i thought you were my friend

GHOST LAKE I THOUGHT YOU WERE MY FRIEND EP INDEPENDENT 2013

Henric Wallmark's musical vehicle Ghost Lake is back with its 2nd EP featuring 3 new songs and 2 versions by guests Marcus Kimaro and J.O. Hansson.
The fun and playful manners are there in the title track 'I Thought You Were my Friend'. It channels the best moments of the warmest melodies from Suburban Kids With Biblical Names and works as a reminder that Ghost Lake is the project of the mind behind one of the catchiest indie pop makers Sweden's gave to the world - Heart-Sick Groans.
The songs 'Why I Don't' Like Clean-Up' and 'If I Did It, It Must Be Right' are endearing, heartfelt and soothing in their simplicity and atmosphere. Indie pop lullabies, if you will. These two songs appear twice: performed by Ghost Lake and versions by guests Marcus Kimaro and J.O. Hansson.

With Ghost Lake, Wallmark goes deep and wanders through a path where acoustic and electronics walk side by side - probably silently holding hands - surrounded by minimalistic trees, desert surroundings and contemplative, organic feelings. What matters, after all, is how we translate life and reality on the inside.

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best for guests. henric wallmark (ghost lake)

Henric is a musician and multi instrumentalist from Sundsvall, Sweden. His part of indie pop darlings Heart-Sick Groans and the mind behind Ghost Lake.

At the moment Henric is at the studio with the band Harry Lynch, mixing songs with Henrik Sunbring (Agent Side Grinder, Marching Band). They'll be released in some time in 2013.

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FILMS


MY SON, MY SON, WHAT HAVE YE DONE 
I didn't see this until this year, it's really from 2009, but I was so happily surprised. Mellow, eery and excellent! By Werner Herzog, with Chloë Sevigny and Star Trek Into Darkness bad guy Michael Shannon.
Also: LOOPER! Apart from Joseph Gordon-Levitt's annoying Bruce Willis forehead/nose, it was a sweet little action piece.
As with CHRONICLE, it also had some cool Akira things going on.


BEST MUSIC
SIMIAN GHOST YOUTH
Someone reviewed this somewhere with "it sounds like glass" or something, makes sense. extremely nice production, sweet songs.
ANGEL OLSEN HALF WAY HOME
Here's an album to make a tidy little incision in your heart and then gently fill it with xenomorph blood. timeless classics! singer-songwriter angel olsen sounds sorta 60's but modernly fresh (the musical dream completed). her vocals are fitting to her christian name, loose, theremin-like and utterly beautiful. check it out, especially this undeniable hit - Angel Olsen – Free!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sekbCD_oFl0
VERONICA FALLS S/T
This album was gentle to me in the beginning of the year, reminded me of how effective simple songwriting can be, at its best! neat little stories in the lyrics too. guitar pop with generous reverb.

This year I've been making comics and writing books mostly! I'll release a single from my pop outfit Ghost Lake early 2013, with B-sides covered by Marcus Kimaro and Jerker Olov Hansson.

There's also a video for that single, with performances by the three great singer-songwriters John Hawks, Johan Brännström and Daniel Rodin, and the venomous dancer Petter Häggström. The vid pitch is David Lynch meets Fist of The North Star in Arkham Asylum dreamy darkness.

I did three music vids 2012 -
one animated vid for pop phenomena Heart-Sick Groans, 
and I did one video for Ghost Lake, with choreographer Marie Herdensjö and photographer Patrik Forsberg...





...and this pizza fest that i did with Jerker Häggström & Johanna Näsholm

best for guests. andreas jonsson (alpaca sports)

Alpaca Sports is an indiepop project created by Swedish musician Andreas Jonsson. Joined by many friends, he creates fun, pure and naive tunes.

With sold out singles and 7'' released via Dufflecoat Records, Luxxury Records, Susy Records and a new one about to be released via Cloudberry, Alpaca Sports definitely is a revelation of 2012.

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I'm not good at ranking songs and I don't listen to a lot of new music, but here are three of my favourite 7"-singles released in 2012, that I've listened to a lot and that have meant a great deal for me this year:

LIGHTSHIPS Sweetness In Her Spark
Gerard Love's amazing solo project Lightships has been walking side by side with me ever since the release date. Love this single and I especially love listening to the album 'Electric Cables' when I'm out running in the forest. Very dreamy and beautiful.

