Category: Europop

Laura Voutilainen – Mä En Kestä

“It’s all a bit of a mash of genres, isn’t it?”

Tim: Remember Stereo Love?

Tom: As ever, no.

Tim: Yes, you do. No-one can ever truly forget Stereo Love.

Tom: [listens] I remember one very specific part of Stereo Love.

Tim: Good, because so does Laura, and she wants to bring it back.

Tom: Oh, hey, it’s an accordion sample! That’s not at all tired by now.

Tim: Cynicism aside, though, I actually really like this. Yes, there’s the style rip-off (though after eight years I suppose we could be getting into homage territory), but there’s also that chorus, which really took me by surprise when it first came along, sounding like it does as though it’s been shipped in from another genre.

Tom: For just a bit of it, yes: and I’d like to say a few words in favour of that pre-chorus, too, which almost makes up for the exhausted-sounding middle eight. It’s all a bit of a mash of genres, isn’t it?

Tim: It is, and I just wasn’t expecting it – as I saw it, we’d have the accordion providing the whole chorus, and so to hear that wonderfully schlageresque sound come in was an utter delight, and brought a massive smile to my face. I’m not sure it entirely works – like I said, it’s from a completely different genre – but I’ll take it while it’s there.

The Sound of Arrows – Beautiful Life

“This is so much of what I wanted.”

Tim: It has been SIX YEARS in the making, but we now have new music from the triumph of a band that is The Sound of Arrows.

Tim: Now I don’t know if this is just because I’m so happy that a new track has come along, but oh this is so, well, beautiful.

Tom: And here I am just wanting to sing “Dancing Queen” over the chorus.

Tim: Those strings! The swooshing around in the background! The piano intro that exists in the full length version that’s on your streaming services! The gentle vocal! The fabulous simple message of the whole thing!

Tom: Yes, I thought you might be enthusiastic. It’s… it’s a bit Lighthouse Family, though, isn’t it?

Tim: Oh, please, no. I’m fairly sure I am definitely getting slightly overexcited here, but it’s been such a long wait, and this is so much of what I wanted.

Tom: I’ll admit I love string sections, and yes – there’s nothing particularly wrong with it. It’s not something I’d get excited about, but then, The Sound of Arrows never really were for me. For the fans, though?

Tim: Fingers very much crossed for an album, or at least another track that’s less than six years away.

Jon Henrik Fjällgren feat. Aninia – En värld full av strider (Eatneme gusnie jeenh dåaroeh)

Pretentious bellend?

Tom: Is this Melodifestivalen Reject Week, then? Not complaining, just figured I’d set context.

Tim: Well, we’ve done it for the past couple of years, as the final’s always a highlight. Speaking of finals, highlights and years gone by, you’ll remember Jon Henrik from his entry two years ago; you said it’s “the soundtrack to sweeping panoramas of the natural world, but it’s not going to work in Vienna.” This year, he came back with his signature joik, which got him fourth with the juries, fourth with the voters, and third overall. Isn’t split voting fun?

Tom: I had to search for what a “joik” was.

Tim: Well, it’s this sort of thing:

Tim: You know, part of me would love to see this in Kyiv, just to find out what the reaction would be. He’s said he thinks he’d do well because many Europeans have a deep love for native or folk music, and I’d like to know if that’s true. Would they think, “ooh, I see what they’re doing, and it’s a good track to boot”, or would it be “oh, bollocks to this, I’m going to the loo, though save me a drink for that key change”?

Tom: I can’t quite work it out, but I think there might actually be three key changes in here: there’s a subtle one after the first verse, and half way through the final chorus. I’m not enough of a musician to know if those are technically some other musical term though.

Tim: Ooh, they are very slight, but you could be right. Given Ukraine’s victory last year I’m leaning towards the former option, and it’d be lovely if that did (though you might have to throw in an “arsehole” or two to guarantee it).

Tom: Ah, I was thinking the latter there: you start a Eurovision song with a deep, meaningful talking part and I reckon a lot of the audience will immediately dismiss you as a pretentious bellend.

Tim: That is a possibility, I guess, though I’m very much with the first group because it is a good song. It’s not quite as good, for me, as Jag Är Fri – I don’t want to say “he’s sold out”, but it’s a bit poppier than his previous, and I think that lets it down a tad.

Tom: Whereas I’d phrase that as “made it more accessible”. It’s certainly not a Eurovision winner — but then, I’d have said that about Ukraine’s entry last year, so who knows?

Tim: Well, I still like it, and I can see why it did well. I’d just like it to have done really well, for entirely selfish reasons.

Lisa Ajax – I Don’t Give A

“This TRIUMPH of a song came LAST”

Tim: Now I know we normally do rejects on a Saturday, but we’re having this today because (a) Sweden’s special and (b) this so does not deserve to be classed as a reject and (c) WHAT A BLOODY SHAMBLES. Oh, and it’s got rude words.

Tom: Well, that’s certainly bold.

