Sofia Hardig - Lighthouse of Glass

by Dave Goodwin

published: 8 / 6 / 2025

Label: Bark at Your Owner
Format: CD

Remarkable ninth album from Swedish experimental musician Sofia Hardig

Review

This is a strange album, strange in the sense that, although Swedish artist Sofia Hardig has her own distinguishable sound, she manages to drag other obvious influences into it without even trying it seems. I read in a recent magazine that it had her down as a post-punk, goth-rock type chic, sounding like a cross between Placebo and Nick Cave. and they’ve got it absolutely bang on the nail. After numerous successful outings especially in her homeland, Sofia Härdig releases her highly anticipated ninth studio album ‘Lighthouse of Glass’ via recording company Bark At Your Owner, It is the result of two years of intense artistic isolation in which she wrote more than a hundred songs. This latest offering however, features an impressive roster of collaborators, including Bebe Risenfors who is best known for his work with Tom Waits and Elvis Costello. Hardig also had the help of some of Sweden's finest musicians, including guitarists Robert Johnsson from Robert Johnson and the Punchdrunks and John Essing who has worked with Bob Hund. Hardig produced the whole affair and also had Grammy-awarded Nille Perned handling the mixing side of it as well. The album was recorded in a three-week residency at Visby Center for Composers, and Hardig draughted in other contributors, Victor Brobacke on trombone and Sara Edin on violin. Apparently, as a child, Sofia Härdig demonstrated an extraordinary musical sensibility, composing songs using unconventional sound sources like car engines, vacuum cleaners, and boat motors. Her early experimental approach—singing 2over household appliances and hammering on an ancient, untuned piano—foreshadowed her distinctive artistic trajectory. You can hear all of this in the music of this album and it comes as no surprise once listened to that she has also performed alongside artists like Lydia Lunch. This ninth outring is a little more polished than her previous wok, and in my humble opinon is one that will hopefully get her noticed in the mainstream because on this evidence she deserves to go much further.