Hypewatch – Lykke Li
You may think Noah and the Whale are the hottest indie property right now, but the difference between them and greatness was demonstrated this weekend in an effortless and startling burst of rap by a petite swedish blonde with a cutesy voice.
It’s rare to walk away from a festival set and think you’ve just seen something quite special. But in the midst of an indie-pop performance laced with attitude and fun were moments of genius. It takes some audacity to attempt a cover of a song that has only just found its way into the hearts of the indie masses, but her take on Vampire Weekend’s Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa was enchanting, all the more so as she delivered with nonchalance.
It was only when I heard Little Bit did I realise that she’s already had her own hype over here, so you should have heard her before:
It was her encore, however, that set her a class apart. Remember a Tribe Called Quest?
She turned their hip hop anthem into something unique, delivering a word-perfect brash rap, wrestling with the lyrics and overpowering the beats to create a soothing come-down.
When I see Noah and his crew deconstruct, say, Daft Punk, live, and with humour, then I’ll believe the hype.
Recommended for:
Tommy G – there are traces of Far Eastern influences
Andy B – Go catch her live if you can
Steer clear – Bev – Wouldn’t make for a happy birthday!
