An infectiously vibrant blast of nostalgia from LA-based Swedish American artist Freddy Hale.
An already versatile talent with years of experience fronting rock bands like Kerbera and Rosie the Rage, he is now delving into the pop world as a solo artist.
‘Past Life’ peeks through a looking glass into old memories – both good and bad, while bathing in a synth-scape setting of tomorrow.
Taken from the upcoming debut album, which is planned for release later this year.
Kone Mara are a Swedish outfit consisting of three creative souls with three different creative backgrounds who, by chance, found each other both musically and artistically.
The resulting sound is a luxuriously dreamy and rich fusion of psychedelic indie and pop. ‘The Ordinary Place’ is a transcendental type of song, giving it a sense of timelessness that feels ethereal yet also humbling.
“We met at a breakfast table, and in the early morning hours, a friendship arose. We shared secrets and wrote music inspired by our stories. Coffee, poems, dreams and wishes.”
If you’d blindly listened to this song, I am quite sure you’d struggle to pinpoint what year it was recorded in.
Truth is, this is a new release from Swedish duo Honey. who’s single ‘Summer Fling’ is practically doused in nostalgia and feel-good vibes.
Swedish artist Joel Malka returns with a finessed yet intimate release today. ‘Monte Carlo’ fuses ambient tones of pop with RnB to create a sound that feels dreamy and mysterious, all the while carrying a beat that keeps you hooked until the very end.
”It’s about looking for fun distractions. To me, ‘Monte Carlo’ just represented this state of mind where you can get a break from all your worries for a while. I’ve definitely felt that I could use a break like that, especially in these times, so I hope this song can take the listeners there with me. Like just three minutes without a care in the world.”
Track of the week. To put it simply, Agnes is one of Swedish pop’s all time icons. Since her debut back in 2005, this phenomenal artist has been releasing hits that have not only become a part her country’s music history, but also achieving worldwide attention.
Now she’s back with a banger of a track that flirts with the classic disco concept, all the while injecting a heady dose of the future into it. It’s an exhilarating song that has been on loop all day.
Swedish outfit ViVii have long been a blog favourite for years now, thanks to their trademark indie style captivating listeners across the world.
Now they’re back with a new take on their sound, and it’s a flawless slice of uptempo hazy dream-pop that is perfect for the summer weeks ahead.
“We had enough mid-tempo songs and were eager to do something more danceable. What does it take to make a simple dancing song? We thought two chords at first but then we indulged in a third chord and suddenly it became complete! A tribute to our Swedish music heroes ABBA who we mixed with a little Fleetwood.”
Taken from the new album ‘Mondays’ which is out now.
Starting the weekend off with a belter of a pop song from Stockholm-based artist, producer and creator SOMA. ‘In The Night’ exudes good vibes, sleek beats and one hell of a catchy melody.
“This is a song I’ve had with me for the past 3 years. It has seen many phases, several different productional styles and finally found its form on the cusp of the pandemic that we’ve all come to know so well. In March 2020, I made the decision to put the release on hold. At a time when the world was, and still is, struggling to cope with deep shock, friends and family members losing their jobs, and some their health and lives, a song that so brutally celebrated the body felt like a sin.“
“Today, the same song that started out as a catchy tune with no remarkable depth, is nothing short of a tribute to our magnificent human bodies. Big or small, confined or free to move, in pain or in bliss, our human bodies are the containers and the pure expressions of life-stories. From our nearly unbearable intergenerational trauma to our secret one-night-stands.”
Taken from the upcoming EP ‘Make Me Human’ which is due on 27th August 2021.
The weekend has just gotten a little better after listening to SHY Martin’s new single ‘Feelings’.
A low-key pop banger, this track softly builds up before the chorus hits mild shots of euphoria into your blood stream.
“I was going through some major changes when we wrote ‘Feelings’ and felt extremely lost and exhausted. I wasn’t sure I wanted to release more music, so I stopped writing for myself for a while, but after writing this song I found myself listening to the demo every time I was working out or on my way to the studio. The lyrics were pretty much about what I was going through and had been feeling for a long time. It’s about the moment you realise you’re a few words from breaking something that means a lot to you because you’re caught up in feelings”
A charming indie-pop sound from newcomer Oldboy. This Swedish artist crafts a style of music-making that feels nostalgic and familiar, all the while incorporating a more experimental twist that gives the sound some refreshing eccentricity.
‘Tempelhof.’ also features Paulina Palmgren.
With a uniquely distinctive vocal tone and an ability to create infectiously catchy pop melodies, INA IVY is a new force to be reckoned with.
”This song is about when people are trying to make you feel beneath them in everyday life but where they can’t get to you because you know your own worth. For example, a clerk in an upscale boutique maybe treats you like a bum, assuming you’re only browsing since everything according to them is way too pricey for your looks not knowing that you are the pricey piece in the store.”
I first featured Swedish artist Ulrik Munther back in 2011, when the then-teenager was just starting out on what has ultimately became quite the career.
