I'm going to rank every Susanne Sundfør song ever

[untilted]

Slowly was my first dance at my wedding

It’s my top choice for if and when I ever get married myself! Thank you so much for sharing this

 

[untilted]

Delirious is an absolute MENACE of a pop song.

Absolutely. I've introduced a few friends to it over the years and love watching the utter joy on their faces slowly turn to confusion when they realise the dark edge the song actually has.

Ten Love Songs is absolutely her best body of work, 5 stars, masterpiece, whatever. Unfortunately the whole process of writing, recording and producing the album left her physically and mentally ill so I think we will probably only hear her tap into that sound through collaborations at best. I get it though, if you listen to the album in full and how potently passionate it is from start to end - it's a lot of emotion to be putting on a plate for an audience to listen to.

Plus, she's married now (I think) and has a baby (confirmed - i think alyosha is about her child) and just generally seems settled. I'll take her in any capacity but much of Blomi is a slog. Leikara Ljóð demonstrates her genius though!

If you want big chanty vocals and a huge production, Leikara Ljóð is the one to cherrypick from her recent stuff.

 

[VoR]

I remember seeing her live in the Ten Love Songs era and while the voice was a marvel, it was pretty clear she wasn’t comfortable.

Shame, it’s such an incredible album.

 

[Sheena]

Her voice is one that I could listen to doing ANYTHING. It’s just an astonishing piece of ART.

 

[untilted]

I remember seeing her live in the Ten Love Songs era and while the voice was a marvel, it was pretty clear she wasn’t comfortable.

Shame, it’s such an incredible album.

Yep - the best live performances from that era are the ones where she was able to strip it down. Trust Me live is something you must all hear.



So whilst I do understand people grieving for the absolute genius she tapped into during TLS, we must also accept that the music she makes now very much represents who she really is.

 

[Sheena]

Off the top of my hairdo:

1. Memorial
2. Delirious
3. The Sound of War
4. Kamikaze
5. Accelerate
6. Undercover
7. Fade Away
8. White Foxes
9. No One Believes In Love Anymore
10.Slowly

 

[untilted]

This cover is also an absolute top tier live moment. Absolutely brilliant.

 

[Sheena]

I remember the first time I heard Memorial I had to stop what I was doing and just stood stock still and listened for about two minutes (or it seemed that way) and then when the really dark orchestral bit kicks in in I ended up sitting right there in the middle of the floor with my mouth open, utterly agog. At the end I put it right back to the start and listened to it again. I was utterly dumbfounded by it. Astonishing.

Only a few times in my life has music given me a physical reaction like that and when it happens, it is genuinely one of the most exciting and moving experiences. I wish it happened more often.

 

[untilted]

I’m wondering if she’s the best Scandinavian vocalist alive today? A genuine question. Do let me know if there’s anyone who could be considered better.

 

[Sheena]

I’m wondering if she’s the best Scandinavian vocalist alive today? A genuine question. Do let me know if there’s anyone who could be considered better.

Are we talking for vocals, right?

Cause she’s one of the best vocalists in the world full stop.

 

[untilted]

I remember the first time I heard Memorial I had to stop what I was doing and just stood stock still and listened for about two minutes (or it seemed that way) and then when the really dark orchestral bit kicks in in I ended up sitting right there in the middle of the floor with my mouth open, utterly agog. At the end I put it right back to the start and listened to it again. I was utterly dumbfounded by it. Astonishing.

Only a few times in my life has music given me a physical reaction like that and when it happens, it is genuinely one of the most exciting and moving experiences. I wish it happened more often.

These are REALLY special moments and you are right, they are VERY rare. 'Mountaineers' also had the same impact on me, and actually I can recall it very clearly. Late July 2017. I was on a train on my way to Blackpool, alone (don't ask) and the song just flooded through my ears from my headphones and I actually remember thinking to myself "this is not the place or time when I should be hearing this song for the first time". I was absolutely shook to my core by it.

The only other example of this, off the very top of my head was the first time I heard 'No Ordinary Love' by Sade. Again just had to completely shut the world out to take it all in, left in utter disbelief.

 

[Sheena]

These are REALLY special moments and you are right, they are VERY rare. 'Mountaineers' also had the same impact on me, and actually I can recall it very clearly. Late July 2017. I was on a train on my way to Blackpool, alone (don't ask) and the song just flooded through my ears from my headphones and I actually remember thinking to myself "this is not the place or time when I should be hearing this song for the first time". I was absolutely shook to my core by it.

The only other example of this, off the very top of my head was the first time I heard 'No Ordinary Love' by Sade. Again just had to completely shut the world out to take it all in, left in utter disbelief.

No Ordinary Love is absolutely something I would feel the same about if I’d heard it as an adult I think.

The other one I always remember is very different- Madonna’s Confessions on a Dancefloor was just so good that I was dancing on my bed by the middle of Get Together and crying by Sorry. Completely different emotion but entirely uncontrollable.

 

[untilted]

Are we talking for vocals, right?

Cause she’s one of the best vocalists in the world full stop.

