The Swedish have always had a knack for pop, particularly of the electronic-dance variety. There was of course ABBA, who pioneered the genre in the early ‘70s with the help of the synthesizer. We all remember Ace Of Base, and if we don’t, our older sisters certainly do. Of course Robyn and Lykke Li have been latest and most irresistible members of the Swede-pop invasion. Recently we’ve been fed yet another confection from the land of dance: electro-pop trio NONONO.
NONONO consists of lead vocalist Stina Wappling along with producers Astma and Rockwell. Wappling has an interesting history behind her. Though she’s been writing songs her whole life, she studied to be a psychologist and spent time working at a mental institution. If that’s not writing material, I don’t know what is. It surely makes some sense of the emotive video accompanying the group’s big hit “Pumpin Blood,” the title track of their four song EP.
The video is full of cold tones and washed-out shots that bring to mind a bleak summer. A couple violently disputes among broken ceramic mugs, deciding who will take care of their pet rabbit. The verse is mellow and peppered with the high-pitched whistling that has made frequent appearances in folk-pop as of late. The chorus jumps into optimistic, visceral dance pop, and the setting alters to the same mode. The shots rangee from a man getting thistles caught in his winter sweater to a dark and smoking beachscape with strobe lights and Wappling dancing vivaciously.
By the its end, our bunny-toting protagonist has surrendered himself to the only form of catharsis appropriate for such a song: shameless public dancing. I suspect fans of NONONO will partake in the same therapy while the group is on their upcoming U.S. tour.
See tour dates and the video for “Pumpin Blood” below.
