Carl Beijbom, singer in Them Jacks, calls himself “Sometimes I’m Blue” as a solo artist. He is working on an EP project that will be finished this autumn, and you can follow his work, song by song, on his Myspace page.

As a contrast to the more lighter indie pop of Them Jacks, Carl creates more blue feelings here, as the name implies. Not always in the melodies, but in his vocals and in the sound itself. It’s dreamy and echoing and maybe longing. Sometimes it feels like Conor Oberst has married the late Beatles (White Album).

Here you can listen to the two first tracks of the project, and you are welcome to visit his Myspace page to follow the development of the project.

Lovers’ Church
Come Back to Me

It’s very easy to listen to Staphan O’Bell. It’s basic and airy and trips along in a happy way, like a calmer Aberfeldy. It seems impossible that Staphan would be able to perform a song in a heavyhearted way.

The light pop melodies are headed by Staphan’s smooth, relaxed voice, where the falsetto tones often appears in the refrains. Clearly I feel lighter after listening to Staphan O’Bell. Try for yourself after listening to the three tracks below.

If you recognise Staphan’s voice from before, then you may have listened to Dakkfoai or Familiar Faces, where he held the microphone before.

Listen and download:

Just Like Me
Fashion Street
I’m OK

Visit Staphan O’Bell on Myspace

Other great mp3 blogs about Staphan: Hits in the Car, Swedesplease, The Indie Music database

For some reason I have entirely missed Thomas Denver Jonsson and his music until recently. And then he has already released his third album “Lake Acts Like an Ocean” (Kite Recordings) and are well on his way with his fourth.

Previous albums included collaborations with artists like Damien Jurado, Rosie Thomas and others. His latest album has received very good reviews in prestigious magazines like Uncut and The Word, but when I search Swedish papers and magazines I find very little about Thomas. A little surprising to me, considering the appreciation he’s receiving in other countries.

When I listen to songs like “the Border” and “Only For Beginners” from the latest record, the first feeling I get is that from an early Neil Young. This seemingly, fragile bright voice that comes so close, with a beautiful sense for melodies and with the roots in American folk music. In other songs I get the vibes from more recent indie music, rawer guitars and partly a different ambience, but still the voice and the melodies that bind it all together.

I’ll be listening to Thomas’ earlier music too after this. If you have heard him before, tell me what you think in the comment area.
On Thomas Denver Jonsson’s homepage you can listen to some songs from his earlier albums (and download), as well as demos, covers and other stuff. Really great when an artist gives that little extra like this, it makes it so much more fun and interesting to visit an artist’s site.

Visit also his Myspace page for more music and downloads.

Here you can listen to two songs from the album “Lake Acts Like an Ocean”:

The Border
One of My Blessings

Video to “The Border”:

Around 1995 Carl Nordström started to play with music software and synths. After experimenting for a while through techno, house, drum n bass, hip hop, he finally found his own sound expression and the road that awaited for him.
Affictionados, like sub-tunnel beats, swept in city noise and that could have been created from the concrete from the big city.

The songs have a common melancholy that may be compared to The Cure dressed as Elvis Costello. A dark, heavy experimenting electronica vs hip hop brings me to the depth of what is expected from a beat maker. Carl has worked through the album “Affictionados” with the production and the arrangements. But the real spin is guest plays from musicians and artists from all over the world, like Kissey Asplund, Séamus, Crippual, Tessa Saxell and Torin Williams.
Download the entire album >>Here! (for free!)

I’m really turned on with the opening song, “Baby”, with a delayed drum loop that stands out in the the hip hop sampler arena. The songs shift, change and swap strategies; never far away from the main theme, but all the time innovative and lead to
The door of the lounge bar with the song “Always and Always”, considering a more monotone way of walking, to be in the background, sitting in the sofa and the closing time for the bar. But something happens as Kissey Asplund starts to sing about 2:43 in the song. A fresh warm tone that colours the arrangement mustard yellow. She is good! Really good!

What are you working with now?
“Today Affictionados stands for itself like a project where I have worked with a number of different styles, that I can’t name anything else than “beats”. I sample all kind of music I find and that I feel have that extra special, and I put it together into something that I would like to call my own.
Right now, I’m working with a record that’s hopefully finished by the end of the year. Besides that I’m turning records at CAFÈ RASOIR in Malmö with a DJ-crew called OH NO, NO DECKS.”

In my opinion Carl is a fantastic producer that’s ahead of his time. I’m looking forward to what’s being melded together for the years to come.

/Jamin

Baby
Always and always ft Kissey Asplund

Affictionados on Myspace

Affictionados’ home page

I know it’s maybe a month away or less, but imagine a fierce autumn night when the winds blow cold and hard. You come into a warm house and sit down in your favourite sofa and long for summer. But when you listen to the melancholic and beautiful melodies from Amandine your thoughts just stop wandering away and you start enjoying the present.

With a mix of Swedish folk and americana arrangements, edged by vocals not far away from José González , Amandine brings impressions and warmth that digs deep into my soul.

The band begun 2001 in Sandviken, Sweden, under the name Wichita Linemen, but moved to Malmö in 2004 and changed their name to Amandine. In autumn 2004 they got a contract with the Brighton label Fat Cat Records, and 2005 they released the debut album “This Is Where Our Heart Collide”.

After this the band has released some EP:s and a second album, and toured around Europe and in the USA.

Here’s a video clip from Amandine’s concert in New York 2005:

Enjoy some songs from Amandine:
Heart Tremor
Secrets
Soldiers Hands

Visit the band:
Amandine on Myspace

Keep cool,
Jeppe