Helax might be a new name to the Alfitude pages, but this Berlin-based Swedish talent is in fact the brainchild behind one of our favourite Scandinavian bands, The Ghost Of Helags.
Today’s release of ‘We Were Never Here To Stay’ showcases Helax’s own solo work, and presents listeners with an experimental yet accessible style of electronic music that is euphoric and exhilarating to experience.
While we wait for some more new music from this gifted producer, be sure to check out his 2021 ‘But It Wasn’t a Dream. It Was Real.’ EP, which can be heard here.
We’re going to be completely honest and tell you that we have no idea who is behind Norwegian-Swedish duo Carl :Cries, but once you play their debut single, ‘On My Mind’, you’ll know exactly why we are so excited with this outfit.
Lifted from the band’s forthcoming ‘Stranger In My Bed’ EP (out 28th April, pre-save here), the song serves as a masterclass in Swedish indie-pop.
Inspired by the the traumas from a previous relationship, the track’s dark, melancholic and emotive production is nothing short of sonic perfection.
“The feeling to distract yourself and keep your eyes open, then when you close them she’s on your mind.”
Alternative singer and songwriter Varas has become a regular fixture on our pages. Over the past year, we’ve seen this emerging artist release a series of singles that have not only been sonically diverse in style, but also refreshingly future-forward.
Lifted from his freshly-released ‘There You Go!’ EP (out now), ‘Careful What You Wish For’ is somewhat of an understated anthem, and treats listeners to an indie-pop sound that feels both raw and finessed in equal measures. If you grew up with the sounds of bands as iconic as The Strokes, then chances are high that you’ll love this track.
“I’ve always drawn inspiration from different styles of music. I believe I’ve always been more intrigued by other artists musical personalities, rather than their genre. I don’t believe genreless music is something I’m aiming for but if my music is difficult to define, I guess I won’t oppose that perception. The thing I do aim for is to let my personality come through, and I’d be surprised if anyone’s personality is one-sided. I contradict myself all the time, why wouldn’t my music do as well?”
AUTORHYTHM is a very special project that was created by artist, musician and punk bassist Joakim Forsgren.
After being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2015, Forsgren began work on a collection of sonic pieces under the moniker of AUTORHYTHM, called ‘Songs for the Nervous System’ (of which ‘Intercellular Communication’ is a part of).
“Autorhythmic cells function autonomously, without the need of instructions from the brain.”
The songs feature minor use of modern technology – with Forsgren opting to use audio equipment and synthesisers that are roughy aligned with his age. The resulting sound is one that is thoughtfully constructed, intelligent, and intriguing to experience.
Forsgren’s work is currently featured at Bozar in Brussels, as part of an exhibition calledSwedish Ecstasy, which runs until the 21st May 2023.
Swedish newcomer HENRIKES (aka Josefin Henrique) is a vocalist and songwriter who has recently appeared on our radars.
Inspired by old-school icons like Depeche Mode and Kraftwerk, as well as modern-day names like Lykke Li, Anna of the North and Susanne Sundfør, HENRIKES aims to create cinematic pieces of pop that are both nostalgic and current at the same time.
Melodic new single ‘Out Of The Blue’ seamlessly fuses power-pop with electronica and synth. The result is a sound that is punchy, bold and confident in character. Elaborating on the inspiration behind the song, Josefin explains:
“‘Out Of The Blue’ is an expression of that turning point when you least expect it and light reappears out of the blue. It touches on the energetic feeling of attraction when it strikes without warning.”
Acclaimed Swedish artist Fricky unveils a beautifully atmospheric new single today, entitled ‘Nattbuss‘.
While sung entirely in his native language, the song’s dreamy and hypnotic style of alt-pop is sure to captivate any listener from any part of the world. Elaborating on the track’s production and concept, Fricky says:
“The feeling I had in my body married perfectly with [producer]Joel Kiviaho’s hypnotising production. I wrote the lyrics in 30 minutes on my way home from the studio, on the night bus. I have a hard time describing what it’s about, but it’s a song that has given me light when the night has been cold and dark. In a way, the song means more to me outside the context of the content itself. It has led the way to a lot of life and joy and, not least, more songs.“
“‘Nattbuss’ becomes, in a way, a final farewell to Fricky as you know me before I fly off on a new adventure. It functions as a farewell to a past that I needed to let go of in order to move on to a freer form of expression.”
