Bow To Each Other
Like I Never Left EP
Jansen Plateproduksjon

Bow To Each Other (BTEO) put out one of last year's best Norwegian pop albums with their elegant and stylish debut, The Urge Drums. Now, the Norwegian-Canadian duo is back with an EP (digital only), holding three new songs along with the previously released (in May 2014) single "Swim Out", plus three remixes of songs from the debut album. Let us take on the dance floor, shall we?

BTEO's debut album was praised to the sky and the record (produced by Susanne Sundfør) was a solid and flying start for the duo. According to their label Jansen, BTEO's music 'continues to explore soundscapes inspired by electronica, hip-hop and vocal harmonies, but this time with fewer acoustic elements, compared to the debut.' The main track of this new EP is their latest single, "We'll Follow You" which was launched (as a digital single) on February 13th. This track comes in two versions: one regular and one longer version/mix. I think I prefer the regular version. "We'll Follow You" is a bouncy dance-pop track, but I am not all to comfortable with this song. It is not as good as the duo's former songs of the same calibre. I think I prefer the old single "Swim Out" to this one. I am not sure. "Swim Out" is by far more playful and immediate. That said, I think I prefer the quieter, tempered tracks this time. Such as the calmer "Slowly My Love", which is quite pleasant. The more electronic and introvert "When They Kick You" is maybe the most touching and interesting song this time around. BTEO say about their EP: '...we have worked with producer Snorre Bergerud [from Rasabasa], an old friend from the student days [at LIPA in Liverpool]. We have started out with an electronic soundscape, but this time with fewer acoustic elements besides the vocals. The chorus on "When They Kick You" interrupts the completely electronic with the addition of the horn - one of Megan's favourite instruments, which she has wanted to incorporate in our music for a long time.'.

Then there are remixes of two of the tracks from The Urge Drums; "Darkness" and "Bigger And Stronger". The former is presented through two remixes: One reworked by Nite Sprite (AKA Brad & Sylvester) of the DX SEVEN collective from the Stavanger area, the other by electronic/deep electro/nu-disco artist King George (VIII) from Trondheim - who's calling himself a 'heart and thief-artist'. I have always been sceptical to remixes, and it is the same issue this time. However, it can be somehow interesting to listen to two radically different versions of the 'same', basic song ("Darkness"). "Bigger And Stronger (Atella remix)" is my fave remix of the three. Atella is a Bergen-based electronic duo, or a three-piece including Kristiane? However, as I said the calmer tracks are my favourites this time. 'All songs have been recorded like puzzles', BTEO claim - partly in their basement, partly in Snorre's studio and in collaboration with other friends such as Anders Bjelland (of psychedelic band Electric Eye) and artist/painter Kristin Austreid. I still like the colours, the moods and the temperature of BTEO's music, and I will keep an eye on what they do next. Pop on, Gunhild and Megan!

Copyright © 2015 Howard Pink-Popeye