On The Cinnamon

Old Amica – “Old Oaken Pond”

The duo Old Amica have been our guests several times before here on Meadowmusic. Now they are preparing to launch a new album, “Fabula”, on the 26th of March. “Old Oaken Pond” is the first glimpse of the album and beside their own special indie-sound there is a nostalgic vibe in this song, as the song title implies. A bit like if  Hotennany Singers made a comeback and started playing folk indie.

Other People – “Somewhere Far Away” – album

Other People is an alias for the composer Jakob Lindhagen and his solo project. His new album is called “Somewhere Far Away”, an instrumental album focusing on Jakob’s minimalistic piano playing. Every tone seems carefully devised in these melancholic melodies, which sometimes are accompanied by a gentle cello or an ambient pad. The ambience and the melodies make me think of Björn J:son Lindhs “Bilder från en ö” and of music from some of the Swedish TV-drama series.

Up The Hill

Up The Hill is a four man strong band, who so far have released an EP with six tracks.  I can’t come up with a band to compare them with as they sound so special. Both in the way they mix their influences and in the way they build the songs. The soulful vocals is a strong characteristic of the songs, but in the end I feel that the songs still have a strong focus on the instrumental parts, where I hear progressive seventies’ vibes, Dire Straits-guitars, blues and folk indie. Quite dynamic songs which build up a strong groove sometimes. Here are two of them:

On the Cinnamon – “Indecency”

When the songwriter Jonas Lindsköld told me about the band On the Cinnamon’s debut single “Indecency”, he also wrote that they sound like their band name. I scratched my head and started wondering if he was referring to “Cinnamon Girl”, because there are certain Neil Young-vibes in the song: the simple sound, the guitars and the touch of Americana. But no, I found the explanation further down in the mail; the bandname was a direct translation of the Swedish expression “(att vara) på kanelen” (an old Swedish expression saying that someone is a bit drunk). I’m not quite sure how I should interpret this either as the song is a charming, warm and close pop song with a certain sheen of unpolished indie. And it fits quite well with the sunny, early-Spring weather we have here now.

Hurula – “22”

Hurula is releasing another single from his upcoming album ”Vi är människorna våra föräldrar varnade oss för”. It’s called “22”, a punkish pop-melodic track with a great rough sound. I really like the chorus, and it’s the best song I’ve heard from Hurula so far.

Rebstar

It’s Friday and the end of the week, so I thought I’d gather some news from this week I haven’t had the time to present yet. Here’s some more great music:

Stilett – debut album

Stilett is the name of a new punk band formed by Adam Nilsson from Tysta Mari and Crippe Määtä from Bombshell Rocks. Joined by Thomas Åberg (Twopointeight) and Inge Johansson (International Noise Conspiracy) they have released their debut album today. Here’s a taste of it:

Hurula – “Sluta deppa mig”

Robert Hurula, former front man in Masshysteri, is now going solo and have recorded an album to be released later in Spring.”Sluta deppa mig” is the first single from the record:

The Bland – “Changes”

I called the former street musicians The Bland’s folk and Americana-inspired music irresistable, the last time I wrote (called The Bland Band then) about them. And I still think it is when I listen to their new single “Changes”, which you can listen to here below. The song adverts their debut album “Strangers on the Side of the Street” which will be released next Friday.

Rebstar – “Simple”

Here’s some hip hop from Malmö, from the artist Rebstar. He released this single “Simple” this week, which is the first one from his upcoming album, which will be his third full length album.

Century of Ecstasy – “The City Of You”

Century of Ecstasy calls himself lo-fi-artist and shows us what he means by that on the debut single “The City Of You”, released yesterday. It’s a beautiful, soft piano ballad with a sound that could have been inspired by John Lennon from the early seventies.

All That Is

Here’s a collection of singles I’ve picked up this Autumn. Quite a varied mix I believe.

All That Is – “You Are Drugs”

We’ve met Patrick Ray and the producer LJB before in the band Sidewalk, whom I’ve written about a couple of times. A little more than a year ago they started the project All That Is together, and early this Autumn the first song “You Are Drugs” was released. A new EP will follow within short.

All That Is on Facebook – on Soundcloud

Banana Beach – “Pelican Bay”

The quintet Banana Beach released their debut EP in Spring, “Window Licking”, and from the EP they picked out this single, “Pelican Bay”, an indie tune with dance ambitions.

Banana Beach’s site – on Facebook – on Spotify – on Soundcloud

Projekt Elliot – “Del 2: Sommarnattens Sång”

About two years ago I wrote about Projekt Elliot’s “Del 1: Äventyr i Lo Fi“. Now he’s back with the second part in the shape of the single “Sommarnattens Sång”, another track with acoustic Swedish pop and his characteristic glowing vocals.

Projekt Elliots site – on Spotify – on Wimp – on Bandcamp

Billy Fitzgerald – “Compass”

Billy Fitzgerald, aka Adam Rosenkvist, released this single a couple of months ago, “Compass”, a quiet, soft, lo fi-sounding tune with a fine melody.

Billy Fitzgerald on Facebook – on Bandcamp

Djävulen Möblerar Om – “Universum i en kub”

Malte from closed down Malte X has started a new project: Djävulen Möblerar Om. “Universum i en kub” is the first single and I recognise the music to some extent, in the punk and the rock’n’roll, but this is more garage and has a rawer sound overall. Here’s the single video.

Djävulen Möblerar Om on Facebook – on Spotify – on Wimp

Ekologiskt Mörker is the name of a punk trio who released their album debut “Svälj” (“Swallow”) last year. Experimental punk they write and that fits quite well as they rips and tears and stretches the concept of what punk rock can be. With high velocity and plenty of punk energy as a foundation there’s quite a span in the material where they can pick up progressive rock vibes, bluesy rock’n’roll (with harmonica) and grunge for example, while the lyrics can vary from black, stinging political satire to humour. And with a song like “Smäll” with the only line “Kom hit och ge mig en smäll, jag är så trött på att göra det själv” (“Come here and punch me, I’m so tired of doing it myself”), you don’t have to be engaged in politics to take that in. Taste Ekologiskt Mörker here below in a couple of songs.

Ekologiskt Mörkers site – on Facebook – on Spotify – on Wimp – on Soundcloud

It’s been a couple of years since I wrote about the punk trio Same Old Story. Now they’re back with two new songs and seem to be working with their second album right now. These song were made for the album “Sweden the Deal”, a collection of Swedish punk rock.

Same Old Story’s site – on Facebook – on Spotify – on Wimp