They’re the Danish duo that closed out semi-final two of Eurovision 2021 with some nostalgic 80’s charm. And although Fyr Og Flamme might not have secured Denmark a place in the grand final, they still won over the hearts of many Eurovision fans. Now, the duo comprised of Jesper Groth and Laurits Emanuel are keeping the 80’s vibes going with the release of their self-titled debut album Fyr Og Flamme.
The album consists of ten tracks, with their Eurovision entry, “Øve os på hinanden”, the penultimate one on the list. Fyr Og Flamme’s three other previous singles – “Menneskeforbruger”, “Kamæleon”, and “Kæreste” – are also found on the LP. This means we have six brand new and fresh tracks to feast on.
All the songs on the album are sung in Danish, Fyr Og Flamme’s native language. And just like their Eurovision entry, all ten songs are inspired by the decade of blow-dried hair and shoulder pads. So much in fact, that if one didn’t know better, one might think this album was released in 1986 instead of 2021.
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Danish tribute to the ’80s
Fyr Og Flamme is the perfect album for those who want a trip down memory lane and to return to this flamboyant decade.
The album opens with “Hemmelighed” (“Secret”), a rather typical ’80s-inspired pop song with prominent sounds of synths and drum machines. Although this theme continues through the rest of the album, the track listing gives the listener a chance to see the variety of music Fyr Og flamme has produced. All of the songs are unmistakably meant to sound ’80s-esque, but it’s not just one element of the decade’s pop music style that the listener is gifted.
We’re given some tempo variations in the first half thanks to mid-tempo synth-pop songs like “Menneskeforbruger” and “112”.
Then we get the ’80s ballad “Ved Godt Det Var Mig Der Tog Fejl” (“I know it was me who made mistakes”). A melancholic song, it’s about someone taking responsibility for the mess a certain relationship, possibly a rocky one, has become. Jesper sings, “Believe me when I say / This time it was my fault”.
“Dansemusik” follows on from this and brings the mood back up. Bringing the vibes of an ’80s dance-movie anthem, the listener could have a hard time resisting the urge to bust out some moves of their own while listening to it. The title of the song is very appropriate as it translates simply to “Dance music” and the lyrics are an ode to the decade’s dance music, with Jesper starting the song by singing, “Modern music doesn’t turn me on / It’s probably impressive, but I don’t get it”. He continues by quoting both Eurovision 1987 winner Johnny Logan and Birthe Kjær – Denmark’s representative in 1989 – then proceeds to sing, “I rather want something with a little tempo / And if the key changes, I’m filled with energy”. This is a solid reference to Eurovision in general, as one of the key elements of a typical Eurovision song is the key change.
The album finally closes out with the pop ballad “Dine øjne”.
Fyr Og Flamme – Fyr Og Flamme
Melancholic happiness – A musical Nordic noir
Lyrically, most of the songs are of a melancholic nature with love and relationships being the big theme. Unrequited love seems to be the most prominent theme as many of the songs’ lyrics tell the story of a person who has feeling for someone, but sadly this other person isn’t quite as smitten in return.
For example, in “Hemmelighed”, Jesper sings, “Now tell me if you like me, you could stay here / Only tonight / No one will know you are here […] It will be our secret”.
In “Kamæleon”, Jesper starts the chorus with “Who do you think you’ll be for me / When you never call”.
And in “Menneskeforbruger”, Jesper sings, “The night has seen many of its children / Go home with the wrong person / When I left with you / I became one of them”.
Despite the melancholic theme, it’s hard for the listener to feel anything other than light hearted while listening to the album. Jesper and Laurits’ love for the ’80s, and music in general, is evident and flows through the album track by track. All in all, Fyr Og Flamme is a little ray of sunshine and a great tool to forget about the current state of the world for a moment.
What do you make of Fyr Og Flamme’s debut album? Are you enjoying their ’80s style? Let us know in the comments below!
I love them !
Good story, but the danish was badly translated ngl….
When I heard Fyr og Flamme had released an album, I clicked immediately! Their song was one of my favourites of this year and it was really disappointing when they didn’t make the final. They’re just so sincere and wholesome (and cute too!).
Though I did decide to put the whole album on my 80s music playlist, lol.
It’s a really good album! So happy I discovered them 🙂
Laurits’ iconic American flag is so wholesome!
Love iT