Stina Nordenstam's music is not for everybody. If you don't listen closely enough to it, for example, it's quite likely to send you to sleep. And her hushed, feline whisper and relentlessly dark lyrics are certainly not the kind of thing you want to hear before you go out on a Saturday night. But never mind all that - this enigmatic Scandinavian is quite simply one of the most subtly beautiful songwriters around today, and every new album from her is something to savour. As the title suggests, The World Is Saved is slightly more upbeat than her previous work, although frankly that's not saying much. The point is, though, that the dusky melodies are so gorgeous you allow them to wash over you, almost forgetting that she's still singing about misery, despair and general hopelessness. As ever, Stina is in magical form - and if you haven't yet made her acquaintance, then this is the perfect place to start.
