Album- This Is… Icona
Pop
Artist- Icona Pop
Synthpop act Icona Pop is a duo of two fun loving girls who
have seen their star rise as artists throughout 2012 and 2013 with the mega
success of their single I Love It. The song has slowly risen to top charts and
place within the top ten of many charts worldwide, with particular success
being found in the notoriously difficult US and UK music markets. This Is…
Icona Pop marks the duos second studio album, but their international debut,
and so the question is, will the record live up to the success of their major
hit single?
Track 1- I Love It
(featuring Charlie XCX)
The track that gained the duo worldwide attention and was a
smash hit, I Love It is a feisty pop number that in many respects shouldn’t
work. This is because the lyrics are quite a bit of nonsense, whilst the girl’s
vocals are more shouting than singing in places. But with an angsty attitude
and reckless feeling, this is a pop number that is just all about having fun
and living life, and the girls definitely get you in the mood for celebrating
and dancing. The lyrics may be weird but the hook laden chorus and verses are
supremely catchy, whilst the fresh, slight aggressive but fun vocal
performances makes the song feel as if the girls are embodying your own
feelings, particularly for those spurned by an ex-lover. The thumping, grinding
beats of the production is very simple but powerful and acts as the perfect
sound for the girls ideas of reckless abandonment, giving us just a fun if a
bit weird and silly pop tune.
4/5
Track 2- All Night
Opening with an addictive synth laden guitar strumming, All
Night is another up tempo track from the group that is full of the idea of
living life that I Love It expressed. The song is similar in its message to the
former track, as we find the girls singing of how it feels like we can just
party all night. However, the lyrics are a bit simpler this time and the pop
chorus is catchy if something that other artists could have produced. The
girl’s vocals are a bit grating but their tone brings out this quality of them
being truly invested in what they are singing, whilst the final chorus shows of
some ad libs from the duo that shows they have a little more to him. The beat
is equally as thumping as the previous track, but the synths are a little more
fresh and light sounding, whilst the post chorus breakdowns make for another
catchy tune.
3.5/5
Track 3- We Got the
World
Another up tempo party number, We Got the World finds the
group this time talking of how people talk about them but they don’t care, as
they will just have fun like they run the world, because life is their oyster.
It would be a strong message, but after the last couple of tracks, it seems
like Icona Pop are all about nothing but partying and having fun. However,
lyrically the track is good in how it shows that no matter what this seems to
be a duo with an eye for a strong, catchy pop chorus. The vocals are processed
in a way that makes the song feel a bit smoother and in some way more youthful,
whilst the frenzied production with the scattered electro beats is a bit
familiar, but not familiar enough to be boring just yet.
3.5/5
Track 4- Ready for
the Weekend
With a title like Ready for the Weekend, this is definitely
nothing but a party tune, and so four songs in you would be forgiven for being
bored with Icona Pop already. Yet Ready for the Weekend is more frenzied and
weird than the former musical offerings that your attention is fully grabbed,
and you find yourself once more wanting to party. The song simply tells the
listener to grab someone and get ready for the weekend, with the girls giving
us a forceful and vibrant vocal performance. But what is so weird and wonderful
about the track is the high-pitched, auto tune heavy elements of the vocal
performance that is just crazy but also really fun. The choir like intro is
also really cool, and the distorted, slow outro leaves you nicely falling from
your musical high. The tracks production features aggressive beats and a sound
that is now at this point signature Icona Pop, but things are also a touch more
volatile with this track, and there is also this weird, almost sensual edge to
the track, making this a potentially strong single choice.
3.5/5
Track 5- Girlfriend
A fun and slightly lighter musical offering from the duo,
Girlfriend keeps the upbeat, party atmosphere of the record going, but not in
the same way as the former tracks. This is because the girls change tact
lyrically, and instead of telling us of how they and we should live life, they
tell us of how all they need in life for zen is them and their girlfriend (so
basically each other). The song once again shows the group’s ability to create
extremely catchy choruses, and the vocal performance here is still as rough and
forceful as the former tracks, but the girls also sound a little sweeter and
happier. The synths and stomping rhythms of the production gives us a vibrant,
almost ethereal tone to the track that is great to listen to, making this a
perfect song for girls to listen to whilst getting ready for a night out.
4/5
Track 6- In the Stars
Beginning with slightly tinny instrumentation, In the Stars
changes things up for the album just a little bit, as the girls electro pop
essence is still maintained but there is also this slight rock driven quality
about the track. The girls tell us of how they are going to the stars until
they die, emphasising their love for fun and this eternal, youthful quality.
