JJ - JJ n° 3

Following up on quickly on their strong debut album, JJ n° 2, Swedish duo JJ are back with their second album, familiarly titled JJ n° 3. At just nine tracks and a little less than a half an hour long, the new album breezes by quickly, but in such a way that you will want to have it on repeat all night long. Starting off with the haunting piano ballad "My Life" which seems to be about, uh, "grinding," JJ n° 3 is a bit slower than JJ's first album, using soft brushes of strings and singer Elin Kastlander's soothing vocals to guide most of the album. Amidst their signature sound, the best parts of the album are the unexpected moments. "Let Go" brings out a bit of harmonica, a sound that one would not normally associate with a Swedish electo-pop band, but it works so well in this instance that I didn't even realize it was harmonica at first. "Into The Light" seems like it's going to be an instrumental and then somehow incorporates random spoken word noise in the background, Kastlander's vocals, and a repetitive dance loop all in one. "Voi Parlate, lo Gioco" is a charmer of a song, especially with its vibrant horns that come in towards the end. Fans of JJ's first effort should enjoy this album just as much, if not a bit more. It may take a listen or three to really get into, but once you do, it will be clear that JJ are masters at their subtle electro-pop sound.

DOWNLOAD: JJ - JJ n° 3 [Sincerely Yours/Secretly Canadian]
Recommended Tracks: "Let Go," "Into The Light," "Voi Parlate, lo Gioco," "You Know."