Category: Europop

Emerentia – Wasting Water

What a chorus that is.

Tim: This is super. A Swedish 18 year old’s debut track, and a very promising start.

Tim: Super, no?

Tom: My eyebrows raised in astonishment when that chorus kicked in. That sounds like I’m being sarcastic, but I’m not.

Tim: I mean, really, what a chorus that is. I said a couple of days ago about that Line & Basim track that I could imagine singing along to that – well, that was nothing compared to this one. Especially in the final section, where she belting it out at the top of her voice, it’s hard not to join in: “I’ll find my way BAAACK AAAGAAIN, so NO MOOOOOORE wasting WAAAAATER”.

Tom: Early, long and good middle eight, steadily building into a properly triumphant final chorus. Well done.

Tim: Well, quite – it’s not just the chorus. To be honest, there’s not a lot that can be said against this track. It gets going quickly, the verses are short to make extra space for the chorus, and the second half of the middle eight is a fantastic “you know what’s coming, don’t you?” build. LOVE IT.

Tom: Unconditional thumbs-up from both of us are rare, but yep. Couldn’t agree more.

Line & Basim – Brænder Inde

If I know Danish I would be properly singing along to this

Tim: Line and Basim, two contestants from Denmark’s X Factor in years gone by, and now teaming up to release a duet.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mnYp2urI9c

Tim: If I know Danish I would be properly singing along to this, I can tell you. There’s something about the lovely almost orchestral backing to it that seems to give it (for me at least) a strange ‘get involved’ vibe to it, which I like.

Tom: That’s odd: it seemed almost cold to me, and certainly not a singalong track. Emotional, sure; but even if I knew the language I can’t see myself belting this one out in the shower.

Tim: It’s about how the singer loves the other person but knows there’s something wrong in the relationship – ‘Brænder Inde’ translates as ‘Burning Inside’, because that’s the pain that the knowledge is causing, you see – and it works well for that.

Tom: I’m agreed with you there, though. The tone is right – it just doesn’t, well, “grab” me.

Tim: Hmm, fair enough. There’s a nice mix of love and disappointment in there (not that I generally find love nice when it’s mixed with disappointment, mind, but here it’s nice), and it really seems to come out towards the end when they’re both singing together. I like this.

Saturday Reject: Janet Leon – Heartstrings

“Knocked out in the first round. How?”

Tim: RIGHT. Now as I’m writing this I’ve just finished watching the show, so emotions are slightly involved, but this came FIFTH. FIFTH. KNOCKED OUT IN THE FIRST ROUND. HOW?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_UlSnxC2HM

Tom: Because it’s only a middling Eurovision entry?

Tim: And blimey, when you compare it to some of the utter tosh that got put straight through, it’s JUST NOT RIGHT.

Tom: Man, it must have been a pretty poor Melodifestivalen this year. I mean, it’s not bad, but this sounds about like a fifth place to me.

Tim: Well, now you mention it, yes, it’s not great at all. There’s a near-complete absence of schlager, a massive amount of generic EDM and an annoyingly large number of ‘quirky’ songs. Final heat tonight, so it might pick up, but I’m not holding my breath. But regardless of all that, however, this song is fantastic – it’s pure pop. A great and very catchy na-na-na, it’s not even let down by the verses as can happen to many songs of its type. A middle eight that almost got close enough to heavier dance to keep it even more appealing to people who might otherwise be put off by it.

Tom: The backing’s as generic as it comes, and I’m not sure I could repeat the chorus even after listening to it twice. This ain’t a winner, not by a long way.

Tim: In a good year, no, but this really should have at least made it through, to Andra Chansen if nothing else. It’s even got all the extra bits – the catsuits, the strutting, the hairflick at the end. It just adds up to something that’s so right, that when I saw it I thought it could have actually been the Melodifestivalen winner. Sweden, how could you have let this happen?

Tom: Were we listening to the same song?

Tim: Hmm. Maybe you need to see what it’s up against to appreciate it.

Evan – I Would Freeze Time

“Probably the most depressing video you’ve seen all week.”

Tim: Evan was big a while back, but has been a bit quieter of late, though still putting out the occasional track. This slightly (alright, very) morose number, for example.

Tom: Man, those percussion hits in the intro are proper, old-school Casio-like synths. It takes a lot to make them fit into anything orchestral – and yet here they work really well.

Tim: They really do. It’s probably the most depressing video you’ve seen all week, but never mind, because it’s just beautiful.

