There are plenty of things I adore that are lively and fun and overwhelmingly positive but the things I deem favourite, life-altering, soul-destroying, reaching, cleansing - well, these things have the ache. Even things that don't at first appear to, do. It's behind the anger of punk and the wit of almost every comedian I like. I don't romanticise sadness - there's nothing fun about it - but I'm drawn to people using their pain to make something lovely. I'm drawn to the energy of sharing, empathising and healing. I love that art can do that and I'm grateful to every artist of any kind who has touched me in that way. I only wish I could do the same for others.
Lykke Li's latest album, I Never Learn, and its videos and visuals have this echoing ache in spades. The music is so haunting and full of ache that I want to lie in it and wallow over every slight my life has ever known. I want to wrap the music over my head and hide indulgently in it. And I also want to rock the styling - dramatic dusters, intense cheek bones, pouty lips, deep-set dark eyes, cascading hair, veils, a darker than dark palette, a witchy undertone, a tortured Romance literature heroine. It's just so perfect and in line with how I'm imaging my A/W is going to look.
Like, I'm kind of obsessed. Between this and my discovery of YA angel genre books (anyone judging me right now can know I don't care), my mood has been set to anguished. Yay for my wardrobe, less yay for my maudlin tendencies. But, hey, if I can channel my Byronic ways into something useful and healthy via some kickass music and styling, that's gotta be a win, right?
Plus: Dat album art.
Whaddya'all reckon? As in love with all things I Never Learn as I am?
