We’re running up to the 2012 Contest, all entries for Baku have been chosen and it’s time to take a closer look at what we can expect to see and hear at the end of May. I’m reviewing everything in order of draw: I’ll first give my general thoughts on the countries’ choices, then I’ll subject them to the DIMI test and finally I’ll score them, accompagnied by a predicition of how I think they’ll do in Baku. I’ll be tackling them in pairs & on the menu today: Slovakia & Norway.
15. SLOVAKIA – Don’t close your eyes
When I say I like rock I don’t necessarily mean all kinds of rock and this one fails to excite me: it falls between nu-metal and glamrock and doesn’t bring anything fresh or exciting to the table – even though Max Jason Mai seems to think he’s the new IT-guy (for which he’s far too androgynous, that making out session in the video seems to come straight out of The L Word). It’s just a bunch of noise without a specific idea behind it. Next.
Checkpoint DIMI:
Daft? His hair is.
Intriguing? Never even threatens to be.
Modern? 20 years ago perhaps.
International? In certain circles I suppose. I doubt those will be watching Eurovision though.
Personal score: 4/20 – Prediction: Stuck in the semi
16. NORWAY – Stay
I didn’t follow the Norwegian selection from up close as much as the past couple of years but when I saw this in the final I immediately knew this would walk with it. It’s got it all basically: a confident performer, a pumping base (hello, Benny Benassi?), a clever routine and some ethnic sounds to top it all off. It’s an excellent piece of pop really and musically much stronger than Euphoria in my ears (even though one of the composers, Peter Boström, is behind both of them). It’s got the same problem as Sweden though: how are they going to solve the backings and what impact will that have on the entire performance? As long as they don’t introduce a glass box they’ll be fine (if you catch my drift). But aside from that question Tooji seems one of the two biggest threats (there’s one direct finalist as well for me) to Hurriceen Loreen.
Checkpoint DIMI:
Daft? Nope. It’s delightfully crisp.
Intriguing? It’s very well crafted and keeps you excited for three minutes. So I guess it is.
Modern? Most definitely.
International? Together with Loreen the most potential European hit.
Personal score: 18/20 – Prediction: Final
So, what do you think?
Tomorrow: Bosnia-Herzegovina & Lithuania
Dimivision 
Slovakia: not my cup of tea… too much ego and the song could have been written by Ralf Ziegel 6/20
Norway: Eric Saade goes gay-arab…. I can dig it, but I’m not wowed by it 14/20