Fricky is the musical project of artist, producer and designer Erik Friman. A staple within Sweden’s underground music scene since the 2010’s, Fricky’s work grew in popularity and prominence over the years, and in 2019 he was named ‘Artist of the Year’ at the iconic P3-Guld Gala.
It’s an exciting day for Nordic singer and songwriter Daniella Binyamin, who has just released her debut EP and its lead single, ‘Abba’, today.
A masterclass in Swedish pop, the song applies feelings of intense melancholy over an energising yet haunting indie production. Sonically reminiscent of Lykke Li’s early work, the track’s cinematic sound is nothing short of epic.
“‘Abba’ is an energetic yet sad track, a crying-on-the-dancefloor anthem to listen to when you need to get all those hard feelings out of your system. It’s a jumble of hope, devastation, freedom and a touch of madness and set the tone for the feelings I had when writing both the song and the EP.”
Elaborating further on the creation of the EP itself, Binyamin explains that it came to fruition back in 2020, as a way to process all the pain that had built up following a break up.
“When I wrote ‘Abba’ it was only my voice and a piano. I was angry and sad, and felt left behind by people I loved. When we later started to arrange and produce the songs, I realised how much I needed to write it, in order to move on. For every tangle that was straightened out, I became more and more fearless and convinced I was doing what was right for me.”
Daniella performs at Stockholm’s Musikaliska kvarteret (Blinda Tigern) on the 31st March – more details can be found here.
It wouldn’t be a normal Friday on Alfitude without sharing some premium Scandinavian pop, and this week it’s the turn of Swedish starlet hanna ögonsten.
An artist already on the rise, ögonsten’s style of sound is inspired by genres as diverse as alt-pop, indie, punk and hyperpop, while lyrically she focuses on issues that affect young people in their 20’s who are trying to navigate the world in this day and age.
New single ‘Big Teeth’ looks at our struggles with self-criticism, and is taken from ögonsten’s upcoming “have you seen my mind cause’ I’ve lost it” record (out 28th April). Speaking on the creation of her EP, hanna explains:
“I write a diary on my cell phone. Or at least I write lots of notes. They’re about a little bit of everything, mostly my feelings. I’ve been doing this since I was a young teenager, but this autumn I realised that the tone in my notes had changed. They weren’t happy and I almost sounded bitter. I was surprised, it didn’t really feel like me. But thinking about it, I realised it’s not that unexpected. Being a young woman in the music industry means to constantly be reminded that you are – a female producer – and that you therefore should be questioned. It’s exhausting. I realised that it was time to get this out of my mind and the result became this EP. Every song is written and produced together with Carl Goldkuhl (among others) and I’m so proud of how it turned out.”
ögonsten’s music has so far received support from the likes of Vogue Paris, Triple J, Pop Passion and Scandipop.
Acclaimed Scandinavian indie artist Augustine has come to be known as somewhat of a musical chameleon, and today’s release of his new single ‘Mary Cookins’ proves that.
Serving as a taster to the Swedish Grammy-nominated songwriter & producer’s upcoming sophomore album, the track feels nostalgic and relatable, but also experimental and eccentric at the same time.
With its dreamy fusion of psychedelic cosmic pop and indie, the song’s lyrics look at the (all too relatable) feelings of anxiety that arise from worrying too much.
“This was the first song that came to me in this album process and we had so much fun making it in a little cabin in the south of Sweden. Everything just fell into place and I felt like it marked a new beginning after a break from the studio.”
Augustine performs at SXSW in Austin on the 17th and 18th March – more details can be found here.
Rising Swedish talent JAYNIE is back today with an infectious slice of alt-pop that has to be heard!
Playful as much as it is melancholic in tone, ‘Own Advice’ was written alongside obi mani (aka Tobias Kihlman), and is inspired by that all-too-familiar situation when we choose not to follow our own advice.
“It’s like it’s so easy to give out advice to friends and family but when it comes to yourself it’s like the hardest thing to to do and you become a total contradiction.”