Tom: Depressing, and yet somewhat amateurish – all the filters in the world can’t stop it being a bit like a low-budget episode of Shortland Street.

Tim: Well, that’s an obscure TV hospital drama reference we can all get behind – well done Tom.

It took me a while to think what this reminded me of, but then I realised it was of a downbeat Neo, in both the voice and the complexity of the backing. Both of those things are absolutely lovely, and they combine to make this track one of the best songs of this type I’ve ever heard. We don’t need to talk about what it’s about – the video makes it quite clear and saying anything would just depress me – but everything about the song fits perfectly with it.

Tom: And a theremin! It’s got a theremin as the backing – or, at least, a synth that sounds very much like it. I’m amazed at how well all this fits together.

Tim: The single, available everywhere, has a Swedish version as the B-side, which is almost even better – the lack of English lyrics means you focus more on the tone of the voice, and you really hear the sincerity, the emptiness and the sadness that’s there. (It also stops me being an inadvertent corporate whore by not making me want to sing “I would FaceTime”.) Combined with the strings and piano in the background, it’s just fantastic.

Truls – Out Of Yourself

I’m not sure they all mesh together as a whole.

Tim: New Norwegian pop here, and if you want your laptop to look somewhat sinister for three minutes, why not put this on full screen?

Tim: That was interesting, wasn’t it? I don’t have much to say about it, but I think it’s worth bringing to people’s attention because I really do rather like it.

Tom: There’s many good parts in that, although I’m not sure they all mesh together as a whole. The vocals could use being an octave or so lower, and perhaps, you know, actually sounding like words.

Tim: You think? Because there’s something about those high-pitched and almost unintelligible voice that works for me.

Tom: Each to their own, I suppose. The backing’s good, at least.

Tim: Indeed, and when you combine the vocals with that good backing track and a melody that sounds strangely optimistic, I like it a lot. Good stuff.

Saturday Reject: Daze – We Own The Universe

“Isn’t that just brilliant?”

Tim: Three months to go until Eurovision, which means it’s time to kick these off – the best of the songs that weren’t quite popular enough to get to Malmö. And we start as we hope to continue, with this from Denmark. Get your watches out, people, and set them to POPPERS O’CLOCK.

Tom: Don’t do drugs, kids.

Tim: Unless you want to have fun.

Tom: Blimey. But do start playing the keytar, kids.

Tim: God, isn’t that just brilliant? Denmark had a very high standard all round this year, which may explain why this didn’t even make the top three, but just listen to it.

Tom: I can’t believe that didn’t make the top three. I try to avoid Eurovision spoilers, but if Denmark’s rejected this one, what the hell is their actual selection going to be? If it turns out that a depressing ballad’s won it, I’ll be really disappointed.

Tim: Not a ballad, no, and it is very good and you’ll see in a few months. But this, anyway – isn’t it outstandingly amazing? The music is absolutely perfect for the lyrics, or actually just the title. It’s big and intense and dance-heavy, because it needs to be, because WE OWN THE UNIVERSE. WE. That’s US, Tom. YOU AND ME. We OWN THE UNIVERSE. The whole, entire, UNIVERSE. It’s OURS.

Tom: “It’s all coming out of us, and filling us” apparently. I’m not sure how I feel about that, but the music is PUMPED UP enough that I don’t really care.

Tim: And then watch it, as well. Isn’t it even amazinger? The gazillion spotlights. The purpleness, and the perfect timing on the purple/blue switches. The around-around-around-around-around steadicam shot. The hyperactive bald bloke doing whatever it is he’s doing.

Tom: I’m fairly sure that they’ve just told a Moby impersonator that they’ve got a laser harp, and then just got him to wave a mirror in front of a few spotlights. I don’t care, because it’s brilliant. And then there’s…

Tim: The SPARKING KEYTAR. It’s ALL THERE, and it’s all part of OUR UNIVERSE. OURS.

Mausi – Move

“Perfectly viable.”

Tim: A British band that flew to Portugal to shoot the video (which I promise features no beautiful skylines whatsoever). I’m not sure why that’s important, but they’ve mentioned it quite a bit so it must be.

Tom: Because, almost certainly, that’s where the budget went. Let me guess: it’s just a video of them having a good time?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iNmtu_Gemog

Tim: Oh, yes, it’s about having a BIG NIGHT OUT, and I suppose since Kavos is out after that Channel 4 programme, Lisbon’s a perfectly viable alternative.

