Thursday 31/01/08 Those Dancing Days @ Bar Academy Islington, London

It’s rare to find such open interest in a band branded as ‘sweeter-than-apple pie pop’. And cynics would doubt the hype surrounding Those Dancing Days, a Swedish all girl five piece barely out of high school, as marketing spin. Indifferent, the crowded Islington Bar Academy is ready to witness a pop innocence long missed on these shores.  

 As an opener, ‘Falling In Fall’ is very unassuming, and an uncertain audience wonders what they are seeing; the next big thing or a foreign high school band. Yet it’s simply vocalist Linnea’s chance to limber up. From there on in, aural gold spills forth from her effortlessly. Reminiscent in part of Amy Winehouse, this passionate, soulful yet powerful voice deceives the listener into thinking about years of heart ache that this teenage orphan Annie look alike simply hasn’t yet experienced yet. Yet put to the backing the upbeat 60’s Mersey-sound inspired ‘1000 words’, it’s a performance that suggests her vocals would carry any band to success.

The other band members really don’t need any help with the talent front. Awake from their daunted slumber, keyboardist Lisa is the first to get into the swing of things. Most lively on stage, she’s throwing out crazy key runs and kitch organ parts while continuously moving and dancing that in turn sets the audience into singing hip mode. Drummer Cissi provides some impressive kit bashing through these cuter-than-cute girl’s naughty side, ‘Tasty Boy’. And though less active, stern-faced bassist Mimmi and  dazed-looking guitarist Rebecka do manage to smile as they lay down a hip-shaking groove through ‘Shuffle’. 

Of course, current single ‘Hitten’ is what the crowd is here to see. Camouflaged near the end of the set list, it still merits a great response from the crowd, who spontaneously break into dancing. Restrained and measured like sugar into cake mix, it’s an incredible culmination of the 5 musicians working as one to produce what is certain to be in the running for one of the best pop songs of the year. 

By the end of the set with the quirky self-titled ‘Those Dancing Days’, it’s clear that the band have grown made some definite fans. The night has been unashamedly pop. But from the looks of the punters leaving, that is exactly what they wanted. Through their lack of years and skills as musicians, Those Dancing Days have been a reminder of our own days of youth and ignorance to the troubles of every day life. And their ability of framing such memories in organic and delightful pop music, is worth all the hype it can receive.