As one half of The Knife, Karin Dreijer Andersson has already been used to making distinctive music – and she does so with her solo venture, Fever Ray. Over ice cool electronics her piercing tones are instantly recognisable, but the musical language often veers away from her native Sweden and across towards the far east. This means the album is never less than compelling, and songs like ‘When I Grow Up’ and ‘If I Had A Heart’ are striking for their wide open textures and slow, stilted beats. Dreijer can sing about the most mundane things and still make an impact – it’s not everyone that writes lyrics about dishwasher tablets and gets away with it – but when her piercing vocals are twinned with beats like this, there’s no point resisting. A late night treat, and a stop gap for delighted Knife fans.
5 Out Of 5
Reviewed By: Ben Hogwood
