Europop – Page 45

Frida Sundemo – It’s OK

“I can see how this is a good track.”

Tim: Much as with Darin last week, Frida is responsible for one of my favourite tracks we’ve ever featured here, by which I mean Snow, still wonderful four and a bit years on. Can this beat it?

Tim: No, of course it can’t, BUT it is still flipping good.

Tom: It is good. I can see how this is a good track. I don’t think I like it, though.

Tim: Oh. Well, we’ll come back to that, but first I’ll pass on that it’s apparently about “making peace with the weak and vulnerable you”, and “feeling like the loneliest person in the world and accepting that life sometimes feels like your enemy and not your friend”, and “feeling more alive than ever, about late nights and early mornings, and the longing for embracing every second of life”, all because “that’s how life is, high and low, and it’s OK”. And you know what? Aside from early mornings, I’m good with all of that, particularly if it’s presented in this fashion.

Tom: Sometimes, Tim, I think it’s a pity that music is subjective; because I can appreciate all the effort, the perfect production, the brilliant vocals.

Tim: Right? It’s lovely – strings, vocal, gentle drumbeat, I can’t fault this.

Tom: I… I just don’t like it. I’m a bit bored by it. And there’s nothing I can do to help that.

Tim: Oh, that’s a shame. I don’t know if it’ll particularly cheer people up who are feeling down and awful, but it certainly hits that level and speaks that message. So for doing what it’s trying to do, it’s excellent.

Darin – Ja Må Du Leva

“Guitar strummy”

Tom: He’s still going!

Tim: Oh, very much so. He’s had a rocky journey, as far as we’re concerned – his song Lovekiller was brilliant, still one of my favourite tracks ever, and in fact the inspiration for this site; since then he’s had a few good tracks, but also a few dull albeit pleasant Ed Sheeran-style ballads. This one? Well.

Tim: It’s halfway between the two really, isn’t it? Guitar strummy in the verses, and yes I suppose in the choruses as well, but blimey if it doesn’t pick it up a bit in those.

Tom: It fails the “don’t bore us, get to the chorus” test, by boring me half way through the first verse — but after that, everything’s pretty much great. Cheery, friendly, and a beautiful pre-chorus. I’ll even forgive the Olly Murs-esque hat.

Tim: The title, repeated many times each chorus, for a total of twenty occurrences, translates to “Yes, you must live!” (with the lyric adding a ‘today’ on the end), and oh, that songs conveys that nicely, as does the video. I hear it, and I am happy, I am energised, I am excited. And that’ll do me nicely on a grey Thursday, I think.

Cazzi Opeia & Jin X Jin – Batman & Robin

“This isn’t a track I really want to mount a defence of.”

Tim: Currently, if I hear someone saying “I had a dream”, my brain goes straight for Kygo & Selena Gomez, which is still a proper tune and a half. That may change, though, as I present the most surreal song/video I’ve come across in a quite a while.

Tom: “Swedish/Korean duo”. Well, that… that is, like most of this song, not something I’ve heard before.

Tim: I’ll be honest: I’ve no idea. I will say that a dream about being double teamed by Bruno Mars and Nicki Minaj sounds vastly more interesting and exciting than one about sipping whiskey to get over a breakup, so we’re certainly one better than Selena here for subconscious creativity.

Tom: Well, that’s true, but on the other hand that repeated “banana, banana, banana” refrain is perhaps the most irritating lyric that I’ve heard in a long while. Sure, I can remember it now, but I don’t want to.

Tim: That, yeah I could agree with.

Tom: There are good bits in here. Honestly, there are. And I’ve defended this sort of bubblegum pop before. But this isn’t a track I really want to mount a defence of, regardless of how surreal its video might be.

Tim: Fair.

Otto Knows – With You

“Is it rude to describe that as a bit of a mess?”

Tim: Despite having had a number of fairly successful tracks since 2012, Otto will most likely always be known as “the guy who did that eh-eh-eh-eh-eh oh-oh-oh-oh-oh song”, which is a bit of a shame.

Tom: But entirely accurate.

Tim: On the other hand, he’s clearly not letting that hold him back, as this new one shows.

Tim: Is it rude to describe that as a bit of a mess? For a good thirty seconds or so, I was considering the possibility that the YouTube uploader had stuck a few extra sounds on there to get it past the copyright system, as it just seems rather chaotic.

Tom: I’m not sure about “a mess”, but it certainly takes a while to get where it’s going — and when it gets there, I’m not sure I want to be there with it.

