Karin Dreijer never passes up an opportunity to reimagine their music in a live setting. Just as
Shaken-Up Versions documented how
the Knife reinvented their music in concert,
Live at Troxy captures how the shows
Fever Ray played in support of 2017's excellent
Plunge united that album and 2009's self-titled debut into a ferocious, joyous whole. Recorded at
Fever Ray's March 2018 show at the London venue,
Live at Troxy's celebratory feel is palpable. The songs from
Plunge sound more vital than ever, from the raging opener "An Itch" to the stark, towering rendition of "This Country," a tirade against sexual repression that only feels more subversively powerful performed for a crowd. Meanwhile,
Fever Ray's darker songs offer a potent contrast; in particular, "If I Had a Heart"'s glowering need is even more compelling next to
Plunge's neon outbursts. The way Dreijer combines -- and sometimes reinvents -- the strengths of their albums on
Live at Troxy makes for fascinating listening. As they merge
Fever Ray's ice with
Plunge's fire, the results are never lukewarm.
Plunge's hypnotic hyperballad "Red Trails" is the perfect counterpart to the midnight depths of
Fever Ray's "Concrete Walls" (one of the few songs on
Troxy that keeps the pitch-shifted vocals that used to be a mainstay of Dreijer's work). Elsewhere, a brassy, emphatic version of "Triangle Walks" echoes "To the Moon and Back," the vivid single that kicked off the
Plunge era. Some of
Live at Troxy's biggest revelations occur when Dreijer brings that album's heat and light to their debut's shadowy songs. "When I Grow Up," one of the first songs that hinted at their potential as a solo artist, is reborn as a futuristic Carnaval celebration with a surprisingly booty-shaking beat. "I'm Not Done" takes the mood even further, trading the original version's gloom for anthemic, funky self-confidence. The bold, political-is-personal mood of
Live at Troxy stretches beyond its music to the crew and performers who helped make the show possible: On the
Plunge tour, Dreijer worked with as many female and non-binary artists -- many of whom, like Dreijer, were mothers over 40 -- as they could. Along with its generous set list and powerful performances, the attention to details like these makes
Live at Troxy another riveting expression of Dreijer's passionate commitment to their work. ~ Heather Phares