Okay, what haven’t we said about Club 8? I’ve had to scroll back through the many celebratory posts we’ve published about the Swedish indie pop duo, and it’s become quite hard to come up with new adjectives to describe how we feel about them. Here are a few that we have perhaps not utilized yet: Exemplary! Fantabulous! Beautirific! (We’ve had to invent some words.)
In any case, “Birthday” is the latest single from Club 8 in their latest project of releasing one new song per month. It has a similar feel to “Honestly” from May: Summery, shimmering, and yet somewhat melancholic. Once again, Karolina Komstedt’s vocals deliver the melody and lyrics in an understated but urgent tone, giving the words a quiet energy. These lay on top of Johan Angergård’s synths and other instrumentation, which give the classic Club 8 electric shock of sound. The drum-and-bass-powered beat drives the track as the pads, guitars, and extra blips and sweeps wash over you like celebratory applause.
And yes, you can dance to this track, but in the same way you might dance to The Cure or Joy Division, because “Birthday” isn’t a birthday song in the same vein as The Beatles’ song “Birthday” or the public domain classic “Happy Birthday To You”. No, this is Club 8! And thus the lyrics have layers and depth and a touch of dismay! Komstedt sings in the chorus: “Today is your birthday, a step to the grave / We’re turning to dust, yet you look so brave / Out in the open, the same as before / Time is scarce, leaves me wanting more.” You fools! Time marches on, and with every blowing out of the candles, the Guardian of Hours makes another mark in his book towards your expiration date! Our bodies will go rancid and spoil like cake left out on the counter, and our lives will one day extinguish like lit candles!
But again, you can dance to “Birthday”. And I suggest you do. And I’m sure Club 8 would invite you to do so as well. After all, with every moment in our glamtastic existence fleeting quicker than we can perceive, what else is there to do but dance?
Take a listen to “Birthday” below, and stick around: You and I know Club 8 have plenty more music around the corner.
Written by Will Sisskind
