NOTD (pronounced “noted”), a Swedish production duo, has released their latest EP Digital Notes, which consists of six jam-packed songs that are simultaneously upbeat and chill, taking you on a smooth, electronic flight.

I’ve seen them in concert three times now, in three different cities: DC in 2023, NYC in 2024, and Chicago just a day after Digital Notes’s release. And each subsequent time, as their discography has steadily grown and their following and influences have broadened, they’ve been able to showcase growth in mixing and capturing a variety of feelings and atmospheres.

This time, Digital Notes takes you to a hopeless romantic, 2000s-esque digital world.

In “Another Life”, you can hear the soft pops fading in as they commence the journey. Then a raspy but calm voice allures and delights as it hovers over a rapid synth beat. The relentless chorus takes you into a ride as Winona Oak’s pitched voice pleads that this moment is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. And the hi-hat sounds let in another breath of fresh air.

“Lover Online” is a track that utilizes looped altered vocals as a background instrument — bringing an ethereal feeling to the verses. In the chorus, those vocals transform into echoes, subsiding as the drop hits. “I’ll just move on to the next in line,” Maia sings, showcasing that while dating online has its drawbacks, it at least opens options.

A slower, tender intro is how “Crash” lures you in. But then the deepening vocals also bring a deepening beat, as if a crash just happened. “If I’m losing this battle least I know I’m not in control” shows that this is one of the best accidents to occur. It’s not about a plan going sideways — it’s about letting loose.

My favorite on the EP and co-written by SHY Martin, “I Just Missed A Call” is almost the opposite of “Lover Online”, since this is about Hilda ignoring her phone for the person grabbing her attention in person. Maybe this event shouldn’t be a major deal, but at least she’s enjoying her time for now and can return the call later. As long as the lover doesn’t have regrets, then she won’t either.

The harder track of the EP, “Bruce Wayne” is a feel-good house anthem of wanting to be with someone heroic and notable, while in turn being the one no one knows much about. “Baby let’s dance/Done with conversation” is a sign that this night doesn’t have to mean much, even if the person does. The distortion at the end of the song lumps this temporal feeling into a singular drifting.

“WIFI” starts with a dial sound, and this is about not being able to find anyone who will truly be interested for something substantial, beautiful, and ideally, colorful. So as the chorus comes in, it’s clear that the song title has a double meaning, explaining its all-caps formatting. Luckily for listeners, you’re in for a treat with the bubbly beat, so it’s hard to feel sad despite the more bitter lyricism.

I hope you find a track that you enjoy in this succinct dance-pop body of work. I look forward the future of NOTD’s releases, especially as methods of romantic gestures continue to evolve.

NOTD (pronounced “noted”), a Swedish production duo, has released their latest EP Digital Notes, which consists of six jam-packed songs that are simultaneously upbeat and chill, taking you on a smooth, electronic flight.

I’ve seen them in concert three times now, in three different cities: DC in 2023, NYC in 2024, and Chicago just a day after Digital Notes’s release. And each subsequent time, as their discography has steadily grown and their following and influences have broadened, they’ve been able to showcase growth in mixing and capturing a variety of feelings and atmospheres.

This time, Digital Notes takes you to a hopeless romantic, 2000s-esque digital world.

In “Another Life”, you can hear the soft pops fading in as they commence the journey. Then a raspy but calm voice allures and delights as it hovers over a rapid synth beat. The relentless chorus takes you into a ride as Winona Oak’s pitched voice pleads that this moment is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. And the hi-hat sounds let in another breath of fresh air.

“Lover Online” is a track that utilizes looped altered vocals as a background instrument — bringing an ethereal feeling to the verses. In the chorus, those vocals transform into echoes, subsiding as the drop hits. “I’ll just move on to the next in line,” Maia sings, showcasing that while dating online has its drawbacks, it at least opens options.

A slower, tender intro is how “Crash” lures you in. But then the deepening vocals also bring a deepening beat, as if a crash just happened. “If I’m losing this battle least I know I’m not in control” shows that this is one of the best accidents to occur. It’s not about a plan going sideways — it’s about letting loose.

My favorite on the EP and co-written by SHY Martin, “I Just Missed A Call” is almost the opposite of “Lover Online”, since this is about Hilda ignoring her phone for the person grabbing her attention in person. Maybe this event shouldn’t be a major deal, but at least she’s enjoying her time for now and can return the call later. As long as the lover doesn’t have regrets, then she won’t either.

The harder track of the EP, “Bruce Wayne” is a feel-good house anthem of wanting to be with someone heroic and notable, while in turn being the one no one knows much about. “Baby let’s dance/Done with conversation” is a sign that this night doesn’t have to mean much, even if the person does. The distortion at the end of the song lumps this temporal feeling into a singular drifting.

“WIFI” starts with a dial sound, and this is about not being able to find anyone who will truly be interested for something substantial, beautiful, and ideally, colorful. So as the chorus comes in, it’s clear that the song title has a double meaning, explaining its all-caps formatting. Luckily for listeners, you’re in for a treat with the bubbly beat, so it’s hard to feel sad despite the more bitter lyricism.

I hope you find a track that you enjoy in this succinct dance-pop body of work. I look forward the future of NOTD’s releases, especially as methods of romantic gestures continue to evolve.