Don't Know What's Cool Anymore


Don't Know What's Cool Anymore is the fourth studio album by Danish band Alphabeat, their first since 2012's Express Non-Stop. It was released on 1 November 2019 by Warner Music Denmark and is distributed by Absolute Label Services in the UK and Atlantic Records in the US.

Background and promotion

Singles

After a 6 year hiatus, Alphabeat announced their return on 1 March 2019 with the single "Shadows". At the same time, they announced plans for a fourth studio album, citing a release window of October 2019. "Shadows" has since reached number 19 in the Danish Singles Charts.
An EP of "Shadows" remixes was released on 24 May, containing reworkings by Alphalove, F9, Until Dawn and Country Club Martini Crew. An acoustic recording of the track was released 14 June, followed by a UK radio edit of the single on 10 September, mixed by "Fascination" and "10,000 Nights" producer Jeremy Wheatley. On October 16, the UK edit was added to the BBC Radio 2 playlist.
On 30 August 2019, the band released the album's second single, "I Don't Know What's Cool Anymore". Alongside this, they announced the album itself with an expected release date of 1 November 2019. A music video for "I Don't Know What's Cool Anymore" followed on 24 September.
On 25 October, a second remix EP was released for the single "I Don't Know What's Cool Anymore," containing tracks by :da:Faustix|Faustix, Alphalove and Initial Talk.

Media appearances

In promotion of the album, and its respective singles, Alphabeat have appeared on various radio and television programmes, including performing "Shadows" on both the Danish version of reality series X Factor and British late-night talk show The Graham Norton Show. Vocalists Stine Bramsen and Anders SG have also appeared on Vild Med Dans, the Danish version of dance competition series Dancing with the Stars, singing "I Don't Know What's Cool Anymore".
In the week leading up to the album's release, Bramsen and SG, alongside guitarist Anders Bønlokke, appeared on both BBC Radio Scotland and BBC Radio 2, the latter of which saw them performing acoustic versions of both "Shadows" and "Fascination." The trio also appeared on album review podcast Track By Track, discussing each song from the release with hosts Dan Bull and Will Warren. All six band members also featured on the cover of LGBT magazine QX.
Following the album's release, on 3 November Danish radio station DR P7 Mix dedicated a whole day of programming to the band. The broadcast totaled seven hours and culminated in a live performance of "Don't Know What's Cool Anymore" in full, followed by hits "DJ", "The Spell" and "Fascination."

Touring

The band have also supported the album through various live shows, including performing at SXSW in March 2019 and touring Denmark as part of Grøn Koncert during July 2019. Throughout February 2020 the group will play a series of headline shows in their native country, before touring the United Kingdom during April 2020.

Critical reception

Initial reception to the album has been mostly positive, with celebrity culture website CelebMix calling the record "a non-stop, popular musical masterpiece packed full of intelligent, well-crafted and well-produced perfect pop hits." Music and entertainment website Essentially Pop too praised the record, naming it "a welcome breath of positivity in a worried world," whilst citing opening track "Shadows" as "high energy, fun, and effusive."
OK! gave the album 4/5 stars, claiming the listener "won't be able to help hitting the dancefloor and throwing some old school shapes," whilst New! gave a similarly positive review, claiming the album was "all killer, no filler." Review website Stereoboard too praised the record, noting that the album "heralds a return to the more organic aesthetic of... ‘This Is Alphabeat,’" and calling it a "nine track gem;" the website gave the release a 4/5 star rating.
Music magazine Classic Pop was more critical, however, rating the album 4 stars. The publication praised the band's "timeless radio-friendly euphoria" but panned the short length of the album and the track "Sing a Song." Nordic music fansite Scandipop praised "Sing a Song," however, calling it "brutally honest but tongue-in-cheek," whilst commending the record as a whole for being "wall-to-wall, heart-on-its-sleeve, brilliant, unabashed pop."

Track listing

Personnel

Credits adapted from Discogs listings of Don't Know What's Cool Anymore, unless otherwise cited.
Alphabeat
Additional personnel