OK Go’s new EP, Upside Out, tells a story of a failing relationship through upbeat, ‘80s-inspired tracks. And strangely enough, it works. 

The EP consists of four songs pulled from the band’s upcoming album, Hungry Ghosts. The album is OK Go’s fourth. 

You may know the band as the makers of the “Here It Goes Again” treadmill music video, but their repertoire extends much farther than creative choreography; though their other music videos boast similar breeds of ingenuity. 

Although OK Go has in the past put out what can be roughly described as alternative rock music, the tracks from Upside Out are an amalgamation of different genres: electronic, disco, indie-pop and alt-rock, to name a few. OK Go has modernized, and the result is much different than what you would expect from the band that made the catchy garage-style “Here It Goes Again.”

In fact, it is surprising that the four songs of the EP fit together so nicely, considering that they are pulled from a larger piece of work. While maintaining their individual distinctions, the songs come together more or less as a whole to tell a story about a relationship on its last legs. 

The first track, “Turn Up the Radio,” sets the tone for the EP. It is decidedly cheery in its musical arrangement and adopts inspiration from current synth-pop hits. The lyrics expose the anxiety of the singer as he repeats that he has to “lose [himself] tonight.” In the end, “Turn Up the Radio” comes off as ambiguously nihilistic in the narrator’s reckless escapism. 

The album title is name-dropped in this track, as it had to be somewhere: “It’s always just inches shy of everything is just right… but how huge that divide, and the hungrier the ghost, the more it opens wide.”

And thus, the narrative of the EP is laid out nicely. The singer seeks to achieve a state of balance and contentedness in his relationship, but the more he strives to do so, the more distance he creates. 

“The Writing’s on the Wall,” the second track of the EP, was chosen as the album’s lead single. It isn’t too hard to see why. The song is catchy and multifaceted, elaborating on how the singer keeps grasping for ideas of pleasure while ignoring the matters at hand. Toward the end, the background music dissolves momentarily into sour notes, marking how his love has faded.

In addition, the accompanying music video for “The Writing’s on the Wall” is as visually captivating and mechanically complex as what listeners have come to expect from the group. 

Both “The Writing’s on the Wall” and “I Won’t Let You Down” are notably ‘80s-inspired. “I Won’t Let You Down” is especially so, with its initial musical hook playing as very Jackson 5-esque. The Disco Force is strong with this one. 

Lastly, with “The One Moment,” the band crosses the line from vaguely nihilistic to explicitly nihilistic. The singer endeavors to stay in this moment and forget the consequences of his actions. He states, “There’s nothing more lovely … than the certainty that all of this will end.” 

The last track of the EP is more reminiscent of current music than the rest of the tracks; it is tense and quiet at times, orchestral at others, and serves as a solid ending for Upside Out. 

On occasion, the lyrics do take away from the upbeat nature of the songs; try not to listen too hard to how the singer’s relationship is falling apart if you intend to use them as dance music. It can be rather sobering. 

Additionally, though the EP works as a cohesive narrative, it could be said that its variety works against it in some aspects. It is interesting to listen to, but doesn’t flow from one track to the next as easily as it could. However, this is a minor hitch; the issue of unity between tracks could very well be amended with the release of the rest of the album’s songs. Upside Out can’t be judged too harshly in this regard. 

The happy nature of the music exists as a facade, and the juxtaposition of the lyrics and arrangements adds a layer of depth to the EP. The singer may want to turn up the radio, but it is only because he doesn’t want to be left alone with his thoughts. 

OK Go’s new album Hungry Ghosts will be released on Oct. 14. The band’s EP is available for download now.