A beautifully structured Scandinavian sound that fuses an essence of melancholy into the subtle beats of dreamy dance-pop.
‘dancing away from you’ gives the listener feelings of both introspection and euphoria in equal measures.
“The lyrical content consists of a relationship going back and forth as a never ending cycle.”
Swedish power-pop at it’s finest from the superb Zara Larsson. It’s a little retro, a little kitsch, a little camp, and totally fabulous.
“I love this song so much. I wanted to write about heartbreak, but in a way that was also empowering and positive. In my world being vulnerable is being strong, but on this one I’m saying ‘just LOOK at what you’ve done – I’m shining! You look like a piece of shit! It was important for me to have a song like this on ‘Poster Girl’.”
Zara will play an exclusive online concert on International Women’s Day (March 8th) in association with Ikea. Find out more here.
The 23-year-old Swedish artist continues to show a level of emotional depth in his music that really is quite phenomenal.
Now on the cusp of his third album, Isak Danielson releases a song that defines the theme of the new record – a softer sound dominated by richly-detailed, graceful, balladic pop, stitched together from a pallet of acoustic guitar and piano.
“I think that’s how life works, you grow up and you become new things, and you change all the time.”
Taken from the new album ‘Tomorrow Never Came’ which is due on 5th March.
It’s been a hot minute since I’ve experienced a banger that hits as hard as this new release from Swedish dance-pop heavyweights Pawl and Discrete.
On their own, they’ve each had incredible surges in popularity recently; Discrete’s own catalogue has earned him over 65 million plays across platforms, while Pawl has also had an equally impressive 40 million streams.
With bright upstart Ebenezer featured on ‘5AM‘, I really doubt you’ll find a song that gets your blood pumping as hard as this will.
Taken from Pawl and Discrete’s forthcoming joint-EP, which is scheduled to be released later in 2021.
A refreshingly bold fusion of pop and indie-rock, with honest lyricism from new Swedish talent Boy Destroy.
“There is a certain type of person I’ve met many times during my dark periods. Sometimes by just looking into the mirror. Someone who counts the seven mortal sins on the tips of their fingers and feels no remorse causing pain. This is for them.”
A subtly blended fusion of indie and dance-pop from one of Sweden’s most promising producers, featuring the vocals of Ofelia (Adéle Cechal).
The song is all about freedom, running away and enjoying the better parts of life.
I first featured Swedish talent Dear Sara last year, when she collaborated with JIM OUMA and Alicaì Harley on the single ‘Kids’.
I could hear something special in her voice back then, and now with the launch of new single ‘Something You Should Know’, I can confirm that this lady could very possibly be one of Scandinavia’s biggest pop exports in the future.
A delicate yet distinctive vocal presents itself within a song that contrasts between being haunting and rousing at the same time.
“I could not stop thinking about that strange song I wrote together with Elias [Näslin, co-writer] – a melancholic, complicated declaration of love for my hometown. A tribute to the culture I grew up with. To say that it also counts. We count. We exist. At the same time, I want to tell you about the alienation. About being different in the tiny community. About a constant search for more and a desire to fit in somewhere. It was time for me to own my story.”
A stunning debut from a talent who is not only a professional soccer player in his native Sweden, but now also a very talented songwriter.
Amadeus Sögaard’s style of music-making brings a crisp and finessed approach to pop that feels dark, minimal and intense. One to watch!
Already a noted actress, Alba August has proven to show herself as a triple threat for also being a magnificent songwriter and singer.
You won’t hear a vocal as powerful as this all week. Pure yet raw; ethereal and deeply intense.
I lost count of how many times I’ve featured Swedish talent LOVA on Alfitude, which is a testament to how much I love this kid’s raw and honest approach to pop making.
Today marks the release of her debut album ‘Grown-ish‘, and with it this single to whet your appetite. On the album, LOVA says:
“For the first time, I wrote for myself. I asked myself, ‘What are people going through?’ I wanted it to be very much like a diary and very personal. It was therapeutic for me, and the title resonated with where I am in my life. It’s a way to show every side of me. All of the songs are creating the story, but the album is also what made the songs. I’m excited to be able to go back to it in ten years and reminisce how I felt during this time.”
This is as melancholy as you can get with Scandinavian bubblegum pop. Just a beautifully sweet track that is so easy to fall in love with.
Blending blues and country with a pounding pop twist, Dylan Conrique releases visuals for her latest track featuring Swedish singer-songwriter Noak Hellsing.
I make no secret of how awesome I think Zara Larsson is – she’s established herself as a Swedish pop powerhouse in an exceptionally short space of time. This release was produced by Mike Sabath and features a melodic verse from Young Thug.
The new album ‘POSTERGIRL‘ is released 5th March.
It wouldn’t be a normal week on Alfitude without showcasing some stellar new pop from Sweden.
So let me introduce to you Stockholm-based Filip Groundstroem, who creates a sound that defines introspectiveness within youth in a way that feels relatable and engaging.
“This song is about being young, lost and having no idea about what you want to do with your short time here on planet Earth. As a young person, you’re constantly on the quest for who you are and how to fit into the box. You try different jobs, hang out with different people in different environments, but still struggle to see yourself in the bigger picture.”
Taken from the EP ‘Boy on the Moon’ which is out now via Sailor Music.
Saint Djuni start the year in a truly epic fashion, serving us a rich dose of indie pop with an orchestral twist that harks back to the golden era of Trip Hop.
The result is a dreamy piece of escapism that is an ode to anyone who’s longing to start over in life.
“In the end, we all carry love. And that love starts at your Favorite Place.”
With a new EP on the way, Mountain Bird releases a sublime piece of electronic pop that feels intensely dark, dramatic and atmospheric.
The track looks at our relationship with technology and how it impacts our mental health, and hopes for change.
“Will we be able to solve this? Will we unify and create better solutions and work together with technology to not only be more efficient but to feel good mentally?”
This release from Swedish newcomer IZHAV delights and rewards you with every second you listen. It’s a blend of indie-folk and pop that begins with vulnerability and fragility and ends in a euphoric tone that leaves you wanting more.
“Getting stuck in darkness is not an unusual thing for us humans. When it’s too hard to climb alone, and almost impossible to even see the reason why. ‘Catch The Sun’ represents that outer force/ person/ animal that doesn’t allow it to keep going like that. Instead it pulls, fights and struggles to remind you that all the beauty is out there, just waiting to be seen by.”
Swedish singer-songwriter Dennis Sjöström, also known as The Hollow Men, has been on my radar for a short while now. This indie-folk talent crafts songs so beautifully simple and honest at their core that they immediately draw you in.
A perfect balance of indie-pop and rock from Stockholm-based multi-instrumentalist singer and songwriter Viktor Spasov. The track feels raw and emotive yet engaging and fun at the same time.
“This is a modern love story about trying to get over somebody while constantly checking their Facebook, feeling miserable and watching all your friends get married.”
