As an American, I became aware of Eurovision primarily through grainy and compressed video files sent to me by friends demanding that I check out a performance that they judged "hilarious." These clips were generally shared out of mockery rather than amusement, by people who seemed to only take joy from things they could ridicule. The sets usually comprised of someone in an outlandish outfit, whose name I could not pronounce, singing in a language I did not understand... and I secretly cherished every last one. I kept this to myself, of course, out of fear of social reprisal... a well-grounded fear, I might add. I knew some very uncharitable people when I was younger. But I'm far enough away from my youth now that I really couldn't care less what anyone else thinks about what I do, or do not, enjoy in my spare time. And as I'm sure you can surmise from this blog, I'm not shy about talking about any of the odd things I encounter on the internet either. Speaking of which, the artist I want to talk about tonight I discovered purely by accident... or purely by algorithm. One of the two.
A few weeks back I was listening to Louis Cole on Spotify and when I let the app autocycle through some recommendations. One of which happened to be Daði Freyr, an Icelandic singer who was selected to represent his country in the annual Eurovision competition, consecutively in 2020, and after it was canceled due to the pandemic, 2021 as well (he ultimately also missed his 2021 performance when a member of his band [a group called Gagnamagnið, or "data plan" in English] tested positive for COVID). After giving Daði a chance, I became pretty well obsessed with his EP Welcome, an album that features both "10 Years" and a song inspired by his first daughter, "Think About Things," two songs he intended to perform for the Eurovision competition.
The placid, calming quality of Daði's clean and direct, but undeniably soulful vocal delivery works to breathe a wonderful and willful form of life into this handful of funky, synth disco serenades. The tracks obviously have a bit of a retro vibe, with rhythmic callbacks to Earth, Wind & Fire as well as Stevie Wonder, but with a '00s indie-house upgrade patched in from a close study of the club-siren genius of groups like Hot Chip and Daft Punk. "Think About Things" conceals an intoxicating funkadelic bassline below a heated gangway of brassy horn buttresses and aerobic R'nB harmonies. It has a relatively free-floating feel to its mix that makes it very comfortable to cozy up to, and its overall inviting feel contrasts well with the other tracks on the EP, such as the hairpin turns and jagged vocal delivery of "10 Years," the orchestral blossoming gush of "Somebody Else Now," and the plangent, acid-fusion of "Feel the Love" featuring ÁSDÍS.
It's very odd for me to think of any of the parts of, what sounds like, a solid R'nB and light dance record, used as fodder for a competition. I usually recoil from any insinuation that art can, or should be, the subject of some contest- but it somehow doesn't bother me when it comes to Welcome, or Eurovision generally. I can't quite put my finger why, but I'm sure it has something to do with the way that I encounter pop music here in the US, which is primarily as by product of a larger competitive spectacle, one where the music is only one source of revenue (and in fact, may even be an afterthought or a loss leader). Wherein Eurovision acts seem to be more about the music, with the spectacle being reserved for their performances, and the competition serving as more of a means of bringing artists and music lovers of differing backgrounds together.
That's my impression at least. I could be wrong. What I am sure about, is that Daði demonstrates an outstanding amount of stamina and consistency in terms of his songwriting and performances on Welcome while managing to reinforce the wholesomeness of his endeavor. In this case, I don't think his music has been hurt by being oriented towards a form of competition. In fact, the anticipation of some good-natured rivalry may even have had a positive impact on it. Whatever it is that ultimately drives him to distinguish himself, it's you and I as the listeners who reap the benefits.
Welcome is out via AWAL Recordings.
