Swedish musician Tove Lo’s sophomore album Lady Wood dropped this week, supplying the world with a strong dose of honest synth-pop. This record follows Lo’s 2014 multi-platinum debut Queen of the Clouds which starred huge hits like Habits (Stay High) and Talking Body. This album showcases the maturing she has done as an artist and person in the last two years through the sincerest lyrics we have yet to see from her.
The album begins with a match strike followed by a one-minute introduction to the piece which seamlessly melts into the beginning track Influence that highlights an assist from rapper Wiz Khalifa. Tove Lo’s muse has often been based in the meaningless pursuit of sensuality; the overindulgent use of recreational drugs until she becomes hollow and the fruitless pursuit of happiness when searched for in all the wrong places. In the song “Don’t Talk About It” we see the frantic grasping for something real with lines like, “The world is beautiful, believe it with another line. Keep it up, if you’re lucky enough you know you’re winning at life” and “The world is beautiful so why don’t you feel anything? Keep it up when you getting’ that rush you know you cash your way out.” These lyrics are accompanied by a throbbing bass line and bursts of vigorous percussion to complement the layered synthesizers that Tove Lo loves so much.
With a blend of dance, electro-pop, alternative, indie and R&B, Lady Wood is a spirited force that is poised to be played in radio stations and clubs across the world.
