Icona Pop tries to recreate ‘I Love It’ fame with new EP
Katy Brown
Staff Writer
The Swedish duo of Caroline Hjelt and Aino Jawo, better known as Icona Pop, released their first full-length LP, “This Is… Icona Pop,” on Sept. 24.
The girls are becoming one of the most well-known pop duos overseas due to this highly anticipated album. To me, the album is just one rewrite of “I Love It” after another, giving the duo the persona of a one-hit wonder. The songs don’t have much depth, but are fun and catchy.
The album starts off with the infamous track, “I Love It.” You love it, I love it, everyone loves this track. Its catchy, carefree hook and upbeat rhythm will stick in your head for days. “I Love It” is one of those tracks you listen to in the car before going out, sing along to in the shower, and belt out after a fight with your boyfriend.
“I Love It” gave Icona Pop the reputation for being those hardcore, carefree girls who always go out and have a good time. They definitely took advantage of this reputation, and many of the tracks showcase this persona.
Prime examples of this are “All Night” and “On a Roll.” There is absolutely no storyline behind these tracks, as is the case with many failed pop songs. They are extremely repetitive, and they seem like fillers more so than an actual track.
The Cataracs appear on “Ready For the Weekend.” The track has several catchy parts that are great for dancing and fist-pumping in the club. Despite the annoying high-pitched voice that appears in the hook, this is a fun track.
“Girlfriend” is the anthem for girl’s nights everywhere. It contains cute, peppy lyrics such as “All I need in this life of sin/Is me and my girlfriend/Down to ride till the happy end/Is me and my girlfriend.” The song references Beyonce and Jay-Z’s “Bonnie and Clyde” with these lyrics, and the song instantly puts a smile on your face.
“Hold On” differs from other tracks in the aspect that the girls let down their independent, bad-girl personas and show their softer side. The track talks about their desire to hold onto a relationship that is in ruins.
Its successor, “Light Me Up,” is much the same. Although they do include the repetitiveness present in every track, it was a nice mid-album switch up.
Icona Pop displays their independent, adventurous side in “In the Stars.” With lyrics such as “The sky is open/where are we going,” the girls show they’re down to have a good time.
“We Got the World” is the best sequel to “I Love It.” The track serves their purpose perfectly, but their lyrics are simplistic: “They say you’re a freak when we’re having fun/ Say we must be high when we’re spreading love/ But we’re just living life and we never stop/ We got the world.” As most tracks on the album, they’re fun lyrics that lack depth.
The biggest surprise on the album for me was “Just Another Night.” This track sounds extremely different from all the rest, making it a huge stand-out. I didn’t feel like I was listening to a re-worded “I Love It.” I think this song has great potential, and I can definitely see it being their next hit.
Overall, “This Is… Icona Pop” is your typical pop album. Most of the tracks you’ll want to skip over and never listen to again because they’re so annoying, but there’s a few genuinely good hits. It’s the duo’s first album, so they definitely have potential and room to grow.