EDINE The West Coast
This single made me cry the first time I heard it and that's a good sign! So pure, innocent and cute and Edine's lovely voice suits Lisle Mitnik's songs perfectly.

THE SUNBATHERS Northfield Lane

I was very happy to see Sunbathers play live when we shared stage with them in London this autumn. This EP was released earlier this year by Dufflecoat Records and I always keep coming back to it. Beautifully arranged songs that grows on you and makes your mind wander.

best for guests. friday bridge

Friday Bridge is Niklas and Ylva, a couple from Sweden creating electropop with references from the 80s, italo disco, kraut and beautiful melodies resembling classical music.
The project started in 2004 with the release of the beautiful and lo-fi ep The Lady Julie. Since then, they released another EP and 2 album, with their sound developing into something bigger, lusher and with a 18th century, royal-esque quality to it.

Their latest release is a single called Dark Heart, in collaboration with Nicolas Makelberge.

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FIVE EXAMPLES OF NOTABLE 2012 ALBUM ARTWORK

Few things are as satisfying as wonderful artwork combined with great music. Which is why we're happy that the 12 inch, a format which gives the artwork proper room to breathe, is on a strong comeback. But we're also glad to see artists and labels which continue to take the artwork seriously even though its lebensraum is most often reduced to 300x300px. (It's NOT an excuse to stop spending more than a quarter of an hour on its completion.)

Here are some 2012 examples:














BAT FOR LASHES The Haunted Man
Nudity in an album artwork – so hard to get right, so hard to vary. Hats off then to Natasha Khan, who strips with style and originality for The Haunted Man.

SACRED BONES RECORDS Various Releases
Making the artwork for your releases fit into a general master design is ingenious in two ways: it makes it possible to finish it within that quarter of an hour timeframe and still make it look nice. And it makes the piece look tempting to a generation so obsessed with collecting and order that they spend their time circulating colour coordinated book shelves on Pinterest. Not mad about the actual design, which is a  bit mid-2000's, but a nice initiative from Sacred Bones (not a 2012 one, in actual fact, but one which is still going strong in 2012).








JOHN MAUS A Collection of Rarities and Previously Unreleased Material
In this exercise in minimalism, it's the dot that does it.

GRIMES Visions
Never been keen on this kind of illustration, really, but this self-designed artwork has a lot going for it: a clever play with the unescapable boundaries of the online artwork square, idiosyncratic references, ugliness and beauty.

GIRLS ALOUD Ten
Not revolutionary in any way, but a study in high quality pop visuals. Glossy perfection that oozes so much self confidence, that it makes that neon light highlighting the Girls' genital areas seem completely natural. Crème de la crème.

best for guests. johan angergård (labrador recs)

Johan Angergård is the founder of swedish sweetheart label Labrador Records. Apart from that, he's the mastermind behind The Legends; part of Acid House Kings; half of boy-girl pop act Club 8 and half of electronic duo Pallers.
His prolific work is also known for the wide range of styles, mixtures and combinations of musical genres and references... giving to each of his bands a very unique aesthetic.

Next April, a new album from Club 8 called Above The City will be released.

labrador      facebook     acid house kings     club 8     pallers       

"... here's my Best Songs of 2012 list. Labrador bands excluded and only one song per artist:

1. Dusted All comes down

2. Generationals Lucky numbers

3. Beachwood Sparks Forget the song

4. Jessie Ware Wildest Moments

5. A Place to Bury Strangers I Lost You

6. Crystal Castles Plague

7. Lightships Sweetness In Her Spark

8. The XX Missing

9. Perfume Genius Normal song

10. Love Dance Bergen, Again

11. Chvrches The Mother We Share

12. Beth Jeans Houghton and the Hooves of Destiny Dodecahedron

13. Brandy So sick

14. Vince Clark & Ane Brun Fly On The Windscreen

15. Jim Ruiz Set Allison

16. Chromatics Back From the Grave

17. Solange Losing You

18. Lana del Rey Ride

19. Diiv Human

20. The Raveonettes Bad Ghosts

INTERVIEW 56. jonas börjesson (pool sessions)

In the past years, a number of musical projects following the sessions format took over the internet.
But the summer of 2011 gave us the first season of a video project that - we hope - will become a summer tradition for indie lovers throughout the world.
The Pool Sessions, created by Jonas Börjesson from Halmstad (Sweden), features artists playing live music around - and inside - the swimming pool of Jonas' parents house.
Throughout the summer, 18 artists - Marble Hill, De Montevert, Summer Heart, Slutet, among others -  spent some time there giving fun, adorable and amusing performances.