Tom: Take the band, and a guy with a DSLR video camera, to a party location. Film the results. You’ll have a decent night out on someone else’s dime and almost certainly have enough material to stitch together into a music video that is – as you said – perfectly viable.

Tim: Right, and not only is the video perfectly viable, this song is pretty much perfect as a soundtrack to a big night out. Fairly shouty (but not overly so) vocals approaching an Icona Pop level of excitement, lyrics going on about dancing all night and moving/singing like you want to move/sing and dance sections to properly lose your mind to.

Tom: Musically, it’s got some interesting bits in here too – the synth line starts about a half a beat after the percussion, and stays that way for most of the track. It’s a testament to the producers that it works so well.

Tim: Once you add in lots of crazy hijinks in the video, you’ve got more or less everything you need. So actually, sod it, I’ll ignore the STDs – TAXI TO KAVOS, PLEASE.

Tom: Kids, don’t do what Tim does.

NOAH – Over Byen

“That synth line.”

Tim: A current single from a fairly successful Danish band (and apparently the capitals in the name are mandatory).

Tom: Will you stop featuring videos that include beautiful skyline shots of foreign cities? I’m getting terrible wanderlust.

Tim: Oh, fine. I’ll try and fine something different for tomorrow.

Tom: Another video note: this is the first music video I’ve seen that includes footage from the increasingly-popular remote-controlled octocopter filming platforms: you can see plenty of tell-tale post-stabilised helicopter-like shots that they just couldn’t get any other way. As more and more directors learn about them, expect to see those shots everywhere.

Tim: Ooh, fancy. Wonder how long it’ll be before they start showing up at Eurovision.

Tom: But anyway: the music. It’s rather nice.

Tim: It is, and well, it’s synthpop – I’m going to like this. But there’s a lot out there, and this strikes me as better than many. Strangely, my favourite thing about it is actually one of the most understated – that synth line that runs throughout, right from the off.

Tom: I’ll agree with you there, but that chorus is really very nice too.

Tim: Oh yes, there’s a lovely melody through the chorus, and decent vocals (though with a disappointing helping of autotune) with lyrics about how someone’s brilliant.

Tom: It’s a big helping of autotune: stylistic, I wonder, or to cover up some less-impressive vocal work?

Tim: Not sure, but stylistically it works alright – it’s certainly not as painful as it often is. But it always just comes back to that calm, almost relaxing, base line, and I love it.

Nicole Sabouné – Conquer or Suffer

I’m reminded slightly of Florence and the Machine.

Tim: Alumnus of Sweden’s The Voice, this is Nicole’s second single and comes with quite an aggressive tone.

Tim: I’m reminded slightly of Florence and the Machine – a voice that some people won’t like, a fair amount of ‘authentic’ instrumentation and a lack of much in the way of positive feelings.

Tom: Someone I knew once declared that while he liked The Machine, he couldn’t bloody stand Florence. Now I’m not in that group – and I think the vocals here work very well – but I can see why she polarises people.

Tim: That’s not a bad thing – it’s very competent, with a hook that I had running through my head for most of yesterday.

Tom: It’s one of those drastically simple hooks that sticks in your head. And while “competent” might seem to be a bit of an insult, it’s not: I can’t see this being on my regular playlist, but there’s certainly nothing wrong with it.

Tim: I’m not so sure about the video – while the lyrics go “conquer or suffer”, we have an image of the singer seemingly running away from something, which would imply she’s given given up on the first option. Oh well, LONG LIVE THE SUFFERING!

Avicii vs Nicky Romero – I Could Be The One

“It’s not ‘feat.’, it’s ‘vs’. Because that makes it EDGY.”

Tom: Yep, it’s not “feat.”, it’s “vs”. Because that makes it EDGY. Now, before I listen to this, I’m going to make a prediction. This is genuinely written before I’ve listened to the track, incidentally.

Tim: Okay, let’s hear it.

Tom: Here goes: Avicii’s piano-pop hasn’t changed, Nicky Romero provides some meaningless vocals over the top, and it makes a pleasing piano-dance album track that’s starting to seem a bit stale. The video is some kind of road-trip type thing that vaguely reaffirms the value of life.

Tim: None of that sounds too unlikely; let’s see.

Tom: Not much more to say, really.

Tim: No – you pretty much covered all the bases. Though I would add: what sort of person puts a used condom on the table? And also, that ending actually made me laugh out loud. I’m not sure wat sort of a person that makes me.