Lykke Li's A Mystery

10/22/08 3:43pm

by Brian Pascual (CHARTattack)

If you think you can figure Lykke Li out, then you're wrong.

From her quirky stage name (she was born Lykke Li Zachrisson), to the myriad of influences you can pick out of even one of her songs, the 22-year-old Swedish singer is a constant treasure chest of discoveries.

"Today, we have access to all kinds of music and cultures through the internet, and it would be quite weird not to incorporate that," admits Li. "I'm also a result of the '80s."

Li's Youth Novels full-length debut fully encapsulates this sentiment. Released earlier this year on the heels of her attention-gathering Little Bit EP, Youth Novels peeks into its author's early years growing up in Sweden and over parts of Europe, absorbing the music of each country she came in contact with.

"I lived a few months here and there across Europe, and a few years in Portugal," recalls Li. "I consider myself to be of European heritage, but my heart has always been wherever I've felt free and inspired and that can be anywhere. Preferably not where it's snowing."

Canadian fans will instantly hear the Feist-ian comparisons in Li's music — the cool, folk-by-way-of-electronica mixed nicely with elements of French pop and disco. But Li also adds a touch of Phil Spector's trademark wall of sound ("My Love") to distance herself a bit from some of the inevitable comparisons to Feist, Imogen Heap, Frou Frou and El Perro Del Mar.

One of Li's most sublime nods to the '80s is her eerie channeling of Kate Bush's "This Woman's Work" on "Time Flies." Li's voice is on full display — hauntingly warm, disarmingly cute and utterly heartbreaking. With all this in mind, you'd think Li would get most of her inspiration from female heavyweights like Bush, Bjork or even PJ Harvey, but that's hardly the case.

"I have to say, I'm rather depressive in my musical tastes," she says. "I like everything that shows true emotion and some weakness. But with that said, I love hip-hop. When I'm in a good mood, I have to listen to A Tribe Called Quest."

Li's love of hip-hop is perhaps yet another way of distancing herself from being lumped in with other singer gals. When asked if she feels connected to Sweden's insanely rich and thriving pop music scene, Li deflects with humour and cheekiness by replying, "No. Do you consider yourself part of the Broken Social Scene?"

Fair enough, but Li can't avoid the comparisons to the equally mysterious, coy and seductive El Perro Del Mar, and fans of The Concretes will no doubt hear how Li's voice is similar to that band's former lead singer, Victoria Bergsman (who now has her own solo project, Taken By Trees).

One way Li has been distinguishing herself and her music has been constantly touring North America, which is something other Swedish bands/artists not named Peter Bjorn And John don't do. That, of course, doesn't exactly mean it's easy for her.

"It's hard to keep sane and level-headed on tour," she says, although you get the feeling she's gearing up for something cheeky. "But who told you I was sane, anyway? I'm 22 years old — everyday is a struggle! But this is what I want to do. Apart from wanting to be friends with E.T. and also be a dolphin trainer when I was young, I've done nothing but sing."

Hopefully, you already have tickets for Lykke Li's shows at Toronto's Mod Club on Oct. 24 and Vancouver's Richard's On Richards on Oct. 28 because both are sold out.