Crystal Aura Gaze

The Danish singer, MØ, (whose full name is Karen Ørsted) has released the album “Plæygirl.” It’s the first full-length album that she’s created since 2022’s “Motordrome.” And before that, 2018’s “Forever Neverland.” This EDM-indie-pop record is fun and uplifting — with just the right amount of darkness.

Opener track “Meat on a Stick” is existential. It sets the tone for the album. It’s the observation of humans as nothing but meat and bones. In love, we may look for someone to “save” us, but we are no heroes, we are simply human.

“Who Said” takes a very unserious turn from the opener track. It’s catchy and cheerful on the surface — but definitely has some dark undertones. Who said I was gonna love you til the end of time?

“Knife” is a deep cut — it’s about feeling heartbroken and stabbed in the back — and you’re going out to dance to try to escape the pain. “Without You” captures the longing of missing someone who you felt codependent on.

In the interlude, “Joanna,” we hear MØ singing in Danish — which is absolutely amazing! I love that she is singing in her native language. The melody is soft and slow.

“SWEET” is one of my favorites. I’m sweet on the inside; so, so sweet on the inside. It’s a great song for getting hyped up and energized. And it’s about having a dark and closed composure, even though you’re sensitive deep down. People misunderstand you as closed off and rude. Really, they are judging a book by its cover.

“Plæygirl” slows it down again. Play girl, play girl, play yourself into the ground. Play girl, play girl, oh you know what goes around comes around. It’s a reflection on how bad behavior comes with bad karma.

“Keep Moving” really captures the feeling on running on a treadmill and getting nowhere. There is so much pressure to live a fast life, keep up with everything and everyone, hit all of these milestones by a certain age. Both the lyrics and the melody truly symbolize this anxiety. You just want to break free from all of this pressure!

“Lose Yourself” is another one of my favorites off this album. Go lose yourself; don’t lose, don’t lose each other. Surrender the ego and connect with your loved ones. This song is perfect for dancing. It totally reminds me of an 80s jazzercise workout.

“Vildchild” brings Danish influence on the word “wild child.” It’s about admiring one who is free and wild.

“Heartbreak” may just be my #1 favorite! This is about loving someone without any fear — going in fully and 100% without any hesitation. Even when a connection ends in heartbreak, you should love that person fully and completely while you still have them — no matter how short or long your time together is. The production is absolutely significant! Show me love, show me love, show me love… before the… heart… break.

The record closes out with a cover of Avicii’s “Wake Me Up.” This is a deeply meaningful tribute to the late DJ whose legacy lives on as the foundation of EDM. MØ turned this into something more ominous — in the most beautiful way.

Overall, this is a fanatic album! MØ stays true to her sound — and so the music is very similar to her recent work. There is a touch more darkness to this piece, although we still get some sugary tracks. I’d say that her last album, “Motordrome,” was a great precursor of what to expect for this forthcoming music.

I especially enjoy that MØ subtly added the influence of her Danish roots into this, with some Danish spelling/words snuck into her titles, as well as an entire interlude sung in her native language.