Tim: There’s good stuff there, sure – love that guitar, for starters – and in fact I’ve no problem with any of the individual components. It’s just…well, to be honest I blame Avicii: he decided it’d be fun to stick some country strumming on a dance track, and now every DJ and his dad is happily chucking accordions and all sorts all over the place, however misguided.

Tom: I’m particularly unsure about that fast one-two, one-two in the background. It’s almost a polka beat, I think? And “singing Losing My Religion like we used to do” isn’t nearly as clever a line as the writer hoped.

Tim: It’s nice, and I’d dance to it – I just can’t help feeling it could be better if it were a bit more streamlined.

September – Give Me A Smile

“Just so damn chirpy.”

Tim: We’ve wondered occasionally if we’re running out of music, and decided probably not; we are, on the other hand, definitely running out of artist names, as this is entirely not the September we know.

Tom: That does baffle me: sure, it’s also a month of the year, it’s not the least obvious name you could pick… but would you not Google it?

Tim: Apparently not. They’re a duo from Iceland, this is their second single, and I can’t find a proper video online, but here’s a radio interview with it, starts at 3:57.

Tim: Quick disclaimer: I can find absolutely nothing online about this except for that interview, which is dated over two years ago; on the other hand, Apple Music says it was released a few weeks ago so we’ll have it and assume it got a re-release or something. JOURNALISM.

Tom: And I listened to this via streaming, so heard it in significantly better quality than that radio interview — although not massively better, because it turns out the track’s not mixed spectacularly well. The vocals seem to be hidden behind the instruments; it’s less Wall of Sound and more Incoherent Pile of Bricks of Sound.

Tim: That’s slightly true. But there’s one main reason I’m keen to feature it: it’s lovely.

Tom: You’re not wrong there. A week or two ago, I described something as “a bit Lighthouse Family”. And sure, that’s a backhanded compliment, but this would fit in neatly on the Radio 2 playlist. Actually, I guess that’s a backhanded compliment too.

Tim: My only issue is that at four minutes long it definitely goes on a bit – that backing chorus coming in should really be an indicator of a final chorus, or at most a penultimate one – but the rest of it is lovely. Just so damn chirpy, and while that might not work for everyone, it sure as hell works for me. Just, maybe cut down on the instrumental bits, yeah? Good.

Robin feat. Nelli Matula – Hula Hula

“Something about flowers.”

Tim: Robin, you may or may not remember, first appeared on these pages about five years ago as a pre-pubescent teen singing about skateboarding.

Tom: Weirdly, I do actually remember that. I don’t remember the song, but I do remember complaining about how young he was.

Tim: Well, he’s grown up a bit since then, and is rapidly approaching album number four; still all about the extra-curricular activities, though.

Tom: Sounds like a Balearic ballad, but sung in Finnish. That takes a verse or two to get used to.

Tim: Yes, and what with it being Finnish, Google isn’t much help with the lyrics (one line apparently means “Jo comes further thaw melts”), but it’s basically all about dancing, with hips moving all over the place, the sun shining down, and something about flowers.

Tom: That’s better than the Macarena, at least.

Tim: To be honest, the song gets at least two of those three things across nicely, and the third’s probably not too important anyway.

Tom: It’s forgettable, and I don’t think it’s about to be the sound of the summer, but I’ve been wrong before.

Tim: I don’t think you’re wrong here, to be honest, but it’s a nice track, and most importantly it’s one of the few summer tracks around that isn’t stuck in a tropical genre, which somehow is still going on. Oh, joy…

Dolly Style – Bye Bye Bby Boo

“Some actual, modern pop influences.”

Tim: Two years ago, a couple of industry folk put together a Swedish J-pop group and tested them out at Melodifestivalen; right now, though, it’s safe to say we’ve developed somewhat. (And no, that’s not a typo in the title – no idea why.)

Tom: First thought on reading the artist name: “They’re still going?” First thought on hearing that intro: “They’re still going!”

Tim: They sure are, and making very decent music. We’re currently on our second Molly and third Polly (though the original Holly hasn’t gone anywhere), so while we had the same reaction with their last song, I suppose what I’m most surprised about is that they’ve actually kept it going – it’s certainly hard to predict any future directions.

Tom: This certainly isn’t bubblegum pop any more — it’s verging that way, of course, it has to be given the pastel colours and bows — but this has clearly got some actual, modern pop influences, and it’s so much better for it.

