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[swedeandsour]

Marie Fjeldsted - Like I Was Never Mine

Previously performing under the moniker Penny Police, Marie Fjeldsted releases "Like I Was Never Mine", the first release since her 2023 debut "Keep It Alive"; the first to be released under her birth name. A contemplation that speaks of our increased distance from the natural world and of our eventual return and embrace, "Like I Was Never Mine" reflects the divine feminine. A poetic reflection where boundaries shift without perception, the track opens to untimely realizations.

Sonically, the track yields a particular aura to it, almost folkloric in nature. A heroism that is written through the melodies of its dreamscapes, its folksy tinges are one that mesh the mannerisms Spaghetti-western soundtracks while saturating with the earthy and ethereal. Fading guitars and Fjeldsted’s richly textured vocals create something both folksy and vulnerable; cinematic yet full of mystique. Hovering between hazy daydream and gritty realism, the track feels walks between its two worlds. For deeper context, Marie shared the following about her latest single:

"It’s called ‘Like I Was Never Mine’ and is a song about a world that feels increasingly chaotic and out of balance. It feels as if the feminine and the vulnerable are being taken hostage in this chaotic and violent time we live in. It’s about losing connection; to yourself, to each other, to nature.  So many boundaries are being crossed, and so many are suffering — especially Mother Earth. They are made into something fragile when someone takes control over them and exploits them. But after chaos comes calm, and I hope that also means a restoration of the soft and intimate as strengths, because vulnerability is what connects us on a deeper level."

You can check out the track below:

"Like I Was Never Mine"

[swedeandsour]

Una Sand - No One Else But You

"No One Else But You" is the latest track from Una Sand, an independent pop artist hailing from Oslo, Norway. Built on a delicate lattice of plucked strings that move with a swift yet understated momentum, the track unfolds through lush arrangements and stately piano keys. These elements are wrapped in a breathy layer of coaxing vocals that softens and deepens the song’s emotional pull. Lyrically, the single traces a relationship drifting into emotional distance. Following quiet frustrations detailed by moments being unheard, it's a song that ultimately leans towards hope, suggesting that intimacy and honest communication can still mend old wounds.

The first song from her upcoming EP which would be her first independent release, Una shared this about "No One Else But You" and what’s ahead:

“This song is just the beginning of the music I have been looking forward to sharing for a long time. I have put a huge amount of time, energy, experience, love and personal stories into this project, and I hope it will shine through and feel real to everyone who hears the music.”

"No One Else But You"

[swedeandsour]

Florian's Morning - Gimme Something Good (with ionnalee)

Separated through time yet reunited through song, Mats Lideborg grew up in Motala in Southeastern Sweden, where he first crossed paths with Jonna Lee (ionnalee/iamamiwhoami). Friends in high school who once dreamed of leaving home, Jonna eventually left for London while Mats wandered as itinerant bard. Writing songs both in parallel and in unison, two decades later they would both find themselves in Stockholm, with Mats shadowing his musical pursuits as a subway conductor.

Their latest collaboration "Gimme Something Good" mirrors that same life trajectory. Finding something meaningful despite hiccups and setbacks, "Gimme Something Good" is about keeping your eye on prize. Soft and pensive, the track plays as a beck and call, where an answer and call, while its two vocalists exchange emotion as the track quietly thunders on through its muted percussion. Mats' vocals on the track both gentle and pacifying yielding a breathy calm, whereas ethereal shriek ionnalee's coddles in the security of its sharp and taloned grasp. Percolating in its shallow depths, quiet synths bubble through arpeggiated cascades as the track eerily glimmers to the light of the track's dusky melodies.

You can check out the track below alongside the debut single "Forester" with its frosty echoes and its quiet yet cacophonous synth and percussive melodies from his upcoming self-titled LP, "Florian's Morning".

"Forester"

"Gimme Something Good"

[swedeandsour]

Lemi - Get Him Gone

Photo: Roj Ferman

Lemi is the name of Bergen, Norway's newest pop protagonist sharing an electrifying new single with "Get Him Gone". A bold statement track, "Get Him Gone" serves itself as a vivid manifesto to getting rid of dead weight and the dropping the burden of one-sided relationships. Perhaps what is probably instantly recognizable is the single's descending scale which alludes to a subtle interpolation of Ginuwine’s “Pony”.