The song continues to shine a light on this promising singer-songwriter, who seamlessly finds ways to weave serious and thoughtful lyrics into creative pop productions.
Today we are introducing you to Stockholm’s Great Park Avenue, who are continuing Sweden’s long-standing tradition of exporting world-class indie rock to the world.
Inspired by iconic British rocker Pete Doherty, new single ‘Pete My Teacher’ treats listeners to an energising indie sound that is compelling and anthemic in character.
Taken from the group’s ‘Limitless Prolific Divineness’ EP, the song was recorded in a former women’s restroom, and mixed at the Kapsylen Studios in Stockholm.
“‘The bathroom with its tile walls is a rather unconventional room for recording but we’ve made it our own sacred place and we’re absolutely in awe of the atmosphere of this magic loo.”
Be sure to keep an eye on the song’s accompanying game, in which ‘you can take a step into the mysterious world that is some people’s everyday life. Might or not be Pete fighting paparazzis, you’ll have to figure that one out yourself.’
What began as a mutual love of music (and dogs) led to the creation of acclaimed Swedish-British indie outfit The Franklys.
This all-female group of rockers have been on our radar for quite some time, and never fail to impress us with their sound.
Anthemic single ‘Mess’ coincides with the release of the band’s new ‘Dogma’ album (out now), and showcases a refreshingly raw style of garage-rock that is immediately captivating to experience.
The Franklys will celebrate the release of the album on the 16th March at London’s Lexington – tickets can be found here.
Emerging from the city of Uppsala in Sweden is musician and actor myie (aka Miriam Ingrid), who has just unveiled an impressive new single entitled ‘Mary’.
Written as an ode to self empowerment and personal freedom, the song’s captivating lyrics compliment a beautifully melodic and uplifting alternative-pop production.
“‘Mary’ is a song about freedom, liberation from ideas or people holding one down. The song’s main character convinces ‘Marie Antoinette’ to elope together, there’s a lot at stake but at least they have each other. ‘Mary’ encourages people to live by their own sets of rules- and if anyone cares: let them eat cake.”
‘Mary’ is taken from myie’s forthcoming debut album, ‘Feel Real’, which is out soon. With support from the likes of BBC’s Jack Saunders already under her belt, myie is one Scandinavian starlet to keep on your radars.
Acclaimed singer and songwriter Varas begins his year with anthemic new single, ‘Hell No’.
Through its raw and bold production, Varas addresses the mundane nature of life, and the desire to escape from it all.
“You know the feeling when it’s Friday and you’ve just survived another week full of snow storms and hurtful ingrown toenails. Your body is hurting, not because you worked out or anything but because you walked home with groceries and un-ergonomically only brought one bag.
After walking in a leaning matter you come home. A dear friend hits you up: ‘care for a beer?’. You care a lot actually. Anything to make you think about something else than this cycle of habits around work. You wanna talk about literally anything else. Your friend’s THINKING about CONSIDERING possibly getting a cat? Soon? No, in four years? Ah, still, you’d rather think about your friend considering possibly getting a cat in four years. Anyway, you change your clothes and head into town. Finally you manage to get to a bar with some friends. It’s cheap and smelly, just like you. Now it’s time to have a pleasant time of distraction. But before you even take the first sip it happens, someone at the table innocently asks you about next week’s work and duties. Right there, that moment you have to keep yourself from telling your dear friend to shut the f up, was our state of mind when we wrote ‘Hell No’.”
With his refreshingly original and distinct approach to music-making, Varas is rapidly becoming one of Sweden’s most hotly-tipped newcomers. Fans can look forward to a new EP, scheduled for release later this year.
Acclaimed Swedish singer, songwriter and artist Nea returns with one of the catchiest bops of the week.
Lifted from forthcoming debut album ‘TRANSPARENT’ (out later this year), ‘A Lover Like Me’ serves as a masterclass in Scandinavian pop, with its infectious melody, memorable lyrics and energising sound.
“’A Lover Like Me’ is one of those rare songs that just wrote itself. I had a lyric idea, Daniel [Ledinsky, co-writer & producer] played some chords and two hours later we had the song! I love the rawness of the vocals and the vibe, that there’s an edge to it.”
