Song reviews

Occupying the hinterland between indie pop and the genre’s spiritual jingle jangle guitar roots, Norway’s I Was a King demonstrate a mature approach to the art of song making that belies both their country of origin and their limited years on the planet. “Bubble” indeed.

“Temporary” is one of those reflective songs that seems, initially, too reliant on repetition for its effect yet Teose adds enough vocal fragility to make that downbeat vibe seem rather more permanent than her song’s title might otherwise suggest.

“Songbird” is another downbeat – it must be the season for them - song from Paden that seems almost Scandi in its synthetic bleakness but the wistful female vocals and energetic guitar work will keep you going until the sun rises in the winter morning.

I’m getting to think that there is a shortage of happy songs in this world with Viking Moses adding to doom and gloom courtesy of his song “Headstrong”. That said, if your mood is bleak then this song is one to add to the soundtrack of your life.

Full of the kind of insistent pulsation that has made Scandi plastipop great, Norwegian band Secret Treehouse duly pump up their synth powered style and, with some elegant female vocals leading their song forward, turn “Fear of Frogs into something memorable.

Self consciously minimalist, Ora and The Molecule might well seem something of a fashion exercise in the land of Euro electro pop, yet “Sugar” provides plenty of evidence that ticking all the style boxes can actually make a song catchy. Cool!

Americana gets everywhere these days and it is therefore no surprise that Croatian band She Brought Me Gasoline have captured that old timey vibe and have duly used banjo power to give their song “A Hole In The Souls” the stamp of authenticity.

Almost super cool, “Couldn’t Say Yes” highlights just why Rhonda are a band to listen out for. Whilst stylistically lost, like so many, in the reverb of the past, the intoxication that is the voice of Milo Milone soon entrances and your heart becomes hers. Immense!

Whist purposely overdosing on lo-fi grunge, Kieran Hughes nevertheless strikes his axe in all the right places to turn “Won’t Let Me Home” into a suitably bleak and bluesy way to keep your beer company on those cold winter nights. This is the in tune for a twisted soul.

Commercial and none the worse for that, Charlie Melrose cleverly stays within the sonic boundaries of the modern day electro pop genre whilst simultaneously displaying a talent for hiding deeper messages within the confines of her lyrics. A worthy approach, for sure.

Nominjin resurrects those old school jazz funk influences and duly populates her song “Kiss Me At Midnight” with retro dancefloor appeal and Even the mid song rap can’t stop me from drawing comparisons with the deity that is Sophie Ellis Bextor.

Not entirely sure what Milwaukee is actually famous for- possibly beer? - but “Lifestyle” by OQ might just get that city some more exposure with pulsating rhythms, folk influences and the odd touch of the avant-garde giving this meandering song purpose.