Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Terese Fredenwall - I'm Not a One Night Project

Details of Terese Fredenwall's song she'll be performing at Melodifestivalen-2013 are revealed. The song is called "Breaking the Silence" and she describes it as mid-tempo arena-pop co-written by Simon Petrén (Terese's constant collaborator, together they wrote for Danny and Jenny Berggren).
Another announced song to compete in Melodifestivalen is "Island" by Elin Petersson. Elin was chosen from selection of entries sent by previously not publishing authors (what was webbjoker contest last year but has turned from a public voting to SVT's own judging this time).
But let's get back to Terese. The singer currently works on her upcoming album and she has already released three. The latest is "Not About the Songs" released last autumn and here's my favorite from it - "I'm Not a One Night Project" - soft pop-track with a magic atmosphere and all the softness and melancholy of Terese's voice. Don't you think there is a definite relation of this track's sound with Jenny Berggren's solo-album? I can easily imagine Jenny performing it.


Terese Fredenwall - I'm Not a One Night Project [Not About The Songs] by Don Dyke

Axento - We Live For

Brand new single "We Live For" of Catchy Tunes' recent discovery Axento is out with the first project's video which is basicaly documentary cut but still nice to follow.
This time guys have got the expressive vocal help of Erik Ekblad and have made a really worthy follow-up. "We Live For" sounds quite in a vein of previous single "Lego", I'd even say "We Live For" is "Lego 2.0", this year's trendy club-song with infectious piano-keys and well sticking tune that you absolutely should check below.


Non Tiq - Love Machine

Unexpected but quite interesting comeback of Non Tiq I've noticed just once two years ago - after release of the debut electronic single "Quietly".
Few days ago Non Tiq has presented the brand new maxi-single "Love Machine" including the bunch of mixes, b-side "Whatever Happens" and acoustic version of "Quietly".
The song holds the aesthetic electropop-line of Non Tiq, it's a bit colder and fragile than "Quietly" but it's as carefully produced and obviously treated by creators like a piece of pop-art.


Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Frida Sandén - One Of Us

Sandén sisters are a big busy family this year, while Molly is recording new stuff, Frida has taken part in X Factor show. Mimmi at the same time was actively rumoured as the possible Melodifestivalen contestant which can mean that soon we'll get some music news from her as well.
But back to Frida Sandén, the girl has performed a series of covers on X Factor and I'd like to share my favorite one - Joan Osborne's "One Of Us" which fits Frida's voice perfectly and that broken piano's intro has become just amazing. TV4 blocks performances outside Sweden but the songs are out on youtube so you can enjoy the studio-version below.


Ansiktet - För Stor

Ansiktet's new single "För Stor" has got a video, just like I told - both Erik Nordström's projects - Ansiktet and Lilla Sällskapet make videos for all singles (which is not that usual case in Sweden) and this is another quite controversial and naked one. The song is a very beautiful synth-pop track I can easily imagine being performed by The Sound Of Arrows. So check the premiere below.


Monday, October 29, 2012

Sanna Nielsen - Viskar ömt mitt namn

Sanna Nielsen comes back with a Christmas album "Vinternatten" to be out on November 21st. Few weeks ago I already wrote about Sanna's announcement of Christmas tour and now tracklisting of the album is also revealed and among some Christmas covers you can also find "Bleeding Love", "Utan dina andetag" and "I'm In Love" which would be interesting to check in its studio Christmas version.
Today Sanna releases the new single from the album - "Viskar ömt mitt namn", very light and pleasant classic piano-based ballad, really nice gift to fans that you can pre-listen here at 10.56.


Johan Reinhold - Heart In A Jar / Tears From The Start

This year's discovery Johan Reinhold who has caught audience's interest with a track "Shoot Me Down" kept on working on a new stuff lately and the result of this work is "Tears from the Start" EP coming out today and including two newly promoted songs - "Heart In A Jar" and "Tears From The Start" I'd like to share.
if "Heart In A Jar" feels like a more depressive, hypnotic follow-up of "Shoot Me Down", "Tears From The Start" unexpectedly jumps out to a brighter (not too brighter though) pop-side than both wonderfully mixing up soul vibes, rocky mood and epic instrumental background in Johan's own original way.


