The Jukebox: still your #1 source of European reggae-pop criticism…
[Video][Website]
[6.00]
Micha Cavaseno: I didn’t know one of the most fascinating dips into exotica of recent years would come from a Finnish girl riding over a pop-reggae groove that would make an excellent fifth Rihanna single (that’s not a jab btw), but how does one prepare for those sort of things, y’know?
[8]
Iain Mew: Reggae-synth-pop is spreading north! This instance adds an overselling mulitplex intro, then mostly flattens out to an all too easy sway. When the bridge lets Diandra bring out a Nicola Roberts-like stretched vulnerability, it suggests that she could do a lot with material just a bit more sparkling.
[6]
Patrick St. Michel: Crams in so many modern-day pop staples that whatever could have made this stand out now sounds like a boardroom going, “yeah, the kids like that.”
[4]
Katherine St Asaph: I like this more when I hear it as artpop-reggae and less when I hear it as Rihanna doing “Stereo Love.”
[5]
Megan Harrington: Diandra’s off-kilter synthesized bagpipe sound gives “Paha Poika” an “In A Big Country” on ludes quality. Where Big Country spiraled infinitely upwards in joy, Diandra’s love grinds to a sad, squealing halt. The song’s downbeat chase is more straightfoward chartworthy break-up fare, but I’m attached to those melancholy pipes.
[7]
Anthony Easton: I love how she immediately repeats her own guttural ah-ahs with ones that sound like they came from a vocoder; also, the swoony, almost ludicrous strings hint at a history of understanding Euro-cheese. It’s too bad the rest of the vocals don’t quite keep up.
[6]
Brad Shoup: All the textures (aerophone, strings, bass wub) are unspooled at the start, sequentially, so while I’m left with a fine groove, I’m still aware of what’s been discarded. But maybe windswept Scandinavian reggae is a bridge too far-fetched?
[6]