{"id":1925749,"date":"2026-05-08T07:00:23","date_gmt":"2026-05-08T04:00:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1925749"},"modified":"2026-05-08T07:00:23","modified_gmt":"2026-05-08T04:00:23","slug":"lykke-li-the-afterparty-review-a-brief-but-heady-last-round-from-the-swedish-alt-pop-icon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1925749","title":{"rendered":"Lykke Li \u2013 \u2018The Afterparty\u2019 review: a brief but heady last round from the Swedish alt-pop icon"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/lykke_li_press_album_review_2000.jpg&#8221;]<\/p>\n<article id=\"template-id-3332206\" class=\"post-3332206 tdb_templates type-tdb_templates status-publish post\">\n<div id=\"tdi_65\" class=\"tdc-zone\">\n<div class=\"tdc_zone tdi_66  wpb_row td-pb-row\">\n<div id=\"tdi_67\" class=\"tdc-row stretch_row_1400 td-stretch-content\">\n<div class=\"vc_row tdi_68  wpb_row td-pb-row\">\n<div class=\"vc_column tdi_70  wpb_column vc_column_container tdc-column td-pb-span12\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_featured_image tdi_71 tdb-content-horiz-left td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_71\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"696\" height=\"442\" class=\"entry-thumb\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/lykke_li_press_album_review_2000-696x442.jpg\" alt=\"Lykke Li credit: Chlo\u00e9 Le Drezen\" title=\"Lykke Li credit: Chlo\u00e9 Le Drezen\"><figcaption class=\"tdb-caption-text\">Lykke Li credit: Chlo\u00e9 Le Drezen<br \/>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"tdi_72\" class=\"tdc-row stretch_row\">\n<div class=\"vc_row tdi_73  wpb_row td-pb-row\">\n<div class=\"vc_column tdi_75  wpb_column vc_column_container tdc-column td-pb-span12\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_breadcrumbs tdi_76 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2 tdb-breadcrumbs \" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_76\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span>Reviews<\/span><span>Album Reviews<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_title tdi_77 tdb-single-title td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_77\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Lykke Li \u2013 \u2018The Afterparty\u2019 review: a brief but heady last round from the Swedish alt-pop icon<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_subtitle tdi_78 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_78\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<p>Threatening to be her last, this sixth album from the \u2018I Follow Rivers\u2019 star captures the fear and heartache of the end of the night with strings, beats and love<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_review_overall tdi_79 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_79\">\n<table class=\"td-review td-fix-index\">\n<tr class=\"td-review-footer rate_stars\">\n<td class=\"td-review-score\">\n<div class=\"td-review-overall\">\n<div class=\"td-review-final-score\">4<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_author tdi_80 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2 tdb-post-meta\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_80\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-author-name-wrap\"><span class=\"tdb-author-by\">By<\/span> Andrew Trendell<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_date tdi_81 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2 tdb-post-meta\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_81\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><time class=\"entry-date updated td-module-date\" datetime=\"2026-05-08T08:00:23+01:00\">8th May 2026<\/time><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"tdi_82\" class=\"tdc-row\">\n<div class=\"vc_row tdi_83  wpb_row td-pb-row\">\n<div class=\"vc_column tdi_85  wpb_column vc_column_container tdc-column td-pb-span12\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_content tdi_86 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2 td-post-content tagdiv-type\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_86\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<p>\u201cLet\u2019s talk about the album. It was a motherfucker to make,\u201d Lykke Li told an audience gathered to hear her sixth studio album \u2018The Afterparty\u2019 at a playback in Los Angeles earlier this year. Offsetting her need to make something more \u201cextroverted, impulsive and chaotic\u201d than predecessor \u2018EYEYE\u2019, as she told <em>NME<\/em>, against the cultural backdrop of Trump and AI while raising two kids, the Swedish alt-pop icon found herself in a place that \u201cfeels like it\u2019s 4am and the sun is going to rise\u201d. This is the last push before the hangover, the fear and the consequences kick in; a fitting feeling for what she\u2019s said could be her last album.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>READ MORE: On \u2018The Afterparty\u2019, Lykke Li is sticking two fingers up to traditional pop trajectories<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Some say goodbyes should be short, and this last waltz comes in at just nine songs and 24 minutes. \u201c<em>No angels here tonight, no dancing queens<\/em>,\u201d she immediately sets the scene on opener and ode to those early hours sat cross-legged, \u2018Not Gon Cry\u2019 \u2013 with that plus the skittering pop-noir of \u2018Happy Now\u2019 and the inverted ABBA disco of \u2018Lucky Now\u2019 blending the DNA of the danceable but raw alt-folk of her early work with that more streetwise strut from \u2018So Sad, So Sexy\u2019 and the mirrorball flashes of 2019 Mark Ronson collab \u2018Late Night Feelings\u2019.