scandinavian posts

Maia Hirasawa

Sunday, December 2nd, 2007 by Julija

swedish pop // singer-songwriter

Multi-instrumentalist with a strong background in jazz, a member of Hello Saferide, Maia Hirasawa is one of the most adored artists in Sweden. Since her solo debut, Maia has received highly positive reviews throughout Scandinavia, been nominated as one of “the Women of the year” in two Swedish magazines, and her first single was mentioned in several audio blogs. One of her fun pop type songs, “Crackers” instantly makes the day colorful and lively, as listening to the catchy melody line, you will find yourself smiling and singing.

Glimpsing into a world of pop perfection.
Maia Hirasawa – Crackers
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Erik Enocksson

Sunday, November 25th, 2007 by Julija

shoegazing // experimental

Throughout his strongly evocative pieces for the soundtrack of Farväl Falkenberg, Stockholm-based composer Erik Enocksson reverberates the stories of a small sea-town life. As Erik Enocksson merges his minimalist folk tunes, sweeping instrumentation of acoustic guitars, piano, creaky wood, ethereal choir chant, and the simplicity of whistles and hand claps, he perfectly captures the feelings of isolation and hopefulness. Influenced by the coastal area, the soundscapes stimulate the sensation of brooding notes and a subtle hint of threat.

Losing yourself in a cinematic-shoegaze experience.
Erik Enocksson – The Joy of D.H. Lawrence
Erik Enocksson – The Lingering Procession
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Emma Salokoski Ensemble

Monday, October 1st, 2007 by Julija

bossa nova // finnish folk

Light-hearted rhythms of various bossa nova interpretations come from all over the world, yet one could not expect such seamless recreation of summery vibes coming from the land of gloomy winters. In their album Kaksi Mannerta (Two Continents), the members of Emma Salokoski Ensemble easily mix the essence of bossa nova aesthetics and traditional Finnish folk. Richly melodic Caetano Veloso’s Brazilian pop, Madredeus’ modern folk influences, and Emma Salokoski’s bright voice, singing in her native Finnish, caress the ear, and certainly is the perfect antidote to chilly autumn air.

Unique synthesis of Nordic attitude and tropical flavours.
Emma Salokoski Ensemble – Mina Maneira
Emma Salokoski Ensemble – Sua Jos Aattelen
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Hafdis Huld

Tuesday, August 21st, 2007 by Julija

icelandic pop-folk // electro pop

The charming debut of former Gus Gus singer, Icelandic-born Hafdis Huld, is a fun jaunt of quirky contemporary pop. Her girly voice crosses between the eccentricity of Cerys Matthews and fragility of Emiliana Torrini; her songwriting’s sweet but with macabre twists; and her arrangements never bore. Hafdis’ electronic noise, instrumentation of keyboards, xylophone, and especially the surprising country sound of banjo, amount to some bizarrely catchy musical romps.

Delicious wit and great seriousness.
Hafdis Huld – Diamonds On My Belly
Hafdis Huld – Tomoko
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Bjørn Torske

Wednesday, August 1st, 2007 by Anne Cloudman

coastal dub // norwegian electronica

Given that he hails from a country where the sun barely sets during the summer months, it’s not hard to understand how Norwegian producer and artist Bjørn Torske was able to create Feil Knapp, an engaging collection of blissful summer electronica. “Møljekalas” dabbles in bright island-esque percussion over an underbelly of melodic synthesized beats. “Hatten Passer” is more true to Torske’s DJ background: a deep pulsating bass line laced with dubby twists and playful whistling.

An album without an ounce of angst.
Bjørn Torske – Moljekalas
Bjørn Torske – Hatten Passer
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