ALBUM REVIEW: Miike Snow - 'Happy To You'

Miike Snow are back in our peripheral view with their greatly anticipated second album. Andrew, Christian and Pontus are the part American, part Swedish makeup that creates the trio. This album has been treated as more of a concept than its predecessor, their debut was just a bunch of songs that weren’t planned out as a package.  

‘Happy To You’ was recorded in Sweden, they jumped from three different studios, one of which Abba once used to record. The album opens with ‘Enter the Joker’s Lair’ which is an ambient, heaven like dream of arrangements and layers, it’s seamlessly produced. They used all sorts of weird and wonderful instruments including ‘The Blob’ (which looks like a mini Dalek) to create a unique sound that is carried across the record.

‘The Devils Work’ uses a marching brass band; their in-depth producing knowledge exuberates on this track, taking risks and really experimenting, but not for a second did they lose my attention.

 ‘Vase’ has trickles of House running through it, which taps into the Zeitgeist with acute precision, the genre is currently having a second wind with acts like Azari and III and Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs. This track will make for some great remix parts for DJ’s to get their hands on, but the original is beautiful in its current entirety. That classic Miike Snow thwacking piano keys takes over on this track.

‘Bavarian #1 (Say You Will)’ is a complete mash up, the song twists and turns like a musical maze, but is delivered with such care and focus.  ‘Black Tin Box’ has distorted lyrics and is like a trip, its quavering synths make it sound like it could be the soundtrack to some insane off- the- wall indie film. The main elements of ‘Archipelago’ are its sprightly piano keys and twinkling synths, turn this one up loud. Paddling Out’ is a monster of a track, with hook after hook; it’s the obvious choice to release as a single.

‘This album is an enchanting and delightful musical journey; they are pioneers of experimental electro synth pop and ‘Happy To You’ was well worth the wait. The clear differences from their debut are the sheer amount of layers. The use of acoustic instruments keeps things interesting whilst they are careful to gloss over each song with expertise in the studio.