Poptarts: Koalia

posted in: Features • Pop • Reviews & Playlists

The OK Go craze swept the nation after the release of their famous treadmill video. But a viral YouTube video can only take you so far. You need to have the look, the attitude and, of course, the sound. Upbeat pop music can take on many forms. This week’s Poptarts pick, Koalia, supports that OK Go aesthetic with an almost Sugar Ray-like flair. Yes, that was a Sugar Ray reference.

The band’s latest single, Radioman, left the whole OurStage office nodding their heads when I played it. With upbeat rhythms, optimistic vocals and a pinch of distortion, what else would you expect ? In fact, if you listen hard enough you can hear the echoes of a ’60s pop-rock song, complete with 3 part harmonies and clear electric guitars. The bottom line: this band creates music synonymous with the term party pop/rock.

Koalia hails from Finland and boasts significant regional notoriety. While the Finnish indie scene isn’t commonly discussed, the band has secured many gigs and collaborations within their local market. Recently, Koalia played gigs in the cities of Oulu and Tempere. In addition to ranking high on OurStage, their music has been featured on local radio station YLEX as well as other online indie radio. Currently, they are working on a video for “Radioman.” Keep an eye out for it, and listen to the song here: