Northern indie wunderkind Tall Blonde reveals ‘Lucky Charm’ featuring Suncat, the lo-fi-alias of folk/ soul singer Olle Nyman.
Both retro and raw in tone, the track feels refreshingly eccentric thanks to it’s nostalgia-tinged folk sound, making it one of the most interesting releases of the week.
“It’s about the dream we’re chasing. Work ethic’s nice and all but sometimes you just need dumb luck.” – Suncat
Taken from Tall Blonde’s upcoming debut album ‘Ponderosa’.
Every release from Scandinavian artist Ida Laurberg to date has been nothing short of breathtaking.
With stunning vocals delivering intelligent lyricism over a dark and melancholic production, ‘Singing Mars A Lullaby’ continues to prove that Ida could well be one of the Nordic region’s biggest future exports.
“On my latest single ‘Personal Letters’ I started working with a more 00’s pop/ rock/ punk sound than what I’ve done before. This was how ‘Singing Mars A Lullaby’ came to life. I usually write about personal experiences such as heartbreaks, bad friendships, and stuff like that. Now I felt like writing about something larger than that from the outside world, but which still affects me somehow. ‘Singing Mars a Lullaby’ is about billionaire’s strange wishes of traveling into space instead of spending their enormous amount of assets on helping our world. About how it shouldn’t be possible to possess that amount of money. And mostly, it’s about how these types of people are probably going to end up feeling pretty lonely at some point.”
After recently performing a sold-out gig at the iconic VEGA in Copenhagen, critically-acclaimed Danish artist Lydmor returns today with beautifully emotive new single ‘The Last Call’.
The first new release since her ‘Capacity’ album, this is a song that builds from an atmospheric beginning into waves of blissful synth-euphoria.
“This is a song about realising the fact that love is right there in front of you and doesn’t have to be so damn complicated. I personally love how the tune mingles with the lyric. Especially the part where the morning tide rolls your body to the shore, and you figure out that you’re already exactly where you should be. I’ve added so much love and tenderness to this little cocktail of a song that the glass almost runs over and it becomes a tide of its own.”
Norwegian outfit IMGfound craft a style of music that blends multiple genres together in a very organic and compelling way.
With elements of alt-hip hop, hyperpop and ambient, ‘Eversnow’ is a refreshingly unique sound that takes you on a very special sonic journey.
“Since we’re a duo we often open up and talk about what we feel at the moment, which often impacts the theme of the songs we make. This song in a lot of ways a journey the same way we felt we’ve been through. Here in Norway the winters get very cold and brings you in a special state of mind and we think this song can speak to that in people.”
American-Faroese emerging starlet Marianna Winter crafts a style of soul pop which is nothing short being completely mesmerising.
Born and partly raised between Tórshavn and California, Winter is one of the few female artists currently pioneering the lo-fi underground scene in the Faroe Islands.
“I tend to spend a lot of time making sure that the people around me are good, but sometimes I just wish I could be someone who doesn’t feel the need to answer every text within 2 seconds or fix every problem, and just say ‘fuck it, I’m busy’. You know? ‘BMM’ (Busy Making Money) is an anthem to anyone who secretly pretends to be a ruthless, champagne-popping, cut-throat, money-making bitch.”
It seems as though Norway’s rap scene is beginning to gain momentum beyond the Nordic nation, and with good reason.
Haider Raja is yet another superb emerging talent who’s approach to the genre is refreshingly fun and engaging.
One of Norway’s most interesting talents returns with a song that balances hip hop with R&B and soul in the most beautiful way imaginable.
If you’ve yet to experience Ivan Ave’s music, you really ought to give this Scandinavian artist’s catalogue a listen.
Swedish starlet Cy returns today with a 90’s inspired ballad in the form of new single ‘Hate To Hate You’.
With it’s perfect fusion of pop and R&B, the song is all about being so chained to your negative thoughts that you start hating yourself. The track is also taken from Cy’s new EP ‘Ugh!’, of which she says:
”Being 20-something can be so draining, and especially when you’re heartbroken and unsure about everything. This EP is a package of feelings that grew from this time when I had thousands of questions about where I am, who I am and where I’m going, but no answers. Even though a lot of people probably feel the same you can feel extremely lonely. I hope that my music can give someone a hand to hold for a little while.”
New EP ‘Ugh!’ is out now.
Track of the week. SUNSET 18 is a collaboration between emerging artists (and best friends), CCA Jonas and 8lanco. Having met at school in the Norwegian city of Bergen, these two talents bonded over their creative ambitions.
As each of them has already garnered significant traction on their own merits, it’s looking like the SUNSET 18 project could well take them on to achieving international mainstream attention.
“‘CHANEL’ is about a fight between the two of us. We’re fighting over a girl and discussing who wants her more. The girl is a metaphor for a grammy, so in reality we’re fighting for a chance at our dreams. We want people to feel the special dynamic between us in CHANEL!”
Stockholm-based artist Elias unveils his stunning new album, ‘Holy, Endlessly Sad, Love‘ today, and with it new single ‘I’ve Been Waiting’.
