Norwegian singer Jenny Hval is not afraid to be explicit; but rather than preside over an unraveling of personal guilt and insecurity, Hval’s lyrics play around with subjectivity and sensuality in a way that is powerful and direct, as on her latest song “The Seer” off of her forthcoming album Innocence Is Kinky. “The voice is wordless tissue” sings Hval in a voice that most certainly could be described in measures of flesh and sinew, one that combines Hval’s idiosyncratic weirdness with the indie rock maneuverings of someone like Karen O. Hval knows that to make something majestic and beautiful one need not also be fragile and effervescent – there is a majesty and beauty in confrontation as well.