Now, with the summer approaching in the northern hemisphere, the second year of the sessions is coming back with some exciting news: under the name 'Pool Sessions: On Tour", they'll live the pool behind and take a road trip through the Halland region, featuring artists playing nice tunes surrounded by beautiful swedish summery sceneries.

                  site     facebook     vimeo     twitter

I talked with Jonas about the origins of the project, the logistics involved and what can we expect for this year's edition. You can read it below.

keep reading...

chasing my mind

HOLOGRAMS CHASING MY MIND (single, 2012)

Yes, Sweden has been the house of indiepop for the past decade or so... but every now and then, an energetic wave of jangly guitars takes the swedes by surprise and make them (and the rest of us) rock our bodies as if there was no tomorrow.
That's the case of Holograms, a quartet from Stockholm taking punk melodies and clashing it with synths and frenetic guitars. 'Chasing My Mind' is the first single of their debut self titled album that'll be out next July via Captured Tracks.

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'Chasing my Mind' reminds me of 'Flaming Dread', from fellow swedish band My Darling YOU!

VIDEO alpaca sports - just for fun

ALPACA SPORTS JUST FOR FUN

To celebrate the release of the already sold out 7'' out via Luxury and Dufflecoat, Alpaca Sports made this video with the most adorable creatures in the world: no surprise... alpacas! I mean, FUCKING ALPACAS!!!
Now you merge a lovely indiepop tune like Just for Fun with this animals and, well... you have an irresistible poppy combination.

FYI: the digital release will be out in two days (March, 22). Meanwhile, in case you don't know this promising swedish project, check this post.

late spring morning sunlight

GHOST LAKE LATE SPRING MORNING SUNLIGHT (them records, 2012)

Ghost Lake is the solo project from Swedish musician and visual artist Henric Wallmark, also member of Heart-Sick Groans, a favorite here in CuC's lands.

In a couple of days, his debut EP 'Late Spring Morning Sunlight' will be out via THEM Records.

It is, by now, a known fact among the lucky ones that know Henric's work that he's a superb melody maker.

When I first saw the name of the project, I thought I was going to see a more serious, somber side of him with that typical Swedish imagery I'd built in my mind of snow, white and wilderness... Couldn't be more wrong with the imagery, but this is definitely a more mature and polished side of Mr. Wallmark.

Following the easy listening and light aesthetics of Heart-Sick Groans, Henric adds seriousness both, in melody and lyrics, in a very sophisticated, mature but still playful way; there's a beautiful work with acoustic guitars, layers of vocals (almost 'conversations' ) and explorations with calmer rhythms that certainly deserves attention. 

Accessible pop with the thoughtfulness for details and subtle automations/electronics. 

Beautiful all the way with some very heartwarming moments.

You can check (and download) the title track 'Late Spring Morning Sunlight' on Soundcloud.

just for fun

ALPACA SPORTS JUST FOR FUN (Independent, 2012)

Andreas Jonsson is from Gothenburg. He's the guy behind Alpaca Sports (fun name!) and 'Just For Fun' is his debut single.
He teamed up with producer Kalle von Hall and musicians from projects like Mattias Hellberg and the White Moose to create breezy indie pop with the swedish quality stamp.
As a first ever single, 'Just For Fun' accomplishes its mission to get you hooked and interested.
Listening to the single and its b-side, I feel that Alpaca Sports will, eventually, deliver a great - and nuanced - indie pop album.

JUST FOR FUN

I'LL NEVER WIN


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2011. BEST FOR GUESTS. 39 azure blue

photo by Ellin Bandmann

Here's a late contribution to the BEST FOR GUESTS series. And it's a special one.
Tobias may be known for being part of Irene and Laurel Music but the highlight of his career is definitely his new solo project called Azure Blue.
By now, you already know that his debut album Rule of Thirds got into 2nd place in my list of best albums of 2011. It couldn't be different: in a year where electronic music often seemed overly produced, Tobias delivered an electro pop album like no other, shifting the landscape and turning oceans into skies.
Songs like 'Long Way Down' - with melodies that remind me of Sarah Records - and 'Chesil Beach' a calm, yet powerful and profound love song are meant to live forever.
Dreamy, oceanic, pop as good as pop can be and blue.

