How about a cross-continent pop hit from Europe’s oldest girl group?
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[6.00]
Brad Shoup: This ain’t Luv. But it is an anti-war song that alternates blithe disco-pop with angsty hillside bombast. And it’s completely unfair.
[8]
Edward Okulicz: Impossible not to compare it to Nena on title, but a very different proposition: “99 Luftballons” was straight new-wave pop of its time, and this is almost straight schlager as only the Belgians and the Dutch still put in their charts year-round with reliability. Dutch is a really underrated pop language too: “kleuren de hemel blauw,” we knuffelen driedubbeldik voortaan” and “een wondere regenboog” are wonderful in the ear. I love how the melody is so simple, a child could pick it up after one iteration of the chorus. That said, the ability to listen to this over and over and appreciate it when it is obtusely straightforward and obnoxious must be something hereditary and I’m missing the genes — definitely a quality bit of craft though.
[6]
David Sheffieck: I have no idea how or if this relates to the only other song about a number of balloons that exists, but from the choral breakdown in the bridge on through the massed vocals of the final chorus, I have confidence it could raise the dead by virtue of the pure sugar rush alone.
[8]
Alfred Soto: I like this Belgian-Dutch’s amalgam of ABBA and second tier Miami Sound Machine, and it does sound like 10,000 balloons released at once. Guess I’m a sucker for rhythm guitar hooks.
[7]
Thomas Inskeep: Cavity-inducing sugary-sweet candy-pop made entirely of high fructose corn syrup, made for viewers of kiddie TV and no one else.
[2]
Will Adams: Lord, that squelchy acid bass. Upping the cheese factor even more is the central melody, sequenced upward until peak fromage. The drums, make them bigger! More choir! And why not, key change for the final chorus, too! There’s no reason that gaudy pop can’t be immensely enjoyable, but this isn’t it.
[4]
Dorian Sinclair: Honestly — bear with me for a moment — the melody on this reminds me of nothing so much as traditional folk music. I’m thinking specifically of Celtic stuff, since that’s my background, but folk melodies are similar through much of Europe, and the chorus in particular is pure folk in its construction. The lilt in the melody is really appealing to me, and I like the idea of pairing that style with pop production — I just wish there was more in the arrangement than simple chords and that bass pulse. The lack of interest there is what stops me from giving this a higher mark.
[7]