Our heart beats fast for this pop punk sugar rush...
Not gonna lie... there may be a super massive soft spot for punk covers of pop songs over here, as well as a huge friend crush on Jessie J. Ergo, the moment those cheeky little scamps MaLoKai stuck a rendition of Price Tag on their Heart Beats EP, they were onto a winner. But to be honest, they were always going to win anyway.
Fact is, these guys are onto a sound that seriously sells. The perky pop punk that pulses though Heart Beats will undoubtedly command the lucrative imaginations of the legions of young fans that have become smitten with the likes of Youmeatsix, All Time Low and Paramore over recent years. Heavily melodic with more than a mere flirtation with pop, every track is sparkling with energy and unforgivably infectious. You may not think it from the dramatically muted entrance at the start (Overture), but hit the angst-laden lyrics of the catchy Rumours and you'll find yourself to be a lost cause to this sonic sugar trap.
There will be those who will be rolling their eyes to the sound of every chipper power chord and the overwhelmingly commercial-friendly shiny package that MaLoKai appear to us in, but sod 'em. Yes, they may not be life-changing or ground-breaking; but not all music has to be. What matters is if it's being given plenty of heart in the here and now - and this record clearly does. These five lads have put a lot of time and effort into getting to this stage, and hard workers deserve success. But even if you put that aside, it would be a challenge for anyone to not end up singing along to the chorus of Young and Dumb by the second listen. This is musical caffeine at it's best... outrageously energetic and incredibly addictive.