The chorus isn’t as catchy as the previous tracks, but hook is still good and
the song is nice in terms of the way the girls vocals are quite soft in the
verses but strong, loud and airy in the chorus. The guitar rhythms and heavy
bass of the songs production meld nicely with the electro beats, giving us a
good pop number.
3.5/5
Track 7- On a Roll
On a Roll to me has a slight 80’s music quality about it but
still feels thoroughly modern, and finds the girls enveloped in a thorough
synth pop sound. The song lyrically follows the idea of just going through life
like every day is great, as they are on this roll where their lives seem to be
brilliant. The message may not exactly be something everyone can relate to, but
the ‘ do do do do do’ hook is ridiculously catchy, and scattered synth beats
the song has this energised sound that once again captures the listeners
attention and gets you feeling happy. The vocals at this point are a bit too similar
as the group show how they haven’t exactly got the most amazing range, but with
a vivacious personality that is imbued within each track, the group manage to
pull things off and still keep you interested seven songs in.
3.5/5
Track 8- Just Another
Night
From the songs title, I expected this to be a bit of a
different song from the group, and thankfully the group definitely delivered.
We find the group singing of how they are just having another night of going out,
but they are thinking about this former love and what he could be doing. The
song shows of a more emotional, contemplative side of the group, and vocally
this is one of the strongest songs from the group, as they channel their energy
into making the song feel passionate and heartfelt, whilst the song also nicely
shows of the duo’s individual voices very well. The synth imbued guitar riffs
and clattering drum beats create this intense sound that nicely dips into
simple piano for the songs outro,
cementing the fact that this is an emotional piece from the group.
3.5.5
Track 9- Hold On
Hold On takes things back to more of a forceful, up tempo
sound, but the song is also still a bit different as the guitar rhythms and
rock and roll energy is a bit more central to the track, particularly in terms
of the stomping bass. The song still shows a change in the group as they don’t
go back to singing about living life but instead focus on telling this boy to
not finish this relationship because they are firmly invested in their
feelings. The change in the groups tone and message is nice, but sadly the
songs chorus isn’t as catchy as usual, as the group vocally come across a bit
whiny. The slightly more organic tone of the production is a nice change,
particularly when the piano kicks in the middle section, whilst the groups
electro sound is also not compromised, and so this would have worked really
well if the lyrics were a bit sharper in execution and the vocals were
reworked.
2.5/5
Track 10- Light Me Up
With the stuttering intro that immediately grabs your
attention, Light Me Up is a bit of a feisty mid tempo track from the group that
has a snappy bass and rhythm that gives a little bit of an RnB lilt to the
groups sound. The funky guitar rhythms and slinky beats of the production gives
the song a strong and infectious energy, and the girls give us a confident
vocal performance that is layered with an attitude that perfectly suits the
song. The only issue here is that the lyrics just aren’t as catchy as previous
offerings, as although the girls seem totally believable in telling this person
that they should light them up because they are awesome, it just doesn’t grab
your attention in the same way as some of the other songs.
3/5
Track 11- Then We
Kiss
Final track Then We Kiss finds the group giving us a
stomping finish to the record with a pop groove that is a bit rock driven and
funky in sound, and which is also in a way quite cute. The lyrics are like the
first track a bit weird but ultimately catchy, with the group seemingly telling
the listener of this night where things happened and then they kissed the guy.
The groups vocals are vibrant as always, but there are little quirks to the
performance that make the song catchier and which makes the group come across
as quite cute in sound. The guitar riffs and synths are samey but catchy, and
the only really weird thing that is a bit of a love hate issue is the animal
like noises in the track that is cool and weird at the same time.
3.5/5
Final Review
If Icona Pop didn’t show the world how much of a fun loving
duo they were with their track I Love It, then this record definitely will, as
it is full to the brim with stomping party tunes. Quite a few times there is an
essence of familiarity with the tracks, but the girls have this infectious
personality that makes you forget the lack of originality and just want to
dance, whilst there are some little quirks within tracks that keep you
attentive and excited. The album is nicely balanced with some more emotive moments,
and although the record is definitely weaker in terms of the second half, the
girls have a knack for a catchy pop song and just make you want to live life,
and so whilst far from perfect, this is a good debut that definitely lives up
to the title, as the girls never seem to compromise who they are as artists.
8 /10
Best Track-
Girlfriend
Worst Track- Hold On
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