Imagine, if you will: A song crafted by “With Every Heartbeat” producer Kleerup, sung by “Euphoria” songstress Loreen. Could you, even? You surely couldn’t. Who possibly could? It’s literally the ultimate Swede-pop dream, right?
Well, it’s finally happened–and the song’s just alright. Wait, what?
True, “Requiem Solution” is everything a Kleerup song sung by Loreen should sound like. Moody pulsations! Sorrowful strings! Heartbreaking lyricism! But that’s about where the goodness stops: There’s no actual build-up to anything. No grandiose, pearl-clutching ‘moment’ anywhere to be found on the record!
Considering the massiveness of Loreen’s “Euphoria” and “My Heart Is Refusing Me,” and the timelessness of “With Every Heartbeat,” “Until We Bleed” and “Longing For Lullabies,” how is this meandering, sort of limp electro-ballad the final product? That’s not to say it had to be a yelper, but even the more pensive tracks on Loreen’s debut–including “Everytime” and “Heal”–packed way more of a punch.
Am I just being overly critical? I love Loreen. I love Kleerup. “Requiem Solution” is beautifully sung and subtly produced, but given the enormous potential of their collaboration, I’m left feeling like this is a serious case of disco blue-balling.