Three Songs that Show Why Lykke Li is the Queen of Elegy Flows
Lykke Li is the queen of elegy flow in the indie pop world. She has a voice and flow that are both emotionally resonant and musically stimulating, and she's a master at crafting sad-flow songs that hit you right in the gut and stay with you long after they've ended.
I’m not saying that this is the only thing that she can do, because she has a wide range from super sad, to alternative rock, to experimental indie. BUT - I am saying this is where she reaches otherworldly levels.
Let’s take a look…
No Hotel
Lykke Li's ability to craft emotionally resonant and musically stimulating indie pop songs is on full display in the song "No Hotel" from her 2022 album EYEYE. From the very first notes, the song's slow-flow immediately draws you in, with Li's emotive vocals and raw, honest lyrics painting a vivid picture of heartbreak and longing.
EYEYE Album Cover, 2022
As the song progresses, parts of the track pick up the pace, showcasing Li's impeccable pacing and ability to keep her listeners engaged. It's a delicate balancing act that she pulls off with aplomb, and it's one of the many reasons why she's such a compelling artist.
The lyrics of "No Hotel" touch on themes of heartbreak and longing for past love and the words are delivered with a haunting beauty that lingers long after the song is over.
There's no hotel, no cigarettes
And you're still in love with someone else
And it's cracking dawn, street soaking wet
And I'm on your doorstep, not losing yet
These lines perfectly capture the pain and longing of a love that's lost, and they're brought to life by Li's emotive delivery. It's the kind of song that'll have you in your feels and hitting repeat again and again. Something about the fact that she’s “not losing yet” is tragic because the tone of the song tells me that it is over and she’s at a point where the love is unrequited (to quote another classic Lykke Li song).
It’s the pre-chorus that really gets me, with a subtle upswing in her delivery:
Cause in the back of my mind
I'm in the back of your car
So now, baby, rewind
Take me back, oh
It’s almost like an anthem that would no doubt be amazing to sing out loud to at a live show.
2. Unrequited Love
More than a decade before “No Hotel”, Li released "Unrequited Love" on the album Wounded Rhymes (2011). It’s a heart-wrenching and evocative track. The song explores the pain and longing of a theme that remains all too relatable for many.
Wounded Rhymes album cover, 2011
"Unrequited Love" drips catharsis into your veins with its slow release of the lyrics. Li lays it on us tenderly yet powerfully and the backdrop of building harmonies helps stick the landing right in your soul. The song is both soothing and painful to listen to, as it touches on the agony of unrequited love and packages it in a beautiful work of art.
It’s both agonizing and beautiful, capturing what it is truly like to love someone without them feeling the same love for you, but adds a layer of complexity when it dives into the freedom that comes with the release of the binds to the one you love.
Oh my love is unrequited
That must mean I'll live again
And get back what I gave my men
Get back what I lost to them
It’s overwhelmingly sad, because it's a gift of new life and new beginning, and getting back what she is owed, what she sacrificed–but in that same statement it sheds light on the history of her giving so much to these men she loves. Yet, they don’t return it to her.
Once again it’s happening
Oh our love has gone divided
3. Tonight
This song is strange in that it has happy lyrics. It’s similar to the feeling I get when I look at my two-year old daughter. The love is so strong that I get overwhelmed at how precious it is. It becomes scary, how much I love her. Many parents can probably relate to that.
Youth Novels album cover, 2008
Li conveys this in her portrayal of love in the song “Tonight” from her 2008 album, Youth Novels. It’s this verse that gets me levitating every time I hear it:
You walk the surface of this town
The high heels above the ground
And high horses that we know
Keep us safe until the night
You know them all, I know it all
Stay put and play along
Cause I'm looking for my friend
Now I got you, got you
My interpretation of these lyrics: she's describing her defense mechanisms in everyday life. She walks with “high heels above the ground” with “high horses that we know”. These mechanisms are tools to get her through the day, but whoever she loves, who she’s serenading in this song, understands who she really is. Their acceptance and embrace is precious to her. It is a love story. Extreme happiness packaged in a euphoric musical portrayal.
In short, Lykke Li is the indie pop goddess we all need in our lives. Here’s a playlist of these three songs for your listening pleasure. Grab some tissues and get ready to vibe: