Lykke Li
Little Bit

Remember that bit in the ‘Wuthering Heights’ video where Kate Bush just appears out of a puff of smoke and starts leaping about in an orgy of screechy high notes and interpretive dance manoeuvres? Well there’s been no shortage of self-possessed witchy women straining for precisely that kind of entrance post-millennium.

On paper at least, Lykke Li has all the hallmarks of a conveyor belt kookstress along the lines of Bat For Lashes or Regina Spektor. Brought up on a mountain top in Portugal. Treks across India with photographer mother. No doubt even a trip to the corner shop with this girl involves dances with giant painted eggs and cavorting eunuchs. For all that, though, ‘Little Bit’ isn’t quite the blizzard of baloney you might expect, depite a merest whiff of inner-child croak in Li’s delivery.

In fact, it’s a restrained and striking piece which actually seems contrived to leave the listener wanting more, synthy murmurs and mandolin hook all doffing respectful caps to her breathy, bit-rude vocal. Word on the street is this lady could be big news indeed in the very near future and on this evidence we look forward to hearing from her.