Using space and staccato to deliver sharp, lyrical ultimatums, the track implements dynamic transitions that guide the song through its gradual crescendo. Working through bassy undulations that ruffle beneath her cool, icy Scandinavian pop-R&B vocals, "Get Him Gone" is a grabbing track that is constantly on its feet.

Building on the themes of her previous single “Bear” which embraced the viral zeitgeist of the “man or bear” scenario, Lemi's latest is both subversive and defiant to the patriarchal pop landscape. Writing songs with a little bit of popular feminism, Lemi's had this to say about her latest track "Get Him Gone":

“I wrote it for me, but even more for everyone else who can relate. It’s not about what I’ve been through, but about something so many people experience. I get really angry, and then I have to write about it.”

You can check out "Get Him Gone" below, and her previous single "Bear" to which Lemi remarks, "The worst it could do is kill me."

"Get Him Gone"

"Bear"

[swedeandsour]

Zoumer - euro trash girl

Photo: Magnus Volmer Nielsen

Taking its namesake from Cracker's 1994 hit of the same title, Copenhagen's Yasmina Derradj of Zoumer flips the narrative on her take of "euro trash girl". Reworked and recast as a boast of street cred, the "euro trash girl" in question instead tells you all about our protagonist — a diasporic, cat-loving, and non-smoking Algerian-Dane. As the track's motifs suggest, the track is fun and not-too serious, with Zoumer's feisty vocals and occasional purr carrying a largely conversational tone. Moving with a bassy nudge and its break beat grooves, the electroclash track is subversive in its lyrical reimagination and ornamented by its Orientalist flair and electronic kink.

You can check out the latest track and video from the life of Copenhagen's latest cool girl, Zoumer:

"euro trash girl"

[swedeandsour]

shy martin - l.o.v.e.

If music were all numbers game, songwriter and artist Sara Hjellström, better known as shy martin, would probably know a thing or two. Yet despite boasting billions of songwriting streams to her name, shy martin still relies on a few trusted individuals to help her out and her latest single builds on the strength of collaboration from within her close-knit circle of creatives. Titled, "l.o.v.e", the song hints at exactly that, where its fragile exploration of relationships teeters between platonic friendships and outward declarations of love.

With brisk, crystalline vocals that are oh-so-prevalent in the distinctive crispness of Nordic pop, shy martin navigates the emotional tension of a relationship that could be potentially more. The track's subtle caution is remarked upon through its gradual crescendos, where searing shoegaze guitars cut through breezy emotion; culminates in a scrambling, layered declarations towards its end, justified by its final words; "I wanna feel alive".

You can check out shy martin's visuals for her latest single alongside the disco groove and melty heat of previous track "...is that bad?"

"l.o.v.e"

"...is that bad?"

[swedeandsour]

EMI WIDE - Big Shark Club

Appearances can be deceptive, and although Denmark's EMI WIDE (formerly WIDE) can project a boisterous, larger-than-life persona, her latest single “Big Shark Club” suggests otherwise. Beneath the track's quirky and somewhat cartoonish title, EMI WIDE's Emilia Kokholm opens up a tongue-in-cheek discourse into the realities of a high-pressure society that's bent on success.

Contrasting with bright, rummaging beats and that jolts with her snappy interjections, the song balances its melodic nonchalance with a bit of lyrical emotion. Working on a sultry R&B glaze; smooth, honeyed, and effortlessly casual, EMI WIDE's latest single juxtaposes her beaming energy through a trauma dump of carb-loading and skincare routine nightmares. Turning existential dread into retrospective empowerment, "Big Shark Club" is EMI WIDE's way of materializing hard work, the ambition, and the desire to succeed. Speaking about the track, here's what Kokholm had to say:

"I wrote the song in Berlin, during a time when I was juggling everything at once, trying to achieve it all at double speed. It's a very personal song, but also something many can relate to — the pressure to seem like you have it together, while quietly falling apart. 'Big Shark Club' is a song about the relentless pursuit of a dream — the hard work, the ambition, and the desire to one day belong in the ‘Big Shark Club’. It captures the feeling of being a small fish in a vast ocean of expectations, constantly trying to prove yourself. Outwardly, you try to appear composed, successful, and in control — living up to the polished, effortless ‘clean girl’ aesthetic, remembering your skincare routine and smiling through it all — even when you're completely drained."

You can check out "Big Shark Club" next to her year's previous work including the pulsating, sugar rush "Good Life" and the lush, floral tones and airy feint of "End Me".

