MØ, No Mythologies To Follow – Album review
Harriet Cheney reviews the debut longplayer from Danish singer/songwriter Karen Marie Ørsted, better known as MØ:
With Diplo lending a hand to one of her tracks, Hype Machine announcing her the week’s #1 Most Blogged-About-Artist in early February and over a million views on a number of her film clips, it’s obvious that word about MØ is out and this 12-track album of all killer, no filler is sure to be on the best-of 2014 lists come December.
MØ exudes the sultry, old-school glamour of Lana Del Ray, the nostalgia of MS MR, the love-lost longing of Lykke Li and the carefree, indie-royalty worthy cool of Grimes.
Her debut album, No Mythologies to Follow is about to be released and while half the album might sound familiar – as it features tracks from her 2013 Bikini Daze EP and other singles that launched her career over the last two years – this sharply produced album, filled with well-structured, dreamy electro-pop songs is well-worth a listen.
Among the many album highlights, the first is ‘Never Wanna Know’ – an addictive ballad that starts out with deep pounding power-beats interspersed with chiming door bell sounds, not dissimilar to the opening bars of Tina Turner’s ‘Simply the Best’. The old-world nostalgia is amplified by vintage black and white graphics in the film clip – something that can also been seen on the video of MØ’s first single ‘Pilgrim’ (from Aug 2012, but featured on the debut album). The leather jacket-cladded MØ fronting four oohing and ahhing replicas as though she’s accompanied by a whole troupe of back-up singers is mesmerising.
MØ has made whipping her high-plaited ponytail like a hammer-thrower a trademark, demonstrating the same unapologetic strength and attitude that can be heard in her punchy vocals. Wearing anti-fashion indie get-up that requires a certain air of cool to pull off, MØ is at complete ease with herself. Her distinct, confident vocals remain the hero across the album, floating seamlessly above everything from the futuristic beats infused with oriental sounding synth progressions on ‘Waste of Time’ to the warped heavier electro vibe of ‘XXX 88 feat. Diplo’.
The latest single ‘Don’t Wanna Dance’ is another catchy-as-hell pop song – listen out for her cute Danish accent in the spoken word part at the one-minute mark.
In 2013 a barely-heard-of MØ played SXSW in Austin Texas on a small stage in a converted venue called Empire Control Control. I watched on, crushing deeper with every song. She clearly won some other hearts there as well, as she’s been invited back for 2014, no doubt headlining some of the bigger stages – a warm-up for what looks to be a massive year ahead.
Review by Harriet Cheney. MØ photo by Philip Erbacher.
