Kristaller - Laleh
Article : Antoine Morin
Three years after her last album Colors, it is now time for Kristaller, the sixth studio album of Laleh’s musical career to be is available in stores. Made up of a total of ten songs (half in Swedish, other half in English), this brand new record released last September 16 is the most personal since Laleh’s debuts in 2003, thirteen years ago already. Now aged 34, the Swedish pop star comes from the city of Göteborg but was born in Iran, which is why her full name is in fact Laleh Pourkarim.
Often compared to Veronica Maggio, Laleh is very much alike her due to the fact that both of them write and compose their own music and follow a similar path in their career. Much more focused on pop, the album Kristaller offers us a great musical variety inspired by feminism and Laleh’s personal experiences, while keeping a relatively dark overall picture but still engaged. It is an album to discover, so here is a short appreciation.
Hit Song : Bara få va mig själv (Just by myself)
I really didn’t have to make any prediction in this case because the song Bara få va mig själv is already part of the Swedish charts since 23 weeks, after peaking at 5th place. It is a song that was of course published a while before the album was released, but it still has a steady popularity. It is an excellent pop song with a super catchy chorus, so I’m not surprised that so many people enjoy it!
Strong Link : Aldrig bli som förr (Never be like it used to)
This song sure does sound a lot like Bara få va mig själv because of its structure but displays a few additional elements that led me to choose it as strong link. Without being a great masterpiece, the track fits very well inside the album and is now also part of the Swedish charts.
Weakest Link : Let if fall
Many would maybe not agree with my choice, but personally I don’t find this song very interesting to listen to. Laleh’s voice is harmonized with a digital voice track from beginning to end and this is what made me decide to take Let It Fall as weak link. There is a quality inside this song, but it looks like it wasn’t properly used.
Personal Favorite : Work
Work owns a very catchy melody and the most uptempo rhythm of the whole album, which makes it quite different from the rest. It maybe doesn’t fit too much with the general atmosphere of the album but it will certainly be a success, especially in Sweden. With its lyrics and rhythm, I can already hear this one being played during sport events!
Three years after her last album Colors, it is now time for Kristaller, the sixth studio album of Laleh’s musical career to be is available in stores. Made up of a total of ten songs (half in Swedish, other half in English), this brand new record released last September 16 is the most personal since Laleh’s debuts in 2003, thirteen years ago already. Now aged 34, the Swedish pop star comes from the city of Göteborg but was born in Iran, which is why her full name is in fact Laleh Pourkarim.
Often compared to Veronica Maggio, Laleh is very much alike her due to the fact that both of them write and compose their own music and follow a similar path in their career. Much more focused on pop, the album Kristaller offers us a great musical variety inspired by feminism and Laleh’s personal experiences, while keeping a relatively dark overall picture but still engaged. It is an album to discover, so here is a short appreciation.
Hit Song : Bara få va mig själv (Just by myself)
I really didn’t have to make any prediction in this case because the song Bara få va mig själv is already part of the Swedish charts since 23 weeks, after peaking at 5th place. It is a song that was of course published a while before the album was released, but it still has a steady popularity. It is an excellent pop song with a super catchy chorus, so I’m not surprised that so many people enjoy it!
Strong Link : Aldrig bli som förr (Never be like it used to)
This song sure does sound a lot like Bara få va mig själv because of its structure but displays a few additional elements that led me to choose it as strong link. Without being a great masterpiece, the track fits very well inside the album and is now also part of the Swedish charts.
Weakest Link : Let if fall
Many would maybe not agree with my choice, but personally I don’t find this song very interesting to listen to. Laleh’s voice is harmonized with a digital voice track from beginning to end and this is what made me decide to take Let It Fall as weak link. There is a quality inside this song, but it looks like it wasn’t properly used.
Personal Favorite : Work
Work owns a very catchy melody and the most uptempo rhythm of the whole album, which makes it quite different from the rest. It maybe doesn’t fit too much with the general atmosphere of the album but it will certainly be a success, especially in Sweden. With its lyrics and rhythm, I can already hear this one being played during sport events!
General Notes :
Originality/Uniqueness : 7/10
Laleh has a very easily recognizable voice and her music, even if very pop, is unique. Her songs are relatively simple but even the most sophisticated listeners can surely enjoy.
Depth : 7/10
With a length of barely thirty minutes and ten relatively short songs, it doesn’t look like a very deep album. Listening to it several times though, I realized that a few songs became much more enjoyable the more I was listening, so I believe this album has a better depth than what the track list suggests.
Vibe : 7/10
I am not too sure about the vibe of this album, but maybe I have missed something along the way. The darker character of some songs seems to come back often but is well used by Laleh. My listening experience felt very good so the overall work deserves a 7.
Radio Factor : 8/10
As mentioned previously Kristaller is an album with ten very radio-friendly songs, so it is obvious that many of these will regularly be broadcasted on Scandinavian radio stations.
Global Appreciation : 7.5/10
It is an album that is strong because of its catchy songs. It will probably be one of the most nominated albums this year at the Grammisgala, but it may not equal the success of Colors. I recommend this record for those who want something that is easy to listen to and who want to discover an artist that deserves recognition!
