Released: 8th March 2019
Rating: ★★★★
Woah. That was the first reaction when Sigrid dropped ‘Don’t Kill My Vibe’, a call to arms that shimmered with the sort of pop innocence that practically demanded you take notice, and you take notice now. Simply undeniable in enthusiasm and sheer joy, Sigrid has felt like a breath of fresh air from a pop word demanding of pressures and a certain way of doing things. Take all of those and throw it squarely in the bin, because ‘Sucker Punch’ strides as the sort of album that could take on mountains in its quest for world domination. Spoiler – Sigrid beats mountains every time.
That recipe for big-time pop moments is front and centre, and with Sigrid, it’s always to the highest degree. Meteoric singles like the title-track, ‘Strangers’ and the aforementioned ‘Don’t Kill My Vibe’ still hit with an almighty bang, but they’re complemented across twelve tracks with the brightest of hooks and heights. ‘Don’t Feel Like Crying’ moulds striking synths with flexing melodies, ‘Mine Right Now’ grows from just Sigrid on her own before morphing into a towering anthem while ‘Sight Of You’ is a string-lead weaver of a number that along with ‘In Vain’ perfectly capture that ability to jump to the highest heights from stripped lows. The raw pulls of defiance in heartbreak shine bright, from the chills of ‘Dynamite’ and ‘Level Up’ to the swaggering grooves of ‘Never Mine’ – all lead by a voice that commands every attention.
‘Sucker Punch’ delivers on every promise and hope Sigrid has shown since the very beginning, a modern pop sensation backing everything up with an album you’ll be sticking on repeat and singing along to in the mirror for quite a while to come. This is modern pop at its very best, and a much-needed jolt in the arm for anyone looking to follow in Sigrid’s shoes.
Jamie Muir