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Here's Tobias' lists featuring international and swedish albums and songs, videos, shows and movies.

INTERNATIONAL ALBUMS
FRANK OCEAN NOSTALGIA, ULTRA
JOHN MAUS WE MUST BECOME THE PITILESS CENSORS OF OURSELVES
DESTROYER KAPUTT
WU LYF GO TELL FIRE TO THE MOUNTAIN
M83 HURRY UP, WE'RE DREAMING
RUSTIE GLASS SWORDS
NICOLAS JAAR SPACE IS ONLY NOISE
DRAKE TAKE CARE
KUEDO SEVERANT
ONEOTHRIX POINT NEVER REPLICA
JEREMY JAY DREAM DIARY
KURT VILE SMOKE RING FOR MY HALO
CRAFT SPELLS IDLE LABOR
WASHED OUT WITHIN AND WITHOUT
HIGH PLACES ORIGINAL COLOURS
LIL WAYNE THE CARTER IV
THE WEEKEND HOUSE OF BALLOONS
CHAD VALLEY EQUATORIAL ULTRAVOX
ARCADE FIRE THE SUBURBS
WILD FLAG S/T
COLD CAVE CHERISH THE LIGHT YEARS
JAMES BLAKE S/T
THE WAR ON DRUGS SLAVE AMBIENT
GIL SCOTT HERON & JAMIE XX WE'RE NEW HERE
SPACE DIMENSION CONTROLLER THE PATHWAY TO TIRAQUAON 6
FLORENCE + THE MACHINE CEREMONIALS
FORD & LOPATIN CHANNEL PRESSURE
GIANNI ROSSI STAR VEHICLE (THE ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SCORE)
TYLER, THE CREATOR GOBLIN
CUT COPY ZONOSCOPE
ZOLA JESUS CONATUS
HOLY GHOST! S/T
TORO Y MOI UNDERNEATH THE PINE
METRONOMY THE ENGLISH RIVERA
SIMIAN GHOST LOVELORN
SBTRKT S/T
THEOPHILUS LONDON TIMEZ ARE WEIRD THESE DAYS
SWEDISH ALBUMS
THE SOUND OF ARROWS VOYAGE
JONATHAN JOHANSSON KLAGOMUREN
KORALLREVEN AN ALBUM BY KORALLREVEN
ALEXIS WEAK TILL MINNE AV
THE AMAZING GENTLE STREAM
ROFFE RUFF BARRABAS
LONEY DEAR HALL MUSIC
MATTIAS ALKBERG ANARKIST
LO-FI-FNK THE LAST SUMMER
FLOWERS IN THE AIR S/T
ACID HOUSE KINGS MUSIC SOUNDS BETTER WITH YOU
ALF VI VILLE FöRäNDRA VÅR TID MEN DEN FöräNDRADE OSS
INTERNATIONAL SONGS
POOLSIDE DO YOU BELIEVE
JOHN MAUS BELIEVER
DESTROYER KAPUTT
LANA DEL REY VIDEO GAMES
M83 MIDNIGHT CITY
FRANK OCEAN SWIM GOOD
TOTALLY ENORMOUS EXTINCT DINOSAURS GARDEN
GIL SCOTT HERON & JAMIE XX I'LL TAKE CARE OF YOU
ZOO KID OUT GETTING RIBS
WU LYF WE BROS
BEYONCE I MISS YOU
LIGHT ASYLUM A CERTAIN PERSON
KURT VILE JESUS FEVER 192
THEOPHILUS LONDON WHY EVEN TRY?
JACQUES GREENE ANOTHER GIRL
COLD CAVE CONFETTI
RADIOHEAD LOTUS FLOWER
MOUNT KIMBIE CARBONATED
LIL WAYNE SHE WILL
KING KRULE THE NOOSE OF JAH CITY
FRIENDS FRIEND CRUSH
NEON INDIAN POLISH GIRL
TORO Y MOI STILL SOUND
PATRICK WOLF TOGETHER
METRONOMY THE BAY
SWEDISH SONGS
JONATHAN JOHANSSON STOCKHOLM
AIR FRANCE IT FEELS GOOD TO BE AROUND YOU
THE SOUND OF ARROWS NOVA
PEARL FICTION THE RUBY FEVER
DANTE RUNNERS
DET VACKA LIVET VILJAN (DAN LISSVIK REMIX)
PACIFIC UNSPOKEN (ANORAAK REMIX)
AMANDA MAIR DOUBT
KARL X JOHAN FANTASIES
DUVCHI TURTLEDUVS
ALEXIS WEAK TILL MINNE AV
KORALLREVEN HONEY MINE
PALPITATION IN FIVE YEARS (NIVA REMIX)
LYKKE LI I FOLLOW RIVERS (THE MAGICIAN REMIX)
NIVA DIRTY WATER
ROFFE RUFF FARVäL
LABYRINT ORTENS FAVORITER
SKANSROS FELIX
MONTY ALDRIG
ALF INGA TUNGA SKYAR #2
FLOWERS IN THE AIR TELL ME
AUTISTERNA SOV
BIG FOX CUT YOU OUT
HELL ON WHEELS BABY
BEST MUSIC VIDEOS
PAUL MCCARTNEY BLUE SAY (dir. Jack McCoy)