Sunday, October 28, 2012

Steve Angello & Third Party - Lights

Swedish House Mafia's caree is basically not over but its members already are on the way for an active reboot of their solo-careers.
Steve Angello's follow-up of recently released "Yeah" - "Lights" is already out wrapping up Swedish House Mafia's anthemic club-pack in arena synths and marching beats.
Refreshing start for a new working week!


Eric Saade - Marching (In The Name of Love) (live at X Factor)

This week Eric Saade has visited X Factor to perform new single "Marching (In The Name of Love)" and he has quite properly explored his Melodifestivalen-experience of making a good TV-show. No, you won't see showers on the stage or broken glass but that intro with a lighting door and choreography breathes with something that could take a place at Melodifestivalen, don't you think?
Eric claims that he has left Melodifestivalen behind but I quite clearly see him coming back in... 2015 maybe?
Check the performance here and don't forget to click HQ, it's worth it.

Opening ceremony of Friends Arena

Long awaited opening ceremony of Stoclkholm's Friends Arena has attracted a lot of truly big names of Swedish pop presenting mostly their fresh stuff. Loreen, Danny, Icona Pop, Roxette, Tommy Körberg, First Aid Kit and Agnes were among the first artists trying the scale of stadium. And surely it has turned quite impressive + 1) exciting as next year's Melodifestivalen final will be having these epic scales 2) sad as next year's Eurovision will not.
The whole show is blocked abroad but here are the most interesting separate performances leaked on Youtube.


First Aid Kit - Emmylou
Mustasch ft. Orphei Drängar - Double Nature
The Hives - Come on , Take back the toys

Amanda Jenssen - Illusionist (live in Skavlan)

Surprisingly Amanda Jenssen's invited to popular Swedish-Norwegian show Skavlan has decided not to perform her newest single "Ghost" but the b-side "Illusionist" I was talking about recently and the choice was quite right. The song has rocketed in Swedish chart but even better in Norway (currently in Top-20), the same about latest Amanda's album "Happyland" which has got a pretty big demand on Norwegian iTunes. So Scandinavia is definitely waiting for Amanda's next album and it's out already on November 14th.


Darin - Stockholm

Sweden definitely missed Så Mycket Bättre! Already the first show has become success with covers from Miss Li and Darin going Top-2 on iTunes and The Sounds' Maja Top-10 - it's the trio I'm mostly looking forward through the season. TV4 blocks performances abroad so I'll unfirtunately need to fish youtube to share some best covers with you. And one of them already can be heard there.
New season has started with Pugh Rogefeldt's day, the artist I honestly never heard about before, but directly nice experiments to listen Miss Li, Maja and Darin singing in Swedish. We've got many Swedish pop-faves turning to Swedish lately - September, Sarah Dawn Finer, Linda Sundblad but probably Darin is the artist you feel this language turn the least. He sounds comfortable in both cases and has made Pugh Rogefeldt's "Stockholm" completely different and completely his own transforming it from a bright retro-pop to a dark haunting track with a heavy beat, a lot of tragedy and slightly RedOnesque synths of "Flashback" album.


Saturday, October 27, 2012

Full Of Keys - Snow Glass Apples

Lately we've lost the path Full Of Keys making exciting debut last year with a series of quite intriguing singles "All The Roses" and "Desolate / Suicide Bridge". Full Of Keys' debut album "Traces of a Human" was released in the beginning of the year and now we already get a new single "Snow Glass Apples" which turns to a promising sneak peek of project's new music stage.
The song is much more dynamic side of Full Of Keys with all the drama delivered by Anni Bernhard's vocal remaining untouched and suicidal video made in Rome holding a dark visual side of a project. Beautiful strings-based pop where Anni sounds like Agnes' sister who would never participate in Idol and would never do a dance-music.


