Pitchfork

Leave it to Robyn-collaborating Swede Lykke Li to help give Andreas Kleerup his most bewitching track since the producer's own collaboration with Robyn, 2006's "With Every Heartbeat". "Until We Bleed", from Kleerup's forthcoming self-titled debut album, turns fragile and introspective after the heart-on-sleeve openness of "With Every Heartbeat" or the guitar-tinged club stomp of Kleerup's most recent single, Titiyo-guesting "Longing for Lullabies". Synths still chime and fizzle atop equally emphasized beats, but they're generally sparer here than on those songs, with sloping strings by Mikael Karlsson adding to the melancholy atmosphere. The biggest difference is Li, whose brand of heartbreak sounds blank and introverted where Robyn's can be so vivid and communicative-- Cat Power or PJ Harvey to Robyn's Madonna. Either way, it's pretty damn effective. "I'm naked, I'm numb/ I'm stupid, I'm staying," Li begins. "You're drunk, you need it/ Real love, I give it." (You'll have to skip ahead a couple of times on the label's audio player to hear this song; while you're there, also check out "3 AM", Kleerup's track with Marit Bergman.)

Stream:> Kleerup [ft. Lykke Li]: "Until We Bleed"

Bonus: Here's Li performing a snippet of "Until We Bleed" live with Kleerup earlier this year at Swedish radio station P3's annual awards show.

[from Kleerup; due in Sweden 05/21/08 on EMI]