‘The Love Retreating In You’ - relief and fright with Lydmor

I introduced Lydmor into the world of Moths and Giraffes with my Livestreaming article, but this is an artist who absolutely deserves her own spot. This is especially true with the release of her new single 'Someone We Used To Love', but more on that in a moment. Lydmor is the artistic output engine for Danish legend Jenny Rossander. I came across her in the year or so leading up to the release of her incredible third album 'I Told You I'd Tell Them Our Story'. I'm always partial to a concept album, and this one is no exception. It tells the tale of the time Jenny spent in Shanghai. There is so much to discover here, and so many questions you ask when your listening experience is over. It wraps you up in an electronic euphoria that somehow makes the world run in slow motion. Highlights include 'The Mansion', 'Claudia', 'Soft Islands', and 'Shanghai Roar.' Basically, just listen to the whole thing.

Lydmor's live performances are something else entirely. This album ran parallel with a neon show where Jenny painted herself in a circuit-board of luminous colour. Hidden up until a certain point in the show, it came alive when the lighting rig ran by her partner in performance wizardry, Oscar, activated beams of neon cylinders that surrounded her. My experience seeing the neon show in the London basement venue, The Waiting Room, remains one of my favourite concert goings ever.

Since the release of the album in September 2018, there has been a remix EP of some of the tracks entitled 'The Story - Remixed'. More importantly though, there have been a couple of new singles. LSD Heart came out in September 2019 in a video featuring five cuddly elderly gentlemen. Lydmor describes the track on her bandcamp page, "I feel like I am saying a lot of things in this song that I wanted to say for a long time. The essential point of the song is about loving crazily, endlessly, like a LSD trip. And that there is a new generation on the way, that sees the bullshit of the world, and replaces it with love. What I love about this song is that it has that element of mystery, even to me, YET at the same time I know exactly what it wants, and what I want with it".

Whilst LSD Heart verges on the crazy, Lydmor's next single 'Guilty (Kill Me)' goes inwards. The softer tone (but no less hard hitting) of this single focuses on a relationship. The vocal is more naked, revealing the beauty in Lydmor's voice that is so electronic in LSD Heart. There is reverb, a wash of synths, and a beat that's easier on the ear. Lydmor says on her bandcamp, 'I don't want to reveal too much of what the song is about – the lyrics are quite explanatory – but I think the song hints at the direction where I'm heading as an artist.'

So now it's 2020 - blah blah something about Covid-19 blah blah - and since my livestreaming article, Lydmor has taken to the art with full force. Streaming multiple times a week on her facebook page, there have been cover sessions, a poster signing and drawing day, book readings, and even a collaborative effort. With the help of her fanbase, Lydmor has created a piece currently called The Isolation Song. Fans have been invited to send in lyrical suggestions and pieces of music used to make up the final track. They really are a talented bunch, with guitar players aplenty, backing vocals, various sound effects, percussion and keyboards. I can't wait to hear the final outcome.

Lydmor's new single Someone We Used To Love, is a fusion of sorts, of both the direction of LSD Heart and Guilty (Kill Me) at once. Beginning with an arpeggiated bassline, the vocal soon follows with a tinge of reverb. 'So cold. You say you're sorry, as you're leaving already, I can feel the love retreating in you - fuck.' The way she swears is unexpected and exactly right. The atmospheric synths familiar in Guilty (Kill Me) join in, as Lydmor's voice lifts for the chorus. The song is about someone you used to love still loving you, and you wishing they would pull themselves together as you've moved on, that feeling of disgust. But at the same time there could be a situation where you still love someone who has moved on, and you wonder 'how could you love someone after me?' I always love the percussive sounds in a Lydmor song. They pick up after this first chorus, like hand-claps from several rooms away. A faint synth dances around, hinting at what's to come later. A touch of piano, leading you to wonder if this was the instrument the song was originally composed on. Then boom, the drums come in proper, and suddenly it becomes that 'fragile banger' that Lydmor talks about on her bandcamp page. There's a breakdown with a male voice saying, 'hey, sorry, uh, I've just been really busy lately.' Then the drums are back in and you can't help but want to move to the track. 'So lost, you're leaving already, oh you forgot I was sexy? I'ma try to keep a straight face for you - fuck.' That perfectly placed curse is back, said with more certainty than the first time. Then it pulls back - 'You're the only one who thought the shape of my nose was worth mentioning. Now you look at my face as if it's some kind of foreign thing.' The fragile part. But Someone We Used To Love finishes as a banger, making you wish it lasted longer. It's perfect for a live crowd, for people to dance to. This is my personal favourite of Lydmor's standalone singles, and what a direction to be going in.

Lydmor took the time to answer some questions about Someone We Used To Love, her live performances, and her favourite moment of livestreaming. I asked these questions before I knew there would be a music video to Someone We Used To Love. Special thanks goes out to SEN, hfn music, and of course to Jenny for answering these questions.

1. Congratulations on your single release! Does it feel like a relief when a song you've kept for so long is finally unleashed unto the world?

It's a mixture of relief and fright! And always a certain level of anticlimax. All the stuff you want to happen for the song, all the expectations you have for how it will grow, sometimes you have to constantly remind yourself that good music grows over time and that you won't win all the awards in one night. 

2. You've said there have been about 50 versions of Someone We Used To Love, what differs in these from the final version? 

It's just best, hahaha.. It was just a really difficult song to get the final mix done on.

3. The track was co-produced by Christian Schousboe Vium and Peter Kjædegaard, what was the experience like working with them?

Christian is such a joy to produce together with, he is a creative hurricane, just always sooo many good ideas and I really think he has good taste. Peter (who has done mix for a lot of my recent stuff) is just a really talented technician and him and I have a very close collaborative way of mixing the tracks, which I need because I am so particular with what I want. He just has a really good mind for sound.

4. Does Someone We Used To Love reflect the mood of the next album, or will there be a different direction entirely?

Hmmm.. Man. I don't think I've ever made an album that only had one MOOD on it. I like to paint pictures out of many different colors to form one big story. My next album is probably the best example of this ever. I'm really excited about it.

5. You have a very talented fanbase, have you considered opening up your tracks to them for remixing?

I have! Good that you remind me. I should look into that.

6. The visual aspect of Lydmor never fails to deliver, is a music video forthcoming for Someone We Used To Love?

Oh yeah! We made a video out of footage from my probably most artsy show ever - store vega last fall. 

7. The neon show was a huge hit with your fans. If money was no option, what would be the ultimate Lydmor concert experience?

It would be new every time. Every time you thought you knew what it was it would change. One day a string orchestra. One day a huge choir. Another a live techno band. 80 year old dancers. Kids in weird costumes. So basically what I've started doing at my big shows in Denmark, just everywhere haha.

8. I remember you saying you wanted to film one of the neon shows and release it, is that still happening?

There are plans of something, and some other things have already been filmed. It's all a matter of timing of when to put it out

9. Finally, you've been having a lot of fun with livestreaming since lockdown, what's been your favourite moment?

Definitely making Isolation Song! It was such a beautiful experience to create together with my fans, to listen to all the stuff people sent me, and make something out of the whole. I can't wait to work more on that!

Find Lydmor @jennylydmor both for twitter and instagram. Download her latest releases on bandcamp.