Tim: Now we’ll get to the lyrics in a minute, but I’ve just finished watching the Melodifestivalen final, and this TRIUMPH of a song came LAST in the public vote, getting SIX PER CENT. WHAT THE ACTUAL. HOW. Honestly, I lost enough respect for the British people when they voted for our entry, but I’m almost tempted to give up on Sweden as well.

Tom: Mm. A bit of an overreaction there, perhaps; there are plenty of reasons why they might have abandoned it.

Tim: Alright, then, some rational thoughts: first, maybe it wasn’t the best call to have, as the sole staging element, a massive shot of her face. And maybe it wasn’t the best call to have the least family-friendly lyrics that Melodifestivalen has ever seen – I’m sure you’re aware that Eurovision rule 1.2.2(h) states that lyrics may not bring Eurovision ‘into disrepute’, but you know what? I DON’T GIVE A.

Tom: That staging is… well, it comes across as narcissistic even if it was someone else’s idea.

Tim: Sweden’s winner, the above average I Can’t Go On, contains the line “when you look this freaking beautiful”, and when it was performed in the first heat that word was not “freaking”. Words can be rewritten.

Tom: But to what? The song lyrics wouldn’t work any other way, that’s true, but there’s no way it’d actually be allowed at Eurovision. Replacing it with a gasp is the best alternative I can think of, and that’s still not right.

Tim: Fair, though actually apparently a version was done that was played to the international juries – the main line was “I don’t give a damn”, though I’m not sure what the other could have been.

And aside from those two things: I don’t get it. The melody is great. She has a fantastic voice, demonstrated throughout. Most importantly: it’s fun. It’s a fantastic piece of pure unadulterated pop music, rather than some slightly generic three minute dance-pop track.

Tom: I don’t hear it: yes, it’s pure pop music, but other than the shock value of the lyrics it comes across as pretty generic to me.

Tim: RUDE. This is genuinely one of my favourite tracks of the year, and it got fewer votes than the old guy with the harmonica. Shameful. And incidentally, “gilipollas” in the tweet at the top? Twitter translates it as “idiots”; Google instead goes for “douchebags”, vastly more appropriate.)

Betty Who – Some Kinda Wonderful

“Equal parts Hollaback Girl and I Really Like You”

Tim: Unlike Charlie Who, there’s a whole lot of stuff to be found about Betty – Australian, 25 years old, second album coming up and has recently had a rather unusual incident in a launderette.

Tom: That’s equal parts Hollaback Girl and I Really Like You, then.

Tim: Something like that, yes. It’s a shame about the sad ending of the video, but at least now I needn’t bother finding my nearest launderette to join in the fun. Still, that music, which starts off somewhat unpleasant (looking at you, first and third lines of each verse), but soon arrives at a remarkably good chorus.

Tom: Mm. I’m surprised you’re supporting it so much, but then you were always a bigger Icona Pop fan than I was.

Tim: Yes; on the other hand I never had much time for Hollaback Girl, yet this is similar.

Tom: I mean, it’s a good track, don’t get me wrong — certainly better than a lot of the forgettable dreck we get through here.

Tim: “So what sort of music do you write about?” they ask. “Oh, mostly forgettable dreck,” I reply.

Tom: Okay, okay, so that’s harsh, but let’s be honest, there’s not much exciting new stuff coming through here is there? There’s a reason Popjustice has their profane new prize this year. We’re in an era where most of the Top 10 is Ed Sheeran. Literally.

Tim: I don’t know, I think we’ve had some decent variety over the past few weeks if you look back. And yes, Ed Sheeran seems silly, but it’s because the charts have changed: two years ago, he’d have had one massive number one album and two top 10 singles. Streaming doesn’t let that happen, though, so when a big enough album drops, this is almost an inevitability. As for this track…

Tom: It’s just got a lot of “inspired by” vibes that make me want to listen to the originals instead.

Tim: Hmm, well, much of my enthusiasm might be due to the video – if I heard it on the radio there’s a good chance I might just find it a bit of a racket. Having that video on the first time I heard it got me in exactly the right frame of mind for it, though, so right now I’m happily going ALL IN. Into the song, that is, not the washing machine. I’m not quite at that place yet.

Aili – Find Me

“It’s safe to say there’s some inspiration there.”

Tim: Today’s observation: it’s remarkable how few tracks an artist may need to irrevocably claim a sound as theirs. Take Kygo: he had Firestone, followed it up with Stole The Show and then became synonymous with tropical house. Avicii dropped Wake Me Up and immediately owned farmhouse. Alan Walker, now, has only had two tracks, and yet…

Tom: …and yet the first video that YouTube suggests after this one is the same artist’s cover of Faded. It’s safe to say there’s some inspiration there.

Tim: Oh, undoubtedly. Dance beat that’s taking the lead but isn’t too overbearing, breathy female vocal, that particular synth patch in place of what might otherwise be a piano, then a build into a chorus with all the twiddling of knobs that’s immediately evocative of Mr Walker.

