All Hail the Queen.

Tove Lo is a Swedish singer who has found fame with a successful first single, “Habits.”  As she releases her first full length album, there’s proof that Sweden gets pop right again.  As a songwriter, her credits include songs penned for Glee’s Lea Michele, Icona Pop and Cher Lloyd, but now she’s crafted the tunes for herself on a concept album in three parts: sex, love and pain.

“THE SEX” is a small and subtle six-second break that introduces the physical attraction period.  Songs like “Talking Body,” and “Like Em Young” are upbeat and slightly gritty.  The material she sings about isn’t the typical pop song, but it’s hidden in that mold.  The former’s song chorus includes the double-meaning lines like “if we’re talkin’ body / you got a perfect one / so put it on me.”  “Like Em Young” is pretty straightforward in describing her taste in men: “i like em young, young like me / with a mind so easy.”

“THE LOVE” is the period of being emotionally attached, questioning the feelings and being comfortable in the relationship.  The songs tone down a little bit and goes a little darker.  “The Way That I Am” is full of grit— there’s a heavy beat under Tove Lo’s rough and strained vocals.  “I’m falling in love / and I hope that you want me / the way that I am.”  As the chorus comes in, the music sounds like a trap remix of her plea.  It’s rough, it’s honest and it’s damn good.  “Got Love” is more optimistic than the previous song.  “We live like legends now / no, that will never die / we got love, we got love.”

“THE PAIN” is the inevitable breakup.  “Thousand Miles” is the longing to get someone back in any way possible.  “And that’s when I run / all of these thousand miles / to get you back.”  The album’s lead single “Habits (Stay High)” is nestled snuggly in this third act.  While it is incredibly catchy, it hides a chorus that deals with coping.  “I gotta stay high / all the time / to keep you off my mind.”

It’s easy to run a track-by-track review of this album because it’s ordered perfectly and tells a story in it’s order.  Listening to it once or twice straight through is worth it to get the entire story.  “Habits” may be the lead single, but any other track could easily have taken its place and still had the same effect.  For now, it’s time to add Tove Lo to the list of pop singers to know.