6/10

Since their last studio album 'Happy To You' back in 2012, the members of Miike Snow have been writing and collaborating with a whole host of other artists. And while their experiences of writing for major pop acts is no secret, the influences of those collaborations has seemed to make an impression on their own sound as 'III' is far more on the popular commercial side than we have seen them in the past.

While they have always nodded to the mainstream sound, their flair came from a distinct distance from it as well. It was pop, but pop that was cool to like. But with 'III', they have blurred those lines and the result is a very mixed affair. Opting for a much glossier production, this new release sees them as a hybrid of experimentation and mass appeal. While the old Miike Snow still has its moments, much of this record seems to what to attract a different audience entirely, and makes for a sometimes confusing release.

It still holds up as a fun piece of Scandinavian pop, but has trouble keeping itself on the right track. Singles like 'Genghis Khan' and 'The Heart Of Me' best display this new direction, whereas the rest seems very misplaced throughout.