This Is Our Jam: Lykke Li, “I Follow Rivers”

I always thought of Lykke Li as a pleasant diversion—someone whose album would fit nicely next to Bon Iver's on Starbucks' playlists—whose lounge-pop balanced precariously between ‘cute’ and ‘kewt.’ "I Follow Rivers", however, is far less coy and definitely not cloying. She has abandoned most of her ‘60s retro affectations for a bolder sound that verges on heroic. “I Follow Rivers” showcases a new depth in Lykke Li’s vocals both with respect to register and emotional intensity. She approaches the song like a sonic travelogue through landscapes unknown. The breadth of sound here ranges from off-kilter island percussion to riffs that may have escaped from a Bedouin tent. While “I Follow Rivers” may be about Lykke Li chasing some unattainable love, you're the one swept along.