Words by Art Jefferson
Photography by Sophie Winberg Tyrfelt
The term death gospel is attributed to the sound of Swedish artist Louise Lemón. While an immediate assumption of something rather dark could spring to mind, her music is the light, soul and beauty of any tempestuous moment. Lemón’s voice is a siren of power, with her production palette consisting of psychedelic rock, atmospheric pop, rhythm and blues, alternative and more. Passion is evident in her songs and Louise Lemón knows how to deliver them in a manner that hit straight to the heart and soul.
Back in 2012 Louise Lemón released her Irrepressible Spirit EP, a haunting and compelling offering which would lay the foundation for her power-packing sound to come. Her debut album Purge solidified her style in stone, with the singer pumping out deep, moody and punchy cuts that garnished praises for various publications from around the world. And while many artists would be content basking in the accolades, Lemón simply hit the studio and proved that she could take her sound to further heights with her 2019 sophomore album A Broken Heart is an Open Heart. Produced along with Randall Dunn, whose credits include Thurston Moore and Chelsea Wolfe, the record is electric and explosive with Louise Lemón transporting her words with sheer conviction and might, as each song perfectly fits together like pieces to a puzzle, all boasting pristine and impeccable sonics.
Like many larger than life groups of the 1960s, Louise Lemón is proudly bringing forth music that is grand in stature and unquestionably timeless in sound.
I read that as a kid, you were listening to a wide range of artists spanning as far back as the 60s. Were your parents playing these records in the home or were the songs something that you discovered on your own?
Louise Lemón – I grew up with so much fantastic music through my parents, and through the years found so much inspiration in their vinyl collection. This is one of the most beautiful gifts I’ve received in life. I always go back to the collection, and each year I find more new music I couldn’t even dream of.
I think the 60s and 70s periods are two of the most important decades for music. Who were some of the bands that influenced you from those times?
Louise Lemón – Most of my inspiration comes from bands from that time. Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young are a really important band to me! Fleetwood Mac was also a huge inspiration for this record. I also love The Allman Brothers; they’ve always followed me through life.
Having coined your music as death gospel, how would you sonically describe that sound?
Louise Lemón – For me the term is really about a feeling; a heartache so deep it feels like death. Sonically it’s a soulful, heavy, psychedelic, pop sound.
Purge was great record, but you literally took everything to a new level with A Broken Heart is an Open Heart. Those albums were only a year apart. Did you already have a clear idea before the recording process of where you wanted to go with A Broken Heart is an Open Heart?
Louise Lemón – Yes, I had worked with Purge for quite a long time and with A Broken Heart is an Open Heart I knew exactly what I wanted to do. I had been writing and gathering inspiration for this record for a while, but then I wrote it very fast and it was really clear to me how I wanted to evolve. When I was finishing the mixes for Purge, it was then when the vision really came, I wanted to explore more depth and more clarity.
One thing that I personally found fascinating was the cut ‘Susceptible Soul’. It’s an instrumental track that follows ‘Swimming Sadness’. The song feels like it could be the second suite of ‘Swimming Sadness’. Both tunes in my mind are incredible live show pieces, from the sound to the placement. Was the live element something that you thought about with these specific cuts?
Louise Lemón – I am very, very blessed to work with amazing musicians that I look up to and I really wanted Anders Ludwigsson, Johan Kvastegård and Petter Nygårdh to have space to let their hearts bleed too. I love listening to them play, it was really a given that they made this instrumental track. Also, it is an homage to all music I’ve listened to and love.
Many people fear the idea of getting a broken heart, especially that feeling of the heart being left in a vulnerable state. What was the inspiration behind the LP title?
Louise Lemón – I wanted to own the feeling I walk through life with. This sensitivity of mine, is beautiful, if you let it. I’d rather have an open heart than a closed one, and if the necessity to have it open is to have it broken then so be it.
It would be remiss of me not to mention your killer music videos. You’ve worked with Edward John Drake on many of them. What’s the creative process like between you two? There is clearly a chemistry that works insanely well?
Louise Lemón – Yes, I am so happy with what we have done together. He has such a beautiful way of creating stories that fit with what I try to portray with my songs. He is a really brilliant storyteller. The videos we’ve done together have had a clear vision of what kind of feeling we are heading for, but at the same time it’s been made in the moment.
Finally, as a creative, when you are in need of a burst of inspiration, where do you turn to?
Louise Lemón – Yoga and breath…I always try to look inwards to find inspiration but to find it there I need to experience things, so I travel, I cry, I feel, I laugh. I love and I have losses.
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