Radical Romantics
Whether as Fever Ray or with her brother Olof in The Knife, the Swedish electro-pop artist Karin Dreijer has always used alien-sounding music to evoke primitive human states. It isn’t just *Radical Romantics*’ metaphors that scan as sexual (the surrender of “Shiver,” the dominance-and-revenge fantasies of “Even It Out”); it’s the way their squishy synths and herky-jerky club beats conjure the messy ecstasy of our biological selves. And then there’s Dreijer’s voice, which through expert playacting and the miracle of modern technology creates a spectrum of characters, from temptress to horror-show to big daddy and little girl.
Karin Dreijer’s richly detailed third album renders the search for love as something both sensual and alien.
In their third album the Swedish experimentalist uses sharp production and imaginative arrangements to convey love — read the NME review
On Radical Romantics, Karin Dreijer remains playful and political to their core, but this time, the volume feels turned down in comparison to its predecessor. This allows space for Fever Ray to speak clearly as they traverse more introverted territory.
"Wish me courage, strength, and a sense of humor," Karin Dreijer sings on Radical Romantics, but that's not necessary -- their third Fever Ray album shows they have these virtues in abundance as they love on their own terms and even dare to have fun with it.
"I just wanna be touched / I just wanna shiver"; in two lines, Karin Dreijer more or less sums up the driving force behind their horny, tend...
Having now released only three full-length records in 14 years, Karin Dreijer’s solo project Fever Ray is establishing a trend of years-long stretches between albums. But as with 2017’s Plunge and 2009’s self-titled debut, Radical Romantics proves worth the wait.
Despite what modern dating culture may attempt to teach us, meaningful human connection is not a passive act. We may be taught games and restraint, but
Wittily exploring desire and relationships, the identity-surfing Swedish star sounds revitalised on their first solo album in six years
Radical Romantics by Fever Ray: another confounding, richly detailed avant-pop masterpiece from Karin Dreijer
‘Radical Romantics’ implicitly and explicitly tangles with the question of where an artist as singular as Fever Ray can go from here.
Radical Romantics by Fever Ray album review by Adam Fink. The Swedish artist's full-length drops on March 10th via Mute/Rabid