One of Sweden’s biggest pop successes in recent times, Nea (aka Linnea Södahl) has amassed more than 800 million streams under her own name, while also writing hits for the likes of Zara Larsson, Felix Jaehn, Tove Styrke and Axwell.
Fans of Bon Iver, Phoebe Bridgers and Sufjan Stevens will most likely fall in love with Swedish musician Tobias Arbo (aka Tobias Ekelund), who has just unveiled his latest single, ‘Within’.
In its quintessential Nordic style of sound, the song presents listeners with a production that is sparse, simple and minimal – yet somehow still feels warm, thoughtful and beautifully contemplative.
“A few years ago, I found a box of video cassettes that my dad had recorded throughout my childhood. I started watching them and was reminded of the cheerful and vibrant child I was. But at the same time, it made me experience a kind of sadness, as memories of the shy and sensitive person that I’d also been clouded the image. During my childhood, I experienced a lot of anxiety, at times having trouble being in school and hanging out with friends. I was five years old at the time my sister was born and it wasn’t until I’d grown up that I started to reflect on how it might have affected her – having an older brother who periodically pulled away.”
The track is taken from Tobias’ upcoming ‘Powerlines’ debut EP, which will be released on 31st March 2023.
“The EP is a contemplation on the self and its different parts, voices, and moods. It’s about listening to the noise of these voices’ endless dialogue and trying to connect with the many parts of oneself that want to be heard. For example, facing the inner child, whose early experiences shape us so much more than we tend to believe, or struggling with the inner critic, who raises self-doubt and prevents us from getting where we want to go.”
It wouldn’t a normal weekend at Alfitude without featuring some premium Swedish music, and today it’s the turn of Sofia Monroy.
Serving as the last single from her forthcoming ‘Telenovela’ EP (out in the spring), new single ‘Control’ presents listeners with a perfected fusion of future-forward pop, alternative R&B and soul.
The resulting sound is one that feels sleek, finessed and refreshingly experimental in tone.
“‘Control’ is about the fear of losing control in connection with the longing to be someone else’s everything. All of a sudden you find yourself there, tied behind and perplexed, perhaps in love or maybe just stuck.”
To date, this rising Stockholm-based starlet has accumulated more than 300k career streams on Spotify alone.
If you’re unfamiliar with Swedish-American artist Asy Saavedra, then today’s release of ‘Masterpiece’ could be your perfect introduction.
Refreshingly original in its approach to pop, ‘Masterpiece’ treats listeners to an avant-garde style of sound that feels eccentric and experimental, yet still maintains a playful essence.
As a vocalist, songwriter, producer and composer, Saavedra creates her own solo work while also serving as lead singer and keyboard player with acclaimed electro-pop outfit Chaos Chaos.
An artist already on the rise in Sweden, Edgar Homeros looks set to take on the rest of the continent by storm in 2023.
Following on from the release of his debut song ‘Centerfolds’ last year (which became an instant hit, amassing well over 80k streams on Spotify alone), Homeros returns with new single ‘Heartless‘.
Through its gorgeously emotive fusion of indie and electronic pop, the song presents listeners with a sound that feels both melancholic and energising in equal measures.
“When I released “Centerfolds” several people told me that it felt like a song for autumn, which was great to hear. In the same way I think ‘Heartless’ fits perfectly now after new years, where you have one foot still in the darkness of winter, but we still move towards brighter times.“
“Even though it’s more upbeat and dynamic in comparison to ‘Centerfolds’ it keeps the same theme, and it’s one of my favourite tracks from the EP.”
With such a strong start to the year, Homeros is one Scandinavian artist to keep on your radars.
Representing Sweden’s next generation of music talent is DOTO, whose new single ‘Peace of Mind’ serves as a masterclass in melancholic soul-pop.
Thoughtfully constructed in both it’s lyricism and composition, the song looks at our need for calm in the troubled world that we live in.
While still a relative newcomer (‘Peace of Mind’ is only DOTO’s second release), this talent has her eyes set for global domination, and is collaborating alongside acclaimed songwriters Jade Ell and Joakim Buddee on new material.
