Eyemouth came out of the electronica band Estrange, where some of the members had created songs mixing electronica and organic instruments and therefore neeeded a new platform for this. This year they have released three EP:s, where the latest one “Noera Genesis”, was launched this Autumn.

It’s undeniably a dark album with a sound that draws dystopic inner and outer soundscapes, and which generally has a theatrical, dramatic touch, especially when the vocals come in. The music is incredibly manyfaceted and you can hear vibes from many directions including artrock, postpunk, drone and ambient electronica. It’s unique, eventful and quite fascinating, and as far as I have listened, each EP release seems to explore a different atmosphere. They have announced that they will release another EP before the year is over.

Eyemouths site – on Facebook – on Spotify – on Apple Music

MANKKU surprises us on his latest single “Stick & Brinn” by throwing out his guitars and get out into the electronic soundscapes. And it’s a move that works amazingly well as he finds various ways to enhance the drama in the song. Here’s a number of ideas, like if he put his hand in an electronic goodie bag and decorated with effects, rhythms and pads, still in a way that feels tasteful and a bit minimalistic. Like if he’s done it all the time. Certainly among the best I’ve heard from him.

MANKKU [mancko]’s site – on Facebook – on Spotify – on Wimp

I have a premiere for you today as well. The producer and songwriter Joakim Persson has created the project Sagan om Alltings Förträfflighet and is releasing the 18 minute long piece “6 år” today. If you follow this blog you have heard Joakim before in the bands Tiny Union and  Century Of Ecstasy, but this is something completely different, and I recommend you to read the background story below before you listen.

This “instrumental lofi-monster with elements of poetry”, as he describes it, was created after he had browsed through 10 year old notes from a very dark period of his life. He continues:

“I was tired of everything and I decided to give myself 6 years to sort out my life and my feelings. During that time I scribbled down cryptic fragments of texts in my notebook. The music is an interpretation of the various phases of depression and in the end the idea of the 6 year period gets a bit blurred, and you can sense that the mist finally disperse and disappears.
The song also comes with an instruction of how to experience it: in solitude, standing by a window. Then the music becomes a dystopic soundtrack to everyday phenomenons and twist them into something very disturbing.”
(transl. from Swedish)

This is hardly some easy listening, but a fascinating and naked characterization of something hard and difficult in the lives of many people. Earlier this year Joakim released a debut album under the same project name, with songs of a totally different character, and next year he’s planning to release an electronic pop album, he says.

Site – på Facebook – on Spotify – on Apple Music

Before the summer Pica Pica released the wonderful single “Lift Me Up“. Now they have launched the follow-up “Where Did The Summer Go”, a duet where Jonas Jonsson (aka Bedroom Eyes) joins Ida Segersten on vocals. This time they have added some more energy in a track that, after a mood-setting start, explodes in shimmering synth arpeggios and a beat that almost pushes us out onto the disco floor. Here’s both a dose of drama and a nice, melancholic ambience containing a title phrase that lingers in the air after the song has finished.

Pica Picas site – on Facebook – on Spotify – on Apple Music

A couple of weeks ago Vårum released the debut single “Scream”, a piece of cool, laidback disco-inviting electropop which wet the appetite for more. Today he’s releasing the debut EP “Disco Damaged” with another 4 tracks to enjoy. Behind Vårum we find Bjørn Thomassen, born and raised on Lofoten in Norway, but nowadays living in London. The inspiration comes from the cold desolated nights in the big city, he writes, but you can just as well imagine sparkling ice flakes and a vast, mighty sea when you hear the music. He’s not only aiming for the dancefloor here, he wants us to take a pause and just listen as well on a varying and quite dynamic album. I can sense some nostalgic vibes from older synthpop and some hints of Alan Parsons Project also, but there’s no doubt that the songs belong on the electronica scene of today and should be fit to fill some floors in London clubs in the time to come.

Vårum on Facebook – on Spotify – on Apple Music