Karen Dió returns with new EP 'FUGAZ' on Hopeless Records

Karen Dió has released 'FUGAZ', her new six-track EP for Hopeless Records, the label that signed her after the 2024 EP 'My World'. The record leans on guitar chord riffs, fast drumming and yelled vocals, a deliberate contrast to the polished, digital production of mainstream pop.

The title translates from Portuguese as "fleeting", and the songs follow suit: most run about two and a half minutes, long enough to land a hook and get out. 'Euphoria' opens on raw strummed guitar, 'Free Yourself' stomps, 'Rat Race' begins with distorted bass and rattling hi-hat, 'Choke' rides a repeating riff, and 'Crawling' adds a simple picked lead line.

Compared to 'My World', which ran through six songs in twelve minutes, the new tracks feel tighter despite similar lengths. The attitude that carried breakout single 'Sick Ride' is now shaped around stronger ideas and sharper hooks rather than standing in for them.

Choruses are the focal point, built on singalong "ahh" parts and the kind of "Hey!" chants she already used on last year's standalone single 'Bexy'. The verses make room for rapid-fire delivery and a lower, sultrier register, while the vocal distortion on 'Crawling' and the title track pushes the intensity further.

Promotional images for the release picture Dió alongside The Hives frontman Pelle Almqvist, a fitting reference point for the EP's sound. The cover art shows her mid high-kick in an orange jacket, a graphic identity that matches the music's personality.