[swedeandsour]

Soho Rezanejad - L.O.V.E

A resurfacing of sorts, "L.O.V.E" is a track that Danish-American artist Soho Rezanejad had penned approximately ten years prior. Taking a beat-driven approach, the track sonically finds itself impacting more directly. Lyrically more visual and less ambient than her more recent experimental tracks, Soho Rezanejad has established herself as a perpetual shapeshifter of sorts. Revolving around break-beat percussion, pitch-shifting transposition and the stately delivery from Rezanejad's manifesting shouts and exclamations, Rezenejad's "L.O.V.E" is a manifesto of just that - love.

You can check out the track below:

[swedeandsour]

Pale Moon - Spaghetti

A shimmery new offering from Icelandic-Russian duo Pale Moon, Árni Gudjonsson and Nata Sushchenko share "Spaghetti" from their upcoming second album. Carried through slick guitars and its sedating tempos, the track eases through the mellow of its beachy calm. With "Spaghetti", we see Nata's gentle voices piquing through sharp riffs and muted percussion as the single introduces audiences to the rawer, more visceral and organic sound on from their upcoming work. Accompanied by visuals shot against in a Mediterranean landscape, the video directed by Giacomo Soranzio is a not-so-serious character allusion to Árni's first band he formed in the 3rd grade and Nata's poetic musings which hold the band's spontaneity together.

You can check out the track and video below:

[swedeandsour]

KÅRP - Zero Heartbeat

The last single ahead of what will culminate in an apocalypse-themed EP "Radical You", the Gothenburg duo of Anna-Maria Lundberg and Anders Simonsson of KÅRP share "Zero Heartbeat". An offbeat number of shrill choirs and a gooey mash of quirky synths, "Zero Heartbeat" proves as an iconoclastic electropop single. Played out as almost caricature, the single is dark and brooding, yet glimmers in its jovial warmth. Continuing with under their self-described genre of Swedish Death Disco, "Zero Heart" is thematically about the cruel nature of children as played out through the allusion to Scandinavian winters as described in their press release:

"Do you remember that winter in first grade? The first snow had just set and as the bell rang for break, you and your class mates ran out to commence in the first snowball war of the season. It always ended up in total mayhem; bleeding eyebrows, sore heads and freezing finger tips. Perhaps children are the most evil of creatures and empathy grows with age?"

A dedication to their Death Disco genre and their apocalypse-themed trilogy of records, KÅRP created an interactive game where the user can immerse in the world of the Gothenburg creators. You can check out their HIBERWORLD-powered virtual-reality game HERE and listen to previous tracks including the glitchy strike of "Greasy Makeup; the retro-invigorated march of "Perfect Order" with its percolating synths and the tribal haunt of "Honey Play".

"Honey Play"

"Perfect Order"

"Greasy Makeup"

"Zero Heartbeat"

[swedeandsour]

Lust for Youth - Giorgia

Though Denmark’s Lust for Youth and their affiliated personae are no stranger to experimentation in sound, vocalist Hannes Norrvide introduces his first Swedish-language track with “Giorgia”. Sauntering through the lo-fi nudge of synthesizer beats and navigating through the sustain of chafing guitars, the track is quintessentially Lust for Youth. Resonating its yearning calls of Scandinavian melancholy, Hannes' filtered vocals echo of both thankful gratitude and quiet defeat as the track centers over foreboding consequence. Speaking about his Swedish-language first Hannes had this to say:

“’Giorgia’ is about thinking you’ve met someone, but the feeling wasn’t mutual and you were nothing more than a summer flirt. The song is about that chase and about seeking that next rush; trying to find some sort of happiness somewhere else.”

You can check out “Giorgia” below:

Giorgia by Lust for Youth

[swedeandsour]

Morabeza Tobacco - Shadow of the Cherry

A group whose synergies radiate more from the studio than on the stage, Morabeza Tobacco is a Swedish lo-fi duo comprised of Vanilla Stillefors and Gustav Jennefors. Coming off their latest album “Shadow of the Cherry” released last November, recent effort “Saturnus” is a sly, disco-revivalist number. Underlined by the slap of its staccato bass lines and percussion flows, the track oozes with Vanilla’s silken glide as the track’s beat-driven sentiments are offset by the slowness of its placating tempo.  

