While Skott has become associated with icy pop textures through previous releases, such as ‘Lack Of Emotion’, ‘Remain’ and ‘Glitter & Gloss’, the Swedish breakthrough artist looks set to warm up on new EP, Stay Off My Mind, out now. The EP’s title-track is a jaunty number with feel-good pop inflections and a folksy undertone that keeps the listener on their toes, mostly likely because the song “actually changes tempo four times,” as Skott explains. Digging beneath the upbeat single, it may surprise you to learn that ‘Stay Off My Mind’ was born out of the death of the musician’s close friend. “Ultimately it’s a song about missing someone so much that you're almost living more in the past than in the present. It's bittersweet because we can have such fond memories, but life goes on and sometimes having flashbacks can keep you from moving on.” This bold pop song was also influenced by Peter, Bjorn & John, in fact it includes a sample of the group’s immortal hit ‘Young Folks’ that Bjorn lent to Skott as an idea, but it soon became so entwined in the track, that there it stayed. Most of all, ‘Stay Off My Mind’ is a nostalgic vector for recalling the good times and friendship that Skott and her friend, those two young folks, had shared together. Naturally, there are moments of true sadness inflicted by these flashbacks, as we hear in the mellowed verses. However, we’re left with the overriding feeling that all is, or will be, okay. The ice on the cars is melting; life moves on; the memories remain. - HT