Club Romantech

Club Romantech (consisting Caroline Hjelt and Aino Jawo) is the third studio album by Swedish synth-pop duo Icona Pop. It was released on 1 September 2023 through Swedish independent record label TEN Music Group and Ultra. The album marks the duo's first studio release in ten years.^[2]

Club Romantech
Studio album by Icona Pop
Released	1 September 2023 (2023-09-01)
Genre	Synth-pop[1] disco[1] EDM[1]
Length	40:36
Label	TEN Ultra
Producer	Bloodshy John "J-C" Carr Bill Coleman Joel Corry Nick Henriques Jon Hume Icona Pop Enzo Ingrosso Henrik Jonback Misha K Mark Ralph Rain Radio Carl Rydén TimFromTheHouse Ultra Naté Jacob Werner Yaro Vitali Zestovskih
Icona Pop chronology
Så mycket bättre 2017 – Tolkningarna (2017) Club Romantech (2023)
Singles from Club Romantech
"Feels in My Body" Released: 7 August 2020 "Spa" Released: 16 October 2020 "Off of My Mind" Released: 9 July 2021 "You're Free" Released: 16 June 2022 "I Want You" Released: 17 February 2023 "Faster" Released: 31 March 2023 "Shit We Do for Love" Released: 5 May 2023 "Where Do We Go from Here" Released: 23 June 2023 "Desire" Released: 14 July 2023 "Fall in Love" Released: 18 August 2023

Background

Work on the album started in 2020, when the duo was forced to sell their Los Angeles home and had to relocate back to Stockholm to quarantine. They eventually found themselves in the "quietest period" they had ever experienced in their career. However, they still wanted to create music that was "more up-tempo".^[3] Hjelt stated that the writing process had no rules. The intention was to share their vision with the fans, "inviting them" into their world. Jawo added that the duo loves to put their problems concerning "heartbreaks and sadness" in danceable "uplifting" songs.^[4]

On 23 June 2023, the duo announced the album through their social media and shared the album cover.^[5] The announcement also saw the release of the single "Where Do We Go from Here", one of the first songs written for the album in fall 2020.^[6] The album will include a set of singles released since 2020: "Feels in My Body", "Spa", "Off of My Mind", "You're Free", "I Want You", "Faster" and "Shit We Do for Love".^[7]

On 1 December 2023, the deluxe version of the album was released.

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	75/100[8]
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[9]
DIY	[10]
The Observer	[11]
PopMatters	7/10[12]
The Telegraph	[13]

Club Romantech received a score of 76 out of 100 on review aggregator Metacritic based on four critics' reviews, indicating "generally favorable" reception.^[8]

Track listing

Club Romantech track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Fall in Love"	Caroline Hjelt Aino Jawo Victoria Alkin Emelie Eriksson Louice Leveau Yaroslav Polikarpov Philip Strand	Yaro Mark Ralph[c]	2:23
2.	"Desire" (with Joel Corry and Rain Radio)	Hjelt Jawo Carla Monroe Rain Radio Amber Van Day Josh Wilkinson	Icona Pop Joel Corry Rain Radio	2:39
3.	"Shit We Do for Love" (with Yaeger)	Hjelt Jawo Elizabeth Lowell Boland Enzo Ingrosso Hanna Jäger Polikarpov Strand	Yaro Enzo Ingrosso[c]	2:47
4.	"Stick Your Tongue Out"	Hjelt Jawo Aluna Francis Tim Nelson	Yaro TimFromTheHouse[c]	2:47
5.	"Make Your Mind Up Babe"	Hjelt Jawo Eriksson Polikarpov Lise Reppe	Yaro	2:11
6.	"Stockholm at Night"	Hjelt Jawo Eriksson Polikarpov Reppe	Yaro	3:02
7.	"Where Do We Go from Here"	Hjelt Jawo Polikarpov Robin Sherpa Strand	Yaro	2:48
8.	"I Want You" (with Galantis)	Hjelt Jawo Christian Karlsson Lawrie Martin Raphaella Mazaheri-Asadi Carl Rydén	Bloodshy Henrik Jonback Misha K Carl Rydén	2:26
9.	"Loving You Ain't Easy"	Hjelt Jawo Eriksson Polikarpov Strand	Yaro	2:34
10.	"Need You"	Hjelt Jawo Eriksson Polikarpov Strand	Yaro	2:30
11.	"Off of My Mind" (with Vize)	Hjelt Jawo Mark Becker Polikarpov Sarah Alison Solovay Alexander Tidebrink Vitali Zestovskih	Yaro Vitali Zestovskih[c]	2:44
12.	"Faster"	Hjelt Jawo Polikarpov	Yaro	3:00
13.	"You're Free" (with Ultra Naté)	Hjelt Jawo John Ciafone Emelie Eriksson Polikarpov Lem Springsteen Strand Ultra Naté Wyche	Yaro Icona Pop[c] Ultra Naté[c] John "J-C" Carr[c] Bill Coleman[c] Jacob Werner[c] Danny Madden[c]	2:47
14.	"Feels in My Body"	Hjelt Jawo Milan D'Agostini Nick Henriques Joe Janiak Solovay	Yaro Nick Henriques[c] Anton Hård[v]	2:39
15.	"Spa" (with Sofi Tukker)	Hjelt Jawo Jon Hume Tucker Halpern Sophie Hawley-Weld	Jon Hume	3:19
Total length:				40:36

