page_title: Paddling Out
section_title: Critical reception
hierarchical_section_title: Paddling Out / Critical reception
caption_attribution_description: English: Miike Snow performing at SXSW in March 2012.
context_page_description: "Paddling Out" is a song by Swedish indie pop band Miike Snow from their second studio album, Happy to You. It was released as the album's lead single on 23 January 2012 through Columbia, Downtown and Universal Republic. Written and produced by the band, the song was recorded in a studio previously occupied by Swedish pop group ABBA, which influenced its sound. Band member Pontus Winnberg dubbed the track an homage to dance floor disco. Musically, "Paddling Out" is a piano-driven electropop and house song with disco, Italo house and acid jazz elements, backed by a four on the floor beat.
  "Paddling Out" received positive reviews from music critics, some of whom praised its dance production and hailed it as one of the best tracks on Happy to You. Commercially, the release is among the band's most successful singles. It achieved its highest national peak position on the Dutch Top 40 at number 32. It also became the band's fourth consecutive entry on the UK Singles Chart, peaking at number 90. Elsewhere, it managed to enter the Scottish singles chart and the Flemish Ultratip chart.
context_section_description: "Paddling Out" was met with positive reviews from music critics. A writer for Pigeons & Planes opined that the song sees the band in their "most comfortable spot of creative, catchy pop music that's instantly likable and only more gratifying with each listen". PopMatters critic Evan Sawdey regarded it the best track on Happy to You, while also deeming it the best Miike Snow song yet. Naming it "absolutely jaw-dropping", Sawdey went on to appoint it as "one of the best dance tracks that's not being played right now". Caroline Sullivan of The Guardian applauded its catchiness, and Allison Stewart of The Washington Post described it as a "gem". Both AllMusic's Jason Lymangrover and Metro's Arwa Haider deemed it a highlight on the album. The New Zealand Herald's Chris Schulz said that "Paddling Out", along with two other Happy to You tracks, "will swirl around in your head for days and demand repeat plays".
  Moayeri of Under the Radar noted the band's "blatant acknowledgement of rave-y influences" on the track, and perceived it as a stand-out on the album. Andy Baber, writing for musicOMH, felt the single showcased the band at "their electropop best", arguing its synthesizer instrumentation would make it "certain to be a dance-floor favourite". Similarly, Las Vegas Sun writer Annie Zaleski viewed the song as "kicky disco" and felt it was made for the dance floor, hailing it as one of the best tracks on Happy to You. Jonathan Donaldson of The Phoenix called the song an "upbeat dance number" and complimented the beat production, which he felt "most pop bands could get behind". George Bass of Drowned in Sound commented that while the single "doesn't break any barriers", it is a good workout track.
caption: Several critics praised "Paddling Out" as one of the best songs on Miike Snow's album Happy to You.
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