Beautiful So Far

Album Review

The highly produced pop shimmer of Norwegian superstar Bertine Zetlitz has inexplicably failed to reach much of an audience outside of her home country. This is surprising, considering her music is just as expertly crafted as that of any international star—something which her sophomore effort Beautiful So Far amply shows. Coupled with the skilled production of Cardigans producer Tore Johansson, whose work here steps into modern, decidedly processed dancehall terrain, Zetlitz's largely self-penned material is remarkably taut and catchy. Her lyrics and icy vocal delivery pack a sizable punch, often veering into a vaguely menacing, playfully twisted attitude. "Sick Communication," for one, is fantastically creepy and sly, with the chorus repeating the line "I will kill them all for you." Startling moments of this nature are scattered throughout Beautiful So Far, with Zetlitz dropping dark little lines like "Be careful little one/make sure you have a gun" and "I can be cruel, cruel, cruel when it matters," thereby keeping the tension of the music high and consistently alluring, even as the bubbly beats and synths fall into repetition later in the album. Zetlitz also isn't afraid to bluntly reference stardom, asserting "You know, you're here just to adore me" on lead single "Adore Me," which is perhaps the track most reminiscent of her Norwegian peer Annie. Like all of Bertine Zetlitz's work, Beautiful So Far exhibits first-rate hooks, crisp and complex electronic instrumentation, and a starlet with an utterly captivating persona.