Frida Hyvönen

The Swedish pop movement is still going strong in the form of Lykke Li and Jens Lekman, but some of those original wunderkinds are now releasing their second albums and it remains to be seen if there’s going to be any growth. El Perro Del Mar’s second album didn’t dazzle as it should have so it’s now up to Frida Hyvönen to push the boundaries. Well, her follow-up to Until Death Comes doesn’t push beyond her core strength — her voice — but it certainly does refine it. If you couldn’t get enough of Hyvönen’s rich, luxurious voice on her debut then you’ll be very happy indeed. "Enemy Within” is the highlight, with its throwback ’60s pop vibe and Hyvönen’s strong siren call. "Highway 2 U” lets Hyvönen’s voice be all dramatic and showcase her increasing range, while "London!” has a welcome Carnaby Street stomp and "Scandinavian Blonde” actually does rock. While there’s no great musical leap, there is a beautiful polish and lustre that wasn’t there before. There’s nothing new here except a strong amplification of Hyvönen’s considerable strengths.