This Is... - Icona Pop
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Metascore
70

Generally favorable reviews - based on 19 Critics What's this?

User Score
8.1

Universal acclaim- based on 17 Ratings

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  • Summary: The second full-length release for the Swedish duo of Caroline Hjelt and Aino Jawo features guest appearance from Charli XCX as well as production from Stargate.

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 13 out of 19
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 19
  3. Negative: 0 out of 19
  1. The A.V. Club
    Sep 24, 2013
    91
    It’s a refreshingly fun album with no pretenses, just plenty of sing-along hooks and dancefloor jams.
  2. All Music Guide
    Sep 23, 2013
    80
    This Is...Icona Pop is a consistently fun album, and it would be even without their big single.
  3. Pitchfork
    Sep 26, 2013
    75
    The first seven songs play out like a 20-minute power hour, but the album loses a bit of steam after that.
  4. Spin
    Sep 19, 2013
    70
    Even when they're shouting, they do so in a particularly musical and distinctive way, and although their smash is one of five This Is… songs the duo had no hand in writing, they nevertheless suggest a consistent sense of authorship through the intensity of their shared ecstasies and frustrations.
  5. Pretty Much Amazing
    Sep 25, 2013
    67
    This Is… Icona Pop is not revolutionary, original, or inventive.... What This Is… Icona Pop, and Icona Pop as an artistic duo, possess that few others can lay claim to, is a firm grasp on the musical zeitgeist.
  6. No Ripcord
    Oct 10, 2013
    60
    It has ten passable tracks and one certified super-smash that will either get listeners gleefully singing-along or reaching for the skip button. You decide.
  7. Tiny Mix Tapes
    Oct 3, 2013
    40
    It’s not a terrible album. It’s not a spectacular train wreck. It is, in fact, so remarkably unremarkable that neither a glowing nor incinerating score feel deserved.

See all 19 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 4
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 4
  3. Negative: 0 out of 4
  1. Pop-Partisan
    Oct 5, 2013
    9
    Many pop songs revolve around the dance floor and the drinks, drugs, sex, etc. that go along with it. But in this throbbing set of dance anthems, Icona Pop captures the experience and emotion of party-culture with an sincerity and (dare I say it?) maturity that few others have managed, giving to what might otherwise be tired themes a fresh idealism and an intellectual spark missing from the works of contemporaries like Kesha and Lady Gaga.

    With this LP, swedish singers Caroline Hjelt and Aino Jawo aimed to create music “which you can both laugh and cry with at the same time.” The album achieves this desired affect through intense, aching beats and earnest, tight vocal harmonies, and by giving to each tune a bright, inflinching optimism about the future that rings nostalgic for all of us “90s b****”s out there. And, of course, the tracks are all so darn catchy. Without a doubt, this is one of the best pop albums of the year.    … Expand
  2. DrewBrauer
    Sep 25, 2013
    8
    If you've heard the song "I Love It" then you may know who Icona Pop is, they are a Swedish duo of two girls who sing about, partying, going wild, and being just plain sassy. So after hearing "I Love it" thousands of times each day, I grew onto the duo, and I was looking forward to "This is... Icona Pop" because I was disappointed by their first EP "Iconic EP" which aside from the first two songs, everything else on that collection was forgettable and boring. I'm happy to report that "This is... Iconic Pop" is a great debut album for Icona Pop and I kinda loved it. But for those who can't stand Mainstream Pop or Dance music, you should stay away from this, because it is very much like that. This album only runs for 34 minutes which is very short but has enough punch to make me forget that I could just listen to this in one sitting. The first half was the standout here, even though I've heard many of the singles off of here before, it still felt refreshing and most importantly fun. The last few songs are also great where instead of going super slow and full of ballads, it doesn't overstay it's welcome, and it ends with the emo-like "Then We Kiss" which sounds like a perfect party song for a wild party. Other favorites include "I Love it", "All Night", "We Got the World", "Ready for the Weekend" and more. Problems with this album are that there is no clear story as it's just to show everyone who Icona Pop really is, also this isn't a problem, but you might think that this album isn't meant for the male demographic, as it is more meant for 13 year old girls who are surprised to hear a curse word in a dance song. But overall, I really enjoyed "This is... Icona Pop" it's short, sweet, and packs a huge wallop of beats, sounds, and noises. If your not interested in Icona Pop then this album won't change your mind, and it doesn't do anything earth shatteringly amazing. But if you let it all loose, and forget your problems, you'll (as a quote from the first song) love it. Because I did.… Expand
  3. WadeVS
    Sep 24, 2013
    8
    They're the band who's hard to hate. Simply because they have so much fun doing what they do. This album is an unexpected surprise with productions tones meatier than the average club bangers. A perfect slice of pop.… Expand
  4. BWETMatangi
    Oct 5, 2013
    7
    Eh. I have heard better albums than this one, but some songs are actually really good! The best songs are "I Love It", "We Got The World", and "On A Roll".… Expand

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