In Summer Zacharias Blad sang about his right to be who he is on the single “Jag är gay” (“I Am Gay”). Last month he followed up on this with more catchy euforic pop in the song “Stockholm”, where he continues telling his story, this time about his problematic relation to his hometown, or mayber rather: Haven’t we come any further?. His debut album is scheduled for release in January.

Zacharias Blad’s site – on Facebook – on Spotify – on Wimp – on Rara – on Soundcloud

I don’t get that many tips about Swedish folk songs. It’s a genre that doesn’t get as much attention anymore in the large media channels in Sweden as it got a couple of decades ago, but it lives on and of course we’re reminded of the influence it has all the time in modern rock and pop songs. A young singer/songwriter that nurtures the storytelling Swedish folk tradition soil is Frida Braxell. Last year she released the album “Fattiga Riddare”, which is a collection of her recordings from the last years. A lot of stories of course, warmth, humour and also quite a few of these rhymed razor sharp frases that sticks. Here are a couple of songs:

Frida Braxell’s site – on Facebook – on Spotify – on Wimp – on Rara – on Soundcloud

Here’s a piece of grand sounding pop from the band Seaside Heights in the shape of their debut single “Turnover”. Maybe a little in the direction of The National, without the gloominess, but rather uplifting instead. It seems like the band is working on a debut album, but no dates has been announced yet.

Seaside Heights site – on Facebook – on Soundcloud

Earlier this year The Australian band  Alex Watts & The Foreign Tongue announced a remix competition for their single “Warned”. The winner was the Swedish producer Lars Rosenblad with his interesting remix which takes the song to an entirely different place, with verses that breathes of Bowie in the ambience and which cracks up in an almost power ballad-sounding chorus. Quite far away from the orginial with it’s Crowded House-vibing arrangement. Listen here below to both versions.

Milou is the duo Iman Conta and Felix Flygare, and a few days ago they released the video to their debut single “High For You”. It’s about electro soul and disco and quite a bit about Iman’s wonderful soul voice. Listen for yourself here below.

Milou on Facebook – on Spotify – on Wimp – on Rara – on Soundcloud