Uh-oh, uh-oh… if you’ve got a weakness for super-catchy pop music, Tove Lo’s debut will prove a hard habit to break.
Uh-oh, uh-oh… if you’ve got a weakness for super-catchy pop music, Tove Lo’s debut will prove a hard habit to break.
Been on the radio lately? Then you’re probably familiar with “Habits (Stay High)”, the breakup anthem with a hook so addictive the title could be more self-referential than intended. Soaring above the track’s driving beat is the Swedish singer-songwriter Tove Lo (pronounced “toe-vuh lo”), whose tongue-tripping name might not be familiar yet, but is about to be.
Artistically, Tove is definitely a product of her homeland – she mixes the world-weary outlook of fellow Swede Lykke Li with the dance-pop sensibilities of one of the nation’s most successful exports, Robyn – and the result is just as palatable as you’d expect it to be. Listen out for “Not on Drugs”, “Talking Body” and “Run on Love”, which runs on an electro-house vibe supplied by producer Lucas Nord. If you couldn’t stop listening to Zedd’s “Clarity”, this one’s for you.
Queen of the Clouds retails for $12.98 on iTunes.
Weish of .gif shares three picks that never fail to inspire major wanderlust.
Weish is one half of the local electronic duo .gif. Visit dotgifdotgif.bandcamp.com for more information.
Hiatus Kaiyote
TAWK TOMAHAWK
This is one of the greatest albums of all time. It is gut-wrenchingly primal, yet so delicate, complex and intricate. Some songs feel like you’re stepping into a shadowy rainforest, others into harsh deserts... the entire record is an adventure. Pure magic.
Justin Timberlake
JUSTIFIED
I still cringe at the album title, but this is the ultimate road trip album – [it's got] teenage nostalgia, infectious grooves, and falsetto melodies that you can belt out with your friends in the car. The soundtrack to some of the best times I’ve ever had.
Hjaltalín
ENTER 4
Broody, rich, introspective, soulful, sublime music. The melodies and progressions are genius. Ideal for solo walks at dusk in the chilly streets of London – or any grey, rainy city.
FLORENCE AND THE MACHINE – HOW BIG, HOW BLUE, HOW BEAUTIFUL
It’s been almost four years since the indie rock band fronted by Florence Welch has released new music, and they’re finally back with what Florence has dubbed her most personal record yet. But that doesn’t mean the band you know so well has changed its stripes – you can still expect orchestral arrangements, heartwrenching musical narratives and, of course, gorgeous vocals. Get ready to fall madly in love with the quiet opus that is “St. Jude”.
