For nearly twenty years, Lykke Li has operated as pop’s premier high priestess of heartbreak. From the indie-pop percussion of 'Youth Novels' to the stark, ambient depths of 2022’s 'EYEYE', the Swedish singer-songwriter has made a career out of exploring the visceral edges of human emotion. Now, she is pivoting from the romantic to the metaphysical with the announcement of her sixth studio album, 'The Afterparty', arriving 8 May via Neon Gold Records/Futures✦.
The lead single, 'Lucky Again', serves as our first glimpse into what Li describes as a radical personal shift. “I was twirling around in love addiction for all those albums,” she explains. “Now I’m going into my existential era.”
'Lucky Again' is a far cry from the muted textures of her recent work. It is a soaring, maximalist anthem that marries relentless disco energy with sweeping, cinematic drama. The track famously features a sample of Max Richter’s recomposition of Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons, lending a sense of timeless rebirth to the pulsating production.
“To me it’s samsara in a song,” says Lykke Li. “The wheel of life; winning, losing, living, dying. Having had something and praying you’ll have it again. Whether it’s sex, money, vitality, love. I always said I wanted the Vivaldi song at my wedding or funeral but I think this is giving more revenge heist energy.”
Recorded in Stockholm with a 17-piece string orchestra, the forthcoming record is an exacting 24-minute exploration of "the lower self." While much of the modern wellness world fixates on transcendence, Li is more interested in the grit of survival. “I find that we’re in an era where everyone is talking about, ‘My higher self', Fuck that. This is an album dealing with your lower self: your need for revenge, your shame, despair, all of it." This unapologetic honesty is personified in her new alter-ego for the era, which she cheekily describes as “a Ram Dass for fuckboys.”
Fans won't have to wait long to see this new era in the flesh. Li is set to take the stage at Coachella this April, followed by highly anticipated live dates alongside Robyn and Wolf Alice.
The Afterparty promises to be a dance record for the 4am soul—a lush, orchestral, and "apocalyptic" celebration of the beauty found within our own wreckage. You can pre-save and pre-order the album now, and to keep up with Lykke Li, join her on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and X.
