If there’s one thing we’ve come to expect from Icona Pop, it is wake-up call of pummelling pouty pop to come steaming out from their ranty mouths.
Now of course, there is much more to these girls, but you know either by blessing or curse – that mega-hit of theirs has become synomous of them. To a point of capacity whereby we wanted to hear something of a new direction from Caroline and Aino when they stepped back into the ring, yet when they recently gave us an electro-swing number “Emergency”, we were like wtf has happened here, to be honest.
Those of us that were only here for the Icona Pop unabashed mouthyness will be pleased to know that the feisty Swedes haven’t quite put a lid on all that in-your-face, spitting words ident of yore. Oh no they haven’t!, Caroline and Aino have been invited to saddle up in collaboration with the equally fiesty Torontonian electro-pop newcomer who goes by the name of Lowell.
Now, the thing is here, we already considered Lowell to be a perfect suitor for Icona Pop back in 2014, so we did! And so, even before I ignite the play button on their track together “Ride”, I am confident that there is a serving of blistering punchy pop awaiting our consumption.
All the same, I’d chose to call this collaborative effort, confident as opposed brattish!
Sure, the words hang in the air and are amplified in their intensity, as the three sisters in music and in freedom-fighting action go about expressing their commitment to feminism, empowerment and remaining care-free in spirit.
As Lowell says of “Ride” :- “Ride is for everyone out there who has been called “abrasive” for being bold, a “rebel” for rioting, a “shit-disturber” for disrupting the status quo, and, most of all, for all the bad-asses who get called “bitchy” for being BOSS.”
There is a much deeper meaning to this video than just 3 chicks on bikes, going hell for leather down the highway too, as it pays homage to the Van Buren Sisters and their iconic motorcycle road trip across the US in 1916. The first women to cross the US by motorcycle alone, doing so in an act of gender defiance and political assertion.
With that being said, strap yourselves in and hang on tight, these spiky words and sentiments come shooting from the hip as well as their shouty mouths. Indeed, the rabble-rousing radness flies out from all angles.