Kerli Goes Dance

Estonian singer Kerli rose out of the ashes in 2008 on her debut album, Love is Dead. The album sounded like Evanescence meets Britney Spears and featured such killer songs as "Walking on Air" and "Creepshow." Then the singer released her pop/rock/rap Alice in Wonderland inspired single "Tea Party" and then had two dance singles "Army of Love" and "Zero Gravity." While these songs lacked the rock edge of her great debut, they were still catchy and addictive and held fans over until March when she released her dance-filled EP Utopia.
The EP was proceeded by the single "The Lucky Ones." The song was a fun pop anthem but it lacked the intensity of her debut.
The EP kicks off with "Can't Control the Kids." This song is all about a generation of children controlled by the internet. The song is a dance anthem that has hints of dubstepish sounds. The song is a fun, catchy song that features a throbbing beat as well as a good vocal performance by Kerli.
The next song is the single "The Lucky Ones." The song is a ravetastic number that despite not being anything special will at least get you dancing.
The album then goes into the piano ballad "Love Me or Leave Me." The song is emotional, yet it doesn't pack the same punch that the singer had on her debut album's ballads. The song features lyrics about Kerli falling out of love with her lover.
The next song, "Sugar" is an acoustic guitar filled electropop jam that features sexual lyrics. While Kerli didn't explore the topic of sex on her debut, "Tea Party" was al about getting it on. On "Sugar" Kerli is trying to be sexy and seductive, yet something about it doesn't quite work. Despite this the song is an enjoyable track.
"Here and Now" is the album's best track. The single had a house inspired beat and lyrics about living in the moment. The song is catchy and fun and shows that while Kerli's new direction isn't as good as her older rockier sound, she can still own a song. This song gives hope to those let down by this release.
The album ends on a slow note with "Chemical." This song is better than half the songs on this album. Kerli is opening up her scars on this song and showing her vulnerable side.
The bonus track "The Lucky Ones (Syn Col vs. Kerli)." This remix is an improvement on the album and features a trance beat with piano thrown into the mix.
While this EP is good, it's nowhere near as great as her debut album and sadly Kerli doesn't seem to be showing signs of wanting to return to her previous rocker mode. This EP shows that Kerli is growing and hopefully she can reach her dreams of dance-diva status.