Music

Lykke Li's new songs influenced by Neil Young's 'Harvest Moon'

by Ciaran Thompson

Listeners have received a taste of Lykke Li’s upcoming album Wounded Rhymes through the tracks “Get Some” and “I Follow Rivers”, but what they might not know is the Swedish singer turned to albums by The Velvet Underground, Leonard Cohen, Shangri-Las and Neil Young for her new material’s influence.

“It’s more about rediscovering certain songs,” Li said in an interview with BBC Radio 1. “I was listening a lot to Harvest Moon by Neil Young and it was like, ‘Oh my god he’s heartbroken. I was too, so I could relate to it’. It’s not only about heartbreak but the ghost of love and what stays after the object of your affection has gone.”

Describing Wounded Rhymes‘ first single “Get Some,” Li said “It’s a really powerful, feministic song. I wanted whatever situation I was in that I would be in charge. I’m kind of a split personality. “Get Some” is one track but that’s that track. It’s a lot of drums and percussion. It’s all live. We use a lot of organs and moody guitar. There’s some really vulnerable spots too.”

“I really wish for this record that people connect with my songs and we go back to when songs meant something and songs could be a comfort and not only fast,” she continued. “I want songs to live forever. I always want to be true to the moment and make an honest reflection of what I’m going through at the moment.”

Wounded Rhymes is due out March 1 while the record’s second single “I Follow Rivers” comes out February 15.