The band John Moose comes from the deep woods of Värmland around Hagfors. So far they have released an EP with three songs, and you can listen to one of them here below. It’s melancholic and dreamy and it’s easy to get images from the deep forests from where they come, even though my first thoughts were those of wide, foggy English moorlands.

John Moose on Facebook – on Spotify – on Soundcloud

No Harm

Kvartetten Raekan’s music is born out in the streets. During three years they have played at least twice a week on different streets and places around Stockholm, where they play their own mix of  jazz, ska, backbeats and improvisation. They have also toured the streets in Europe and in the US living on what they have earned from the music.

After the US trip they recorded an EP, and you can listen to one of the songs here below. At the same time they have developed into something more than street musicians, as they now also arrange clubs and concerts with their own special atmosphere. “We want it to be like mass pychosis where we bang hard on our acoustic instruments while the audience is dancing wildly around us” they write. “There is a brass band in Paris called Belgistan. Their band is an imaginary country, and when you listen to their music you are automatically transported to the place called Belgistan. That kind of philosophy is perfectly in line in what we do.”

Kvartetten Raekan’s blog – on Facebook – on Soundcloud

Snabba skor

Last year I wrote about Antonia Vai and told you about that she was working on her debut album. Now that work is done and she has released not only one but two albums at the same time, collecting 25 of her songs. The first album “Lovers and Prophet” is more consistent in the sound and themes, while the second one, “Dirt From When the Earth Was Flat” is a collection of home recordings and varies more in style and sound, and which shows some of her creative span.

I think it’s just as enjoyable to listen to both albums, to discover where she’s heading with her musical ideas from one track to another. Even if it’s difficult to characterise her music in general terms I think that soul vibes is something that runs through most of her production together with doses of folk music, but expect excursions to jazz, pop and other influences in a sound that often takes off from the acoustic with a rhythmic guitar as the prefered instrument. Listen here below to the soul jazz vibing “Macho Woman”.

Antonia Vai’s site – on Facebook – on Spotify

Macho Woman

Here’s a wonderful album debut, the EP “Someone Special”, from Silent Symphony, aka Charlotta Nilsen. Four songs that differs from each other a bit, but that all have a warm, pleasant acoustic sound, produced and mixed by Gustaf Eklund. With  Charlotta’s unique, lightly jazz-touched voice, the EP makes a really enjoyable experience. In the duet “Someone Special” she also gets help fromViktor Vademark. Next release is in December with the single “Revolution”.

Silent Symphony’s site – on Facebook – on Spotify – on Bandcamp

Someone Special

Here’s a video that put a big smile on my face when I watched it. It ‘s the duo Third Brother who perform the song “Harmless Gun” strolling through Stockholm’s streets and subway. What makes it feel so good is that the music is taken directly from the recording of the video, where the city accompanies with it’s own sounds and adds it’s own reverb depending on where they are. That, and also the artists joy of playing and their warmth.

Third Brothers site – on Facebook – on Spotify – on Bandcamp