jj - jj n° 3

Last year, Swedish dream-pop outfit jj scored a critical hit with the imaginatively titled n° 2. n° 3 follows quickly on its heels and unsurprisingly treads similar territory. There are breathy, soulful vocals (My Life), sun-kissed rhythms (lead single and album highlight Let Go) and recurring chill-out mantras in abundance; the stoned mood even seeps into the song titles, (see Golden Virginia). jj do what they do very well, meaning you will emerge on the other side feeling relaxed and tranquil. There are hooks aplenty and an infectious number will be ingrained in your psyche for days. But it’s difficult to stay excited about an album this laid back. Occasionally, as on Voi Paralte, Lo Giocco, n° 3 is let down by a lack of vitality and it cries out for direction. The odd injection of adrenaline could easily have elevated this from merely a good record to something far greater. [Finbarr Bermingham]