The world should be grateful that Anton Ewald has decided to progress his career from dancer to all round singing sensation. His early you tube covers showed an organic talent that has since exploded thanks to his dazzling performance of Swedish smash hit single Begging at this year's melodifestivalen. Anton's Nick Kamen-esque good looks, fun twitter ramblings and pop savvy have rightly won him an army of fans - and now we have an EP of 5 songs to tide us over until the full length album. And what a corker it is too - rather than being full on r'n'b, it takes those influences and skillfully blends them with some scintillating electro-pop for a delightful musical fusion that is all too hard to resist. Here is a run through of what you get for your pennies (a bargain on UK Amazon may I point out)...
- Human ~ a few seconds of gorgeous piano intro (that wouldn't sound out of place on a Donna Summer/Abba type classic) give way to a harder-better-faster-more pulsing groove, a forceful dominant beat and some glorious evocative vocals from the young fella himself. He particularly shines when the music falls away and his voice soars for a few, brief but indelible moments before that stomping chorus kicks in. What's really clever is that there are about 3 hooks running through the song; and when they layer across each other, the song reaches giddying new heights. It's a truly emphatic opening number and one that acts as a musical statement of purpose for Anton - big beats, huge vocals, brilliant backing & anthemic choruses. All a-ok with me...
- Can't Hold Back ~ the (presumed) new single (there's a lyric video above); while not as complex and textured as Human, it's no less ingratiating thanks to a solid understanding of how to weave pop influences alongside an ibiza-tinged groove & underscore it all with a club vibe. It's like he's taken Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814, tossed in the air, whipped it around Anton style and this is the all too pleasing results. You'll be singing the chorus for hours after just one listen - the propulsive nature of the beat mirrors the lyrical content of being out of control, slave to your desires. Intoxicating stuff that I'm just loving... Deserves to be as big (if not bigger) as Begging :D
- Would That Make You Love Me ~ I'm all for Anton tag teaming with Danny Saucedo & Mattias Andréasson (of solo and EMD fame) on the composition of this track. It's a quiet storm riot of a track that is perhaps the most r'n'b saturated song on the EP, the type that will sound just dandy next to JT or Bruno on the radio. What I love about this is - and the entire EP - is that there is always an element of dance in the songs. Not just that you can dance to them, but that it feels like they were created with big staged dance routines in mind. It just makes all the songs, but particularly this one a little more evocative, a little more imaginative for the listener. Now a mini concert to show off this craftsmanship would be just aces. Thank you! Brand New ~ Any song that starts with Yell-esque "whoas" in high pitched falsetto has me from it's first mesmerising beat. Probably the most out and out pop-dance song on the EP (I noted a Dhani A*Teens co-write!), it rocks a tribal influenced beat, crescendo-ing synths and a truly love falsetto chorus that feels musically as celebratory as the lyrics that accompany it. Whereas the other songs feel more akin to the aforementioned JT & Brunos of the world, this song is the type of number that The Wanted should be begging to sing (once they are finished with walking like Rihanna). And! It's one of those songs that becomes better with each listen. By the end of the summer, I'll be exhausted from shimmying along...
- Begging ~ Well you all know this one by now. It's a sprightly pulsating number with hooks permeating both the verses (the convivial "ooo what a feeling" chants) and chorus (repeating the "what a feeling" and mixing it up with "you got me begging baby". This must be one foxy mama/fella!)The percussive beat ensures you are boogying along as you listen and the dubstep breakdown provides the perfect opportunity for some down and dirty rhythms, matched by Anton's seductive vocal delivery. Still glorious 3 months on...
21 ~ Girls Aloud, On The Metro
20 ~ Betty Who, Somebody Loves You (NE)
19 ~ Mika, Popular Song
18 ~ Stooshe, Slip
17 ~ Bruno Mars, Treasure (NE)
16 ~ Pink, True Love (NE)
15 ~ Agnetha Faltskog, When You Really Loved Someone
14 ~ Scarlett's Roses, Truth Be Told
13 ~ Army of Lovers/Gravitonas, Signed On My Tattoo
12 ~ The Wanted, Walks Like Rihanna
11 ~ Danny Saucedo, Todo El Mundo (Dancing In The Streets)
10 ~ Darin, Check It Out
09 ~ Eric Saade, Coming Home
08 ~ fun, Why Am I The One?
07 ~ MKTO, Thank You
06 ~ Mariah Carey/Miguel, #Beautiful
05 ~ Chris Wallace, Invincible
04 ~ Olly Murs, Dear Darlin'
03 ~ Auryn, Breathe Your Fire
02 ~ Agnetha Faltskog, The One Who Loves You Now
01 ~ The Summer Set, Maybe Tonight (1 week)
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