Tim: Yes, the same Hanna Stockzell we featured yesterday.
Tom: Wait a minute. Hanna Stockzell! Otherwise known as one half of Smile.dk, which I know from my DDR-playing childhood.
Tim: Yeah – did I not mention that? Oh well, you’ve figured it out on your own. Good work.
Tom: No wonder her tracks sound familiar to me!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMcgx7TIRT8
Tom: Oh, that will do nicely. I may have to try and find the album. When I was at university, I used music like this as a way to make me work: the low-attention-span part of my brain was busy going “ooh, shiny”, so the rest of my brain could get in flow and actually make things. To this day, listening to this gives me a vague feeling that I should be productive. A weird association, I’ll grant you, but it works.
Tim: I must say I somewhat dislike the massive autotune, though after a while I actually get used to it when it sounds like Still Alive.
Tom: I’m so used to it as an effect that I didn’t even notice – it just sounded normal to me.
Tim: Well, I do however love the rest. The energy, the sheer and unashamed pop-ness of it, the instrumental bits that follow the choruses. Hell, it really is like a modern-day Alice Deejay. BRILLIANT.
Tom: You keep using that analogy—
Tim: I do, don’t I? Hmm.
Tom: I’m not sure it holds; Alice Deejay was about dance music – upbeat, European dance, sure, but not bubblegum pop like this. It’s not really a major quibble, though; I still bloody love the song.
Tim: The key change is a bit good as well. But you don’t need to be told that. One final notes: J-Mi & Midi-D’s single from last August is worth checking out.
Tom: I’ll do just that.