The Swedish born singer-songwriter is no stranger to these pages; Elias has been consistently creating some of the most impactful releases to come out of the Nordic nation for some years now.
“I write about what’s inside and around me at the moment.”
‘Holy, Endlessly Sad, Love’ is out now.
Songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist Augustine celebrates the release of his debut album ‘Weeks Above The Earth’ with gorgeous new single ‘Sweet Love’.
Garnering over 25 million streams across his catalogue to date, this Swedish artist has become somewhat of an indie phenomenon. He’s released his music completely independently, working together with three friends on everything from writing and producing to visuals, design and marketing. On the album, he says:
“I wanted to place the songs in the order of how I wrote and experienced them, capturing a part of the whirlwind that’s been spinning in my chest lately. From yearning for a sensation, to naively diving right in, to total confusion. The world has at times been so fluffy and soft. Spring was on its way with all its light, scents and flowers, and I wore a mask of invulnerability, constantly being surprised and falling so deep. Later, a summer and autumn where everything was a mountain to climb, putting everything on pause. Love sometimes felt like a psychosis, and ‘Weeks Above The Earth’ is about this state of feeling so very distant from the rest of the world.”
‘Weeks Above The Earth’ is out now.
Norwegian triple-threat Andrea returns today with an ode to 90’s music which is sure to win this talent a whole new legion of fans.
The singer, songwriter and producer connected with Carl-Viktor (Guttormsen) and Jørn Erik (Gundhus) to create this Big Bang of a song. ‘Body Talk’ consists of a handful of acoustic guitar, a spoonful of Moog bass and a sprinkle of Spanish.
As a platinum-selling, Grammy-nominated, and national radio P3 Guld ‘Pop Artist of the Year’ recipient in her native Sweden, it’s safe to say that Tove Styrke has firmly established herself as a pop powerhouse.
She returns with a premium bop in the form of new single ‘Start Walking’, which was written alongside some of the biggest writers and producers in pop currently: Caroline Ailin (Dua Lipa), Sly (Shawn Mendes), Lostboy (Tom Grennan, Anne-Marie) and Pablo Bowman (Marshmello, Alan Walker).
“It’s an upbeat song with sad lyrics, which is my favourite combination. It’s about a person who knows a relationship is over, and how it sucks to actually be the one to leave but you know there is no other way.”
Norwegian artist Moyka comes full circle today with the release of debut album ‘The Revelations of Love’ and its lead single, ‘When.’
This stunning electro pop song juxtaposes melancholic vocals with a euphoric beat, and is a perfect example of just why Moyka has established herself as one of the Nordic nations’ most promising starlets.
“To me, love is the most important feeling of them all. It’s so existential ‘cause it’s what I think makes us human. Last year hit us so hard. I felt a lot of grief and sadness because of everything that happened in the world and in my life. As a person who feels a lot intensely, it’s hard to not feel overwhelmed by everything. One thing that kind of woke up the flame in me again, was music that reminded me there is hope to feel good again. To feel love again.”
‘The Revelations of Love’ is out now.
Emerging from Copenhagen is 19-year old artist GR8SCOTT. This talented musician and self-taught producer has created one of the most charming and eccentric alt-pop bops of the week in the form of new single ‘Won’t Be Drinking’.
“I’m not a big party guy but I love to hang out with people and just have fun, and like everyone there is more than welcome to get drunk. I just don’t need it to have a good time, and I would hate not to be in control of myself so yeah, no from me. I just wanna have a good time.”
Bad relationships are not a fun thing, but somehow they always seem to turn into great songs. Swedish wonder-kid Estherlivia releases a powerfully expressive and melodic blend of pop and indie in the form of new release ‘hollow’.
“People who can’t speak their mind, and when they finally say something you get even more confused. Misleading love.”
One of Norway’s most impressive talents of late, Emilie Adams continues to push the boundaries of electro-pop with ‘Gone’. This is a subtly intense and moving track that holds your attention from start to finish.
“Music and melody is important. But the lyrics are even more important. To me. My lyrics are personal, conveying my experiences, feelings and thoughts.”
The ‘Gone’ EP is out now.
On the heels of her first RIAA Gold certification as a listed artist, Kito unveils her new single featuring Swedish star Winona Oak.
Lush and luminous, ‘Skin & Bones’ is an infectious and deeply romantic slice of dance-pop.
Kito’s new EP ‘Blossom’ is out on the 5th November 2021.
Track of the week. Showcasing a superb example of Nordic alt-pop, Lea Kampmann’s ‘In Circles’ is a slow burning and glistening masterpiece that blends house-inspired synths with thoughtfully constructed percussions.
The song was inspired by the need to go out and grab life, instead of waiting for it to pass by.
“The most important thing to me as an artist is to make pieces of art that people can see themselves in.”
One of Sweden’s most interesting hyperpop talents of late, Namasenda releases a track with a very familiar sample that is sure to stick in your head all day.
In equal measures, ‘No Regrets’ is both fun and future-forward, further solidifying this artist as one of the most exciting to emerge from Scandinavia in quite some time.