THE SOUND OF ARROWS NOVA (dir. Mattia Erik Johansson)

DESTROYER KAPUTT (dir. Dawn Garcia)

BEST LIVE SHOWS
PRINCE WAY OUT WEST
THE ARCADE FIRE POPAGANDA
MORRISEY HULTSFREDSFESTIVALEN
HENRIK BERGGREN PEACE & LOVE
DOOM HULTSFREDSFESTIVALEN
STAR SLINGER HULTSFREDSFESTIVALEN
A-TRAK HULTSFREDSFESTIVALEN
JEREMY JAY STRAND
KURT VILE STRAND
FANNY STRAND
THE AMAZING LILLA HOTELLBAREN
CRAFT SPELLS DEBASER SLUSSEN
GIRL UNIT SLAKTHUSET
KORALLREVEN STRAND
WATCH OUT FOR THESE SWEDES 2012!
FANNY (Hybris)
NOONIE BAO (Hybris)
AMANDA MAIR (Labrador)
BEST FILMS
WINTER'S BONE DEBRA GRANIK
THREE TOM TYKWER
BLACK SWAN DARREN ARONOFSKY
MELANCHOLIA LARS VON TRIER
LET ME IN MATT REEVES
THE TRIP MICHAEL WINTERBOTTOM
DRIVE NICOLAS WINDING REFN
BRIGHTON ROCK ROWAN JOFFE
BRIDESMAIDS PAUL FEIG

2011. BEST FOR GUESTS. 28 heart-sick groans

Heart-Sick Groans is a trio from Sundsvall, Sweden and for the past 5 years, they've been making super fun indie pop.
Not every band manages to create it's own universe - of course, this is a very, very subjective concept - but the boys from Heart-Sick Groans have one: it's funny, odd, tropical, filled with incredibly catchy melodies. Their short and straightforward songs often present rhythmical twists with whistles, claps, hummings, harmonicas and, guitar, ukelele, several chord instruments and drums...
It's fun and sophisticated pop (in a very cool, informal way), with intricate melodies and witty-mellow lyrics.

They have 4 EPs released so far and you can find them to download on their bandcamp.
As various blogs already said: one of indie pop's best kept secrets.

          facebook     bandcamp     twitter     interview

"HELLLO! We're HEART-SICK GROANS, a happy catchy indie pop band from snowy Sweden ! ! 

START happy winter month to y'all! Here's our TOP FIVE LIST of the BEAUTIFUL YEAR 2011. 

FIRST BEST VIDEO/UPCOMING ARTIST

ULLBASUNEN TA AV DIG HATTEN, DET ÄR EN DAM I RUMMET

Henric shot this video with Jerker Häggström to our friend Ullbasunen. Video contents: WTF creepy eery psyched out Chris Cunningham/Aphex Twin invertion epic. 

SECOND MARTIN'S FAVORITE SONG

TUNE-YARDS MY COUNTRY (link)

MOTIVATION: "The first time I heard this song I started sweating. The only way to stop the pouring sweat was to listen to it again. So now, in order to have a reasonable life, I'm completely addicted to this song."

MARTIN'S RUNNER UP FAVORITE SONG:
BURAKA SOM SISTEMA KALEMBA (WEGUE WEGUE) (link)

MOTIVATION: "I'm already sweaty. I might as well dance."

