Can't stop this tonight

Ola's new single is both unexpected and expected; it's a departure from his usual sound, especially in the acoustic verses, but with all the references he's been dropping about it sounding different and the writers involved, it's not that surprising. The chorus is still pleasantly poppy, based around a stuttery recitation of the word "overdrive" and with more electronic instrumentation than the parts of the song that surround it, and decently catchy. It's kind of like a less joyous, more acoustic "Feelgood," and, to be honest, neither of those descriptors is what my ideal Ola song sounds like (weren't the joy and the electronic production some of the best things about "Feelgood"?). Still, I could see myself enjoying it on the radio, and certainly imagine having it stuck in my head. Less "frolicking on the beach in a music video" and more "sitting around a beachside campfire."

The third track on his new EP, "Still Remember," is by Ola, respected pop songwriter Alexander Kronlund, and Ali Payami, more famous for remixes, but I wouldn't be surprised to learn it was produced by KeiOne. It's got a slight R&B tinge to it (though it switches over to rock for the middle 8) and a nice little pseudo-sample. The lyrics are silly in parts, but it's enjoyable, if once again the mid-tempo side of Ola.

02 All Over The World by poppostergirl

I'm glad to have the aforementioned two songs as nice little bonuses in advance of the album, but it's the EP's second track that will probably take the early playcount lead on my iTunes. Like Ola's Melodifestival entry this year, it too is by Alexander Kronlund. WithTony Nilsson also on board, it's much in the vein of what you'd expect a collaboration between those two writers to sound like: über-poppy, very "produced" in sound, uptempo, and--of course--catchy. It feels a little less like some reimagining of an '80s hit than some of Ola's previous tracks, but it does keep Ola in line with what I've always seen as the best thing about him: he's a vehicle for excellent teen pop, a spiritual successor to the songs we all loved in the late '90s and early '00s. "All Over The World" is certainly glossy pop, "cheesy," if you will, but it's not really all that sugary thanks to its pulsing production. That joy we were talking about earlier? It is--blissfully, thankfully--here, especially in a tension-building middle eight. Maybe not quite on the level of, say, "Forever," but it channel similar dancefloor euphoria vibes.

You can buy a physical copy of Ola's new single "Overdrive," an EP which includes two other new songs and a remix, here.