<\/p>\n<div class=\"td-a-ad id_inline_ad0 id_ad_content-horiz-center\"><span class=\"td-adspot-title\">Advertisement<\/span><\/div>\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Lykke Li - Lucky Again\" width=\"696\" height=\"392\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/6OO49j8nSZ8?feature=oembed&amp;enablejsapi=1\" frameborder allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<p>The comedown comes early as the sumptuous sadness of the orchestral-led \u2018Famous Last Words\u2019 shares the lessons learned too late after a life of late nights (\u201c<em>I had to crash and burn to tell the tale<\/em>\u201d), before the sweet robotic acoustic ballad of \u2018Future Fear\u2019 meets the impending dread head-on (\u201c<em>I\u2019m going to a dark place, do you need anything<\/em>?\u201d). Then, the sunrise gem of \u2018So Happy I Could Die\u2019 recounts the moments that last from the witching hour while we\u2019re \u201c<em>slipping through the hourglass<\/em>\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>She paints a vivid picture of a messy night and morning after with the heart and honesty of her best work, seeking revenge to \u201c<em>make you beg for it<\/em>\u201d after rejection on \u2018Sick Of Love\u2019 (imagine if a song could be a friend to Robyn\u2019s \u2018Dancing On My Own\u2019). Album highlight and certain encore-starter \u2018Knife In The Heart\u2019 fulfils her mission to be the \u201crock god\u201d and \u201cfuck boy\u201d, as she returns that \u201c<em>you can spit, you can walk on me<\/em>\u201d but she won\u2019t be broken, all over one of the most entrancing bops she\u2019s made in years.<\/p>\n<p>Just like this album, the cinematic closer \u2018Euphoria\u2019 reminds us that life and times like these weren\u2019t built to last: \u201c<em>Player play your song, waste the night away\u201d<\/em>. With strings, beats and love, Lykke Li slammed down a heady shot to call time. Here\u2019s hoping she\u2019s got at least another round left in her.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Details<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-3762887\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/lykke-li@2000x2000.jpg\" alt=\"Lykke Li 'THE AFTERPARTY' artwork\" width=\"400\" height=\"400\"><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Release date:\u00a0<\/strong>May 08, 2026<\/li>\n<li><strong>Record label:\u00a0<\/strong>Neon Gold Records\/Futures<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_tags tdi_87 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_87\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<ul class=\"tdb-tags\">\n<li><span>Related Topics<\/span><\/li>\n<li>Lykke Li<\/li>\n<li>Pop<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"tdi_88\" class=\"tdc-row\">\n<div class=\"vc_row tdi_89  wpb_row td-pb-row\">\n<div class=\"vc_column tdi_91  wpb_column vc_column_container tdc-column td-pb-span12\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"vc_row_inner tdi_93  vc_row vc_inner wpb_row td-pb-row\">\n<div class=\"vc_column_inner tdi_95  wpb_column vc_column_container tdc-inner-column td-pb-span12\">\n<div class=\"vc_column-inner\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper td_block_wrap vc_raw_html tdi_97 \">\n<div class=\"td-fix-index\">\n<h3>More Stories<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap td_flex_block_1 tdi_98 td-pb-border-top td_module_flex_1--card td_module_flex_1--card--highlight td_block_template_2 tdc-no-posts td_flex_block\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_98\">\n<div id=\"tdi_98\" class=\"td_block_inner td-mc1-wrap\">\n<div class=\"td_module_flex td_module_flex_1 td_module_wrap td-animation-stack\">\n<div class=\"td-module-container td-category-pos-above\">\n<div class=\"td-module-meta-info\">\n                    Music News<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"entry-title td-module-title\">Adam Lambert announces new album \u2018Adam\u2019 with captivating single \u2018Eat U Alive\u2019<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_module_flex td_module_flex_1 td_module_wrap td-animation-stack\">\n<div class=\"td-module-container td-category-pos-above\">\n<div class=\"td-module-meta-info\">\n                    Music News<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"entry-title td-module-title\">La Roux announces new album \u2018Old Flames\u2019 with \u201890s-inspired single \u2018Cabin Fever\u2019<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_module_flex td_module_flex_1 td_module_wrap td-animation-stack\">\n<div class=\"td-module-container td-category-pos-above\">\n<div class=\"td-module-meta-info\">\n                    Music News<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"entry-title td-module-title\">Watch Charli XCX\u2019s mosh-heavy video for new single \u2018Rock Music\u2019<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_module_flex td_module_flex_1 td_module_wrap td-animation-stack\">\n<div class=\"td-module-container 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me\u201d<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"tdi_99\" class=\"tdc-row\">\n<div class=\"vc_row tdi_100  wpb_row td-pb-row\">\n<div class=\"vc_column tdi_102  wpb_column vc_column_container tdc-column td-pb-span12\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper td_block_wrap vc_raw_html tdi_104 \">\n<div class=\"td-fix-index\">\n<h3>You May Also Like<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><span class=\"td-page-meta\"><\/span><span class=\"td-page-meta\"><span