Swedish royalty, Rykarda Parasol crafts music

Born of a holocaust orphan and distant Swedish royalty, Rykarda Parasol uses her life story and a love of literature to craft music that is vacuously dark while simultaneously a celebration of life and its vices. With a voice and lyrics compared to the likes of a female Nick Cave, and drawing influence from The Doors, Serge Gainsbourg, and Oscar Wilde, Parasol describes her music as “rock noir,” evoking moody cinema drenched in gin and white-collar crime. Parasol’s nature is strong, her prose is starkly sincere, and she could drink Tom Waits under the table.

Parasol’s new self-produced album For Blood and Wine is a true-life narrative depicting the progress and downward spiral of a rake, which in this case is female. “It’s witty, darkly romantic, edgy and elegant… It’s tales of infidelity, addiction, and death. Mostly sad, but some real moments of joy and hope,” Parasol states.

For Blood and Wine will be released nationally on Feb. 16, 2010.

Listen:

Rykarda Parasol – “A Drinking Song” (mp3)

Enjoy!