Albums
Motordrome
2022
Genre: Pop
Release Date: 2022
By Eric Torres
Reviewed February 2, 2022
The Danish singer-songwriter’s powerhouse voice can wring genuine catharsis out of even the gaudiest pop, but on her third album, the muted, anonymous production too often holds her back.
A motordrome is an electrifying image to attach to a pop album. Evocative of thundering sound, burnt rubber, and engines speeding by in a blur, the specialty racetrack is the guiding metaphor behind Danish synth-pop singer MØ’s third LP, which uses it as a loose stand-in for the relentless spiral of anxiety. It’s a perilous loop the singer is eager to escape; her own anxiety manifested in frequent panic attacks following a lengthy, stressful tour behind her sophomore album, 2018’s Forever Neverland. is crafted as a way to see through those struggles, approached with a sense of restraint. She reaches for new heights, but the album’s muted, anonymous production largely pushes MØ’s performances into the background.