class=\"td-page-meta\"><\/span><\/span><span class=\"td-page-meta\"><\/span><span class=\"td-page-meta\"><span class=\"td-page-meta\"><\/span><span><\/span><\/span><span class=\"td-page-meta\"><\/span><\/article>\n<\/p>\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_content tdi_86 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2 td-post-content tagdiv-type\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_86\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<p>\u201cLet\u2019s talk about the album. It was a motherfucker to make,\u201d Lykke Li told an audience gathered to hear her sixth studio album \u2018The Afterparty\u2019 at a playback in Los Angeles earlier this year. Offsetting her need to make something more \u201cextroverted, impulsive and chaotic\u201d than predecessor \u2018EYEYE\u2019, as she told <em>NME<\/em>, against the cultural backdrop of Trump and AI while raising two kids, the Swedish alt-pop icon found herself in a place that \u201cfeels like it\u2019s 4am and the sun is going to rise\u201d. This is the last push before the hangover, the fear and the consequences kick in; a fitting feeling for what she\u2019s said could be her last album.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>READ MORE: On \u2018The Afterparty\u2019, Lykke Li is sticking two fingers up to traditional pop trajectories<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Some say goodbyes should be short, and this last waltz comes in at just nine songs and 24 minutes. \u201c<em>No angels here tonight, no dancing queens<\/em>,\u201d she immediately sets the scene on opener and ode to those early hours sat cross-legged, \u2018Not Gon Cry\u2019 \u2013 with that plus the skittering pop-noir of \u2018Happy Now\u2019 and the inverted ABBA disco of \u2018Lucky Now\u2019 blending the DNA of the danceable but raw alt-folk of her early work with that more streetwise strut from \u2018So Sad, So Sexy\u2019 and the mirrorball flashes of 2019 Mark Ronson collab \u2018Late Night Feelings\u2019.<\/p>\n<div class=\"td-a-ad id_inline_ad0 id_ad_content-horiz-center\"><span class=\"td-adspot-title\">Advertisement<\/span><\/div>\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Lykke Li - Lucky Again\" width=\"696\" height=\"392\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/6OO49j8nSZ8?feature=oembed&amp;enablejsapi=1\" frameborder allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<p>The comedown comes early as the sumptuous sadness of the orchestral-led \u2018Famous Last Words\u2019 shares the lessons learned too late after a life of late nights (\u201c<em>I had to crash and burn to tell the tale<\/em>\u201d), before the sweet robotic acoustic ballad of \u2018Future Fear\u2019 meets the impending dread head-on (\u201c<em>I\u2019m going to a dark place, do you need anything<\/em>?\u201d). Then, the sunrise gem of \u2018So Happy I Could Die\u2019 recounts the moments that last from the witching hour while we\u2019re \u201c<em>slipping through the hourglass<\/em>\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>She paints a vivid picture of a messy night and morning after with the heart and honesty of her best work, seeking revenge to \u201c<em>make you beg for it<\/em>\u201d after rejection on \u2018Sick Of Love\u2019 (imagine if a song could be a friend to Robyn\u2019s \u2018Dancing On My Own\u2019). Album highlight and certain encore-starter \u2018Knife In The Heart\u2019 fulfils her mission to be the \u201crock god\u201d and \u201cfuck boy\u201d, as she returns that \u201c<em>you can spit, you can walk on me<\/em>\u201d but she won\u2019t be broken, all over one of the most entrancing bops she\u2019s made in years.<\/p>\n<p>Just like this album, the cinematic closer \u2018Euphoria\u2019 reminds us that life and times like these weren\u2019t built to last: \u201c<em>Player play your song, waste the night away\u201d<\/em>. With strings, beats and love, Lykke Li slammed down a heady shot to call time. Here\u2019s hoping she\u2019s got at least another round left in her.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Details<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-3762887\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/lykke-li@2000x2000.jpg\" alt=\"Lykke Li 'THE AFTERPARTY' artwork\" width=\"400\" height=\"400\"><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Release date:\u00a0<\/strong>May 08, 2026<\/li>\n<li><strong>Record label:\u00a0<\/strong>Neon Gold Records\/Futures<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>[analyse_source url=&#8221;https:\/\/www.nme.com\/reviews\/album\/lykke-li-afterparty-album-review-3944322&#8243;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/lykke_li_press_album_review_2000.jpg&#8221;] Lykke Li credit: Chlo\u00e9 Le Drezen ReviewsAlbum Reviews Lykke Li \u2013 \u2018The Afterparty\u2019 review: a brief but heady last round from the Swedish alt-pop icon Threatening to be her last, this sixth album from the \u2018I Follow Rivers\u2019 star captures the fear and heartache of the end of the night with strings, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[226,78],"class_list":["post-1925749","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics","tag-crawlmanager","tag-nme-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1925749","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1925749"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1925749\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1925749"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1925749"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1925749"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}