JJ Nº 2

JJ
JJ Nº 2

JJ No. 2 is the full-length debut from Swedish electro-pop duo JJ (“No. 1” was a 7” single), and it’s a breathtaking addition to the pantheon of Swedish indie-pop being exported these days. Youthful and mysterious, JJ have eschewed detailed bios and a ubiquitous Internet presence in favor of low-key cool, which suits their music perfectly. Conjuring everything from Tracey Thorn/Marine Girls to Beach House and Toro Y Moi, vocalist Elin Kastlander and writer/programmer Joakim Benon make haunting, shimmery pop that somehow musters more ooomph than one would expect. There’s an air of sophistication in the artistry of both the musical and lyrical composition, and in their masterful borrowing and filtering (Lil Wayne’s “Lollipop” flavors JJ’s “Ecstasy;” elsewhere, their cover of Welcome Back, Kotter’s TV theme song makes you reconsider the tune entirely). No. 2 is a stunning and surprisingly complex debut that demands many listens to fully absorb, and it inarguably deserves the year-end accolades heaped upon it by numerous publications.

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