Are you ready to be lured into a type of musical world where tribal rituals ache to be modern? Forget pop, alternative, rock, rap and indie music for a day and try a taste of something new. Fever Ray is an electronic album, creating jumbles of sounds all around. The album takes the road less traveled, using tribal sounds mixed with an ’80s synthesizer to create an unforgettable listening experience.
Swedish electronic artist Karin Dreijer Andersson, formerly from the ’90s pop band Honey Is Cool and currently half of The Knife, released her solo album under the name Fever Ray on March 24. Andersson has three previous albums, but only one released in America. The first two albums did well in their Swedish homeland, with their third titled Silent Shout hitting No. 1, winning six Swedish Grammy’s and being pronounced the best record of 2006 by Pitchfork.
Fever Ray was composed while Andersson was pregnant, giving the lyrics an extra meaning. “Half of what the songs are about is the subconscious ideas of things happening. A lot of it is like daydreaming … when you’re awake, but tired,” Andersson explains on the Fever Ray official website. “I try to write in that state.” The lyrics are minimal yet have much significance because the listener is able to interpret each song in a personal way.
The shifts in pitches and synthesizer effects create a futuristic-sounding human voice, yet make for a unique sound. These special effects build a creepy sound in “If I Had a Heart,” a depressing yet hopeful song about wanting something you cannot get, then waiting to see what the next day will bring. The lyrics state, “If I had a heart I could love you/ If I had a heart I would sing/ After the night when I wake up/ I’ll see what tomorrow brings.”
As the album continues, Fever Ray changes from depressing to euphoric, progressing from not having a heart to uncovering one’s head to reveal their soul. Specifically, “Seven” demonstrates Andersson’s true voice without as many special effects or overwhelming synthesizer sounds. She sings, “Accompany me by the kitchen sink/ We talk about love, we talk about dishwasher tablets, illness and we dream about heaven.” This song is a succession of both real and imagined stories that are somehow related, making for an interesting piece.
So make a shift in your routine and go to Pandora, YouTube, iTunes, whatever it is you use, and listen to some electronic music by Fever Ray. Be open-minded and connect to the songs while enjoying the unique sound of synthesizers mixed with tribal beats and you could have a life changing experience, just listen and see for yourself.
4 1/2 stars out of 5.
