Dance Love Pop; Agnes Carlsson

Agnes Carlsson is the winner of the second season of Swedish Idol and the most successful singer to be discovered in the singing competition. Dance Love Pop happens to be her third album and the first one that is being released and promoted in the US. I discovered her recently as well when a song from her was featured on another blog, you can check out the blog here. Do drop the guy a comment, he's got one of the most awesome blogs I've ever seen.

Coming back to Ms. Carlsson, she's is an amazing talent! And now she's my second favorite artist from Sweden, the first being the Cardigans. An awesome band who I will be posting about sooner or later, keep checking in.

Released in 2008, the album consists mostly of tracks that are a mix of pop or R&B with dance. Yes, that's right! Every single song on the album can become a dance floor anthem, even without any need of remixing it. But there a few ballads included as well, one of them being my favorite. The album consists of 10 tracks, one of which is in collaboration with Kara Dioguardi. The track listing is as follows;

1. Release Me
2. On and On
3. Love Me Senseless
4. How Do You Know
5. I Need You Now
6. Look At Me Now
7. Don't Pull Your Love Out
8. Open Up Your Eyes
9. Sometimes I Forget
10. Big Blue Wall

As very obvious from the title, the album is filled with love songs. 'Release Me', ' On and On', 'How Do You Know', 'Look At Me Now', 'Don't Pull Your Love Out' and 'Open Up Your Eyes' are complete dance anthems. 

'Release Me', 'How Do You Know' and 'Look At Me Now' are particular stand outs. The rhythm is extremely catchy and will have you moving in no time. Agnes vocals are somewhat reminiscent of a younger and more care free Mariah Carey without that ear shattering falsetto.

'Love Me Senseless' is an potential R&B  chart-toppers. Agnes has done an amazing job on it, especially towards the last portion of the song where she goes into a lower range for a moment or two and then slowly builds it back up to her normal range. 

'I Need You Now', 'Sometimes I Forget' and 'Big Blue Walls' are the few ballads from the album. The first of these three is a really worth listening. It's in tracks like these that you notice the raw talent in her voice, it's a completely stripped back track with minor instrumental involvement. It's amazing! And that's putting it mildly.

Dance Love Pop is a complete success and should definitely work amazing in promoting Agnes into the American Mainstream. She's doing a pretty good job, with the four singles she has released under the album.However only two have been blessed with a music video. And though 'Release Me' and 'On and On' had an already present music video, upon the launch of Dance Love Pop in US they made new music videos for both the songs. You can check out the new video of 'Release Me' and 'On and On' here.

Earlier this year, the Love Love Love Edition was released, it features seventeen tracks in total. There are seven new tracks, which are as follows;

1. Love Love Love
2. Love Love Love ( Extended Version )
3. On and On ( Anotha Ding-an Be-an Version )
4. On and On ( The Void Remix )
5. On and On ( Acoustic Version)
6. Release Me ( Pio Radio Remix )
7. Release Me ( Acoustic Version )

The extended version doesn't seem to offer much especially if your not a big fan of remixes of any kind. 'Love Love Love' which was Agnes's entry into the Eurovision Song Contest. This track is her best one yet. I'm completely in love with it and I'm telling to whoever I can that they should listen to it. So you guys, listen to it. There has been no music video released so I've included a LIVE! version for you guys over here.

'On and On ( Anotha Ding-an Be-An Version )' is definitely the lamest song on the entire disc and it hasn't appealed to me at all. In fact I'm slightly annoyed by it. The supposedly catchy hook is very irritating and very hard to block out.

The acoustic version of 'Release Me' and 'On and On' are decent enough. She proves her immense potential as a LIVE! performer in those two gems, worth lending an ear to. As for the remix, well they will do. I would have rather included some more brand new tracks. The extended version might be abit of a let down, but the original album is definitely one for the keeps.

And it's creepy how much she looks like Leona Lewis. Check this out!

Copyright © Saad Khan 2009 (Karachi, Pakistan; saadkhalidkhan@gmail.com)