Friday, October 26, 2012

Bo Kaspers Orkester - Världens Ände

Christian Walz turns to a pretty demanded producer in Swedish music. His collaboration with Veronica Maggio on the album "Satan i Gatan" has ended up with 4 times platinum album and now it's time for a new project.
Though there was only one Bo Kaspers Orkester's single entering Top-10 for 20 years of discography the band has sold nine Top-5 albums in a row since 90s (5 #1s among them) and seems like they've decided to try a fresh formila to win hearts of a new audience and get a new hit-album. Christian Walz's produced album "Du Borde Tycka Om Mig" is out already on October 31st.
You can feel the charm of Christian's production already in a new band's single "Världens Ände". It's right that sort of electronic magic with Walz's backing vocals which worked so well in "Satan i Gatan" so even if you weren't into this band before you should check this track.


Alaa ft. Ottilia Säll - Abandoned Heart

Last summer I've introduced you to Alaa - new bright hope of Swedish club-music discovered by TopDJ Records, this year Alaa was signed by SoFo Records and has released the single "Abandoned Heart" featuring Ottilia Säll.
Comparing with previous trendy club-track "Abandoned Heart" sounds more in a way of Adrian Lux's singles, this is dark, electronic and dance bringing big beats and mysterious vocals slightly going Niki & The Dove in chorus.
Today we've got a lyric video that you can watch below.


Thursday, October 25, 2012

Adam Rickfors feat. Marylin - We Are The People

Last time I was mentioning Adam Rickfors' own stuff was the last May when he has released heavy electronic house-single "Push The Tembo".
Wondering how has Adam changed his direction these days? You should check his brand new single "We Are The People" which presents absolutely different side of Adam's music.
"We Are The People" is a big euphoric club-track with female relaxed vocals and dreamy piano keys growing to an anthemic synths which has become a formula of success in 2012 and still spreads the joy and shakes dancefloors. Why not when we have a worthy pop-tune and great production like this?


Adam Rickfors Feat. Marylin - We Are The People (Original Mix) by ADAM RICKFORS

Loreen - Everytime

Loreen's debut album "Heal" is finally out this week immediately reaching #1 on Swedish iTunes and delivering all tracks to singles chart as well. "In My Head" has become absolute leader and is still the highest entry on the border of Top-10 (even higher than new single "Crying Out Your Name") but celebrating release of the album I'd like to share the song "Everytime" which goes third in chart and is currently single of the week which means that Swedes can download it for free on iTunes.
"Everytime" has become one of the most personal and beautiful tracks of the album, electronic pop-ballad growing from pieceful acoustic sound working with Loreen's voice so well to a darker and deeper sound. One of rare tracks on the album where Loreen goes rather sad and calming than dramatic.


Linda Pritchard - Hungry Hearts

It was pretty quiet around Linda Pritchard this year after release of her brilliant dance-cover of "Wicked Game", Linda has premiered the video for the song in March and now can listen to a piece of another awesome cover of Nause's "Hungry Hearts" (platinum hit in Sweden) that she has made with Oscar Görres.
The singer will take part in No Limits 2012 - dance-festival held in Stockholm's Maximteatern in a few weeks. Recording commercial she has turned the club-sound of the song down to fill with acoustic guitars and her expressive vocals instead. Still leaving it a proper dance-hit! I do hope we'll be able to get it in a full length someday.


Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Hosts of Melodifestivalen-2013: Danny Saucedo and Gina Dirawi!

Let's start a morning from a little bit of schlager-excitement! SVT has finally announced hosting persons of Melodifestivalen-2013 and it will be Gina Dirawi who has got this role second year in a row and Danny Saucedo who participates 3rd year in a row (4th in common) but for the first time as a host. I'm sure this will be one of the best hosts line-up, very fresh and energetic!
Check more pictures from press-conference here!


