Lxandra - “FU4EVER”

SXSW 2024 - OEB Score: 7; Popularity Index: 5

Pairs Well With…Dua Lipa, Anna Calvi, Bat For Lashes

Balancing a big pop sound and grayer piano balladry, Lxandra’s latest EP is equally accessible and deep. Drama underpins Might Not Wanna Wake Up, both in the music and Lxandra’s sweeping vocal lines. It’s applied with a futurist mindset, avoiding throwback pop and R&B, instead going for something more mysterious without sounding soft. The whole gives off a theatrical impression, one that Lxandra leans into when it comes to melodramatic melodies and sweeps of synths and strings. The Finnish artist showcases Wednesday night at Speakeasy. (Kevin McStravick)