It’s all dance music, really. Whether it’s hard-rock played with a simple four-on-the-floor beat or complex, African-infused funk music, the goal is to get audiences moving. Whether it’s rock stars playing a North American arena, kids banging away in a garage in Eastern Europe, or clever Swedish music producers, the goal remains the same: get people dancing.
It’s the law! Nobody escapes it! This also means that there’s no way to separate protest songs or funny jingles from pop music’s alluring grooves. That’s why Sweden’s The Odd Lot are running towards the dance rhythms. The duo wants to show you a good time. And while you’re being entertained, you might just learn a thing or two about what gets under the skin of the musicians responsible for these songs.
If this is an attempt at vengeance, you’ll be happy that the smiles of the producers never fade throughout this four-song collection. The EP’s opener, “Know-it-all”, may be inspired by people who just can’t keep their opinions to themselves. But strip away the lyrics and what you’re left with is a perfectly balanced, shiny, modern pop track.
Yes, you could hear all of these songs in a dance club. But it’d have to be the kind of modern disco visited by easy-going people possessing a sense of humour. Those are, of course, unlike the characters described in songs like “Douchebag,” where vocals are traded over easy-going funk grooves.
In fact, if there’s a theme to this EP, it’s that of gentle retribution. The Odd Lot assure us that everyone included here got what was coming to them. “Drama Queen” is fittingly theatrical and contains, perhaps, the best hooks of any of the songs on here.
Meanwhile, the closer, “Mood Killer,” is built on 70s-styled disco beats, but contains lyrics about someone so pessimistic that you’d never consider inviting them to your party.
Where does it leave us? With lots of people X-ed off the invite list and deleted from the contacts. But that’s alright. The Odd Lot prove that they have enough good vibes, funky grooves and jokes to carry the party on their own. With so much worth celebrating, why give another second to the kinds of people who’d be the target of songs like this?
