NONONO - We Are Only What We Feel

Seattle – Given the country’s propensity for churning out successful pop acts like ABBA, Ace of Base, Robyn, and even Icona Pop, it should come as no surprise that Sweden’s produced another band who’s climbing the popular charts.

Since their single “Pumpin Blood” hit the airwaves last year, Stockholm-based NONONO has garnered a lot of attention. The trio, made up of singer Stina Wäppling and production team Astma & Rocwell (real names Tobias “Astma” Jimson and Michel “Rocwell” Flygare) after meeting in the spring of 2012, released their Pumpin Blood EP back in September, creating high anticipation for a full-length – the debut album,We Are Only What We Feel, out July 1, on Warner Music.

With influences like Depeche Mode, Martha Wainwright, and numerous hip hop acts, the LP contains elements appealing to a broad audience. It’s beat-driven, and a little darker than a typical pop album, but filled with catchy choruses, beautiful vocals, and strong production.

Opening with “Jungle,” the album shows its reliance on 80s sounds with synth keys, claps, and ticks. Echo-y vocals and “Ha’s!” permeate the chorus, and though it is reminiscent of ABBA’s “Voulez-Vous” (to me, it’s NONONO’s only song that has any similar sound to their Swedish pop forerunners) there’s a modern twist to create an eerie, catchy disco track – a nice, solid opening for the album.

Industrial kicks lead into “Like the Wind,” whose reverb guitar and haunting vocals add to the darker tone set by the first track. Then, the thumpin’ “Pumpin Blood” kicks in, launching into whistles and an upbeat melody. The song is truly memorable and bright (especially compared to the previous ones), asserting its place as the hit single.

The beautiful, piano-driven “Echo” slows down the pace, and Wäppling’s vocals soar in the chorus, accompanied by an understated synth orchestra. Illustrating her background as a singer-songwriter are the opening vocals on “One Wish,” which are delicate and soft-spoken, before launching into a sunny, sing-along chorus.

“Hungry Eyes” also opens with piano, before propelling into an incessantly catchy chorus of “We are who we are/ We won’t stop the fire, we won’t back down.” It’s a typically crafted pop song, which isn’t bad in this case. The melodious verses, spirited chorus, and predictable but nice bridge make for a strong, head-nodding tune that balances the darkness of the first couple tracks with some lightness.

Following is “Down Under,” which leads with surfy guitar and syncopated drum ticks, which create interesting rhythms. Wäppling is able to show off her vocal capabilities, hitting her higher range to create a pure, lovely sound. It’s also perhaps the track that best showcases the talented production team’s skills, with elements like an unexpected synth orchestra at the bridge and diddling, 8-bit sounding keys.

Transitioning back into the heavy pop realm is “Fire Without a Flame,” which has the most familiar 80’s synth beats (think Kraftwerk and Depeche Mode). Its strong production value also makes it a memorable tune.

Penultimate track “Johnny” has a similar sound to opener “Jungle,” with haunting vocals and strong beats. The call-and-response chorus uses nice harmonies at song’s close, and fades well into the contemplative opening of “Love.” The final track on We Are Only What We Feel, “Love” has a bittersweet melody, dreamy vocals, and soaring synth strings, and is a great end to a strong album.

On their debut album, NONONO proved that their pop sensibilities on “Pumpin Blood” were not a one-time fluke. We Are Only What We Feel is a great album that fuses different eras of pop music with a modern sound, creating a distinctive, dark yet catchy pop persona.

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Caitlin Peterkin

Caitlin Peterkin is a Seattle transplant fresh from the Midwest. She owes her passion for music to her parents, who filled the house with artists from The Beatles to The Beach Boys, Simon & Garfunkel to Carly Simon, and Jackson Browne to Michael Jackson. One of her favorite memories includes being presented with her mom’s original vinyl copy of Sgt. Pepper when she got her first record player.

With degrees in journalism and music, Caitlin’s written for Paste Magazine, The Chronicle of Higher Education, and MajoringinMusic.com. She loves cheese, laughing at GIFs of corgis, road trip sing-alongs, and connecting with people over good beer and good music.