FEATURE:
Revisiting…
Sigrid – Sucker Punch
___________
FOR the next part of this series…
that revisits great albums from the past few years, I want to explore Sigrid’s debut album, Sucker Punch. The hotly-anticipated 2019 release from the Norwegian Pop artist, it followed the release of the 2018 E.P., Raw. I think that this is an album that is not played as much as it was back in 2019. There is talk about when we may get a second album from Sigrid. She is such a sensational, fresh and compelling artist. If you have not heard of Sigrid, I would recommend getting Sucker Punch. This is an album where Sigrid displays her songwriting talents (she co-wrote every track). The reviews for Sucker Punch were largely positive. Before closing up, I want to bring in a couple of example reviews. This is what AllMusic had to say when they reviewed Sucker Punch:
“Refreshingly youthful and age-appropriate, Norwegian singer/songwriter Sigrid's debut Sucker Punch captures the spirit of being a young adult navigating life and love while embracing the messiness of growth, making mistakes, and learning the ropes along the way. Landing in early 2019 after a couple years of steadily earned attention from singles "Don't Kill My Vibe" and "Sucker Punch," the album features Sigrid's empowering synth pop anthems punctuated by moments of reflective restraint that showcase her powerful vocals. At times joyous, at times pensive and full of heartache, Sucker Punch is simply full of life and its accompanying highs and lows.
Sigrid tackles uncertainty and self-doubt on "Basic," which drops out toward the end to reveal a vulnerable, imperfect peek behind the curtain. Later, she faces her problems instead of running away on the indie pop power move "Level Up." This confidence and maturity imbue Sucker Punch with plenty of charm, which lends itself to upbeat highlights such as "Don't Feel Like Crying" and "Sight of You," a pair of '90s throwbacks that channel Carly Rae Jepsen's best. Elsewhere, Robyn's electro-heart beats on "Strangers" while "Never Mine" provides an unlikely pairing to Taylor Swift's "Style." The album is primarily concerned with these beat-forward standouts, even while the poise and gravity of Sigrid's lyrics add depth to its dance-friendly nature. That sheen is stripped away for two key moments on Sucker Punch where her voice takes center stage, pushing her empowering messages of self-respect and inner strength to the fore. Echoing Adele in both instances, "In Vain" is for anyone who's ever wasted time and energy in a futile attempt to save someone, while "Dynamite" triumphantly closes the set with the content realization that self-worth is more important than a failing relationship any day. It's a simple joy to hear an artist in her early twenties sing songs that are so relatable and timeless while remaining unblemished by label-endorsed hyper-sexualization or tired tropes of fame. Sucker Punch is a masterful debut from a promising talent unafraid to just be herself”.
As this review from CLASH explains, Sigrid is not like many of her Pop peers, whereby streaming numbers and something formulaic is the key to their success. Instead, here is a genuine artist who has a unique lyrical, vocal and sonic edge:
“Sigrid’s ruthless ambition has taken her right to the top. The Norwegian star won the BBC Sound Of 2018 poll, and set about demolishing the rulebook, releasing bop after bop as she racked up more than 400 million global streams.
But she’s not just about numbers. What’s carried Sigrid so far is her electrifying pop touch, those searing vocals and a lyrical touch that translates the everyday into something truly magical.
Debut album ‘Sucker Punch’ is the perfect encapsulation of this. Opening with the title track – a statement of intent, for sure – it’s all blazing electronics, stadium production, and those pristine vocals, constantly searching, constantly reaching for something new.
Opening at breathless pace, ‘Sucker Punch’ is followed by the deft one-two of the sheer longing that dominates ‘Mine Right Now’ and the unadulterated lust that is ‘Basic’. Having mastered pop’s electronic sheen and twisted into something more personal, ‘Sucker Punch’ also affords space for Sigrid to take further risks.
‘Don’t Feel Like Crying’ is all orchestral stabs and slick vocal effects, while the delicate guitar line on ‘Level Up’ pursues one of Sigrid’s most open, emotive performances yet.
Ultimately, though, ‘Sucker Punch’ is dominated by a series of rushing highs, a flurry of absolute serotonin drops that race with energy and neon-drenched colour. ‘Don’t Kill My Vibe’ remains the bold, mountain-sized pop jewel it was on its first play, while ‘Strangers’ is an exercise in control and release, with those glacial synths giving way to an absolute club banger.
Closing with the classical piano flourishes that pepper ‘Dynamite’, Sigrid’s debut album is a compact, concise display of pop ambition, a finely balanced feat that puts the Norwegian talent’s innate abilities against her desire to stretch, to uncover something new.
A bold, tremulous feat, ‘Sucker Punch’ will leave you floored”.
Go and check out Sucker Punch if you have not heard it before (or not spun it for a while). It was one of 2019’s best albums, and undoubtedly one of the most important debut albums of that year. Not as explored as it was a couple of years back, it is an album that we all need to dig into. Ahead of a possible second album next year, spend some time revisiting…
SIGRID’S remarkable debut.