Category: Nordic Music

Siv Jakobsen – Most of the Time

Photo / Jørgen Nordby

After two long years, critically acclaimed Norwegian singer songwriter Siv Jakobsen is back with what is likely to be her most vulnerable song to date, entitled ‘Most Of The Time’.

Ethereal and beautiful in style, this melodic and deeply moving song is about wanting – but being unable to forget.

“‘Most of the Time’ is about not being able to forget a particularly difficult relationship from my past. When left undealt with, the memories seemed to heighten in my sleep, in my subconscious, day and night, almost as if I was being haunted. It’s about how our past affects our future, how it can affect our personalities morphing into someone slightly different. Being back in this place again after such a long time was a much greater shock to my system than I would have ever thought it could be, and it forced me to unbox a lot of things I thought I had safely stored away in the back corners of my mind. In the end, it’s about reminding myself that I am feeling better now, most of the time.”

Siv Jakobsen

🎵 Follow the Scandinavia Sound Playlist

Skott – Sunshine

Swedish artist, songwriter and producer Skott is undoubtedly one of the Nordic region’s most interesting musical talents to have emerged in recent years.

Garnering over 250k monthly listeners on Spotify alone, this rising Scandinavian star is representing a new era of female artists with a unique style of pop that is certainly resonating with a lot of listeners.

‘Sunshine’ was written by Skott herself, together with Peter St James and Martin Stilling (Charlie XCX, LÉON), and serves as a taster for her upcoming second album (out later this year)

“Let the ceiling cave in, stay open. The song is about daring to live life without a roof, without limits. Daring to be vulnerable and let both the sunshine as well as the rain in. If you over-protect yourself from potential bad things and stormy weather, that same shield could also block out the sun and some of the best things in life.”

Skott

🎵 Follow the Scandinavia Sound Playlist

Bishat – MANNERS

Photo / CHAI

Acclaimed Swedish Ethiopian artist, songwriter and producer Bishat returns with an anthemic slice of R&B-pop perfection through new single ‘MANNERS’.

This self-empowering track tackles friendships, relationships and entanglements that no longer serve us:

“I think we’ve all been there, carrying all the weight, bringing all the vibes, doing all the work and getting nada in return. I’m just feeling really done with anything that doesn’t elevate me or sparks joy.” 

Bishat

🎵 Follow the Scandinavia Sound Playlist

New Music: Giift

Photo / Mikaela Grogan

If you’re a fan of soulful, mellow and introspective R&B then Giift may well be your next new favourite artist.

This South African born, Danish raised talent creates understated yet melodic masterpieces that are refreshingly minimal in tone – allowing for her unique vocal tones to deliver some of the sharpest lyricism you’ll experience today.

Remarking on the release of her debut EP ‘Archives’, Giift says:

“These five songs represent everything that I’ve experienced over the last few years. There’s a personal story behind every lyric, top to bottom, and so, it was natural for me to list them in order of when I experienced what and in the order of the emotions I was going through. ‘Archives’ is about falling in love, falling out of love, loving yourself and everything in between.”

Giift

🎵 Follow the Scandinavia Sound Playlist

Freddy Madson – Feels Right (feat. Lleoh)

Photo / Therese Lærke

One of my favourite newcomers to emerge from Denmark this year has been guitarist & songwriter Freddy Madson. Today sees his return through a new collaboration that features the talents of fellow Danish artist Lleoh.

Just in time for the weekend, ‘Feels Right’ is a finessed slice of dreamy Scandinavian dance-pop – the kind that uplifts you in the most subtlest of ways.

“Imagine a club with an irresistible dance floor full of seemingly amazing people you wish you were partying amongst. But you don’t dance like them or fit their dress code and the music is anything but your taste. Anyway, here you are, considering to compromise with oneself to be part of the crowd. ‘Feels Right’ is about being true to who you are. It celebrates the outsider in every single one of us – all the flaws and peculiarities that make you and me unique and beautiful in our very own way” – Freddy Madson

Freddy Madson | Lleoh

🎵 Follow the Scandinavia Sound Playlist

New Music: Hymner

Emerging Stockholm-based producer duo Hymner construct a unique brand of sad dance-pop that is really quite captivating to experience.

New single ‘Rivers’ features the vocals of Persian-German singer SamajAi, and delivers a subtly melancholic sound that feels haunting yet fragile in equal measures.

“We wrote ‘Rivers’ during the pandemic, and it became very symbolic; being so far away from people we loved, yet united in spirit.”

Hymner

🎵 Follow the Scandinavia Sound Playlist

Jelly Crystal – I Tryyy (with Seinabo Sey)

Photo / Lamia Karic

One of the most sublime slices of indie-soul this month comes courtesy of acclaimed Swedish artists Jelly Crystal and Seinabo Sey.

