Adventures Of Crosley, AAA’s Record Player: Mike Snow ‘iii’ – “Limited Jackalope Edition”

We’re back with the third instalment of the Adventures of Crosley, AAA’s the record player! Although hardly a veteran, Crosley has now developed a taste for adventure learning some valuable life lessons along the way – that Taylor Swift vinyls do exist.

After losing his record virginity to the classics of Jeff Buckley, Crosley moved onto his rebellious years dabbling in the psyche-gasmic musings of the monarch of reptilian sorcerers King Gizzard. Battered and bruised Crosley lay dreaming of the serenity of Mozart’s Sonatas or the smooth jazzy swing of Duke Elington’s ‘Take the A Train’. Not yet dear Crosley, not yet.

Miike Snow could be considered a bit of a guilty pleasure. It’s sugary pop but there’s a place in everyone’s heart for that, even the most hardcore indie fan. I’ve jammed quite a bit to the single Genghis Khan.

Karlsson, Winnberg, and Wyatt a.k.a. the members of Miike Snow could have disappeared into retirement far before the formation of the band and they’d probably still be living the highlife off their writer credit royalties. The trio have literally made a living on crafting an infectious pop hook. With ‘iii’ as their third full-length effort and sophomore album ‘Happy To You’ released back in 2012, the trio have brought a new wave of electro-pop akin to Galantis and Justice.

Contrary to what you might think, electronic music looses none of its shine on vinyl with artists such as Zedd and Skrillex consistently releasing vinyl pressings to cater to the masses. The vinyl for ‘iii’ features 10 tracks, five on each side, which because of their short length doesn’t compromise on sound quality. With only 1000 made, the art on the vinyl features two glossy ‘jackalopes’ (some kind of apparently fearsome mythical rabbit-deer thing) with violet and crimson schemes on each side.

Jackalope: some kind of apparently fearsome mythical rabbit-deer thing.

Side A opens with My Trigger, ironically a good opener not for its overly pop elements but its gentle repetitiveness. It’s got a catchy chorus that overlays a bouncy keyboard mash and some pop distortions. The track certainly highlights the soulful elements that keep Wyatt’s vocals buoyant across the ten tracks. Through his collaborations with Mark Ronson it’s clear that Wyatt has developed a penchant for funk melodies, as heard in Heart Is Full and within the harmonies of the second track Heart Of Me.

Opening with glimmering synthesiser stabs, Heart Of Me leads into a highflying chorus that aims at Coldplay-grade grandiosity. Although initially a surprise favourite of mine because of its clever harmonic pivots, over time the ambiguous and yearning vocals feel like any other conventional pop tune. Genghis Khan is a catchy foot-stomper that loses none of its energetic vibe off from the radio and onto vinyl. Designed for radio play, the song features a thumping rhythm and dense melody that brings a comedic narrative to “I feel a little bit Genghis Khan”.

Heart Is Full is funky offering that definitely shows how Miike Snow have been a vehicle for pop experimentation. With a heavy chorus supported by a buzzing rhythm and soulful female vocals the track takes funk downtown (rather than being Uptown Funk). The Run The Jewels remix included only on the CD version is also worth a listen.

Side B’s For U feat. pop punk songstress Charli XCX brings back the fist-pumping energy of the debut album. With an electric Bloc Party-esque effect the track opens to a cheeky verse by XCX, “when we f*ck we leave the lights on”. This track is a highlight as Wyatt and co. have taken the lounge club vibe and accelerated to festival shenanigans level.

Next up gloomy tune Feel The Weight contrasts with a thoughtful perspective on the everyday troubles we endure to get a chance at superficial happiness, “And it’s only me to blame/ because I pushed the truth away/ and pretended to be happy/ tonight I have to say I feel the weight.” Featuring slow, rolling synth waves it’s an enjoyable listen at the end of a long day.

‘iii’ has had its fair share of plays but the maturing of their sound seems to have stifled their brilliance a bit compared to their debut, which remains an untarnished cut of experimental pop.

Side B is definitely full of some catchy tracks with Back Of The Car, forcing the overriding keyboard undertones of their first two records into a fresh new course. Lonely Life like the previous track features an array of filters that make sure Wyatt’s smooth but frail vocals are propped up on a satisfying rhythmic backdrop.

Over And Over shows Miike Snow are not only electro-pop princes but also edgy beatsmiths. Roughhouse beats and fizzy guitars combined with Wyatt’s vocals produce shamelessly well-crafted dance-pop. The Last track Long Shot is a perfect end to Miike Snow’s ‘loungey’ pop album. More of a sit down song, its brassy undertones bring up images of a sunset drive and definitely has a place on my meticulously selected ‘coming back from a road trip or work at night 2016’ playlist.

Although pressed on a picture disc, there’s no noticeable reduction in sound quality compared with typical black vinyl. It sounds great on Crosley who seemed to really enjoy playing it, and when tested on a high-end turntable and speaker system it easily produced studio standard fidelity. ‘iii’ has had its fair share of plays but the maturing of the Miike Snow sound seems to have stifled their distinctiveness compared to their debut, which remains a prized cut of experimental pop.