Category: Tove Lo

Tove Lo – Lady Wood (2016)

posted by record facts

Lady Wood is the second studio album by Swedish singer Tove Lo. It was released on 28 October 2016 by Island Records. Lady Wood is considered the first half of a two-piece concept album that describe “highs, lows and ultimate demise of a relationship.” Its chapters “Fairy Dust” and “Fire Fade” precede the chapters “Light Beams” and “Pitch Black” from her following album Blue Lips (2017). It was recorded between July 2015 and May 2016, which Lo commented was a quicker turnaround than the “whole life” she was afforded when creating her previous record Queen of the Clouds (2014).

The tracks that begin each chapter are instrumental compositions by The Struts member Ludvig Södberg (“Fairy Dust”), and Ilya Salmanzadeh (“Fire Fade”). Except for these introductory tracks, Lo co-wrote the album’s 10 songs. The album features new collaborations with producers Ilya, Oscar Holter, Oscar Görres, Rickard Göransson, and Joel Little, and guest vocals from rapper Wiz Khalifa, and fellow singer-songwriter, Joe Janiak. Two short films complimented the album’s two chapters. The first, Fairy Dust, was released on 31 October 2016, and was followed by Fire Fade on 25 August 2017. These short films focus on a fictionalized, self-destructive version of Lo while expanding on the album’s lyrical themes. Both short films were produced by Diktator, written by Lo and Tim Erem and directed by Erem.

“Cool Girl” was serviced as the lead single from Lady Wood on 4 August 2016, reaching number 15 in Sweden and number 84 on the US Billboard Hot 100. “True Disaster” was released on 15 November 2016 as the album’s second single. The album peaked at number 11 on the US Billboard 200, becoming her highest-charting album in the country to date. To promote the album, Lo embarked on her second tour, Lady Wood Tour.

Track listing

  1. Fairy Dust – 0:57
  2. Influence (featuring Wiz Khalifa) – 3:44
  3. Lady Wood – 3:19
  4. True Disaster – 3:24
  5. Cool Girl – 3:19
  6. Vibes (featuring Joe Janiak) – 3:46
  7. Fire Fade – 0:52
  8. Don’t Talk About It – 3:54
  9. Imaginary Friend – 4:12
  10. Keep It Simple – 3:51
  11. Flashes – 4:16
  12. WTF Love Is – 3:41

Musicians

  • Tove Lo – vocals (tracks 2–6, 8–12)
  • Wiz Khalifa – vocals (track 2)
  • The Struts – programming, bass, keyboards, guitars, percussion (tracks 2, 5, 6, 9, 12)
  • Oscar Holter – programming, bass, keyboards, guitars, percussion (tracks 3, 4)
  • Ludvig Söderberg – programming, bass, keyboards, guitars, percussion (track 3)
  • Joe Janiak – vocals, guitar (track 6)
  • Ilya – programming, arrangement, bass, keyboards, guitars, percussion (track 8)
  • Joel Little – programming, bass, keyboards, guitars, percussion (track 9)
  • Ali Payami – programming, drums, keyboards, bass, guitar, all other instrumentation (track 10)
  • Oscar Görres – programming, bass, keyboards, guitars, percussion (track 11)

Technical

  • The Struts – production (tracks 2, 5, 6, 9, 12)
  • Noah Passovoy – vocal recording (track 2)
  • Oscar Holter – production (tracks 3, 4)
  • Ludvig Söderberg – production (track 3); executive production
  • Ilya – production (track 8)
  • Sam Holland – engineering (track 8)
  • Jeremy Lertola – engineering assistance (track 8)
  • Cory Bice – engineering assistance (track 8)
  • Joel Little – production (track 9)
  • Ali Payami – production (track 10)
  • Oscar Görres – production (track 11)
  • Tove Lo – executive production
  • Serban Ghenea – mixing
  • John Hanes – engineering for mix
  • Tom Coyne – mastering
  • Randy Merrill – mastering assistance

Artwork

  • Tim Erem – creative direction
  • Tove Lo – creative direction
  • Samuel Burgess-Johnson – art direction, design
  • Serena Neo – art direction, design
  • Matt Jones – photography

Notes
Released: 28 October 2016
Recorded: July 2015 – April 2016 Studio Wolf Cousins, Stockholm / MXM, Los Angeles / Golden Age, Los Angeles
Genre: Electropop, Synth-pop
Length: 39:35

Label – Island Records