Niki & the Dove - Instinct

The latest in a long recent thread of "[Girl's name] and the [noun(s)]" band names - Florence + the Machine, Marina and the Diamonds, Gypsy and the Cat, Esben and the Witch - Swedish duo Malin Dahlström and Gustaf Karlöf and have racked up a plethora of support and hype despite being very much a style that rose and sort-of fell over the end of the last decade. An eye for theatricality, outlandish costumes and alternative influences blended into the Swedes' national fondness for pop music gives them a handful of different fanbases, though: the country that, in recent years, has produced fantastic records from Robyn, Lykke Li, Miike Snow and jj, is surely overtaking the English-speaking countries in terms of eyes and ears for pop excellence.

The influences on Niki & the Dove extend beyond their homeland, though: there're airs of Kate Bush's vocals about Dahlström, their synths recall French electropop at its best, and the artwork screams 'Empire of the Sun' (Australian costume fetishists/electro-duo, not the WW2 movie). But has the world moved on since 2008's wave of... new wave?

Not if the opener 'Tomorrow' has a say in the matter. A quiet and quirky beat nicely sets the scene for the band's debut before Malin's triumphant pop chorus, but it's the verses' tenderness and her ability to emulate the sensuality of Kate Bush that's most enticing (not to piss all over the synthpop chorus though). Comparing drumbeats with the rhythm of life, 'The Drummer' does sort of fade into obscurity when compared to other tracks out there, and it's sadly a little lacking in terms of melody. It has moments, though, and the chimes sound like a mature Ke$ha. Fun little windchimes crop up again on 'In Our Eyes', with cute romantic lyrics like "the love I hold is older than the sky we lay under" and "you're a song I wanna sing all night long".

There are truly unusual moments too that keep them fresh and exciting, rather than yet another Swedish pop act: the whispers and odd playfulness of Dahlström's vocals over primal percussions and rhythms give 'The Gentle Roar' a genuine allure. On 'Mother Protect' too a rich and complex instrumentation, combined with lyrics telling of "your hands/ I let them lead me into the cage...", give off fascinating results. The final third, too, is arguably the album's climax. The strongest Bush influences are seen on 'Last Night', particularly in the exclaimed "She had a-!"s and the grunts. Whilst the lyrics are not nearly as imaginative as Bush's, there's an unusual charm about the song's marriage in a taxi storyline.

Shorter, more immediate tracks like 'Somebody' are clearly written with a bit of a dancefloor feel in mind, and it certainly accomplishes that. Yet at times it feels much less satisfying than other material here; 'Love to the Test' is clearly inspired by aeons of gothic romance and darker pop and, although much more contemplative than 'Somebody', it does make you appreciate their lighter sides. They undoubtedly make a compelling argument for getting lost in dance music on 'DJ, Ease My Mind', a rousing dance track that begs "take me downtown tonight/ I want to forget/ I want lights to blind me/ I want to disappear". Though sensory deprivation through the medium of clubbing can at times be unwise, it's a clever 21st century interpretation of spiritual healing.

The sadly one-dimensional 'Winterheart' threatens to spoil the experience, but 'The Fox' then enters with harps, strings and shuffles that provide one of the album's most infectious instrumentals. With settings of violets, vetiver and wooded glades, it's a lyrical step up too. Closer 'Under the Bridges' somewhat ably finishes things, albeit with a weaker instrumentation and tale than its predecessors.

Although the giddy heights of Swedish pop were already reason enough to be excited about this album, it's its attention to detail, ornate lyricism and unpredictable twists that give Niki & the Dove a real stand-out debut. There aren't any particular massive tracks in the sense that M83 achieved with Midnight City or Florence + the Machine did with Dog Days Are Over, but the consistency and storytelling behind Instinct easily forgives that.

Rating: 8/10

Highlights: The Gentle Roar, DJ Ease My Mind, The Fox, Mother Protect, Tomorrow

Avoid: Winterheart

Artwork Watch: That, my dears, is what you call a "lovely font". There might well be a lot more going on in this artwork but I'm just happy with the font.

For fans of: Empire of the Sun, M83, Kate Bush