Look At Us Now – Lola

When singer Mikala Bosetti connected with Olle Hägberg and August Campeotto, it spawned the birth of the band Lola and an organic re-imagining of Danish R&B and Hip-hop.

Lola presents the EP in a cinematic format with opening and end music credits. The latter in particular has strings dramatically played in Hitchcock style thrillscope (yep, that’s my own word!).

Between the curtain rise and fall, we journey through heart-break, awakening and insightful personal reflections. The eight songs in this story flow like a Mixtape, ebbing from hip hop to soul with Mikala’s strong vocals comparable to artists such as H.E.R. and Ari Lennox.

Vocal samples of Mikala’s Italian grandmother and mother in the interludes add a warm, global dimension to this band’s Scandinavian roots (read our interview for more). The EP pumps from the superb opening (The Pain), while the uptempo hip hop beats of R.O.D. (ride or die) feels crafted for car drives with urban backdrops. Chinese on a Saturdays reflects a real-world construct beyond the commercial charts of fanciful love tales. And when Lola does soul, they produce a smooth, sultry, single of exemplary quality (Deep Soul).

Given the opportunity, any of these tracks could ignite in the charts, satisfying hip-hop lovers, soul loving connoisseurs and everyone in between. Extra notable credit for the E.P.’s cool design too.