Collecting six of
Icona Pop's early tracks into a six-song EP, Iconic leads off with the duo's most winning song to date, the hit single "I Love It." Aino Jawo and Caroline Hjelt's half-sung, half-shouted vocals and revved-up synths make the song inescapably catchy, and this devil-may-care feel informs "Ready for the Weekend" and "Top Rated," both of which combine the transcendent highs of EDM with the pleasures of a three-minute pop song. The duo's quieter side isn't quite as compelling as their hedonism, although "Manners" -- which was sampled and sped up by
Chiddy Bang on his track "Mind Your Manners" -- boasts a hook that's nearly as memorable as
Icona Pop's more uptempo work. "Sun Goes Down" may be the weakest track here, but its mix of chopped and screwed rap and melodramatic Europop (courtesy of collaborators
St. Lucia and
the Knocks) is still pretty interesting. Released in anticipation of the duo's full-length debut, Iconic gives a good idea of where
Icona Pop have been and where they're headed. ~ Heather Phares