Kerli Releases Long Awaited "Utopia" EP

Oh, Kerli. You are always close to my heart. Kerli has gone from being Goth Princess to Queen of the Raver Kids -- or Moonchildren. She released a couple of singles over the past two years to show her major change of genre, but they were too far apart. It's time for something solid. It's time for "Utopia".

The EP stays right on par with her previously established rave-pop style, giving us all more of what we've been craving. Lead in track and potential new single "Can't Control The Kids" is the hottest of the group of six (seven if you count the remix). That is not to say that the rest of the album isn't solid. Each of the songs is polished, shiny, and ready for radio play. They pulled out all the stops for this entry.

My only real beef with the album is the track "Sugar" which sounds like a leftover song from her debut album which had a much darker tone. The new era of Kerli is all about positivity, keeping her fans uplifted with lyrics and beats alike. "Sugar" is a more sullen track, even if it's lyrics are quite as brooding as those found on "Love Is Dead".

The high point of the work comes at the end. I couldn't ask for a better closing track than "Chemical" which is a beautiful love song explored in a very unconventional way. It aslo is the only ballad on "Utopia", making it stand out moreso. This is the one Kerli song I have to hear live. No exceptions.

One thing that is instantly noticeable is that her big hits "Army of Love" and "Zero Gravity", both of which have no home album, are missing. I guess she wanted to start with a clean slate for this release, but one has to think that having the two tracks, or at least "Zero Gravity", would have bolstered the release even further.

"Utopia" is everything supporters of Kerli could ask for. It manages to also be very accessible to newcomers as well, especially those who like all the different genres of techno. I can honestly say this is among my favorite releases thus far in 2013.

Be sure to preview and buy "Utopia" on iTunes.