Instead of giving the song to someone else, the songwriter duo Smith & Tell decided to release it themselves. The song’s called “Hippie Van”, a catchy, fast, country-vibing pop song, which for the duo symbolises a longing for more organic music, away from the clubbased electro pop where they have  dwelled a lot before.

Smith & Tell on Facebook – on Spotify – on Wimp

And I end this day in a great, uplifting way with a new sparkling pop track from Staphan O’Bell. It’s been six years since I wrote about his solo material, but last year I had the pleasure to hear one of the best ballads of 2013 when he sang a duet with Noras Falcon. Now he’s working an a new album again and “Five Years Went Fast” is the first taste from it, a quite pleasant taste.

Staphan O’Bell på Facebook

Now I’m going on an excursion across the Atlantic Ocean, to the Canadian singer Maggie Szabo, now living in LA. Her latest single “Tidal Waves and Hurricanes” is a real soulpop pearl for a song where she in full shows what a great singer she is and what a wonderful voice she has. She owns this song.

Maggie Szabos site – on Twitter – on Spotify – on Wimp

Here are two songs from Johan Fredriksson, who is currently working on his debut album. The first song, “Can’t Seem to Let Me Go” is a countrypop-vibing, catchy story while the second one, “All Alone”, is a pop ballad with some obvious Mark Knopler influences.

Johan Fredrikssons site – on Facebook – on Spotify – on Wimp

Vandernite is a band created by Jonas Hofvander, former member of The True. A few years ago his father was diagnosed with terminal cancer and passed away. Jonas started writing songs to get through this and continued doing so the following years. He started the band Vandernite and the songs he had written became a story that follows his mourning process and form the album “The Death of a Loved One”. Their plans is to release the album later this year, but already in Spring four of the songs were released on the EP “Day of Days”.

It’s a finely tuned, beautiful melancholy where the music reminds me of ballads from Alan Parsons project, in the harmonies, in the melodies and to some extent in the arrangements. Here are two of the songs, where Jonas writes that the title track was written during several years on his father’s birthdays and on holidays when the grief felt the strongest.

Vandernite on Facebook – on Spotify – on Wimp