“Into the deepest, darkest of desire”
Swedish vocalists Aino Jawo and Caroline Hjelt make up the famous duo called Icona Pop. They formed in 2009 and released their breakthrough album Icona Pop in 2012. The album’s pre-released single, “I Love It,” featuring artist Charlie XCX, is their biggest hit to this day. Singles from their newest album Club Romantech, released September 1, are moving up on the charts.
The songs “Spa,” “Feels In My Body,” “Off Of My Mind” and “You’re Free” were released between August 2020 and June 2022. Writing for the album Club Romantech began during quarantine and has extended until this release. Other singles including “Fall In Love,” “Desire,” “I Want You,” “Where Do We Go From Here,” “Faster” and “Shit We Do For Love,” were released sporadically between February and August of this year. Out of the album’s 15 tracks, 10 were released prior to September 1.
Track three, “Stick Your Tounge Out,” was released with the full album but quickly attained praise and third place on their Spotify “popular” list. Another excellent delivery from Icona Pop is track two, “Desire.” With a head-banging bassline, this electric anthem perfectly encapsulates Icona Pop’s rave ambiance.
Electric dance music attracts listeners by connecting the production of dopamine in the mind with the promotion of movements in the body. Club Romantech does both of those things while introducing lively and alluring themes.
Some interpretations might recognize the album title as a double entendre, combining romance and techno beats. Say it fast enough and Club Romantech starts to sound like Club Romantic. Many of the lyrics suggest themes of relationships and all “The Shit We Do For Love.” The first track, “Fall In Love,” uses music to portray that feeling when infatuation and euphoria unite; “So this is what it feels like when you fall la-la-la-la / fall in lo-lo-love.”
Electric dance and romance are infused in track eight, “I Want You.” The lyrics, “ninety degrees, yeah, you and me” and “nothing else sounds the same as I want you,” really bring the heat. Track nine, “Loving You Ain’t Easy,” sheds light on the complexities of romance. It alludes to someone becoming entangled in a relationship, “to take you back each time you leave is the last thing I should do / can’t help but loving you.”
Every song by Icona Pop carries a complex beat that is bound to get stuck in your head. The duo consistently generates irresistible grooves and catchy hooks that pulsate through the body. In track five, “Make Your Mind Up Babe,” the lyrics “but for you / I would do it all again,” are liberating to sing along with.
Track 11, “Faster,” feels like a live DJ set. It is easy to get lost in the turbulent buildup and heavy beat drop. The focus on musical momentum drives strong emotional responses without the need for lyrical intricacy.
The album concludes with the track “Spa,” a collaboration with another vibrant duo named Sofi Tukker. This song has a fun way of drawing parallels between a club and a spa, “I’m done with the club, just take me to the spa / ‘Cause I wanna feel the sweat from the steam room and the sauna.” Icona Pop takes listeners on a wild club journey with Club Romantech.
Their last stop… the spa.
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