Maddo, Lollypop Lane – Doki Doki

• Pays homage to the famous indie game
• Hard-hitting drop clashing well with the vocal
• Linear pattern, yet with plenty of potential

I don’t know how many of you had the chance of playing the independently published game “Doki Doki Literature Club!“, but avoiding spoilers, it’s safe to remark that it was a crazy experience and in fact turned into an internet meme sensation, a couple of years back.

Somehow, Maddo and Lollypop Lane decided to create a song out of it. Knowing the context and themes, choosing the Happy Hardcore genre might not be the most suitable choice, yet there’s lots of fun here indeed. Lollypop Lane, turns out, is a specialist in this exotic niche with several impressive vocals, while the Irish producer Maddo seems to indulge in all forms of Hardstyle and Hard dance. Their previous collaboration “La Da Dee Da” has a more Hardbass vibe to it and has my recommendation. The way the innocent voice contrasts with the Hardstyle kicks is impressive, to say the least. Sidenote: the label involved here, Hardtype Records, gave me a hard time having almost the exact logo and cover positioning as Hussle Recordings (the one that brought Melbourne Bounce to its peak back in the day).

Anyways, “Doki Doki” acknowledges the video game and proceeds with a fast-strutting breakdown, emphasizing both vocal and the frenzied lead. As said, the magic begins when the drop explodes, creating an entertaining and appealing mismatch between what I consider, pure and innocent, in my naive approach to Lollypop Lane’s vocal and Maddo’s brutal kicks. W&W did something similar in their Happy Hardcore rework of “Moonlight Shadows”, so I guess that this merger works equally effectively. Despite operating on a linear structure in the drop, it’s a dynamic listening experience: the melody remains top-notch, being catchy from the very first instant.

“Doki Doki” centers around an extended groove, but if you are into Internet references and the W&W-type Happy Hardstyle reworks, this deserves your five minutes.

You can listen to “Doki Doki” here:

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