International

Hannes Norrvide started Lust for Youth in 2009, making dark, blood-stoppingly cold electronic music that had inarguable allure. Joined by musician Loke Rahbek, the Swedish duo continued their foray into formidable industrial music. But after relocating to Denmark and adding new band member Malthe Fisher (who produces), their sound streamlined into something resembling the specterly soul of New Order and Joy Division dressed in Depeche Mode finery. And it’s brilliant. *International* follows the vibe of their previous (and first really accessible) work, *Perfect View*, with an impressive collection that\'s dance-worthy, haunting, melancholic, and beautiful. Reverbed, anvil-and-hammer percussion and thick, bouncing bass notes and synths drive songs like “Epoetin Alpha” and “Illume,” tunes well-steeped in the moody petulance that permeated early-‘80s (mostly British) alt-pop. English lyrics help, though some Swedish spoken word and singing is scattered throughout *International* (it\'s called *International*, you know). There are even hooky choruses that belie the group’s true pop heart (though the sparkle of “New Boys” makes it even harder to obscure).

At first blush, it's tempting to refer to the third album from Hannes Norrvide's coldwave project Lust for Youth as "pop"—but his ideas of pop are strictly filtered through post-punk, so the newly minted trio's International is more a logical step forward from his no-fi previous recordings than a giant leap.

Lust For Youth's latest album is a pleasing step towards adding some warmth to Hannes Norrvide's icy synth pop.

As Lust for Youth, Hannes Norrvide cranked out three albums in two years, and his artistic growth was just as swift and prolific.