Sweden’s savvy threesome, Dirty Loops, is a band that defies definition. No doubt their creative blend of Pop, Jazz, EDM, Funk, and everything in between comes from the trio’s time spent at the prestigious Södra Latin in Stockholm where old friends Jonah Nilsson (vocals/piano), Henrik Linder (bass) and Aron Mellergård (drums) decided to form the group. Well known for their sensational appropriations of Pop songs, they first gained momentum in 2010 with their impressive cover of Lady GaGa’s “Just Dance,” and really took over in 2013 with the Adele hit “Rolling in the Deep.” Proving they are more than just a cover act, Dirty Loops released their debut album full of original tunes, Loopified, in April of 2014 and have been gaining peak chart positions internationally. Setting out to bring their brand of music to North America, the band began a twenty-city tour on October 20th in NYC and arrived Tuesday October 28th at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania’s Theater of the Living Arts.
Listening to Dirty Loops can only be described as listening to all one’s favorite musicians recording their favorite song together. Nilsson boasts an absurd vocal range, comparative to that of Bowie or Mercury, while he manipulates the keys with ease. Linder’s bass solos are as if Marcus Miller were playing at twice the speed, and Mellergård is so precise, one would think he had a built in metronome. The cohesive sound they create together pulled from so many genres is unique and left an audience of over three-hundred awestruck in “The City of Brotherly Love.”
Without the benefit of an opening act the audience immediately were greeted by Dirty Loops with an exciting opening of “Accidentally in Love.” Stimulating the energy in the room quickly, it was not before long everyone was totally in the groove of the music. The vibe really escalated when the band pulled out more of their originals such as “Sayonara Love,” which featured an impressive trade-off of solos. Audience members ranging from a variety of generations could not help but want to dance and it was no surprise that a group with such a range of style attracts such a diverse group of listeners.
The stamina of Nilsson was just amazing as he worked the crowd and owned the stage through tracks like “Die for You” and “The Way She Walks.” Concluding with an encore that featured “Hit Me,” the band did an amazing job of creating a fun-loving atmosphere celebrating with textured soulful music. Dirty Loops are just one of those bands a true music lover should not miss. Their incomparable style and boundless energy is so refreshing and a must needed interjection into the modern Pop music world. While the North American leg of touring wraps up on November 22nd, it is extremely likely listeners will be hearing a lot more from Dirty Loops as they continue to tour around the world.
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