NEW ALBUM: MØ | MOTORDROME

33-year-old artist MØ warp-speed work ethic brought many successes her way, from 2016’s multi-platinum follow-up Major Lazer collaboration “Cold Water” with Justin Bieber to notable festival performances and fruitful studio sessions with Charli XCX, Jack Antonoff, and the late SOPHIE. However, working non-stop eventually led to the extreme anxiety and pure mental burnout that not only inspired her year-plus-long break from the industry but the ultra-introspective lyrics of her latest album, "Motordrome." One of its biggest and best bangers, "New Moon," shares a bouncy, nu-disco strut with recent records from Kylie Minogue, Dua Lipa and Jessie Ware as MØ triumphantly basks in the sweet spot of contentment that follows a vast but inevitable break-up. Another stand-out comes in the shape of ‘Live to Survive.’ with its robotic ‘80s drum pads, modulating synths, and low-pass filters. It’s a bright, punchy sound that works perfectly for MØ – you wish there were far more of it. Elsewhere, "Motordrome" doesn’t have the exact immediate grip. Though the message of ‘Cool To Cry’ comes from a well-meaning place, its scuzzy guitars drag along on one note, and lyrically it suffers from cloying sincerity. These stand-out moments grab you with their humour – the immensely memorable hooks on show certainly help, too – but after "Motordrome" fizzled out, you’re left wishing the engines revved a little louder.