Eric Saade - Marching (In The Name Of Love) / Miss Unknown (Lyric Videos)

Both Eric Saade's singles "Marching (In The Name Of Love)" and "Miss Unknown" are finally out on iTunes and while they haven't leaked on youtube by fans the team has presented them officially uploading with lyric videos.
Talking about full versions of songs - we've basically heard full "Miss Unknown" in that snippet few days ago, honestly I find it weird being released as a single and consider it as some sort of bonus-promotion. "Marching (In The Name Of Love)" otherwise has become a bit different with my expectations, when the snippet was growing promising some killer anthemic club-chorus, it hasn't turned as dancey but still marching with a big beat (a little in a way of Loreen's "Crying Out Your Name") and really nice tune anyway.


Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Da Buzz feat. JAX - Tomorrow (Yoni Gileadi remix)

Though even not being released yet Da Buzz's new single "Tomorrow" gets another remix from Yoni Gileadi and this one is really fabulous! Without being too clubby but bringing up the tempo and a drop of drama into a melody it's becoming a perfect dance-track for pop-lovers (basically what 7th Heaven were doing in their mixes lately).

Tomorrow (feat JAX) Da Buzz - Yoni Gileadi remix (radio edit) by Da Buzz

Amanda Jenssen - Illusionist

Amanda Jenssen's new single "Ghost" I was talking about recently has also included wonderful b-side "Illusionist" which is going to be released on the album "Hymns For The Haunted" to be out on November 14th.
Basically the song sounds like Amanda's classic big and beautiful 60s ballad in a vein of "I Choose You", "Greetings From Space" and "Autopilot" with a light Christmas-feeling so if you like Amanda's previous stuff you absolutely should feel the charm of this track.


Linda Sundblad - Det E Som Det E

Linda Sundblad's EP "Öppna Ditt Hjärta Så Ska Du Få" was finally released this September and has included previously released "Trasig", "Hur Kan Jag Sakna Nåt Jag Aldrig Haft" and four more tracks including new single "Det E Som Det E" which has got a video premiere today. Don't know why we have we lost "Intim" and "Händerna På Täcket".
On a new single Linda is coming back from mainstream (as mainstream as you can imagine new electronic Linda) dance-direction back to a soft melancholic synth-sound containing very catchy tune. Linda looks absolute fierce in her extravagant clothes in a video. She always knew how to surprise with original designs.
You can also find stripped verion of "Hur Kan Jag Sakna Nåt Jag Aldrig Haft" on the single.


Monday, October 22, 2012

David Lindgren - Perfect Crime

David Lingren's single "Shout It Out" has become another platinum hit of Melodifestivalen-2012 according to his Facebook page. Later I'll do the annual table of MF-singles sales success as "Euphoria" is still Top-40 but it won't be there "forever till the end of time".
The singer works on some secret stuff and rumoured as a possibly coming back to Melodifestivalen next year. We'll know it very soon but for now we can enjoy another song "Perfect Crime" (wriiten by Tony Nilsson and Fernando Fuentes - the same duo behind "SHout It Out") from his debut album David has recently presented on SVT.


Leo Today - Get Some

Leo Today has got his fame earlier this year when he has recorded the song and made a video love-message to Rihanna which has got to recepient and was placed by Rihanna on her Facebook and Twitter pages gathering around 150,000 views on Youtube.
Few months later Leo Today has got a contract with Extensive Music label and recently Frank Ocean's producer Om’Mas Keith has revealed that they work together. Already this autumn the artist presents his debut single "Get Some" sounding like a mix of Owl City and Jason Mraz. What starts as a simple guitar-based sing-a-long tune grows to a big rocky chorus with a nice electronic production. Really promising debut which I believe can be a big breakthrough in a close future.


