MØ

No Mythologies to Follow (Chess Club/RCA Victor)

As MØ (pronounced “muuh”), Karen Marie Ørsted lands somewhere between the vampy Lana Del Rey and crunchy production queen Grimes. Full-length debut No Mythologies to Follow comes birthed from email chains with Rhye producer Ronni Vindahl, whose beats behind Ørsted’s seductive croon are reined in just enough to prevent them from swallowing her whole. Even as Vindahl’s production dazzles, Ørsted stands up to the crush. Programmed guitars on “Maiden” put the album into apocalyptic hyperdrive just two songs in, speeding toward a bloody battle of the hearts scripted by her ethereal yet weighted soprano. The booming resonance fades into “Never Wanna Know,” a twisted take on Fifties-era love balladry. Traces of Southern rap dot the backings of “Pilgrim” and “Waste of Time,” with vocal quips hearkening Ørsted back to her erstwhile rap days. (12:15pm, Honda stage)

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This article appears in October 3 • 2014.

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