The duon Piroth consists of the sisters Nina and Johanna. They are on their way out with the new album “Safe Haven” and you can listen to and download the first singel from the record here below. And on their Myspace page you can find more songs from the upcoming album.

From what I’ve heard so far from the album, it sounds really interesting, and it’s a change to a fuller sound, compared with their earlier works. Folk music, pop, and classic singer/songwriter together with their two voices becomes a special fragile melancholy that feels unique.

Here’s “Fog Dancers” frrom “Safe Haven” and below you’ll also find a video from their earlier album “Prima Ballerina:

Fog Dancers

Dance Closer (from “Prima Ballerina”):

I’m listening to Sumie and it’s almost impossible to stop. Her low voice somehow gets inside of me and gets all my attention. So soft, so pleasant and with simple melodies that just feel right. It would have been easy to compare Sumie with contemporary singer/songwriters like for example Sophie Zelmani, but my thoughts and feelings go to artists from the past, and often to a young Joni Mitchell.

I think this is really nice to listen to. Try for yourself by listening to the two tracks below, and download if you like. On Sumie’s Myspace page you’ll find more music. And don’t miss watching the beautiful video to “All the Ugly”, created by Yusuke Nagano.

All the Ugly:

All the Ugly
Brushfire

There is something captivating, authentic about Le Days, aka Daniel Hedin, which I can’t explain. The first track I heard with Le Days was “Hotspot”, which gave me a sensation of Conor Oberst meets Manu Chao, fascinating and rhythmic. But after having listened to more songs, it seemed like that he wouldn’t be so easy to catch.

It runs off in totally different directions, from acoustic ballads to more anxiety-loaded works, psychadelia and other stuff. I like it, to enter Daniel’s world of music, some lo-fi, no rules, to see, as he says himself, where it will lead. It’s he and his guitar (and some other instruments), naked and nothing to hide behind. It seems to me that he doesn’t wait for the “perfect” take, but he knows when he has put in the right feeling and shows it for us.

You can listen more to Le Days on Myspace.

Listen to and download three tracks:

Hot Spot
Blood Red Heart
I’ve Got a Masterplay, Playing In My Mind

In October I wrote about Pachanga, as they invited us to a party at Möllevången. I’m happy to be able to present here a couple of new tracks I have received from them.

You will recognise Pachanga in these songs, when they first speed up with “Kula i huvudet” (“Bullet in the head”). It feels a little like a messier and more angry Dan Hylander, when he was most heard of during the eighties.

In “Fri & ut” (“Free & Out”), though, we meet a calmer Pachanga, like some lo-fi Möllevångian americana.

Listen here to the tracks:

Kula i huvudet
Fri & ut

You’ll find Pachanga on Myspace

Svedberg & the Hillside Stranglers was formed in 2007 in Stockholm by Niklas Svedberg, vocals and Erik Svensson, guitar/banjo. Today the band has 5 members and they have just released their selftitled debut EP.

Their music feels a little like a marriage between different styles like pop, americana, rock, some jazz and blues, but I don’t think it feels unfocused; their sound and style is recognised from song to song. Even though they use banjo, horns and mix in other styles, my thoughts often go to the beatlesque pop of the sixties as I listen, an impression that’s also emphasised by Niklas Svedberg’s vocals.

After having played mainly in the Stockholm area up until now, they are now set to play in more areas in Sweden to spread their music. A trip to Germany is also coming up. To listen to more tracks, buy their EP and follow the band, you should visit Svedberg & the Hillside Stranglers on Myspace.

I’ll Ask For Nothing
Someone Else, Somewhere Else