Nadia Nair - Bon Voyage

While Miriam Bryant promotes her grand debut single "Finders Keepers" in Sweden and Germany the team behind her has come up with another exciting pop-diamond.
This summer 24 years old Nadia Nair from Gothenburg was found by Miriam's producer Victor Rådström which has ended up in collaboration and the debut single "Bon Voyage".
The track is a very special mix of dark guitar sound, soul vibes, heavy electronic bass and Nadja's original deep voice which feels unique and hardly categorizable but as I've read mentioning of "Vodoo Music" in promotional text I think vodoo-pop is gonna be the best term for this song. It's not easy to come up with some outstanding concept not sounding like anyone else and still keeping a pop-charm and bringing a good tune these days but that's what we have here and that's what is the most adorable about "Bon Voyage".


Sunday, October 21, 2012

Agnes and Cookies N Beans in Moraeus med mera

SVT has shown the latest show of this season's Moraeus med mera and except Agnes with Cookies'n'Beans (don't we have them a lot enough on SVT lately to speak about melocomeback?) with their own songs (have we heard Agnes doing orchestral version of "Release Me" before?) we've also got Freddie Wadling and Timo Räisänen which who have made a company for girls making Coldplay's cover of "Fix You" which was actually touching.

Loreen in Poland

Loreen has finally arrived to one of the most Swedish pop loving countries - Poland where artists like Velvet, Danny, September and many others were always very welcome. "Euphoria" has become a big hit in Poland as well and today guests of Must be the music show have got one of the most powerful vocal performances of "Euphoria" ever. Also Loreen has become a guest of David Hellenius' show in Sweden performing new single "Crying Out Your Name" which is available here for Swedes but I'll update the post when it'll be on youtube for the rest of the world.
Oh, and don't forget, Loreen's debut album "Heal" is out on Wednesday!


Saturday, October 20, 2012

Eric Saade - Marching (In The Name Of Love) / Miss Unknown

Today is a big day for Eric Saade's fans. What should I start with? SVT has shown a concert (shot in Stockholm's Annexet) out of Eric's Pop Explosion tour and even if you're not a fan but just liked some of Mr. Saade's stuff you're gonna enjoy this 1-hour TV-concert.
Big screens, spotlights, live band, Melodifestivalen-dancers. The team has tried to give a 100% full pack of what's these days required from pop-performance in Sweden. I mean you shouldn't expect the show of Madonna's level, consider it like a gig of a local artist and then you'll be able to enjoy performance and songs filling last 3 music years of Swedish pop.
SVT's concert has become a sneak peek of Eric's DVD to be released on November 28th. You can check information about DVD here, watch the concert HERE and check the setlist of TV-version of the concert below.
And really big news are just released snippets of Eric Saade's two new singles - "Marching (In The Name Of Love)" and "Miss Unknown"! Yes he releases two at the same time. And if the first track is a quite recognizable arena-pop we hear a lot these days (Eric's slower version of "Amazing"?) sounding like a great progression of Saade's sound of the latest two albums, then the second has turned to a hip-hop influenced ballad. Eric says that his new album should be more urban but seems like fans shouldn't be scared if "Miss Unknown" is what Eric meant because it's still very-very pop.

Eric Saade - Marching (In The Name Of Love) (Teaser) by kingislandmusic

Eric Saade - Miss Unknown (Teaser) by kingislandmusic

Setlist:
Rocket Science
Fingerprints
Break of Dawn
Masquarade
Manboy
Sky Falls Dawn
Killed By a Cop
Backseat
Hearts in the Air
Without You I'm Nothing
Popular
Hotter Than Fire

Moh Denebi - In Tune

Moh Denebi's name has become firmly tied to Melodifestivalen during last years. Songwriter was actively working with some big names of Swedish pop like Måns Zelmerlöw, Anna Bergendahl, Jessica Folcker, Emilia, Molly Sandén but surely the bigest highlight of his career has happened last year when Loreen has entered Melodifestivalen with his song "My Heart Is Refusing Me". Together they've written the most of tracks from Loreen's debut album.
Earlier this year Moh has recorded commercial for Nelly.com - hypnotic electropop-track "In Tune" with a light melancholic feeling. Beautiful electronic turn of Moh's acoustic image we had before. The song was released on iTunes and you can check it in commercial video below.


