Leading with a classically smooth and hopeful pop backdrop, a creatively meandering synth riff but one that feels notably more complex than the average pop offering, along with a light beat and a quickly emotional, compelling vocal, The Hearts Got Memory shines brightly as a retro pop classic with passion and intention.
Pop
The track works hard structurally, and Annika as a leading lady works equally hard to maintain that level of smooth & simple good times. The song is not overly optimistic or loud, far from it – there’s a subtlety to the warmth & enjoyment it drives with, and this is a big part of why it works so well & is likely to appeal on a much broader level.
There’s a certain passionate depth to the writing, and the featured singer handles and presents this with an air of realness. Behind the vocal though, the soundscape is decidedly complex, unexpectedly detailed and multi-layered to the point that you can pick up something new with each revisit.
Digging deep into precisely the story-line implied by the title, Thank God You Cheated holds nothing back – regret and betrayal roam free throughout the lyrics, the verses in particular detailing both the heartbreak and the desire to move forwards.
Despite the complex and impressive nature of the instrumentation, it takes nothing away from the natural qualities of the voice. Impeccable production, incredibly skillful and absolutely worthy of any and all praise sent through.
I think this song is quite brilliant. It’s entertaining, layered, engaging, wears its empty heart on its sleeve and is all the more powerful the more you think about what you’ve just heard.
Seeing Hooks By: DJ reach even further with his uninhibited creativity, this collaboration with singer Danielle Hollobaugh makes for a smooth, shoulder-swaying alternative hip hop track with equal parts delicacy and weight.
A lovely lullaby of country pop, sung gently and with its heart on its sleeve. It’s grown up, and measured, but also moving and emotional – as the honesty behind the piece glows through.
As existential crises go, this is a tasty slab of Scandinavian-flavoured electro-pop with heft and emotion, wrapped up in some committed vocals and a healthy dose of intellect.
Cruel Mistress is a great piece of work and pays homage to its musical forebears in all the right ways. It’s recorded in a timeless and sympathetic way, and lives and dies by the trials and tribulations of our companion for the journey – Scarlett Siren.
Strong is an interesting song for many reasons – not least the refusal to adhere to the usual trappings of work in this genre. It’s classic songwriting that has enough spice to mark it out as a thoughtful development on Mark’s previous releases.
Try to imagine what it would sound like if Depeche Mode made a love song. Then go a step further and imagine that Dave Gahan suggested that it should be a duet, sharing vocal duties with an elfin Scandinavian vocalist that had an ethereal sensibility when it came to crafting melody.