Sigrid’s Sucker Punch album review

Maya Cassady ‘19

 The year of 2019 has been one of many album releases, including Solange’s When I Get Home, Hozier’s Wasteland, Baby!, and the Jonas Brother’s newest single “Sucker”. And while all of these albums and singles have sent ripples of happiness through the music community, this month I’m going to be suggesting a lesser known artist and her newest album: Sigrid’s Sucker Punch.

The Norwegian pop singer released her debut album this March, and I’ve been thoroughly enjoying it through the stress of college decisions being released. Though I don’t particularly enjoy the artist’s PR campaign, insisting that her authenticity stems from a lack of makeup and she isn’t “like other pop stars,” her music is easy listening. With all of the craziness that has been my second semester, I’ve found some solace in the simple, sit-down vibes emitted from Sigrid’s Sucker Punch.

“Mine Right Now,” the second song on Sucker Punch, opens with the twenty-two year old’s voice accompanied by an electronic bass. With the high vocal melodies and low register of the bass mixing together, an eerily serene sound progresses into a catchy hook as a bright synth is added into play. “Mine Right Now” is about coming to terms with the uncertainty woven into relationships; it is about living in those little, loving moments of a relationship without having to picture fights or insecurities or the end. Sigrid’s reminder to take relationships one day at a time has a bigger implication for life. Planning every detail out tends to solidify the future without taking into account the beautiful variations of life. I’ve quite enjoyed listening to it as I begin to ponder what my future may hold.

In stark contrast to the synthesized, heavily produced instrumentals of “Mine Right Now” is “Level Up,” the sixth song on the twelve track album. While I’m not quite sure exactly why I love “Level Up,” I think the simplicity of the song makes the message that much more striking. As an homage to gaming, the leveling up metaphor refers to confrontation of yourself and others as the only way to grow together and progress. The instrumentals sound like the background music of an old game boy game and a vintage 60’s microphone we’re mixed into a song. The result feels like it should be heard in another room at the odd hours between two and three am, or on a road trip with windows down, driving through a desert.

The final song on the album, “Dynamite”, is my absolute favourite. The entire song is just Sigrid’s raspy voice accompanied by a lone piano. While it feels incredibly simple to listen to, the lyrics tell a complex story of growing up. As Sigrid revealed to Newsweek, “you spend a lot of time on music—and you love it—but you miss out on other stuff as well… that’s what ‘Dynamite’ means to me.” Sometimes you really love what you do, but at certain points you have to wonder what could’ve been done differently, what your life might’ve been had a few key moments turned out differently. I love “Dynamite” for its finality and acceptance: she has chosen the path and now she is walking down it, no looking back.

I know that I’ve been very into recommending lyrically and musically complex albums and EP’s this year, but I’d like to suggest Sucker Punch as an easy listening album, one that is relevant to everyday feelings. I like giving this one a listen as I make myself coffee and just generally as I go through my morning and nightly routines.