Petra Marklund - Händerna Mot Himlen (Alex Lamb Remix)

While Petra Marklund's latest single "Händerna Mot Himlen" is on the way to become a hit of this autumn in Sweden we get some great remixes of the song and this time from Alex Lamb who already was working on September's "Me & My Microphone" and this time he has turned the track to an absolute club-killer with a perfect growth from dreamy verses production to a heavy anthemic chorus. The song is marked as an official remix and will be released soon.


Friday, October 19, 2012

Stockholm Syndrome - Don't You Worry Child

Love Generation (when they weren't Stockholm Syndrome yet) already made some wonderful acoustic covers but here we have an absolute masterpiece I'm ready listen not less than I listen to original - Swedish House Mafia's "Don't You Worry Child"!
Amazing way to celebrate another win of Swedish music and the reason to remind you that the song has made debut at #1 of UK chart.


The Majority Says - Dance To The Beat

This is quite rare case when the band presents all tracks from released EP with music videos but why not if you're on the way for your debut album?
I was mentioning The Majority Says this spring and released they've announced that it was quite obvious that guys work hard on their stuff and their first album "Under Streetlights" will be released on October 31.
But we're going back to the only left song from band's EP "Best Night Ever" without video "Dance To The Beat", very light, melodic and relaxed pop-song has got a properly positive, atmospheric video.
I do recommend to check other songs from EP - "Trouble", "114" and "Kings Of The Night" if you haven't done it before.


Eric Turner vs Avicii - Dancing in My Head (Tom Hangs Remix)

Though I'm a bit late-to-the-party but it would be a shame not to mention video for the latest Avicii's collaboration with Eric Turner "Dancing in My Head".
This euphoric club-track has already leaked earlier this year but now has got a video and you know that when it goes around Avicii's video it's all taken pretty serious and by proper MTV standards. Great song for the end of working week.


Thursday, October 18, 2012

Petra Marklund - Sanningen

As it was expected by massive success of the first Petra Marklund's single "Händerna mot himlen" release of her album "Inferno" was also followed by success and the record has gone straight to #1 with a lot of tracks getting into the chart.
The highest currently charted song (except unbeatable #1 "Händerna mot himlen") is "Sanningen" - the song which was already promoted previously and seems like it was a right choise. "Sanningen" sounds like a more electro-ballad follow-up of the first single moving in unhurried tempo and its mystic bubble created by Petra's voice and Jocke Berg's tune.


Lyssna: Musikguiden i P3: Sanningen - Petra Marklund

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Eagle-Eye Cherry - Can't Get Enough

Five years have passed since the last Eagle-Eye Cherry's album "Live and Kicking" and this autumn the singer is coming back with a new record "Can't Get Enough" which is already out. Below you can check the sampler of this nice pop-rock collection with a pop-component definitely being dominant.
You also shouldn't consider the first single "Can't Get Enough" as the album's common trend but this is a sweet track that I would compare with some old Smash Mouth's songs, kind, summerish, sing-along and has already got the video premiered.


Eric Prydz - Every Day

Swedish House Mafia's last single "Don't You Worry Child" has gone right to #1 of UK chart and it has become project's first #1 in UK which is a bit sad because of being the last. But the aim of Swedish House Mafia was reached, they leave being on the toppest top.
Trio's old colleague Eric Prydz on the other hand is not the first time on the top in Britain having one #1 ("Call On Me") and 2 #2 ("Proper Education", "Pjanoo"). Here comes his new single "Every Day", much darker, electronic and dreamier, not what can be directly called club banger but with a catchy synth line and mystic atmosphere. No idea how this one will go but the song was already premiered on BBC Radio 1 two weeks ago and released yesterday.


Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Icona Pop - Iconic EP

Though I've already posted the most of Icona Pop's tracks from new Iconic EP I have no right not to share them in a full pack presented on band's soundcloud page. I have at least two reasons - radio-version of "Ready For The Weekend" which has become this year's unexpected but incredibly good club-experiment of the project. And the second one is updated version of "Top Rated" released last year but becoming harder and more electronic, real pop-anthem. Next single? Yes, please!