Tim: They’ve yet to release a full album, and given the revolving line up I’d imagine negotiations might be tricky, but if it stays like this I’d absolutely love to hear one. If not – well, just keep the singles coming, please.

Saturday Reject: Loreen – Statements

“The least intelligible chorus since REM.”

Tim: So, this year saw 2012 Eurovision victor Loreen return to the Melodifestivalen stage, with this, which was binned off from Andra Chansen after a duel with a much more conventional song. Have a listen, bearing in mind that your average voter gets just one chance to experience this.

Tom: Well, I’m not giving a second chance. How on earth did this get to Andra Chansen?

Tim: Yes, I was surprised as well – my guess is that it got through largely on name alone, because my word that’s one weird track. She’s openly admitted as much, and that it’s there mainly as a bit of a novelty, because she wanted to send a message. Quite what that message is I’ve no idea, not least because it took me three listens before I could work out what the chorus was, and only then because I looked up the lyrics and read along. Let’s face it: it’s a bit of a racket.

Tom: That’s the least intelligible chorus since REM. (“Call me when you try to wake her up”, incidentally.) Still, it’s nice to see the girl from The Ring getting some more work.

Tim: You know, I had more to write here, but now you’ve pointed that out I can’t stop giggling. Much appreciated.

Nadja Evelina – Ni två

“”ven though it’s sad it’s quite a nice sad song, isn’t it?”

Tim: Slightly sad song for you today, I’m afraid, as Nadja has come to the realisation that her boyfriend will never get over his ex. Bit like Emily in Friends really, though I’ve no idea why a nineteen year old reference came to mind.

Tom: You had to search for exactly when that episode was released to make that reference, didn’t you?

Tim: Oh, please – what sort of normal person doesn’t know that The One After Ross Says Rachel was at the beginning of the fifth series, from September 1998?

Tom: Incidentally, when that episode came out, Nadja Evelina was about a year old.

Tim: Here’s the song.

Tim: Title translates to “You Two”, chorus ends with the lines “it’s always the two of you”, and even though it’s sad it’s quite a nice sad song, isn’t it? Gradually builds as the song progresses, starting with a gentle plinky plinky piano line, then extra vocals, more piano, drum beat and oh, you don’t need me to describe it since you’ve heard it.

Tom: That’s a fair point. We do that a lot, and I’m not sure we need to.

Tim: Basically, it’s lovely, and almost entirely inoffensive.

Tom: It is, although those don’t necessarily make a good track. There’s a lot of promise here — a lot — but I’m not sure it ever delivers. Just when I think it’s going to get going…

Tim: Yes, that’s the one problem I do have with it: for all the building it does, it never seems to truly arrive with a big crash the way I’d quite like it to. It seems very, very imminent coming up to the second chorus, and then also just after leaving the middle eight, but it always just steps up gradually instead. That rolling piano line is always there, just giving the impression that there’s something round the corner…except there isn’t. Boy, what I’d give there, at that second chorus, for a moment of silence and then a crash of drums – that’d turns the song from good into fantastic.

Tom: Yes! Exactly that. There’s nothing wrong with this, it just feels like it should kick into one gear higher.

Tim: As it is, it’ll stay good, but with a lot of missed potential.

Greta Salóme – My Blues

“Somehow I just can’t pay attention to the lyrics.”

Tim: Greta’s first since Eurovision last year, where she didn’t do as well as she’d probably have liked, but never mind that now because here’s this.

Tom: Good job getting a “feat.” in the title just for the music video, there, Hafþór. Still, as cameos go, it’s a good one. Not a bad trick, either.

Tim: Quite a bit going on there, isn’t there? Enough for me to be a big fan of it, anyway – can’t beat a bit of brass, a hell of an infectious yo-oooh-ooh hook, very strong vocal, a middle eight that say “pay attention please” and a whole lot off showing off in the video.

Tom: It’s strange: she’s singing in perfect English, but somehow I just can’t pay attention to the lyrics. I think it’s how it’s mixed: as you say, there’s quite a bit going on, and I think it makes the whole thing a little muddy. That doesn’t necessarily make it a bad track — it’s just that I can’t remember any words, just a tune.

I can remember that yo-oooh-ooh bit, though.

Tim: The only gripe I have is the note progression at 2:28, which is straight out of Little Talk and so makes me want to listen to that instead, but if the only problem with a track is that part of it sounds like a really good song, I don’t think they’ve gone far wrong. Good stuff all round.