Club Romantech (Deluxe) track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
16.	"Tears on the Dance Floor"	Hjelt Jawo Andrew Jackson Duck Blackwell	Yaro Daniël Löfgren Robin Sherpa	2:41
17.	"Freak"	Hjelt Jawo Oskar Rindborg Wilhelm Börjesson	Yaro Osrin	2:26
18.	"Stick Your Tongue Out" (Karma Fields Original Edit)	Hjelt Jawo Francis Nelson	Yaro TimFromTheHouse[c]	4:35
19.	"Shit We Do for Love" (Vize Dunk Remix)	Hjelt Jawo Boland Ingrosso Jäger Polikarpov Strand	Yaro Enzo Ingrosso[c]	2:36
20.	"Fall In Love" (Icona Pop DJ Edit)	Hjelt Jawo Alkin Eriksson Leveau Polikarpov Strand	Icona Pop Yaro Mark Ralph[c] Robin Sherpa Daniël Löfgren	3:16
21.	"Shit We Do for Love" (original demo)	Hjelt Jawo Boland Ingrosso Jäger Polikarpov Strand	Yaro Enzo Ingrosso[c]	2:59
Total length:				59:21

Notes

• ^{^[c]} signifies a co-producer
• ^{^[v]} signifies a vocal producer

Personnel

Icona Pop

• Caroline Hjelt – vocals (tracks 1–10, 12–15)
• Aino Jawo – vocals (1–10, 12–15)

Additional musicians

• Lise Reppe – background vocals (5, 6)
• Philip Strand – background vocals (7)
• Yaroslav Polikarpov – vocals (11)
• Audrey Wheeler – background vocals (13)
• Cindy Mizelle – background vocals (13)
• Keith Fluitt – background vocals (13)
• Ultra Naté – vocals (13)
• Sophie Hawley-Weld – vocals (15)
• Tucker Halpern – vocals (15)

Technical

• Cass Irvine – mastering (1–10, 12, 13)
• Samuel Wills – mastering, mixing (11)
• Aria Mastering – mastering (13)
• Colin Leonard – mastering (14)
• Kevin Grainger – mastering (15)
• Mark Ralph – mixing (1)
• Miles Walker – mixing (3–10, 12–15)
• Jacob Werner – mixing (11), engineering (1, 3, 6, 9, 13), vocal engineering (8)
• Philip Strand – engineering (4, 5), vocal engineering (7)
• Yaro – engineering (5, 6, 10, 12)
• Davie Darlington – engineering (13)
• Ultra Naté – engineering (13)
• Ryan Summer – vocal engineering (7)
• Ryan Jumper – engineering assistance (15)

References

1. "Icona Pop – Club Romantech: Review". The Weekly Coos. 8 September 2023.
2. Spanos, Brittany (23 June 2023). "Icona Pop Announce First Album in 10 Years, 'Club Romantech'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 23 June 2023.
3. Major, Michael (23 June 2023). "Icona Pop Share Title & Tracklist for Second Studio Album 'Club Romantech'". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 23 June 2023.
4. Strauss, Matthew (23 June 2023). "Icona Pop Detail First Album in 10 Years, Share New Song: Listen". Pitchfork. Retrieved 23 June 2023.
5. O'Neill, Claire (23 June 2023). "Announcing Club Romantech, Icona Pop drops ' Where Do We Go From Here'". Hot Press. Retrieved 23 June 2023.
6. Richardson-Dupuis, Emilie (23 June 2023). "Icona Pop Announce New Album 'Romantech,' Share Song". Exclaim!. Retrieved 23 June 2023.
7. Hatfield, Amanda (23 June 2023). "Icona Pop announce new LP, share "Where Do We Go From Here"". BrooklynVegan. Retrieved 23 June 2023.
8. "Club Romantech by Icona Pop". Metacritic. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
9. Phares, Heather. "Icona Pop - Club Romantech Album Reviews, Songs & More". AllMusic. RhythmOne. Archived from the original on 9 September 2023. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
10. Robinson, Otis (30 August 2023). "Icona Pop - Club Romantech review". DIY. Archived from the original on 3 September 2023. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
11. Kalia, Ammar (3 September 2023). "Icona Pop: Club Romantech review – Swedish duo get edgier on first album in years". The Observer. Guardian Media Group. Archived from the original on 8 September 2023. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
12. Sobsey, Adam (6 September 2023). "Icona Pop Return After Ten Years with 'Club Romantech'". PopMatters. Archived from the original on 8 September 2023. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
13. Seal, Jordana (1 September 2023). "Royal Blood battle their demons – the week's best albums". The Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group. Archived from the original on 2 September 2023. Retrieved 9 September 2023.