Robin feat. Mikael Gabriel & Uniikki – Boom Kah

That rap middle eight is awful.

Tim: Cast your mind back to the beginning of last year, you might remember this kid singing a not particularly bad song about skateboarding. Fifteen per cent of his life later, he’s back with a freshly broken voice and ready to show off more of his after-school activities.

Tom: Has he done a Miley Cyrus? He’s a bit too young to have done a Miley Cyrus, surely?

Tom: Nope. He’s done a Bieber.

Tim: There are a lot of things I like about this: the chorus, the instrumental post-chorus, the verses, even the video to some extent. I specifically don’t like the rap middle eight (which now I think about it seems to be slightly going out of fashion, which is nice).

Tom: That rap middle eight is awful. It’s like the Blackout Crew suddenly burst in.

Tim: Mostly, though, I’m just not sure about the titular BOOM KAH – it works well enough as a HERE’S THE CHORUS bit, but at other times, especially towards the end, it just seems to get in the way a bit. Obviously it needs to be there, as otherwise we wouldn’t know about the martial art lessons his parents have been paying for, but does it need to be quite so intrusive?

Tom: I don’t know, I reckon it works; it gets away with having that shout-along quality without seeming too cheesy.

Tim: You’re probably right. Finally of note, though, are the lyrics: as previously, we’ve not yet got to the romance so this is all about having fun (“Where will we go, what will be be today? BOOM KAH, BOOM BOOM KAH”), and even the rappers are joining in, encouraging him to be Batman, tracking gangs and building a hide-out.

Tom: Wait, what? Are you making that up, or is that an actual translation?

Tim: Really wish I was joking there, but no. Their last line is “Don’t worry about tomorrow, it’s important that today is cool.” Which I suppose is true.

Lord Est feat. Mikael Gabriel – Vuosi Vaihtuu

That’s a cracking instrumental.

Tom: “This is the New Years breaking hit here in Finland!” enthuses an anonymous reader. “Everytime its in radio volume goes up!”

Tom: Hmm. That’s a cracking instrumental that deserves much better vocals.

Tim: Something like that. Certainly is a cracking instrumental.

Tom: “Year of Change” is the title, and while translating the lyrics doesn’t help all that much, it seems to be a generally uplifting song about how the future’s going to be bright. Perfect for the New Year, then. It’s a shame that the lyrics just sound like they’re being phoned in. Put some enthusiasm in, for crying out loud!

Tim: I’m not sure it’s the enthusiasm – I think it’s just that the general tone of the voice doesn’t suit the feeling of the song. The chorus, for example, seems almost a bit military, really. Also, I’m about to say something I don’t think I ever thought I’d say: they should do more with that rapper, because his parts of the verse work better than the rest.

On the other hand, it could be a perfectly appropriate vocal for the song, but we just don’t know as we have next to no knowledge of the Finnish language whatsoever.

Tom: That’s not true. I lived in Helsinki for three months once, and as a result I know “thank you” and at least one swear word. Anyway, translate this, get someone a bit more upbeat on vocal duties, and I reckon this could actually work over here.

Tim: There, I think you’re definitely right.