Lykke Li - Youth Novels

Swedish songstress Lykke Li (full name Lykke Li Zachrisson) is making waves all over the shop at the minute. On listening to this, her debut release on her own label, it’s not difficult to see why. Though far from sensational, Youth Novels is an album rich in ideas and brimming with delicate and quirky pop tunes, packing much of the punch a classic pop record requires. What is lacking, however, is a development of some of these great ideas, allowing the songs room to evolve beyond their origins. For example, the chorus of vocals and handclaps that drives Breaking It Up, despite being a successful combination initially, does wear thin towards the end of this sure-to-be break-up anthem. But this is only a slight criticism. I’m Good I’m Gone feels like Feist with vocal samples, whereas Let It Fall is Julia Stone with beats, and Complaint Department is Santogold doing Euro-pop; no complaints here.