THIRD GUNNAR AND HENRIC'S FILM CLUB'S FAVORITE FILMS

DRIVE (link)
atmospherically dense and cool with spots of brutal graphic violence, great soundtrack, very clean/cleansing 

HESHER (link)
tragic and funny indie flick, stupid in the best of ways

NUMBER FOUR ON OUR LIST

is a tribute to the Trinidad-Tobago artist EDMUNDO ROS, who passed away this fall at the respectable age of 100 pans. Also, Henric's mom and uncle saw him and his 18 man band live at Viskan, Medelpad, back in '71. 

A bossanova/salsa/cha cha cha band leader with a beautiful voice and extremely uplifting themes and beats. One of our greatest influences of the last couple of years. 

His best tracks:

Edmundo Ros – Good, Good, Good

Edmundo Ros – The Coconut Song

Edmundo Ros – Stone Cold Dead In The Market

Edmundo Ros – Her Bathing Suit Never Got Wet

Edmundo Ros – Who Shot The Hole In My Sombrero?

Edmundo Ros – Maria From Bahia (Remastered) (best part here's when Ed talks to the band choir in the beginning verse)

Edmundo Ros And His Orchestra – On The Sunny Side Of The Street (Cha Cha Cha)

FIFTH BEST ALBUMS OF THE YEAR (no order)

DELICATE STEVE WONDERVISIONS (link)

Fun! exciting music, sweetly produced. Proof is this Harry Belafonte cover

THE ELECTED BURY ME IN MY RINGS (link)
Rilo Kiley's man voice Blake's third solo effort=great
FLEET FOXES HELPLESSNESS BLUES (link)

LONEY DEAR HALL MUSIC (link)

first 3 songs especially, and SEE this band live JUST DO IT

SIXTH

the heart-sick groans recommends list for the rest of the fall 2011-LIST

Here's ours and yours favorite soundtrack for every day up till NEW YEAR eve!

A PERSONAL UPDATE OF THIS YEAR THAT ALMOST COMPLETELY HAS BEEN: Martin became a lvl 85 WoW fire mage, Johan dropped out of the dentist school and started digging elder people dumping ditches in Jämtland, Sweden. Henric moved into a room in Gunnar's 50's design palace apartment to become his apprentice in the art of cooking, Marcus started buying the most expensive music studio gear around and showed only a mild interest in digesting the gourmet duo's food. 

NEWS FLASH FROM OUR BAND of INTRICATELY WOVEN INDIE/FOLK/SURF-POP: We're currently mixing new songs, Henric just came back from Denmark after shooting a video to the new single "A Bossanova with this Casanova" with a galactic gang of 20 enigmatic artists... Then we'll be releasing these new tracks one by one as the weeks go by… And come spring we hope to release a vinyl with these tracks, and some old goodies! Expect, from our new batch of gems, grandious titles like "If This Canary Stops Singing" and "Black Hair Typography"!

THANK YOU GOOD YEAR

THANK YOU

2011. BEST FOR GUESTS. 12 johan angergård (labrador records)

photo by Henrik Mårtensson

You cannot speak about the swedish take over of indiepop music in the late 90's - early 2000's and its assimilation throughout the rest of the world without mentioning Johan.
He's not only the head of Labrador Records - probably Sweden's most beloved label - but also part of several bands and projects : The Acid House Kings, Club 8, The Legends and (most recently) Pallers.
What's most admirable about Johan's musical career is the unsettling and ever changing aesthetic of his projects. Yes,
every project has its own identity. For example, you expect The Acid House Kings' music to be indiepop or The Legends to flirt with electronic sounds. But it's clear that he doesn't rely on ready-to-use formulas. He's not afraid of experiment, try new things and shift directions...

labrador  the acid house kings  club 8  the legends  pallers


"Here's a list of 1 hour of songs (23 songs, one song per artist) of 2011. I excluded my bands and all bands on Labrador - it would look very different otherwise:)

1. COMET GAIN SHE HAD DAYDREAMS
2. AUSTRA BEAT AND THE PULSE
3. PEAKING LIGHTS ALL THE SUN THAT SHINES
4. LYKKE LI LOVE OUT OF LUST
5. LANA DEL REY VIDEO GAMES
6. PJ HARVEY ON BATTLESHIP HILL
7. CRAFT SPELLS THE FOG ROSE HIGH
8. THURSTON MOORE BENEDICTION
9. BRITNEY SPEARS TILL THE WORLD ENDS
10. LALEH JUST NU
11. RUSSIAN RED BRAVE SOLDIER
12.  JAY-Z AND KANYE WEST MURDER TO EXCELLENCE
13. BLOOD ORANGE SUTPHIN BOULEVARD
14. THE PAINS OF BEING PURE AT HEART BELONG
15. R.E.M. WE ALL GO BACK TO WHERE WE BELONG
16. YOUNG GALAXY PHANTOMS
17. ANDERS PERSSON OCH CARL SMITH MICKE
18. ANE BRUN DO YOU REMEMBER?
19. PAT JORDACHE SALT ON THE FIELDS
20. CASS MCCOMBS WIT'S END
21. HERE WE GO MAGIC HANDS IN THE SKY
22. GORILLAZ DETROIT
23. KURT VILE BABY'S ARMS

