JJ

"My Life"

by K. Ross Hoffman

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It's hardly the most representative moment on JJ N° 3 — the downshifted sophomore outing (N° 1 was a single) from these often sophomorically inscrutable Swedes — but there's something hauntingly resonant about this cover (of a 2008 single by The Game) that makes it more than just a jokey album-opening WTF keeping us from the blissy electronic indie-pop that rounds out the disc. Continuing with their Lil Wayne fascination (exhibit A: the "Lollipop"-sampling N° 2 standout "Ecstasy"), JJ strips Weezy's auto-tuned chorus down to nothing but brooding piano and Elin Kastlander's laconic, reverbed dream of an alto, zeroing in on the bluesy pathos — and it's legitimately chilling. Of course, in the final seconds, they just had to throw in a tease of ATC's circa-2000 bubble-house hit "Around the World (La La La La La)" and trick us into thinking it was an impishly ironic bastard-pop gag all along. Spoilsports.