Daylight
Apollon, 2022
8/10
An outfit spearheaded by the always impressive Frank Hammersland, Popo Pops returns with an 8th album, where the original members Nicolai Hamre and Viggo Kruger welcome some guests for the pop and rock flavored diversity.
The title track starts the listen with a warm melody that’s crisp, dreamy and embraces some ‘80s post-punk ideas amid the hypnotic delivery, and “Maybe It Was Just A Dream” benefits much from bright piano and a slight jangle in the glorious indie-pop spirit.
Halfway through, "Fall Into You” finds an intimate place to reside, where a poetic quality enters the bare landscape, while “My Mind Is Like A Radio” is a bit thicker amid the strategic bass and radiant textures.
“A Certain Sound” and “Stay Awake” exit the listen, where the former is a bit soulful and recruits plenty of atmosphere, and the latter thumps loudly with an infectious energy that’s pop friendly but also tips its hat to garage rock.
Popo Pops began in 1987 under the name The Doomsville Boys, and did take a 10 year break starting in the mid ‘90s. Since their reformation, they’ve released 4 albums of eclectic and exiting version of rock, and Daylight is certainly some of their best work to date.
Travels well with: Frank Hammersland- Atlantis; The Lust-O-Rama- Twenty-Six Screams