Swedish siren revitalizes her more wistful debut album in an effort to make us dance, dance, dance.
You’d be forgiven for having low expectations of Swedish pop sensation Lykke Li’s live performance. Her album, Youth Novels, is a catchy collection of synth-pop whistles and beeps and solid beats, but it’s not quite fast or hard-hitting enough to facilitate serious dancing. Friday night’s show at the Phoenix was a different story, revealing a live potential barely hinted at in the studio album.
The first 30 seconds of "Melodies & Desires" open Li’s show, segueing into a bass-heavy rendition of "Dance Dance Dance." Li’s stage presence is immediately obvious; she leaps over the microphone cord, dancing with her arms and employing various noise-making props — a tambourine, a tiny keyboard and, on two pleasing occasions, a megaphone.