You can listen to Johan's list here.

INTERVIEW 51. azure blue

For a long time, I hear people saying that we know more about the space than about the oceans. That always seemed odd to me since I can touch the ocean with my feet. As I grew older and smarter (?) I started to understand the reasons why’s that. Perhaps for the same reason – or infinite others – some people have this connection – maybe bond is a better word – with the salty water that surrounds us.

And maybe the idea of grandness is better understood with the ocean since the grandness of the space is too abstract to our little minds to understand.

From the deep ocean comes Tobias Isaksson. Actually Tobias comes from Sweden and Azure Blue – his electronic project – comes from the ocean. A dreamy and crystalline ocean with gentle  and warm tides. 

Tobias is no stranger to music fans, since he was part of Irene and Laurel Music. 

"If Laurel Music was the sound of a lost first love and Irene was the impossible dream of endless summer, Azure Blue is the night after the day after. "

Rule of Thirds is the name of his debut album and it'll be released next Wednesday (November 23) via Hybris. "The Catcher in The Rye" is the first single.

The Catcher in the Rye by Azure Blue

Here's our interview. Tobias talks about his love for the ocean, his debut album, pre-release anxieties and perfect pop songs.

keep reading...

SOUNDCLOUD azure blue. the shore

AZURE BLUE ~THE SHORE (single) (Labrador, 2011)

As we mentioned before, the debut album of Azure Blue only comes out in September, but Tobias Isaksson (the guy behind the project) just released - for limited time, apparently - a preview of one of his favourite songs of the album.
"The label probably doesn't approve of this but I just got the mastered album and I can't resist previewing one of my favorite songs... it took a lot of job and effort in the studio but I love the final result..."

  The Shore sneak preview not a single but epic stuff by Azure Blue

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come rain, come sunshine

Pallers ~ Come Rain, Come Sunshine (single) (Labrador, 2011)

Apart from The Legends, The Acid House Kings and Club 8, Johan Angergård also makes "dance music for the lazy, the blazers and for the slightly depressed" with Henrik Mårtenson.
Back in 2008, Humdrum ep gave to the world a first taste of the electronic laziness from the duo, leaving a good impression and listeners around the world wanting more. It's almost common knowledge that Johan seems to be a master when the subject is the creation of infectious pop songs (it doesn't matter if using beats or drilling guitars).
Last year, the single 'The Kiss' was released casting some happy glows on their sound.
And now, with their debut album 'The Sea Of Memories' being released next September, 27th, 'Come Rain, Come Sunshine' comes out as the first single.

Spinner premiered the single yesterday with some words from Johan:
"This is the first song we ever wrote and one of the last we finished for the album.It's possibly a bit more pop than our average song... It's starts off rather mysteriously and then keeps building to a massive chorus and on to a electro-percussive jam.
The lyrical theme starts by wondering if we'd choose to live again if we had the chance...'

Just adding, the song is beautiful: dreamy, trippy and dizzy.

Come Rain, Come Sunshine


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You can also download their previous singles:

Humdrum (from Humdrum ep, 2008)

The Kiss (single, 2010)

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our future

Sameblod ~ Our Future EP (Independent, 2011)

Two young boys on their early twenties dive deep into luscious 80’s melodies and synths to create an ep called Our Future, featuring 5 tracks of chillwave/dreamwave  filled with affecting emotion.
Vintage sounds aimed to the future (our future?)… the songs are heavily romantic – thanks whispered and reverberated vocal – and are just waiting to take indiekids from the dancefloor to a dreamed balearic heaven.
Beautiful songs, strong personality and one of the best things I’ve heard in electronic fields this year.

01. Feel My Breath
02. Kick It Out
03. Cut the Rope
04. Talk Shit
05. Sun Says



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