Mikhael Paskalev: What’s Life Without Losers
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Mikhael Paskalev: What’s Life Without Losers

As a massive fan of Mikhael Paskalev, I was super excited to see his debut Australian album release of What’s Life Without Losers released last Friday. For most, the part-Norwegian part-Bulgarian indie-folk popstar is known for his incredibly catchy and short tune ‘I Spy’, which featured in the Kellogg’s LCM bar ad where the kid gets overly super excited about the LCM bar being in their lunchbox. I only mention this because that is how I feel every time I hear Paskalev’s intensely different vocals. And that just works with the old-styled guitar riffs, written by Paskalev’s best friend and lead guitarist Joe Willis, who even ended up producing the album after deciding that paying big money for fancy producers and recording studios weren’t for him.
‘What’s Life Without Losers’ is the first track and is just catchy as hell – like most of the tracks. ‘Jive Babe’ is a light version of garage grunge; high energy weird vocals and an impressive 23-second hand clap at super fast speeds. Paskalev’s fifth track, ‘Woman’, is basically a soothing lullaby that eventually builds up, showing off his softer side. It features additional vocals from Billie Van, who has just released a single of her own in Norway. ‘Susie’ is something else; showing off Paskalev’s impressive guitar skills in this upbeat folk beat written about a girl who lived on a farm.
Even once you have gone through all of these other songs that just have an effect on you that make you want to get up and dance, there is still ‘I Spy’ with a Risky Business-inspired music video which is just as good as the track itself – with a dancing bassline, a guitar solo that makes your heart throb and sweet addition of harmonica.
The sky is the limit for the cheeky Scandinavian’s debut Australian release.
Release: out now via Pretty Boy Floyd Records
Written by Oliver Friend