Niki and the Dove
Instinct

THE REVIEW

"Niki and the dove", indeed. And from here, everyone wonders if Niki is him and she is the dove, or vice versa. And everyone questions (or asks them) what meaning lies behind the unusual name that Malin Dahlstrom and Gustaf Karlof, based in Stockholm, have chosen for their recent synthetic art-pop project.

"It has a meaning", she says, "but it's a secret we prefer to keep to ourselves. When you talk too much, the charm of the unsaid dissolves..." - and she is perfectly right, I add. So let the mystery remain. However, upon closely inspecting the photographic repertoire of this splendid Scandinavian electro-priestess, the suspicion arises (and very strongly) that her ultimate inspiration answers to the name Stevie Nicks - "just like the white-winged dove...", after all, sang the blonde from Phoenix in "Edge Of Seventeen" (1981), and the same dove appeared repeatedly in her iconography (the older ones will remember). But that's not all. Even Dahlstrom's look, vaguely hippy with more than one nod to the ethnic, very much recalls that of Stevie during the "Rumours" period, thanks to a notable physical resemblance. And at this point you might already be thinking: "Could she also SING like Stevie Nicks..."? The similarities are there on this front too, yes, and the most attentive will recognize them in more than one instance (listen carefully to the first part of "In Your Eyes") - although our lady loves to explore on far more complex and imaginative vocal paths...

Due to the aforementioned "Malin Dahlstrom = clone of Stevie Nicks" misunderstanding, most described "Instinct" (the duo's full-length debut after a lengthy gestation period) as "the album that Stevie and Prince could have recorded together". A suggestive but also mercilessly reductive definition because 1) the possible influences are far more numerous, and certainly not only attributable to two, albeit illustrious, names; 2) we are witnessing one of the most interesting debut works in Europe in recent times.

With a (necessary) clarification: the colorful sound palette offered by "Instinct" will sound totally satisfying only to those who have grown up, among other listens, on a diet of eighties synth-pop with an abundance of keyboards, absence of guitars, and the presence (doomed for many) of the drum machine. Without therefore being led to think that the present work is an album of pure, nostalgic tribute to that decade - and thus, a patchwork of copy-pasted stereotypes as have been heard recently: the "chill" that electronic music normally suggests is here tempered by intriguing arrangements, anything but banal, which greatly learn from the ethno-tronic lesson of albums like "The Dreaming" and "Hounds Of Love" - while unfolding a contamination-laden and grandly personal sound map.

Thanks to years of collaboration and harmony between Malin and Gustaf, the anticipation for this album (fueled by singles and appetizer EPs) had become almost frantic, in the local scene and beyond. The product (labeled Sub Pop) does not disappoint; on the contrary, it even suggests room for improvement, renewing the anticipation for a (hopefully soon) second release. Meanwhile, there is time to enjoy (for those who love it) the dance rhythms of "The Drummer", all synth and effected vocals, the sublime catchiness of the opening "Tomorrow", the memories of melodic Pop-Wave re-emerging in "DJ Ease My Mind". And to have fun grasping the meaning of lyrics between the freak ("we just got married last night in a taxi, but I swear I love you") and the... DEEPLY - uh! - committed ("take me now, let's do it right away"). Then realizing that the music becomes more interesting as it grows more nocturnal with the passing minutes: "The Gentle Roar", dark and tribal, slow lullaby for percussion and basses; the pagan prayer of "Mother Protect", and Prince's "Sign O' The Times" seems just a step away, when listening to "Love To The Test" and "Winterheart"...

...and her voice, enchanting. Making this scant hour of music an experience to be repeated multiple times.

Provided, of course, you love certain sounds...