When Nine In Nails posted that Trent and Atticus had worked with Fever Ray, my interest was piqued into diving into the artist. The duo have worked and created magnificent music for years and I know they do not take working with other artists lightly. So Fever Ray must have had that je ne sais quoi for them to work together.
I am both intrigued and scared of Fever Ray.
Musically, they intrigue me with their music and vocals.
Visually, they scare me a bit.
That’s the wonderful power of art, especially music that is highly visual.
Fever Ray is Karin Dreijer. Dreijer is not only a singer-songwriter, they are also a producer in their own right and was one half of the now defunct The Knife.
As Fever Ray, Dreijer has released their self titled album in 2009, Plunge in 2017, and now their third album, Radical Romantics.
Of the album Fever Ray says on their website,
It’s called Radical Romantics, cause everything needs to be dissected and loved and torn and built back up again and we’re dreamers aren’t we?
Fever Ray’s vocals pitch back and forth between a shrill or a deep tone. Their quivering shrills are interesting to me because at times I pick up Bjork vibe, sometimes a Siouxsie Sioux vibe. In “Looking for a Ghost” (Radical Romantics) during their higher pitch I even get a Wheatus “Teenage Dirtbag” vibe.
When they sing in their deeper vocal tone, their voice is hauntingly beautiful and often heartbreaking. “North” (Radical Romantics) is one song that shows that voice. It’s the variations of Fever Ray’s voice and how they use their instrument that makes the music they are creating exciting.
Visually, Fever Ray often uses masks, costumes, and theatrical elements to create an alter ego that is thought provoking. With their persona for Romantic Radicals, I can’t look too long because I am creeped out by their current visual element but at the same time, I can’t look away as their visual element is intriguing and makes me question why I am bothered by it?
Regardless, Fever Ray has a new fan in me. Their music is a little bit weird and a whole lot of exciting.
Listen to Fever Ray on Spotify.
Watch videos from Romantic Radicals by Fever Ray below.
