Pretty much since ALL SCANDINAVIAN launched back in 2008, Norwegian outfit Casiokids have been among our favorites, charming and exciting us (don’t worry, not in a weird way) with their brilliant, afrobeat flavored poptronica. In the time we have known them they have released a string of singles, remixes and remakes and a while ago they released this two CD compilation of it all, which they refer to as a personal Best Of 2009 album.

Loosely translating to “great atmosphere in the local bar”, the first half of ‘Topp Stemning På Lokal Bar’ – eight original tracks – is an impressive display of pop artistry showing off killer tunes under the guise of the understated, trademark childish naivety that makes them immediately lovable and huggable. Here the defining tracks are rocking album opener ‘Grønt Lys I Alle Ledd’ (the first ever Norwegian language single released in the UK), bubbling disco ‘n afrobeat gem ‘Verdens Største Land’, driving instrumental ‘Fot I Hose’ and ‘Finn Bikkjen’, combining an impeccable, dance floor ready synthbeat and aching melancholy in one of their most compelling moments yet.

Part two, consisting of eight remixes and remakes, suffers a little under the weight of three versions of both ‘Verdens Største Land’ and ‘Fot I Hose’ – even though they’re quite different – plus a trivial Casiokids cover of James Yuill’s ‘Left Handed Girl’ (here ‘Hun Er Min Venstre Hånd’). That said, greatness is found in the lush Velferd remix of ‘Verdens Største Land’, Captain Credible’s insane 8-bit version of ‘Fot I Hose’ and Lo-Fi-Fnk’s club-ready extension of the same, and not least the Kids’ remake of Familjen’s ‘Det Snurrar I Min Skalle’.

Last year Casiokids played 170 gigs in 18 countries leaving little time for playing around in the studio, but now they’ve begun recording a new album, slated for release in the fall – an album I guess would be safe to label the proper album followup to their 2006 debut ‘Fuck MIDI!’. Really looking forward to that and till then I’ll please myself with ‘Topp Stemning På Lokal Bar’ (don’t worry, not like that).

Genre: Poptronica
Who: Casiokids
Album: Topp Stemning På Lokal Bar
Label: A:larm Music
Year: 2010
Country: Norway
Language: Norwegian
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Recommended tracks (disc 1):
Grønt Lys I Alle Led – Verdens Største Land – Fot I Hose – Finn Bikkjen

Recommended tracks (disc 2):
Verdens Største Land (Velferd Remix) – Fot I Hose (Captain Credible Remix) – Det Snurrer (Casiokids Remake) – Fot I Hose (LFF Extension)