Lykke Li
I Never Learn
Atlantic/Warner

Lykke Li's third platter is called I Never Learn. Good. Let's hope she never does. Never learn, I mean. Because this is way cool and stylished pop. Li Lykke Timotej Zachrisson, AKA Lykke Li (which translates into English as, well, uh, maybe... 'Happ Y') makes happysad, soursweet, whipsmart, super-cool, pop music - behind a indie veil. But, mind you, it's not hard to hear that she's found inspiration from her compatriots and pop legends ABBA as well.

The highly efficient I Never Learn (9 songs, all done in 33 minutes) follows her 2011 album, Wounded Rhymes. And, yes, it's the third album in a row along with producer Björn Yttling (the bass player of posters Peter Bjorn And John), since her debut, Youth Novels (2008). The formula is well-known and the content is more of the same from her last album; epic, dark, and heart-breaking quality pop. Songs dripping with melancholia. But grief and pain suits her melodic and lyrical universe, so her tunes turns out as delcious pop songs. No matter if they are power ballads or painstaking swirltracks.

I Never Learn is indeed catchy, thrilling and charming. Lykke Li has written the songs together with Yttling. They've pulled in a couple more pro writers as well: American award-winning songwriters/producers/musicians Rick Nowels (who's written for artists like Lana Del Rey, Robyn, Madonna, Cee-Lo Green, Dido, Tupac Shakur, Weezer, +++) and Greg Kurstin (Lily Allen, Pink, ++). Uppers from this album? Well, there are several, actually, but the title track is great, along with "Just Like a Dream", "Love Me Like I'm Not Made of Stone", and "Sleeping Alone". Lykke Li's got a great voice. She's tough, she's brave, and she dares to prove her pop skills. I guess that the Swedes could have made an album as good as this without the Amweicans (why bring them in...?). It's an indeed decent pop album. Keep it short, is a wise thing to do.

Copyright © 2014 Håvard Oppøyen