I'm feeling a little like Noah at this moment in time...as the artists they come in two by two. Yes last time round we took the opportunity to check out a duo by the name of DRINSIPA and without beating around the bush, I would have set fire to that bush, dug up the roots then cemented it over. It wasn't good...so I approach this next duo with more than a little trepidation. Let me introduce to you JOHNOSSI. Hailing from Saltsjöbaden, (Stockholm county, Sweden) the pair consisting of guitarist/vocalist John Englebert and percussionist Oskar "Ossi" Bonde are a massive draw in their home country...platinum selling artists, P3 Gold awards (Sweden's answer to BBC Radio 1)...they've played to thousands in outdoor venues and even supported GREENDAY. This sounds much more promising! The duo are set to release their newest EP "Air Is Free" via Polydor Records no less...let's breathe it in...

We open up with the title track and we've got...horns? Not Ronnie James Dio all hail the devil horns...no...actual brass horns. There's a blues-inspired vibe to this, there are Western elements, choir vocals...the level of crossover indie-pop here is unbelievable but instead of being a complete mess it sounds absolutely HUGE, all credit to them. There is such a positive tone to this track delivered through apparent antonyms thematically...it's a song about defiance, independence...asserting yourself and living YOUR life how you want to, backed up by a superb music video, it's one giant, happy middle finger and is nothing less than a modern indie-anthem; a brilliant start.

"Weak Spots" changes things up with a far more rock-driven number; the guitar is turned up and in it's own little ways it slots in somewhere between JOAN JETT and THE BEATSTEAKS in it's overall delivery. The riff is simple and generally the song has a slower tempo; it retains some of the subtle blues elements in tone but for the most part would appeal to fans of the likes of THE BLACK KEYS for example, before we shift gears once more for "Alone In The Summer". In three tracks, Johnossi have the ability to go from huge pop-rock anthems, to musically heavier pieces to beautifully painful ballads with ease. It's slow and deliberate delivery, it's heartfelt lyrical content and sorrowful performance is both mournful and breathtaking at the same time and this is a superb track from the Swede's, an easy EP highlight, while we then finish up on a remix of the title track. It's a funky rendition but fails to portray the same message as the original, detracting from it's overall appeal.

​So what can be said about Johnossi? Between them, they have produced a brilliantly diverse EP only in the space of four tracks, despite being so basic at a core level as a band if you will, they have the confidence and ability to alter their sound to great effect in terms of style and approach but more importantly impress each time. The "Air Is Free" really should be as essential to your ears as the oxygen you inhale is to your lungs...one of the EP's of the year. [8]

Over the past couple of years, the idea of what a "band" is has pretty much been blown wide open...gone are the days where you have your typical 4-party line-up of singer, drummer, guitarist and bassist...you can pretty much find any number of combinations these days but an ever growing trend is the duo. THE WHITE STRIPES found huge success over the course of their career before separating, and recently ROYAL BLOOD have found themselves lapping up critical acclaim...and other bands are following suit; DRENGE, THE DOLOMITE MINOR...there are plenty more...so it's no surprise to find another pair of rockers popping up like lost meerkat's in a mosh-pit. Let me introduce you to DRINSIPA. Hailing from Northampton and consisting of guitarist/vocalist Ben and drummer Josh, they have just released their debut album "42"...one for sorrow, two for joy? Let's find out.

Before we even listen to a single note...I have to point out the album art work; it is hideous. It literally looks like a ball-point pen drawing, poorly cut out and stuck on some shiny gift-wrapping paper, with a piece of masking tape stuck on it saying "42"...seriously its awful...it's like something Neil Buchanan shat out of an arts and crafts nightmare after listening to the GORILLAZ. I know you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover...so I'll hope this is simply an issue regarding the budget, it's the music that counts, lets hope that's where the money went.

We open up with "Tro"...or intro basically, its as though the band think they are being edgy, it's the intro guys, its tro bro, get with the times...and for a little over a minute we are subject to a barrage of sludgy riffs, it's more or less looped and while simplistic you get an idea of the approach these guys take. First song proper, "Lynched" showcases more of the above style but with more structure, musically I mean. It's heavy in the sense that it's grunge-inspired, there's a rough around the edges style the guys use to the point that, distortion is almost the third band member, really boosting the content here. There are elements of Royal Blood as there are hints of artists like ZICO CHAIN...it's quite weighty and borders on stoner rock.

The title track is very much more of the same...and I mean there is very little difference here to create a talking point. It could easily be a continuation of the track before it and few would notice the difference. "Widdly Woo"...what? That name is nearly as bad as the artwork. Honestly now...if the band are having a laugh it's at their own expense and not yours...another riff-heavy offering, more visceral vocals but it just plods along for the most part, it's like they are glued to a formula and it's quite uninspiring. This goes for other tracks too, like "This Song Is Filler, Pt. 2"...filler? I can think of something else to call it and far less polite..."The Weather", which at 10 seconds, is as worthwhile as it is long; aka it's not.

The album isn't entirely a lost cause however..."Third Eye" is a sharp dose of hard hitting dirty rock, it's got more rhythm behind it and gives everything an enjoyable and frankly much needed boost, while "Worry" and "Take 1" are probably the pairs most solid offerings of the entire album. The riffs  are strong, there's elements of QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE layered within the tracks and despite falling into old habits at points, they finish the album on a more positive note. Ultimately...Drinsipa for all intents and purposes have looked at Drenge and Royal Blood and thought, we can do that too! And to an extent, they have...they are very obviously making very stripped back, very raw, very minimalist rock music...but they also retain garage-band qualities proving there's more to this than just picking up an instrument and repeating your way through some riffs with some growling vocals. There's potential here but, right now they are more white noise than white stripes. [3]