Prickly synths and ardent vocals kick off “Row”, with the bridge at 00:40 suggesting the imminence of a grandiose chorus that arrives successfully. Salóme, an Icelandic-based indie-pop singer/songwriter who started violin at age four and holds a Masters Degree in music, works and tours as a performing artist, combining her classical background with a modern pop style that holds importance on both consuming soundscapes and immediately soulful hooks. While “Row” may lack an ambitious structure typical of more classical-leaning material, it shows an enjoyable predictability in being an amiable pop effort. The string involvement is minimal here, though certainly shows that Salóme can succeed even without her bread and butter instrument of choice. The backing vocal “woops” and overall melody provides for an engaging effort.