Tom: Fnarr. You’re right, though, although the song itself isn’t quite up to standard. I can’t remember a damn thing about it once it’s gone. It does sound like Alan Walker, though.

Tim: And that’s no bad thing – certainly not for me, as I love the sound, and I’m a big fan now of this track – but I can’t help wondering if every track like this will be compared to him, or if someone else will be equally notable with the sound.

Aries – Earthshakes

“…and the eh-ing and oh-ing in the middle eight couldn’t sound more half-arsed if they tried.”

Tim: Aries, so called because they were all born in the same week in the same hospital and that’s their star sign. Maybe there’s some logic there, I don’t know. Anyway, here’s their debut.

Tom: Well, that starts well and goes downhill from there.

Tim: Indeed. Let’s say it upfront: there’s a lot not to like about this song. The horrible autotune on the vocals, then there’s the horrible autotune on the vocals, and also did I mention the horrible autotune on the vocals? In the verses there’s not much of a melody, and even less in the chorus, and the eh-ing and oh-ing in the middle eight couldn’t sound more half-arsed if they tried.

Tom: There’s some weird almost-chiptune samples thrown in at one point for no real reason, too. I’ll be honest: I don’t get it.

Tim: Well the thing is, if you look on the other hand, and it’s a big hand: much as yesterday’s bassline ruined an otherwise lovely song, here it entirely rescues an otherwise awful song.

Tom: I still think you’re wrong about yesterday’s bassline, but yes: here we’re in agreement. It may be the only good bit. Well, that and the mid-2000s synths that show up a couple of times.

Tim: I’m fairly sure it’s a bit familiar, but even if it is I really, really like it, and am almost prepared to put up with the rest of the song to hear it.

Lune – Healing Song

“I did get genuinely quite bored.”

Tim: If you get your expectations from song titles, the first line here will BLOW YOUR MIND.

Tom: Well, yes, that’s certainly not what I expected. Neither is the odd chorus-vocoder effect, but it’s certainly a style choice that fits the track.

Tim: Lune’s Swedish and has been away for quite a while, and she’s back with a song that is basically all about that instrumental, so much so that during the minute or so following it going away the first time I did get genuinely quite bored.

Tom: Same here: and I’m not sure that instrumental’s good enough to justify everything that builds up to it. The melody’s basic — which can work, don’t get me wrong, but here it just seems to fall flat.

Tim: The vocal parts on their own are okay – pleasant enough sound, but nowhere near enough to hang a song on. And however good that instrumental may be, you’ve got precisely sixty seconds of it, in two big chunks. Give us more of it, or perhaps even just break it up a bit, and this might work. As it is: I don’t want to be thinking “look, is that good bit coming back soon or what?”.

Tom: I’m not even sure it’s the good bit.

Ulrika – Love Goes

“I think it could do with not-boring-us-getting-to-the-chorus a bit more.”

Tim: I pressed play, thought “hmm, this is okay, I’ll keep going”, switched over to Twitter. Then the chorus happened.

Tim: You see? While the song’s certainly not bad up until that point, it does slip into “decent but unremarkable ballad” territory.

Tom: And it stays there for a while, too: there is a lot of build-up to each of the choruses, and I think it could do with not-boring-us-getting-to-the-chorus a bit more.

Tim: You’re not wrong there – the chorus brings the song a whole new, and arguably quite needed, lease of life, turning it into one I properly want to click along to and get excited about.

Tom: Mm. Not quite that effect on me, despite a certain air of familiarity. What worked earlier this week just doesn’t here, for me.

Tim: And yes, I’m aware it sounds quite similar to some other track, but I don’t want to spend time worrying about what song it is – I just want to spend time listening to this, as it’s great.

Miss Li – Aqualung

“I’m still breeeeathing, I’m still breeeeeeathing……”

Tim: We haven’t featured Miss Li for ages, but right now she seems to be very strongly channeling one particular US artist.

Tom: Brad Paisley?

Tim: Erm…

Tom: Not Brad Paisley, then.

Tim: No. Hell of a of comparison to make, though – Sia, that is, not whoever that guy is that you suggested – and normally I’d pass it off briefly and move on. But here, it seems to be almost deliberate, and it’s so, so pervasive. Halfway through the verses I find myself drifting into “I’m still breeeeathing, I’m still breeeeeeathing……”, middle of the chorus I want to jump in with “you took it all, but I’m still breathing”.

Tom: There’s a bit of Rihanna in there as well, there, particularly in those first few opening notes. You’re right, though: and while she’s not quite pulling off quite as many Really Big Notes as Sia does, she’s certainly good enough to be… well, at least in the same league, even if she’s not at the top of it.

Tim: That’s very true, as I certainly don’t mean this all of this in a bad way. It’s very much a compliment, in fact, as most singers could only dream of vocals this strong. Yet, I really don’t think it’s a good thing that throughout the song I’m thinking I’ve heard it all before. And yet I am thinking I’ve heard it all before.