Hiatus

Yes, I abandoned blogship for over a month, but in favor of some very worthy projects, not the least of which is the fairyland painbliss of truthbeauty that killed lesser women than myself. Among those still standing is my favorite current artist, Lykke Li, born in my same year and sharing some of same Nordic lineage. She's a girl after my own heart not only for the eyes searing from underneath baby-blonde, but the courage to be thrown to the wolves of passion, and the fortitude to be swallowed alive and reborn with new faith.

She has said of her first album, Youth Novels, that she was fresh off the street and into the studio. She has said she has come to resent the apparent demure image that was born of the reticence in her voice. The feather-soft voice might have been what attracted me to her (what can I say? Apparent vulnerability appeals to me.), but what has increased my interest in her artistically is the contrast you hear behind her, and even more so the intensity of her live performance. Hearing her launch into a freestyle over top an old Lou Reed favorite at the 6th and Eye Synagogue in D.C. exploded all expectations of what you might expect from an indie pop princess.

Her second album, Wounded Rhymes seems to emerge from a much darker place. In interviews given to Fader and Dazed and Confused, she discusses her recent involvement with certain occult tribes in the California deserts, and her interest in ritual, seance, and voodoo. Has our Swedish beauty gone off the deep end? I hope so.

She has a new video out for the single "I Follow Rivers," and I'm hearing a more cohesive pop anthem that has already been remixed by Dave Sitek and some others. A bit disappointing in its seeming accessibility, but her personality is in no way compromised in the lyrics. Much harsher is the single "Get Some," a kind of vindication of the ways in which people use each other. Her voice in these sounds very different--deeper, harsher, stronger, more confrontational and mature. She's said she can't wait 'til she smokes enough cigarettes to get the tone of voice she most admires. (Think Joni Mitchell on Court and Spark vs. Both Sides Now!)

Lykke Li seems to be pushing constantly at her own boundaries, challenging herself to live more deeply than any normie would voluntarily. I admire her weirdness, in fact it's the most beautiful thing about her. But she also has a shifting aesthetic that relates to her personal style. She has an effervescent but extremely lucid quality that's attracted designers. BUST Magazine feature took some gorgeous shots.

I hope she has the courage and the support to continue what seems to be a very serious quest for her. I hope she maintains her vision and her weirdness, and that she's not afraid to be terrified and strung out in the best ways possible. Keep that heart broken, baby, let it fill you up.