Conceptual new single ‘I Tryyy’ serves as a fervent love song, with soulful vocal deliveries, hotline bling-drums and swelling synth pads.

The track was produced by Simon On The Moon (James Blake, Jamie xx, Mahalia), and is the latest single to be taken from Jelly Crystal’s forthcoming EP ‘ILY’ which is out in June.

“I’m so happy I got the chance to make music again with my partner in crime from Kungsbacka, Simon On The Moon, and Sweden’s only voice, Seinabo Sey! We’re still not tired of writing love songs.” – Jelly Crystal

Jelly Crystal | Seinabo Sey

🎵 Follow the Scandinavia Sound Playlist

New Music: Hannah Storm

One of the most impressive indie releases of the month comes from emerging Norwegian artist Hannah Storm.

Once that first chorus kicks in on her powerful new single ‘House of Cards’, you’ll find it hard to not have this song on repeat all day. This fusion of indie and pop-rock is some of the finest you’ll experience from Scandinavia right now.

“As long as I can keep making lots of music and live the life I am living now, it will be the best I could have imagined.”

Hannah Storm

🎵 Follow the Scandinavia Sound Playlist

New Music: Mads Koch

Photo / Amalie Holm Pedersen

Mads Koch is already an established artist and songwriter within the Danish music scene, having worked with the likes of Mø, Jada and Goss.

While noted for his collaborations with international pop artists, new single ‘The Lake’ sees Koch in a more intimate, almost ethereal setting. Served in an indie-folk style of sound, the track serves as a thought-provoking observation on life and death.

“I think a lot of us can gain a richer and more beautiful existence by practicing an openhearted approach to the transience of life. Not that we necessarily need to dwell on anxious contemplations about death but in away where we can get through this fear by surrendering to it. This is why ‘The Lake’ is a declaration of love to the little, quiet and seemingly uneventful situations, that our days and lives actually is made of.”

The song is released alongside Koch’s debut album ‘Fingers’, of which he says:

“‘Fingers’ is a declaration of love to the acoustic and clean sounds of instruments in an orchestral setting.The songs find themselves in a field between hope, calm and gloominess, while the lyrics reflects the thoughts that takes up a lot of space inside me.”

Mads Koch

🎵 Follow the Scandinavia Sound Playlist

Mercedess – Back to Business

Photo / Marie Vindelev

There are very few emerging artists from Scandinavia right now that have the ability to construct lo-fi pop with such an effortless flair of finesse as expertly as Danish talent Mercedess.

Dreamy and understated, yet empowering in tone, her new single ‘Back to Business’ tells the story of moving on from a sudden heartbreak.

“Growing up, I’ve always been very sensitive and take everything in. I’m an introverted person in this fast moving, crazy world. But it’s cool. I enjoy my own company, the moments of silence and the creativity it buzzes and making music has created this atmosphere you can dream yourself into – a place, where you can escape reality.”

Taken from the debut album ‘Casa Fantasia’, out later this Summer.

Mercedess

🎵 Follow the Scandinavia Sound Playlist

New Music: Sweet Tempest

Photo / Tina Dubrovsky

Berlin-based synth-pop outfit Sweet Tempest construct sounds that make an immediate impact – both sonically and lyrically.

The band carry an interesting ethos, in that they hope for people to dance to their songs, while also learning about the duo’s stance on inequality and prejudice through the lyrics.

Their hard-hitting new single ‘White Country’, for example, was created as a way to express the their outlook on the current racial climate in their home nation, Denmark.

Sweet Tempest

🎵 Follow the Scandinavia Sound Playlist

Teddy Failure – Be My Guest

Rising Swedish outfit Teddy Failure return with another supreme slice of indie-pop. Lyrically, ‘Be My Guest’ reflects the duo’s philosophical attitude towards life, as it explores the idea of a romance that’s easy come, easy go.

While the song initially comes across as a simple acoustic ballad, the duo also add an element of surprise as they suddenly veer off-road, with a jittery trap beat and a meandering guitar line:

“It was weird, because we added that trap beat, and then we couldn’t listen to it without laughing – we thought it was so goofy.” – Teo, Teddy Failure

Teddy Failure

🎵 Follow the Scandinavia Sound Playlist

New Music: Alex & The Alpaca

Photo / Maria Maaneskiold, vitaboy

Alex and The Alpacas is a 22-year-old  Nicaraguan-Norwegian artist and producer, currently crafting some of the most charming blends of indie, rock and lo-fi pop to emerge from Norway.

Produced, written and performed solely by Alex himself, new single ‘Adorable’ is an understated slice of bliss that affirms this Oslo-based talent is one to watch.

“The lyrics of ‘Adorable’ are ironic, and the beat has a video-game-like characteristic. To me this gives the song a feeling of being on top of the world and a sense of carelessness, like on the day you finally get over someone.”

