The Afterparty is the sixth and reportedly final studio album by the Swedish singer Lykke Li, released through Neon Gold Records on 8 May 2026.
Contents
Background and recording
Lykke Li began work on The Afterparty following the release of her 2022 album Eyeye and a 2025 covers EP. The new record was written primarily in Los Angeles, where Li entered what she described in promotional materials as her "existential era", focusing on themes of the lower self, including revenge, shame and despair. Recording for The Afterparty took place in Stockholm, Sweden, and features arrangements performed with a 17-piece orchestra. Li incorporated unconventional elements into the sessions, including what she described as "apocalyptic bongos", to give the album a dramatic and orchestral sound that contrasted with her previous work. Li stated that she was influenced by britrock and was "trying to be a male, dick-swinging rockstar" on the album. Li has framed the album as a stylistic departure rooted in emotional intensity and introspection. In press statements, she expressed that the record deals with darker aspects of the human psyche, rather than the pursuit of a "higher self." The first single from the album, "Lucky Again", which samples composer Max Richter and blends orchestral and electronic elements, was released ahead of the album in February 2026.
Critical reception
The Afterparty received positive reviews from critics upon release. On the review aggregator website Metacritic, the album received a weighted average score of 75 from 100 based on nine reviews, indicating "generally favorable" reviews. The review aggregator site AnyDecentMusic? compiled six reviews and gave the album an average of 7.1 out of 10, based on their assessment of the critical consensus.
The Skinny's Rick Fulton gave the album perfect five out of five stars rating and wrote, "Lykke Li describes The Afterparty as "an album dealing with your lower self: your need for revenge, your shame, despair" but the angst is done on the dancefloor." NME's Andrew Trendell gave four out of five stars and wrote, "with strings, beats and love, Lykke Li slammed down a heady shot to call time. Here’s hoping she’s got at least another round left in her."
Matt Young of The Line of Best Fit wrote, "The Afterparty is messy, amusing at times and intentionally touching on uncomfortable moods, that honesty is appreciated, and the songs themselves feel fine, if underwhelming when they’re describing such potentially big emotions."
Track listing
Note
^[c] indicates a co-producer
Personnel
Credits are adapted from Tidal.