Karin Dreijer’s solo debut is beautifully hypnotic.
Karin Dreijer Andersson has a serious case of the Midas touch. First, she showcased her talent as one-half of creepy electro-pop duo the Knife. Then came her goosebump-worthy collabs with ambient producers Royksopp. Now, under the moniker Fever Ray, her solo debut is so beautifully hypnotic, I listened to it four times in a row before realizing it was on repeat. This is Swedish electro at its most minimal, all haunting vocals and sparse melodies. Uberdark tracks like ‘If I Had a Heart’ and ‘Concrete Walls’ could be outtakes from the Knife’s Silent Shout, but it’s the addition of upbeat moments, like the Bjork-ish dance epic ‘Seven,’ that make Fever Ray so irresistible. Here, childlike lyrics with pitch-shifted vocals and way spooky sounds create something totally effed up—and completely perfect.