Alex & The Alpaca

🎵 Follow the Scandinavia Sound Playlist

Louie Blue – Call You Up

One of my favourite talents to emerge from Finland recently has been Louie Blue. This artist has been releasing sleek fusions of RnB, alt-pop and indie consistently for some time now, despite still being only 20-years old.

Today he unveils his debut LP ‘Division 8’, and with it the new single ‘Call You Up’. The track delivers an R&B sound that is inspired by the musical aesthetics of the early 2000’s, with the artist himself describing it as an “organic, straight forward, old-school R&B song.” On the LP, Louie Blue says:

“I don’t want to pretend that the album is a calculated or a strategically planned collection of songs in specific order. This album sounds like the journey I’ve traveled inside my head in the last two years making this. A lot of songs were left out, but the 15 tracks that I kept on the album are perfect to describe me as an artist right now.”

‘Division 8’ is out now| Louie Blue

🎵 Follow the Scandinavia Sound Playlist

New Music: Ea Othilde

Emerging from Norway comes 17-year old artist Ea Othilde. Inspired by the likes of Elliott Smith, PJ Harvey and early Bon Iver, this talent crafts a captivating indie sound that feels sincere, emotive and immensely captivating.

“‘I Couldn’t Be There’ is a little indie rock tune about all the things you want to do, all the places you want to go, everything and everyone that’s out of reach. It’s the sound of time slipping through your fingers, the soundtrack of roads leading nowhere.”

Ea Othilde

🎵 Follow the Scandinavia Sound Playlist

New Music: Alissa Reah

Hailing from Southern Sweden, Alissa Reah is a pop artist who is still only 18-years old. Today sees the release of her new single ‘YOU’, marking Reah as one of Scandinavia’s most exciting emerging talents.

Beneath the catchy melodic surface the song is a serious subject matter, about growing up and finding yourself:

“It’s okay to feel like you’re growing, evolving and maybe not wanting the same things as before. ’YOU’ is about progress but also about freeing yourself from the influence society and other powerful figures have on you.”

Alissa Reah

🎵 Follow the Scandinavia Sound Playlist

flyckt – Jonny Boy

If you’re a fan of Swedish outfit Urban Cone then you’ll already recognise singer flyckt.

Today sees the release of his cover of Nordic indie classic ‘Jonny Boy’, and it is without a doubt one of the catchiest pop anthems you’re likely to experience all week.

“‘Jonny Boy’ is a song written by the band Kite and is somewhat of a cult classic in Sweden. The song really resonates with me. I can relate to going out to escape everyday life and I felt like the song got another dimension with the pandemic. Like a lot of people are going out to numb the pain and all of a sudden they couldn’t do that anymore. To me going out with Jonny Boy means that all the bad emotions are turned off, and that you are in a headspace where no one can touch you. Hope you will like it.”

flyckt

🎵 Follow the Scandinavia Sound Playlist

Tove Styrke – Hardcore

Forward-thinking musical starlet Tove Styrke consistently pushes the boundaries of pop, and new single ‘Hardcore’ is no exception.

Taken from the upcoming album ‘HARD’ (out 3rd June), this dramatic yet playful song was produced and co-written by Max Martin’s young protégé Elvira Anderfjärd (Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran) and Jakob Jerlström (Tove Lo, Lorde).

“‘Hardcore’ is definitely one of my favourite tracks on the album. It’s about wanting someone hardcore. I took the term from gaming, if you die you die but it’s all in. I also wanted to make the track sound drunk, like when you’re lost in a person. That’s why we made the temposhifts before each chorus. The production is so good on this one, it blows my mind.”

Tove Styrke

Tove supports MARINA on tour in May:

  • 9 May – Copenhagen, Denmark (Vega)
  • 12 May – The Hague, Netherlands (Amare)
  • 14 May – Brussels, Belgium (La Madeleine)
  • 15 May – Paris, France (Bataclan)
  • 17 May – Edinburgh (Corn Exchange)
  • 20 May – Manchester (O2 Apollo)
  • 21 May  – Leeds (Refectory)
  • 22 May – London (O2 Brixton Academy)
  • 25 May – Dublin (Olympia Theatre) 

Jelly Crystal – Happy Ending (feat. Alice Boman)

Swedish singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Jelly Crystal collaborates with Alice Boman on hypnotising new single ‘Happy Ending’.

Timeless in style while also reflective of the contemporary underground scene in Scandinavia, the song is a bombastic declaration of a love story that never existed.

“A love story with no happy ending… about a person that only exists in your head and a relationship coming to an end, even though you’ve never met her. It’s a live recording from the studio in Stockholm, that has many flaws and hasn’t been polished but still has a luxurious sound”. – Jelly Crystal

Jelly Crystal | Alice Boman

🎵 Follow the Scandinavia Sound Playlist