Gig review: Lykke Li - ABC, Glasgow

THE formerly fragrant Lykke Li Zachrisson has toughened up musically between her first and second albums and now comes across as a Nordic Florence Welch, dressing up her performance with tribal yelps, war dancing, billowing black curtains and a starring role for percussion, with two drumkits in action.

The sound was beefed up with 60s-inspired organ licks, and Zachrisson was given to random bashing of cymbals and brandishing of drumsticks in an effort to whip the crowd into a feral frenzy. However, the set took a while to catch fire.

Zachrisson appeared slightly bemused and uncomfortable with what she saw as a muted reaction to her efforts; the audience deemed her mannered presentation to be worthy of merely passive enjoyment.

While she struggled to convince as a Scandic she-devil, Zachrisson actually has a very sweet voice, suited to her girl group-influenced numbers Unrequited Love and Sadness Is A Blessing, the latter lifting the classic crashing drum intro to The Ronettes’ Be My Baby while successfully putting an existential spin on heartbreak with the chorus “sadness is my boyfriend, sadness I’m your girl”.

Her other standout songs, Youth Knows No Pain, now fitted with a fiery coda, and the powerful, sultry Get Some hit the mark with a mix of pounding toms and soaring pop choruses which finally channelled the primal energy she had been striving to share.

Rating: ***