On her best-known song, Robyn is huddled in the corner of a club, watching the man she wants kiss someone else. “Dancing on My Own” is the definitive sad banger, an anthemic dance track with a stoical brand of heartbreak at its core.
Sixteen years since that song was released, it continues to influence much of contemporary pop – from Lorde and Taylor Swift to Charli XCX – but Robyn has moved on. Sexistential, her first album since 2018’s Honey, sees the Swedish pop innovator take charge over nine expertly produced tracks, exploring matters of sexuality, relationships and desire with playful candour. It’s brilliant, too; Robyn’s voice is commanding but also curious, enveloped by tremendous salvos of house and electronic sounds. Written in the aftermath of a long-term relationship and while she was going through IVF, it is striking in its direct approach – a sharp contrast to the liquid sensuality and murky emotions of Honey.
