The debut album from Danish singer/songwriter Mø, “No Mythologies to Follow,” adds yet another exciting entry to the growing synthpop genre. Comparable to artists like Grimes and Purity Ring, Mø creates a unique vision accentuated by brilliant production and lyrics filled with pathos.
While bands like Chvrches juxtapose dark subject matter with cheery instrumentals, Mø excels in aligning her somber lyricism with appropriately uncanny production.
Stand-out song “Pilgrim” matches lyrics “Why do you and I live on and on?” with horns one would expect to hear in a hip-hop track. Mø’s voice, similar to Lana Del Rey’s, excellently delivers the pain-stricken lyrics with delicate emotion. On “XXX 88,” the singer spices up the vocals with enough attitude to pull the listener in without potentially alienating her audience. A far cry from the often whiny females of pop radio, Mø possesses a mature display of vocal manipulation.
The one fault of “No Mythologies To Follow” lies in the often same-sounding tracks. Although most of the album registers, some songs get lost due to their inability to stand separate from one another. The album differentiates after multiple listens, but songs may blend together on first listen.
Mø succeeds in creating a great addition to the synthpop genre with “No Mythologies to Follow.” The album not only sets Mø apart from the competition, but also establishes her as a powerful female figure in music.
[A version of this story ran on page 10 on 4/3/2014 under the headline "Mø debuts synthpop album"]
