Mali – Where Are Your Kids Tonight?
A nice, inoffensive, well-sung pop song, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it doesn’t stand out by the time I get to the end. I enjoyed the retro, eighties vibe and I though CMAT sung it well.
Singapore – Penthouse Floor
Honestly, same as the first song. It’s inoffensive, there’s nothing explicitly wrong with it. But it doesn’t jump out. The lyrics blurred into each other by about halfway through. The bassline was funky and I liked that a lot though.
Antarctica – God-ish
I actually really enjoyed this. Which I did not expect. It’s not anything I’d normally listen to, but the singer is talented even in falsetto and the singing meshes well with the almost hyperactive backing music. It was a lot of fun.
Old Zealand – Maple Syrup
I really like this. Great guitar and bass work that’s right up my street. The singer’s cadence suits the emotiveness of the lyrics.
Estonia – Red Tide Rising
Is it unfair if I know this band IRL? This is one of my favourite metal numbers of all time, I really enjoy the guitar and bass work and it makes up for the roughness of the singing.
Colombia – first period
One of those songs you just know you’re going to like as soon as the intro kicks in. I love the kind of lo-fi music I can fall asleep or read a book to, and this was a great example.
Scythia – Prophet of the Last Eclipse
Good drum work (makes me think of Through the Fire and the Flames) and energy, but I think I found the whole composition a little cluttered? It was enjoyable though.
Chile – Canción de Alicia en el País
This song left me wanting more. Not bad per se, but it needed more to make it stand out. The guitar solo was nice.
Benin – Poison Oak
It did have a catchy beat and maybe in a different mood I could imagine bopping along to it for a bit? Nice drum work which stood out. I unfortunately didn’t enjoy the singer’s voice though and the screamy parts were quite jarring.
Mount Celeste – Nattöppet
Another lovely ambient vibe to almost round out the contest, this really scratched an itch on my tired brain. Maybe blended in a bit but it was an enjoyable track.
New Zealand – How to Write a Love Song
Love me a bit of Axis of Awesome. A funny song, maybe not my favourite of theirs but it does make me laugh.
