It’s hard to believe that I have featured Frida Sundemo as early as 2011 and yet I am still so in love with pretty much every release since.
Today we are treated to another synth-pop gem from the Swede, and it’s exactly as you would expect; a beautifully composed melody with fragile vocals that somehow still creates an elevated sense of emotion.
Taken from the new EP ‘Sounds In My Head’ which is out today. No surprises in guessing that I’ll tell you it’s absolutely sublime.
Already an established songwriter, Stockholm native Patrik Jean has come up with another pop gem that’s got ‘summer crush’ written all over it.
I’ve been a fan for as long as I can remember, and it feels like this could be the breakthrough hit that makes everyone else out there realise how great this guy is.
”’No Love’ is about being something, or that you have been something with someone and tried to do the best of the situation. However, in the end you realise that you have no love left to give.”
“‘Nobody Knows’ is the start of a new era for us, and we really wanted to kick it off with something energetic and up tempo. The song is about not knowing what’s gonna come and that’s why it’s so important to try to be happy now with what you got!”
Recorded exclusively at the Spotify Studios in Stockholm as part of the Studio Oyster program, Augustine is back today with his unique fusion if retro indie and dreamy pop.
“‘Coast” is a song about loneliness, and a longing to understand this world a little better. I was confused and jealous of everything I laid my eyes on when I wrote it. And I often get struck by this feeling about wanting to escape from myself and from my body when I’m feeling down. I guess it comes down to the desire to have someone by your side who understands you and all your weird thoughts.”
Swedish talent Juni Poet creates a raw indie pop sound, wrapped with heavy doses of melancholy, intensity and profoundness.
“My music is nothing more than a failed attempt to understand my existence.”
“This song is about trusting your intuition. Make sure you’re in a relationship that is worth your love. I am in one now. But I have crossed a few liars. Had to get it off my chest.”
A fresh and really exciting, new Swedish RnB talent. Click play and you’ll be served with some slick melodic tones and a smooth vocal, on a song that talks about fighting against prejudices and forbidden love.
“It has been important for me to release my first song completely independent, and self-created. Being able to stand strong on both legs and proud to finally take place as a female producer, songwriter and artist.”
If you are familiar with your Swedish pop you may recognise that one half of ohFrank is Robin Stjernberg, singer and songwriter extraordinaire. This sound marks a slight shift from Robin’s sound, with a playful and lighthearted take on indie pop that is perfect for the summer months ahead.
“We want to give an honest reflection of the world we live in. To inspire culture shifts, invite or force change, to make people think. Music used to stand for something and be the great observer of society – we want to try and bring that back.”
In addition to being a mega-talented songwriter (having worked on the likes of Jasmine Sokko, The Mamas (Eurovision 2020), Leonora (Eurovision 2019) plus two winner songs for Swedish Idol (being ‘Rain’ by Tusse and ‘Treading Water’ by Chris Kläfford), Melanie Wehbe is a talented singer in her own right.
We could be seeing one of the brightest Swedish exports to emerge for some time, with a subtle pop sound that’s easy to connect with, no matter who you are or what you enjoy listening to.
“I think most of us are familiar with the feelings of uncertainty and powerlessness. The frustration that appears when we realise that we can’t change a situation or a relationship. At the end of the day we know nothing at all.”
“‘Don’t Look Back In Anger’ is a song that brings me back to my childhood, when my mom used to play it for me and sing it over and over again. I am so in love with the original and when me and my band got to play around with it and do our own take on it for P3 Sessions [Swedish Radio], the response was so great that we decided to release it.”
“This is an anthem for one of the hardest actions someone will ever have to do for themselves. The moment when someone decides they deserve better than being used for anything other than something real and true. That moment when it’s time to cut all the strings, burn everything and fall back into self love.”
This has to be one of the best covers I have heard so far this year. How UNDRESSD have managed to turn one of the cheesiest pop classics into something as grand and atmospheric as this is quite a feat.
On a side note, their previous release, ‘Forever Young’ is still doing over 40k streams a day and is the 12th most played song on Swedish radio.
Despite the fact that this song is all about broken love, it still sounds playful and has hints of a 90’s pop style. It’s a sweet kind of melancholy that Swedes know how to master so well in music. The debut EP drops later in May.
“This song is about when you’ve got your heart broken and you pretend everything is totally fine but really you’re dying inside.”