Monday, October 15, 2012

Icona Pop - Good For You

New Icona Pop's release is going to see the light already tomorrow and it will be Iconic EP.
Last week we've already heard one new song from the record - "We Got the World" which was released as a single today and Swedish radio has premiered another track "Good For You" which comparing with the first EP is also much more mainstream, much lighter and a bit girlish. It's not that sort of dance-anthem like "We Got the World" but it's definitely from the same family.


Lyssna: Icona Pop - Good For You

Lazee & Dead By April - Stronger

Attention! This is really rare case you can see rap-news on this blog but Lazee always had a proper pop-taste. Should I say pop-taste talking about collaboration with Dead By April? Yes, because Dead By April always felt what is a good pop-tune as well.
Few years ago Lazee have recorded the soundtrack "Stronger" for "Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit" game with Dead By April and was released on Lazee's "Supposed to Happen" album year ago. Today you can see premiere of video shot for this track which sounds a bit Linkin Park when Linkin Park knew how to make hits.


Stockholm Syndrome - Pretty Girl (video)

Soon after release of debut single "Pretty Girl" Stockholm Syndrome present a brand new video for it. I've just realized that its' basically band's second video after "Love Generation" and just like the track this is pretty experimental sort of pop-art so you should forget about girls' mainstream past to understand it better.

Sunday, October 14, 2012

Loreen med mera

Next week we're gonna have the latest Moraeus med mera show of this year with Agnes but today we had not any less star of Swedish pop - Loreen who along with Loa Falkman, Mando Diao and Maskinen visited Kalle Moraeus. You know how beautiful Loreen can sound in acoustic and we didn't see her doing acoustic quite long, so here it is, her beautiful folky versions of "Euphoria" and "If She's The One"


Tommy Körberg & Danny Saucedo - I Can See Myself In You

New Danny Saucedo's single hasn't taken too long to be released after "All In My Head" and this time it's a long-awaited collaboration of Danny and his colleague by True Talent Tommy Körberg "I Can See Myself In You" that was written by not less than ABBA's Björn Ulvaeus and Tobias Gustavsson ("Jennie Let Me Love You", "Radio").
Young dance-pop singer joining old schlager-icon to perform anthemic classic ballad from legendary Swedish songwriter, where did we see it already? Ah, right, Agnes and Björn Skifs doing Jörgen Elofsson's "When You Tell the World You're Mine". But "I Can See Myself In You" has even bigger orchestral arrangement moving from dramatic piano intro to even more dramatic epic heights with a Nordic folk-touch. Song will be performed at Friends Arena opening on October 27th, the event whish should be broadcasted by SVT at 20.00 by local time. Among other guests you'll be able to see Loreen, Roxette, Agnes, Eagle-Eye Cherry, Icona Pop and many others.
You can check "I Can See Myself In You" below skipping at 13.20.


Lyssna: P3 Star 20121013 14:03

Trofast - Vi Hade Allt

SoFo Records shoots with a new artist Trofast and the single "Vi Hade Allt" which already succeded among iTunes audience this June. Now the song has got a video and I have a chance to mention it this time.
This is Jonas Hammenvik standing behind Trofast name and "Vi Hade Allt" was co-written and produced by Fredrik Sonefors (Coco, Mary N'diaye, ELY). Talking about the track it's a very nice combination of electronic hip-hop verses and Avicii-smelling catchy chorus pop-tune making the whole thing quite loveable and worth checking.


