New Music Critique: Riot Child

Under the tutelage of veteran A&R rep Jeff Blue, these Scandinavian electro rock-pop hellions have put together a sampling of tunes that benefit from expert, high-impact production values. On the lurching “Bullet” (“I would take a bullet for you!”) lead singer Amanda Nordelius shows how it should be done, confidently attacking the mic with no apologies and plenty of sass. Her voice, well-mixed amid the ballistic production, echoes with familiar radio-friendly influences, such as Lorde and Tove Lo. “Liar” connects best with us, its big bold beats and stabbing keyboard taking us on a brisk 2:40 thrill-ride that includes a sudden confessional interlude. It’ll be interesting to see how this promising act develops.