Having achieved viral fame with his cover of Lady Gaga’s ‘Born This Way’ and competing at Melodifestivalen, Munther released three albums that all charted top-five in his native homeland.
Now he’s back with the beautifully sincere ‘Stay Awake’, a subtle fusion of indie and pop that feels deeply emotive and endearing.
“What I want to say most with this music is probably, be yourself and be honest. To think about things a little more.”
Taken from the album ‘Put Your Self Out There’ which is out now.
Sweden really is delivering some outstanding pop artists so far this year, with Hugo Andersson being another fantastic talent to emerge from the Nordic nation. A power-pop anthem with an infectiously catchy chorus, ‘Easier’ is all about that terrible feeling that comes to you after a breakup; when the person you’re used to talking to about everything isn’t that person anymore.
“I received a DM on Instagram from the songwriter and producer Isac Halldin after my debut release ‘Eleven’. Isac invited me and my companion, Rasmus Gustafsson, to come to his studio to write with him. Weeks after that we all met up and wrote ‘Easier’ that day, and after just one day it felt like we’ve known each other for years.”
It’s already been a busy year for Stockholm talent Julia Alfrida, having just recently competed at this year’s Melodifestivalen (Sweden’s biggest music competition) with the equally impressive song ‘Rich‘.
‘GIRLS GIRLS GIRLS’ is a Scandinavian pop banger in every sense; this is the kind of track that commands you to get up and dance your ass off!
Sublimely mesmerising and dreamy vibes from Swedish newcomer Noomi. This is the second single to drop from her upcoming debut EP ‘Life Aqua’, which is set for release on 21st May 2021. On the song, Noomi says:
“It’s an emotional tug-of-war between letting in or pushing away, between wanting to but not daring to, of that very first time you really let down your guard for someone and you share those amazingly intense, but somewhat claustrophobic first 24 hours like inside a cocoon breathing the same air in and out until you’re all intertwined. In true self sabotage manner you open windows for your fires just to see how long someone can still breathe inside there or if they’re getting choked by the fumes. It’s not me being scared about getting hurt, but rather that I will be the one who hurts, which always has and still continues to worry me a lot.”
Citing Prince and Bowie as two inspirations, Kristofer Greczula’s sound feels nostalgic yet future-forward in equal measures.
‘Leaving You For Another’ was a song written about and for his brother – the two had drifted apart for two years prior, but have since found their way back to each other.
“He cried the first time he heard it. That felt like a confirmation that I was on the right track. If I write songs that touch me, chances are they will also touch other people.”
An infectiously catchy bop from one of Sweden’s most exciting prospects. Maia Wright has already garnered over 300 million streams just as a songwriter and feature artist, so it really is only a matter of time before this mega-talent establishes a solo name for herself.
Swedish talent Hannah Mel brings a dark, almost haunting approach to electro-pop that is completely engrossing. Subdued yet intense, her sound feels atmospheric and cinematic while still easy to connect with.
“‘Shy or Something’ is about two introverts having a crush on one another. Each too shy to admit it, and the frustration that it brings. I am a very introverted person myself, who easily gets quiet around large groups of new people. With this song, I wanted to play with the difference between being introverted or shy. Even though people might perceive them as the same thing – they feel totally different from within.”
Taken from the upcoming EP, scheduled for release later this autumn.
I’ve made no secret of the fact that Molly Hammar is one of my favourite Swedish talents from recent years. The winner of last year’s ‘Breakthrough of the Year’ at the coveted Swedish awards Rockbjörnen, she returns with the sensational ‘Friends’ today.
A finessed slice of RnB-pop infused with hints of soul, Hammar delivers a song that looks at a common situation most of us have fallen into:
“‘Friends’ is about not wanting to feel lonely and romanticising a friendship that shouldn’t be any more than that, just because you don’t want to feel alone. Sometimes it is just better to accept people and relationships for what they are and move on.”
Taken from the sophomore EP, ‘God Is lonely Too’ which is out now via Cosmos Music.
While still a relatively new talent, Swedish producer UNDREAM has already amassed over 2.5 million streams on Spotify alone from previous releases.
With TIMMS on vocals, ‘Chemical X’ is a dark (almost sinister) sound that feels ambient and atmospheric, formed through a masterfully intricate production that cements UNDREAM’s name as one to watch.
“A lot of the time I get inspired by what I can’t explain with words or something that is out of my understanding. Abstract imagery and unexplainable situations are things that inspire most of my sounds”
Another week, another outstanding Swedish talent to share with you! This time it’s Stockholm-based artist Cohle.
Drawing inspiration from modern-day legends such as Seinabo Sey, NAO and Emilie Nicolas, Cohle creates a refined fusion of dance-pop and RnB, laden with catchy melodies and sleek vocals.
‘Let Me In’ all about waiting too long on someone to make a decision and to get their act together; asking them to communicate their feelings and make their mind up.
