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Music Review: “Carnival Flower” by Molotov Jukebox

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Carnival Flower is the debut album by the London-based group Molotov Jukebox. It follows the release of two critically acclaimed EPs titled Bang and Double Dare. They successfully blend differing genres of music such as ska, reggae, pop and samba. Of course, Harry Potter fans worldwide will know lead singer Natalia Tena for playing the role of Nymphadora Tonks in the Harry Potter films.

On first listen, I am very much impressed. The album opens with the track Tread Softly, where Natalia’s exotic vocals blend nicely with the various instruments such as the trumpet and the accordion. The lead single, Neon Lights, is an immediate stand out for it’s strong chorus and the use of electronic sounds mixed together with the organic sounding instruments to give the song a nice texture. SexFoot is another stand out track, which features a strong chorus; it actually starts off rather quiet and eerie before building to a crescendo of different sounds and evoking a carnival atmosphere. Natalia sings the entirety of Niña in Spanish, and I particularly found the use of a harp to be effective. The final track on the album, Trying, is again an excellent showcase for Natalia’s sultry vocals and the carnival feel was embodied greatly here. The album contains something for everyone, from slow mid-tempo songs such as Punchlines to fast paced uptempo tracks full of energy such as Tropical BadBoy. Molotov Jukebox have created an enjoyable body of work which perfectly encapsulates their many unique flavors and one which they should be proud of.

Overall, I think that this album is a great introduction to Molotov Jukebox and it has got me intrigued to hear what they will come up with next.

You can listen to more of Molotov Jukebox’s music on their official SoundCloud page.

Molotov Jukebox will be touring the UK in early April. More information on dates & venues, as well as where to buy tickets, can be found on the band’s official Facebook page.

  • April 2 – The Cluny, Newcastle
  • April 3 – Kazimier, Liverpool
  • April 4 – Heaven, London
  • April 5 – Thekla, Bristol
  • April 6 – The Old Market, Brighton

Carnival Flower is now available in the UK, and will be released everywhere else on April 1st, 2014.