The voices behind the classic chart-topper ‘I Love It’ (feat. Charli XCX), Icona Pop starts off the year with ‘I Want You’ as they join forces together with fellow hitmaker Galantis.

I Want You’ offers fans the first taste of what’s to come musically from the duo in 2023, as they put the finishing touches on their forthcoming new album. As civilization slipped into lockdown Caroline and Aino left Los Angeles and returned to Stockholm to quarantine. Soon after, they found themselves back in the studio “where it all started.” Conjuring a sweet sentiment of nostalgia, it also pushed them to re-engage with their electronic and alternative roots, but this time from an evolved perspective with years of experience behind them both as proven performers and accomplished chart-topping songwriters.

“We got back to what we love,” Aino affirms. “It was the quietest period we’ve experienced in ten-plus years, so it’s crazy we made such danceable music. We felt the need to do something more up-tempo.”

As artists that have pretty much shaped entire eras with just one track of theirs, I have high hopes for this collaboration, specifically also with ‘Runaway (U & I)’ by Galantis. Here are my thoughts on the brand-new single.

It’s a harmonious blend made up of what makes these different artists themselves, what we love them for—it’s a beautiful marriage of their unique characteristics that complement each other sonically. For Icona Pop, it’s their powerful and awe-inspiring vocals that are perfect for a club anthem. It’s a return to form harking back to their 2013 full-length debut, ‘This Is… Icona Pop’ where you just can’t help but sing along to every single one of their tracks regardless of how emotional and out of control you seem. This brand-new single harnesses this very strength and supplements it with a rousing up-tempo beat that is spiced up with Galantis’ signature and recognizable sound.

That being said, for a track that serves as a first taste of what’s to come, it leaves much to be desired and falls flat in comparison to what the two have previously released in the past years.

We can expect lyricism from any Icona Pop song to be relatively straightforward given the scope of their music; it’s for the club after all—so criticism will lie primarily on their delivery. There’s something about their previous tracks, specifically ‘I Love It’ (feat. Charli XCX) and ‘All Night’. It’s emotional, raw, and unapologetic—they don’t hold back in singing these as if they were singing along to a song playing on the radio on a car ride leading to nowhere—they scream, shout, and sing at the top of their lungs without giving a single fuck. Contrasting with ‘I Want You’, it’s held back and reserved, with their intensity and energy, not even coming close to what we know they can give.

As for the instrumental, it’s simply basic, one can argue, uninspired. We know Galantis can make hit songs using the simplest of melodies with the most powerful and unique combination of sounds, or the most complex ones for a catchy and groovy product—they’ve done it before—this track does neither.

It’s a fairly decent listen, just average. A collaboration between two artists of such caliber should amount to more. ‘I Want You’ sounds like a quick one-off, the utilization of a proven and tested sound and song structure without giving much thought and effort to the creation of a worthwhile track.

Last year, Icona Pop graced clubs worldwide with the irresistible ‘You’re Free’ joined by legendary singer, songwriter, DJ, and producer Ultra Naté, paying homage to the 1997 Billboard’s Dance Club Songs Chart #1 hit ‘Free.’ Preceding the release of ‘You’re Free’ was the 10-year anniversary of the duo’s hit single, ‘I Love It’ (feat. Charli XCX); commemorated with a reimagining of the track by Caroline and Aino, alongside producers Osrin and Ellis. Listen to ‘I Love It (I Don’t Care 2022 Re-Edit)’.

Stay tuned for more exciting announcements from Icona Pop coming very soon. ‘I Want You’ with Galantis is available everywhere now.