Yeah! She's just a bit of an anomaly for me because Scandi singers do often tend to have beautiful but very light voices. Now Susanne CAN do that, of course, but when she amps up the power, you absolutely cannot deny how good it is. She has range, power and control that you don't often hear. I mean can you imagine Robyn or Lykke Li attempting Memorial?

 

[untilted]

No Ordinary Love is absolutely something I would feel the same about if I’d heard it as an adult I think.

The other one I always remember is very different- Madonna’s Confessions on a Dancefloor was just so good that I was dancing on my bed by the middle of Get Together and crying by Sorry. Completely different emotion but entirely uncontrollable.

Confessions on a Dancefloor was released when I was about 14 and I absolutely felt like it spoke directly to me. Flawlessly produced album.

 

[OutSynk]

Amazing top2

 

[untilted]

Amazing top2

Glad you enjoyed!

 

[Dark Carnival]

64. Blómi

Why am I ranking this one so low... hmm...

No seriously, I will tolerate a lot of things. Just not jazzy music. No.

 

[untilted]

View attachment 23462

No seriously, I will tolerate a lot of things. Just not jazzy music. No.

Pretty hard to rank that stuff up high when it’s such a washout

 

[Dark Carnival]

It’s why I gave up on blomi so fast whereas I tried with Music For People In Trouble until something stuck.

 

[Dark Carnival]

63. The Sound of War

AH! That's why. So Blómi is basically Diet Sound of War, and in this case she decided to give us 7 minutes of it. An interesting and delicate song, providing you're in the mood for it.

Now this one I love and deserves to be much higher!

Leave all that you were
Cause you won’t need it where
You are going tonight

 

[Dark Carnival]

59. Torn To Pieces (On Roses)

An early cut of eerie melancholia from Su, before she truly began to flesh it out.

Actually discovered this one during one of the times I saw her live, and fell in love instantly. GORGEOUS.

 

[Dark Carnival]

Oh god, The Sound of War is too low for me. One of the few post Ten Love Songs tracks to hit the heights of her finest work.

SEE!

 

[untilted]

Now this one I love and deserves to be much higher!

Leave all that you were
Cause you won’t need it where
You are going tonight

Two disappointed souls in you and Shee for that one!

I think if I revisited this in a year leikara ljóð could be MUCH higher. I’m listening now and it’s a DEEPLY SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE INDEED

GIMME GIMME GIMME SHARP TREATMENT!

 

[Dark Carnival]

32. Let Me In

A juicy electronic tour-de-force, Susanne switches up usual operatic go-to style for something a little sassier here. Let me in! Let me in!

I’m more than happy to live off Susanne collabs if she’s not comfortable making uptempo music. This remix is essential

 

[Dark Carnival]

27. In The End

A song that just builds and builds and builds, Susanne is notably absent for the first half, but she comes in conveniently just as the song begins to spread its wings and take off, giving it the ethereal lift it ultimately

Another amazing collab. There’s the lyrics. But there’s also always the way she delivers them. Devastating.
More on Man Without a Country who is on this track later, surely.

 

[Dark Carnival]

22. Never Ever

I mean what can I say here outside of the obvious? This is foot stomping disco pop at it's very very best!

What an explosion of JOY! Completely different mood and totally unlike her, yet it flows so naturally. Is there anything this woman can’t do? WHEN WILL YOUR FAVES etc.

 

[D5K]

20. Save Me

How have I never heard this one before?!

 

[untilted]

I’m more than happy to live off Susanne collabs if she’s not comfortable making uptempo music. This remix is essential

Yes, quite!

We’re fortunate she still seems willing to dip into it (mostly for the sake of other artists discographies) because it just works so well. I’d imagine her longstanding relationship with Röyksopp means it’ll continue to some degree.

 

[Dark Carnival]

16. Fade Away

10/10 without any deliberation pop song. A great starting point for anybody who wants to explore the more pop-leaning aspects of Susanne's discography. If it was by any of the pop artists of today I'd be exclaiming it to be their absolute best song. But it just isn't quite Susanne's.
14. Accelerate

Su-Does-Halloween is capitalised about as much as it can be here, with Susanne unleashing one of her most menacing and oppressive vocal performances to date as the explores the most toxic depths of love and lust. Everything about it is perfect.

On to the GRAND Ten Love Songs. I almost can’t dissociate Accelerate and Fade Away, or most of the album to be honest. It’s such a coherent body of work and we’re so lucky she made it.

 

[Dark Carnival]

10. Running to the Sea

Whilst the Röyksopp collabs end here, how could I possibly not allow Running to the Sea a top 10 placement? This is melancholic-euphoria personified for me, and I could listen to this song over and over and over again in any given situation and enjoy every last second of it.

Ugh this one! It’s possibly my favourite Susanne Sundfør track ever. Devastating. Earth-shattering. Space-time-splitting.

I’ll always also mention this essential remix by Man Without Country

 

[untilted]

On to the GRAND Ten Love Songs. I almost can’t dissociate Accelerate and Fade Away, or most of the album to be honest. It’s such a coherent body of work and we’re so lucky she made it.

We absolutely are! What a moment in time!