In the modern music world, everything is extremely fragmented. With so many outlets for artists available to get their music heard, if you are looking for something other than what a major record label is feeding, you are going to have to look deeper. That is where an artist like Skott has an opportunity to infiltrate an arguably stale Pop scene.
A singer, songwriter, and producer, Pauline Skött, simply going by Skott, is a unique talent out of Sweden. Receiving positive acclaim for her prior singles in recent years, as well as her 2018 EP Stay Off My Mind, the logical next step would be a full-length album. Well, it is here, and it comes in the form of Always Live For Always, out on Friday, June 26th, 2020 via Dollar Menu in partnership with Cosmos Music.
Complete with twelve tracks, including a bonus at the end, yes, it is Pop music, although far from generic and anything but ordinary. For starts, Skott’s music has far much more musicality than other contemporary Pop artists out there. Additionally, there is a uniqueness to her approach that is beyond the mainstream and more artistically interesting, thus lulling you to want to take a closer look.
In terms of her debut album, this impulse to dig into Skott’s music is delivered immediately with the dazzling opening of “Stay Awake,” continued with slow build of “My Name,” and exemplified on the quirky, lyrically sarcastic single “Talk About Me.” Stimulating your senses further, the short, but sweetly sung “Bloodhound” is euphoric, while “Benz” is a balanced Pop odyssey, and “Poreclain” drops you into down-tempo dreamlike state with voices all around.
Then the single “Midas” really shows the infliction in Skott’s singing ability with an array of high and low notes. This is before “Kodak & Codeine,” also a single, enchants you deep into her world. Thereafter, Skott offers a hybrid synth cut in “Amelia,” let’s her voice take the forefront on “Settle Down,” and shows her most vulnerability on the bonus track “Darling.”
As stated, Skott is a step above your standard Pop artist. Her songs are dressed with real instruments, subtle textures, and unprocessed vocals. Painting mind images with the pace of the music, as well as its presentation, she is also quite the visual artist. This is showcased with compelling music videos for songs such including “Talk About Me,” “Midas,” and “Kodak & Codeine.” All must watches that add to the experience. Melancholy at times, but consistently diverse, Skott offers something special. That is why Cryptic Rock gives her debut album Always Live For Always 4 out of 5 stars.
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