Saturday, October 13, 2012

Petra Marklund - Inferno

Petra Marklund's debut album "Inferno" under her own name and music image is ready to be released next week and you can already check previews of album tracks here.
First Petra's single "Händerna mot himlen" has become as unexpectedly big as "Mikrofonkåt" was (since it was released you could rarely see it leaving #1 on iTunes) but album tracks basically don't go in a synth-direction of Så Mycket Bättre's "Mikrofonkåt" or "Kärlekens Tunga" so we can say that Petra has completely re-invented herself and it's only voice left from September on this album.
"Inferno" is still a pop-work and what is the best about it (what will let this record be one of the best selling albums in Sweden this year) this is not directly commercial and very artistic pop sounding like nothing you can currently hear in Swedish music. At the same time Jocke Berg's tunes and Petra's vocals are potentially very successful components which have become a strong ground of this project.
Though "Händerna Mot Himlen" has become a compromise between Petra's new common direction and dance-meet-strings concept for September's fans I bet you don't expect surprises like "Nummer", Petra's answer to Emeli Sandé's "Heaven", "Fred" which could easily enter any of Kent's albums or dark epic "Krig" with slight vibes of 90s Mylene Farmer.
"Sanningen" seems to be the most promoted so I guess it can be Petra's next single, check its acoustic performance on the radio below at 6.45.


Lyssna: P4 Riks: Petra Marklund alias ”September” sjunger ut ”Sanningen”

Friday, October 12, 2012

Loreen - Crying Out Your Name (live at X Factor)

Loreen has come back on Swedish TV to sing her heart out performing brand new sing "Crying Out Your Name".
And if you expected it to become epic she has absolutely provided it at least vocally, very goosebums-giving performance (I try to forget about those white backdrops spoiling picture and re-play it again to enjoy this voice).
While she was staying on her knees with those big shoulders I've got impression of both "My Heart Is Refusing Me" and "Euphoria" performances. Check it right now as I believe TV4 will soon remove it from youtube.


Världens Barn - 2012

Annual event Världens Barn is back with a bunch of top pop-artists, fresh names and some new music pop-stuff premiered.
Today we've got Sarah Dawn Finer presenting song "Tårar blir till guld" from new album received pretty well by both critics and iTunes audience. Jill Johnson and Pernilla Andersson were also promoting singles from newest albums. Mando Diao has gone Swedish, Peter Jöback has gone musical. We've got a bit of dansband with Wizex, a bit of summer energy with Panetoz and Nova Delai with Andreas Moe as a fresh blood of Swedish pop. Very-very pleasant concert!


Mando Diao - I ungdomen
Nova Delai - Should I
Daniel Johansson - E lucevan le stelle
Peter Jöback - The Music Of The Night
Peter Jöback - Luck Be A Lady
Base23 - Singin' In The Rain/Umbrella
Wizex - Det här e bara början

H.E.A.T - It's All About Tonight

New song "It's All About Tonight" from H.e.a.t's latest album "Address The Nation" recorded with Erik Grönwall as a frontman has got a video premiered today.
Not my favorite track on the album (which contains some really beautiful 80s smelling tunes), probably this big arena-song should work better with live performance. Anyway nice to see Erik finding himself and moving from Idol-look to rock-star image.


Violet Days - In Our Eyes

When you start thinking that female pop-rock has died or at least in a deep coma some Swedish songwriter like Max Martin usually takes some world star and makes incredible radio-hit played everywhere. Swedes know how to wrap girl power in a massive melody and wonderful production to come up with a big hits. But rarely use it for their own artists lately.
Anyway our last year's discovery Violet comes back with a new name Violet Days and seems like this time is going to strike even harder. The proof is the new song "In Our Eyes" presented in band's promo. Track is a rockier pack of Avril/Kelly/Pink explosive pop-rock with a grand production and Lina giving 200% of her vocal expression. The result sounds grand and I do hope that it will be released soon.


Thursday, October 11, 2012

Mary N'diaye - Big Dreamer

Two years have passed since we've first met Mary N'diaye with a grand pop-track "Dumb Dumb", brilliant debut which has got follow-up only this year with a single "Lions Of Terranga" and with a brand track "Big Dreamer" presented now after Mary's participation in The Voice and getting contract with Universal.
"Big Dreamer" feels like Taio Cruz-esque bridge between loads of current pop-dance trends connecting them to an internationally sounding gem with an utterly tasty production and explosive chorus.