About a year ago Magnus Bergman’s daughter Alva was born. There, in the middle of the baby happiness and the joys of Christmas, an uneasiness started to grow inside of him, an uneasiness coloured by the dark tidings around the world, and that wouldn’t let go. When hate has rooted itself in the middle of our safe little corner of the world, like black streams through a beautiful landscape, the image of the future starts to blur and darken. Magnus did what he does best, and started a new musical project which he called Natten.

Natten is a work in three parts which will be accompanied by an artfilm made by the filmmakers Anno 800 from Falun. The entire project will be released in January but already this week he has released the first part of the song, which you can listen to here below. Saga Björling (Poeta Magica, Jordbrand, Rotation) and her wonderful voice joins him in a ballad where Magnus release all his musical warmth. At the same time dissonant harmonies creep into all these moving emotions. Still the song feels warm and hopeful, like a Christmas song where the music itself in it’s powerful expression answers the desperate questions.
You can follow the project on Magnus’ blog.

Magnus Bergman on Facebook – on Spotify – on Apple Music

Natten are on their way with a new album called ”Dolce Vita”. As a first taste of the album they have released the single “Vuela Vuela”, along with a music video. If you’ve heard Natten before, you will recognize the special atmosphere in their music as they take us along on late night escapades moving between reality and surrealism, between well-known lands and exotic places and between the visible and the unseen, into the soundscape of Natten.

Natten på Facebook – på Spotify – på Apple Music

Little Children

Polar Bear & King – “Holy Ground”

Polar Bear & King is a new duo who have just released their first single, “Holy Ground”. Quite a pleasant acquaintance with falsetto vocals dressed in a powerful folk pop sound which emphasize the song title.

Trädet – “Minds” (feat. Linnea Sundemo)

Trädet is the artist behind this bright, soft electropop creation, “Minds”, together with Linnea Sundemo, who has supplied vocals and lyrics. “A track about pretending, longing, waiting, maybe begging” they write.

Alice Boman – “Be Mine”

Alice Boman is in her very own special dimension, a dimension full of peace and harmony. Luckily for us we can visit her now and then to rest our weary heads. Like now, when she’s releasing this beautiful single “Be Mine”, taken from her debut album released this summer. The video is created by the video artist Anders Weberg.

Little Children – “Hey Hey”

I don’t say no to new songs from Linus Lutti and his Little Children. Here in the latest single “Hey Hey” with a rawer and closer sound compared to the last two songs from earlier this year.

Natten – “Taxi Taxi”

Finally a new song and video from Natten, “Taxi Taxi”, this time with vocals by Wonder Wendy. “The video making process involved building a coffin, digging graves and organizing a night time cultic ritual in an undisclosed location in Stockholm. Quite simply a very enjoyable saturday night”, they tell.

The Mondanes

Slow Show – “Nowhere”

A couple of days ago the indiepop duo Slow Show released the energetic and uplifting song “Nowhere”. The song is a remake of an earlier version from 2010, and was recorded together with eight other new songs in August last year.

Natten – “Omen” – EP

I wrote about the quartet Natten in the Autumn. Now they are back with new instrumental night escapades on the new EP “Omen”. With their mix of jazz, electronica and other influences they have carved out their own unique style, their own ambience, which I recognize when I listen. Imaginative and sometimes with a filmic vibe. Listen to the EP here:

The Mondanes – “Silver Spoon (live session)”

The Mondanes is a new quitet hailing from Göteborg. Here they are with the song “Silver Spoon” in a nice Byrds-vibing live session.

Colleagues – “Tears”

The band Colleagues doesn’t exactly pour out songs on the market, even though they have received quite some attention from the two songs they have released so far. “Parent’s House” came out in the Autumn 2012 which was followed by the music video “Visits” a year ago, and now the song “Tears” with an exuberant electro-indiepop.

Ronnie – “Angels”

You may have heard Ronnie Hagstedt before in the house duo The Lab Wizard or as the singer in the hard rock band Optimystical. On the new solo single “Angels” he also shows us that he’s got some soul vibes in his great voice, in a song that feels like classic souldisco in a modern costume.

The Stockholm quartet Natten (The Night) leaves for nocturnal instrumental journeys with the help of a trumpet, bass guitars and electronica. Not necessarily that pitch black but full of mystique, nightly pulse and scents from foreign places. So far they have released three EP:s and a couple of singles, the latest ones the EP “Dhalion” and the single “Nairobi Night”. In the song “Makt” (“Power”) here below they are joined by Örjan Högberg from Fleshquartet on electric violin.

Natten’s site – on Facebook – on Spotify – on Wimp – on Soundcloud