Iamamiwhoami
Kin

Finally, Jonna Lee (pardon... Iamamiwhoami) has emerged from the cave.

After those seven magical pearls titled with letters, spurious songs ("John", "Clump") and a huge project/concept about the birth of the mandrake, steeped in paganism, continuous psychosexual references, weirdism coming down like rain, glamour, darkness, and unease, here she is coming into the open. Forgotten now is the mystery that has gripped the allure of her parallel project for over two years, and forgotten are the ballads on an acoustic guitar, as she presents her first true album: "Kin." Already mysterious by title, it is an album composed of nine tracks, accompanied by nine videos that form another piece of this bizarre journey within Nordic tradition.

Nine songs that further mature the performer’s vision, a woman slightly homely, skeletal, and a bit presumptuous, yet endowed with enormous charisma that ends up overwhelming you. Nine songs that expand the ecstatic sensations of the pieces with which she exploded, launching a frantic telematic tam-tam about her identity. Now Iamamiwhoami exists. Here she is. Enclosed in a physical box set, a small and precious treasure that, finally, becomes tangible.
Because if many critics judge her music as "a mere accompaniment to videos of intense cinematic beauty," "a dispensable soundtrack to a concept interesting only for its complexity and virality," now they will finally have to keep their mouths shut.

The musician's ambition is undeniable and reaches an ego rarely seen, but that's okay because Jonna Lee writes beautiful songs. The opener "Sever", a mournful and menacing romantic ballad, confirms itself as her most beautiful and touching composition. The sleepy, yet pathos-laden voice, the twilight waltz of keyboards, the barely hinted choruses, the ascent to Eden. Pure magic.

Iamamiwhoami creates an universe made of mystical sensations, atemporal swirls and long stretches of nothingness that oppress, but also knows how to make you dance in a mischievous way (just consider the explosive "In Due Order", an electronic time bomb, with a sexual charge to envy many other nymphets). Iamamiwhoami is an artist capable of basking in the pop environment to destroy it. 

She nods, glances at unattainable masters (from Bjork to Róisín Murphy, through Fever Ray), but is always able to retain a certain musical identity that gives her honor and credit.

What can we say about a beautiful "Kill"? A track with a capital T: compelling and visceral, catchy, yet also fatal. 
She dares where few would, able to touch the soul with great naturalness ("Rascal" and its growing sigh, with the electronics seeming to take over, remaining only a distant industrial thunder on a calm sea of sweetness), but also to unleash irresistible electro anthems ("Goods").

"Idle Talk" stops time and becomes a magnificent flow of paradisiacal suspensions, "Drops" is a sonic vortex that captures and afflicts, hopping on tiptoe among electronic beats, the finale of "Good Worker" can take you anywhere you want, dragging you through the dry leaves, as happens to Jonna herself in the music video. 

And then there is the pure euphoria of "Play", which does not fear becoming kitsch and does not at all, placing itself between ABBA and trip hop, without being either counterpart.

There's no denying it: "Kin" is an excellent album. One of the best of this year. It works perfectly even without its videos (which nevertheless should be seen) and confirms the ever-growing creativity of an artist who will go far.

And now excuse me, but I need to open the wardrobe and dance like a madman with my imaginary friend.