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full screen “Venus” may not be the perfect, cohesive album from Zara Larsson. But it contains some of her single greatest moments. Photo: Jack Bridgland
ALBUM When Zara Larsson sings about a summer that will never come back – or asks a partner to wait until she’s healed – some of her finest pieces of pop music so far arise.
Zara Larsson
Venus
Sommer House/Epic/Sony
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POP Zara Larsson’s fifth album starts from the same Cyndi Lauper-esque “girls just wanna have fun” idea that the pop star from Tallkrogen already launched on the last album “Poster girl”. It is clear early on: Zara Larsson wants to be a pure pop artist. Anyone looking for experimental directions will have to look elsewhere.
The 26-year-old artist loves her sentimental, grandiose pop music. The one performed as if life hung on every syllable. In this way, “Venus” feels like another honest position report. A small manifesto of skilled pop, with small excursions into more club music and r’n’b.
Zara Larsson sings – as if that even needed to be pointed out? – through and through fantastic. Thematically, she still explores young love, but the look has become more thoughtful and bittersweet.
Latest single “You love who you love” is friendly advice to someone who should end a destructive relationship, of course matched by a musical background that borrows from Britney Spears ”Toxic”.
The hits in all their glory, but for me it is in the “middle tracks” that “Venus” is most interesting. The fancy r’n’b number “Ammunition” reminds of something from Rihanna’s album ”Anti”. “Escape” is weak-kneed holiday soul. The title track highly inspired and updated A-ha-pop where Zara Larsson’s voice takes on a new sound.
The last third of the album feels like a brilliant EP in itself. Two songs are on their own level.
The King’s wool-scented ballad “Soundtrack” weaves musical references into the story in a way that is usually difficult but here becomes believable. James Taylors ”Something in the way she moves”, Radioheads “Karma police” and Joni Mitchells “A case of you” flashes past everyone. The song’s premise is as worn as it is irresistible: when that summer has faded and the crush is over, at least the pop music that set it to music remains.
The closing number “The healing” is Zara Larsson’s best ballad ever. The singer asks a partner to wait for her until she has healed. In the responsive arrangement, where you can hear the creak of a piano chair, lives the idea of a completely new and Dusty Springfield– toned-down Zara Larsson album.
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FACT
BONUS
BEST TRACKS: “The healing”. It is performed with a voice that somehow cannot fail but is most beautiful when it cracks.
DID YOU KNOW THAT… Zara’s sister Hanna Larsson also makes music in the duo Lennixx? The video to David Guetta– the collaboration ”On my love” is a tribute to the sister, complete with touching childhood footage.
ALSO LISTEN TO: Cyndi Laupers ”She’s so unusual”, Britney Spears ”Blackout”, Rihanna’s ”Anti” and Dusty Springfields ”Dusty… definitely”.
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