The Singles Jukebox

This “Place” was pretty likable also.

[Video][Website]
[6.00]

Crystal Leww: How good was “How Deep Is Your Love?” Well, “How Deep Is Your Love” came out in July 2015, and on Saturday, when Beats 1 was doing a full day worth of mixes from famous producers and DJs, I was still hearing “How Deep Is Your Love” in sets. The Disciples and Calvin Harris put together some great production, but Ina Wroldsen’s voice is something else. She flexes her house vocalist muscle yet again with Martin Solveig, who is doing a great job picking vocal collaborators recently, and the result is captivating. Wroldsen makes the object of her affections sound like an addiction she can’t kick; she sounds miserable and desperate. 2016 was a good year for Extremely Sad, Extremely Banger in EDM, and “Places” is here to take the crown back from Chainsmokers Bro and Justin Bieber for the most heartbreaking and huge.
[9]

Alfred Soto: Oh no no no. You two were doing fine! A serviceable and often striking house track (i.e. the “It’s not me” bit) stops whenever Martin Solveig feels like scratching Ina Wroldsen’s vocal. Blemishes, but not fatal — a worthy companion to “Do It Right.”
[6]

Anthony Easton: Slinky, and low key, with a production that hints at a kind of anaemic disco–once again a song about erotic lack of control, and the desire to be stopped should sound more out of control. I am sad at the lack of commitment.  
[4]

Iain Mew: A surprisingly characterless semi-banger from Martin Solveig, which could probably pass for Calvin Harris on an off day, just about rescued by a very specific performance by Ina Wroldsen. She sings of loss of control from a place of control, and the way that she holds the possibility at such a careful distance gets across its power all the more effectively.
[6]

Megan Harrington: I’m not sure what to make of the lyrics — “when I’m not with you, I’m not in control of what I do” is twisted, right? — and can’t decide if their chipper terror cuts the sweetness of Solveig’s production or undercuts the fun of singing along. 
[5]

Juana Giaimo: For the last couple of years, Martin Solveig developed a kind of extremely skeletal EDM that left behind any trace of emotion. “Intoxicated” as well as “Do It Right” are edgy and move fast because of the voids in between the beat. But, unfortunately, in “Places” he moves towards rather conventional EDM, featuring a singer who was part of one of the biggest EDM tracks. Ina Wroldsen’s voice is too affected for Martin Solveig’s production, which is this time softened by filling those voids with keyboard chords, making this a rather bland track.  
[6]

Adaora Ede: It’s a literal clean sweep–electro sprayed with Lysol and wiped down with disinfecting wipes with a final gloss of window cleaner. Terrible metaphors aside, Solveig keeps the bells-and-whistles to a minimum. I’m more engaged by Wroldsen’s cadence….which is bizarre for such pop fodder? I mean, it’s not like trying to decipher what words Tove Lo’s stringing along to sing about sexy time. The model’s guileless: someone in the Top 40 oriented house scene has discovered the happy medium between The Guy in the Chainsmokers Who Sings’ muttering and MNEK’s must-emote wailing. And! it’s! decent! “Places” feels substantial for simply being there. The Void out there is empty, and this is just enough to fill that very, very big room.
[6]