived that structure these days is merely filler in between hits, but I think she realizes this, and those ones that are “fillers” or lead ins or outs, are remarkable songs by themselves. Obviously they wont be the major songs live or most requested or whatever, but to me these ones such as “Time Flies,” “Hanging High” and “Dance Dance Dance” are the stand out ones… I suppose it follows the “you are only as strong as your weaknesses” is the point I am trying to make here.

But in summary, Lykke Li is definitely someone you want to check out. This is no flaky, love-ballad singer. It is early in 2008 but I am very sure this will be high on rotation for me, and already is.

The only downside to this whole deal is that it is currently only available on a label in Scandinavia, and is currently not distributed internationally so you gotta order it… which you can do on her website – http://www.lykkeli.com

I think this little clip here shows the variety and amazing diversity of her ability to create amazingly groovy tunes.

By Konrad Overdrive