Navet released a new single a couple of days ago, “Companions”. It’s got synthpop-vibing verse which slides into a more grand-sounding chorus. There’s an intriguing nerve in the song where they balance between playful melodies and tense drama. They let blipblop-loops and sweeping, melancholic melodies be accompanied by charged, almost fateful string synths and stabbing riffs, which gives the song an ambiguous atmosphere. Listen for yourself here:
It’s easy to get impressed by Per Störby Jutbring’s versatility as a musician. I feel it’s almost easier to list what he’s not ventured into. In the autumn I wrote about his excellent film song “Tomorrow“, but here I’m going to present an album he released already last Spring, “Dance of the Diaper Fairy”.
He writes that it’s at the piano he feels most comfortable, and it shows on this album, which consists mostly of solo piano tracks. With a quite personal touch to the keys he’s created a beautiful and intimate session where he mixes minimalistic, melodic songs with free improvisation and also a few wonderful trio collaborations, where he’s joined by Johanna Dahl on cello and Malin My Wall on violin. Here are two examples:
Even if the themes and music varies from album to album I do recognize the ambience in Conny Olivettis music. Here on the latest album “Klangwelt / 2016” in a dark, futuristic atmosphere where he lets voice samplings colour and comment upon the theme in question. This time, as I interpret it, it’s about the human rights and the real threats out there in our world.
And now to another creative electronic adventurer: Interzone Inc. Just before Christmas he released the album “Stories”, a quite enjoyable album where he mixes beat-driven tunes, which sometimes reminds me of old electronica heroes like Vangelis, with dreamy ambient soundscapes. Here are two tracks to taste:
The two musicians Gustaf Nygren (Trädet, Sounds of Nonno) and Oscar Björk (Velu Leka), hailing from Stockholm, have created the new project Eko together. Last month they released the debut EP “Ekonomusik”, an EP they describe as “an ambient half hour in three pieces with a hope of larger forests and less borders.” And the hope is very much alive in this bright and beautiful music, which is glimmering from the meeting between electronic, imaginative spaces and electric guitar sounds. There is a sense of nature lyric in the music, which reminds me of some of Björn J:son Lindh’s records, in the grandness and in the stroke of nordic melancholy. Here’s one of the three tracks.
SQRD is an artist from Uppsala who moved to Berlin to focus on music full time. And with his exciting debut EP “Keep Saying” he fits perfectly in the city’s creative electronica scene. This feels unique and interesting where he express experimental ambitions as well as catchy hooks. Here’s the title track from the EP.
Behind the artist name Saliko we find Emanuel Tägil, an artist who has played with various bands before, but who decided two and a half year ago to go his own way. The album “I Laid Myself Down Like a Temple Ruin” was released on Sunday and is his debut. He says that he wants to express his musical identity by mining everything that has inspired him during the years. To take in everything from black metal to church music and computer games and try to find some common ground where all this meet. It is a fascinating journey which is impossible to characterize in a genre and where he uses an analogue synth, acoustic instruments, percussion, sampled sounds from nature, drum machines and vocals. He defies common song structures and is moving somewhere between art music and pop where I can hear ambiences from church music, ageless folk music, 80’s new wave and minimalism. Here are two songs to taste.
Genius – “Floating On Air (Tribute To Etienne Cap)”
The French electronica project Genius has an ongoing series of songs called “Point of View” where they make tributes to all the geniuses that has inspired them. They have released reworks and interpretations of songs from artists like Roy Ayers, Dusty Springfield and Herbie Hancock before. Here is their latest creation with the relatively unknown Etienne Petrus V. Cap in the center of attention. Etienne Cap was a Belgian soul and funk musician, first of all a trumpet player, who played with Max Greger orchestra and James Last among others.
The Danish producer and Whomadewho member Tomas Barfod released the new EP “Glory” last month. It’s a fascinating listen and a journey into another electronic world filled with crystal clear beauty, mystique and a light melancholic ambience. It’s an EP full of musical ideas and that has something to offer both for you who want to get out on the dance floor and me who just want to relax and listen. Here are two of the songs with vocal parts where he’s been collaborating with Sekuoia, Kill J and Nina K.
The band Mind, hailing from Malmö, have made their debut with this cool song and video, “Song of Circles”. Ola Salo and Jens Andersson have produced the song and the video was directed by Lena Shkoda in Kiev, Ukraine.
I believe many are looking forward to Postiljonen’s second album, “Reverie”. It’s scheduled to be released on the 19th of February next year, and here they are with another taste from the album.
Maria Hazell made her debut last year with the single “Say It Like You Mean It”, a song that has been spun more one and a half million times on Spotify and also gave her a nomination as “Rookie Artist of the Year” on The Dennis Pop Awards. Recently she released the single “Golden Boy” along with this video.
Navelin has taken the song “Daydream from their new EP “Side One” and supplied it with an animated music video. The video was created by Michael Zauner, who earlier has worked with artists like Arctic Monkeys and Tame Impala among others.
The London duo Honey Ants has released the single “Lies” with an accompanying music video. It’s a great video with a story to their Americana-vibing song, taken from their debut EP “EP1”.
Bird has released the album “Figments of Our Imagination”, an album produced by the Rolling Stones producer Chris Kimsey and where Bird plays all the instruments on the album. “Thrill Me” is one of the songs from the record that has been accompanied by a music video, a song with a nice tension in a lo-fi-sounding verse which bursts open in a sweet pop chorus.
The rapper Nomad, hailing from Lund is underway with his debut EP and has released the single “Fakka Me Mej” as a first taste. It’s an ambitious video which almost feels like an action movie trailer, an outburst from a song with a style he calls punk trap.
Meadowmusic presents new music from many corners and edges of the world, but with a strong focus on Swedish music. Listen, read, watch, comment and share the music. All songs you find here on this page have been approved for publication by the artists and labels.
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