In some ways,
Kate Boy's debut album
One feels like the logical end of the edgy Swedish pop artists have been making since the 2000s: The duo's sleek, synth-driven songs and singer Kate Akhurst's keening vocals call to mind contemporaries like
Niki and the Dove as well as
the Knife, whose early razor-sharp pop and subsequent darker turns represent the style's extremes.
One falls somewhere in between, offering songs that are as moody as they are catchy. The shimmery album-opener "Northern Lights" is
Kate Boy's most obviously poppy moment, but more propulsive and aggressive songs like "Lion for Real" and "Self Control" still deliver plenty of hooky gratification. While
Kate Boy's previously released singles still provide
One's brightest highlights, the album proves they can carry on the Swedish tradition of edgy yet accessible music. ~ Heather Phares