7/10

While her brilliant 2014 album 'I Never Learn' saw the pop icon retreat into herself a little bit, divulging one heartbroken ballad after another, the self-proclaimed queen of sad-pop has returned with a far more diverse attitude as she unveils her fourth full-length 'so sad so sexy'. And as the title more or less explains, you can expect to find a collection of melancholy releases that all manage to give across the sultry disposition she started her career with.

But if it was a case of deciding whether this new record was more sad or sexy, sexy would probably trump the feelings of lowness throughout. With a vibrant and contemporary production, tracks like 'deep end' and 'jaguars in the air' manage to create an undercurrent of uplifting emotions that prevent the release from falling too far into a depressive state. While it definitely still manages to whack out some seriously heartfelt serenades from time to time, 'so sad so sexy' is able to keep its head above water and deliver a thoroughly enjoyable listen.

It may not have the same pull as her initial work but is definitely a callback to those original days. Lykke Li has always been an intriguing character and this new LP is probably the closest thing we have heard that conveys her broad spectrum when it comes to songwriting.