If one where to compare previous tracks, its evident that Morabeza simply can’t be pinned down to a singular aesthetic. Surely there’s “Teachers in the Mood” a which analogously plays among its themes of lost connections and growing distant. Here with calm, sedating and dreamy notions, “Teachers in the Mood” permeates against the rusty grind of distant guitars and nostalgic memory. We also see on “Shadow of the Cherry” the anachronistic swash of textures that also features “Touch You” featuring the surfy chillwave frost of its delaying sustain and Italo-revival vocal gleam. To add to their diverse palate, “Temperature” flairs with punky riffs and falsetto-tipped sweetness that chirps along to beaming synths and euphoric feeling.

You can check out tracks from Morabeza Tobacco’s “Shadow of the Cherry Below”:

“Temperature”

“Touch You”

“Teachers in the Mood”

Morabeza Tobacco · Teacher's In The Mood

[swedeandsour]

JEZ_EBEL - the humbling chronicles of jez (EP)

the humbling chronicles of jez (EP) JEZ_EBEL Released: June 17th, 2022 / Playground Music Scandinavia AB

Released earlier this summer, “the humbling chronicles of jez" is an introspection of Isabelle Aimee Johannesen emancipation as a woman channeled through her artist identity JEZ_EBEL. A 5-track EP defined by its autumnal moods, the work in question is underlined by its soft, ephemeral fade of melodies over her smoky vocal tones. Opening the album is a track that clearly separates itself from the rest of the record. Album opener “ADHD” is fun and upbeat with rubbery synths and the incessant chatter of fussy conversations and the spit of quick, blabbering raps. Following tracks “Why Do You Believe in Love” and “I WANT YOU” are led by their sedating haze with lethargic pacing over frosty chimes, while “So Sick” follows a certain video game-anthemic to its fluttery Casio chirp. To close the album is the confessional track “Gooood Time”, its ghostly phantomesque filling with its sleepwalking romance and vocalized harmonies. 

You can check out the videos for "ADHD" and "I Want You" alongside the album on Spotify:

"ADHD"

JEZ_EBEL · ADHD

"I Want You"

[swedeandsour]

FAMILJEN - Säg mitt namn (feat. Oscar Zia)

A rare treat from the artist whose beginnings began in Hässleholm, FAMILJEN treats listens to a sterling collaboration after an elusive few years. Collaborating with Oscar Zia on track “Säg mitt namn”, the track features FAMILJEN’s signature synth work with its heavy-set beats and Johan T Karlsson’s breathy vocal soothe. A track written about running away with your lover to a warm and lovely place, Johan had this to say about his escapist single defined by its intricate synth architecture:

“The song is about being less of everything and escaping with your lover far away to a warm country where no one will find you. I thought I wanted to make a duet of this song and thought for a long time who would be suitable. I wanted it to be a person from Scania, so that it would glue everything together and in the end I figured that Oscar Zia was perfect. He is like me, but not at all, and that means that we blend together in the expression in a beautiful way.”

Chiming on the collaboration, featuring artist Oscar Zia had this to say:

“I have listened to Familjen for so many years, so I was very happy when Johan asked if I wanted to do itt his song with him I'm very happy about this collaboration, it's been great fun working with Johan! Always been a big Familjen fan, and have taken a lot of inspiration from his lyrics!”

You can check out the collaboration below showing the two on a wonderful night out of music under the city lights:

FAMILJEN · Säg mitt namn (feat. Oscar Zia)

[swedeandsour]

Dagny - Highs & Lows

A ballad for lovers from Norway’s polar pop princess; Tromsø to be specific, Dagny introduces listeners to latest single “Highs & Lows”. A single that will usher the way for new work that will eventually become her next breadth of work, “Highs and Lows” is written on the topic of unconditional love as Dagny explains:

“I'm very happy to announce ‘Highs & Lows’ - one of the last songs before diving into the process of making a new album. Highs & Lows is one of the most raw songs I've ever written. You could say it's about unconditional love - about steadily standing by someone's side through all the highs and the lows, all the easy and the challenging. I hope this song is gonna feel like a warm hug for someone who needs it.”

A through and through ballad, the Dagny’s hymnal soothe navigates calmly gentle currents of solemn piano arrangements. Peaking through her whooping beckon and wounded vulnerability, the track’s sentiments are magnified through her yearning emotion moving unimpededly through its barely there percussion.

You can check out the track below and revisit the uptempo redux of “Brightsider” recalling the initial days of Dagny’s breakthrough hit “Backbeat”:

“Brightsider”

DAGNY · Brightsider

“Highs & Lows”

DAGNY · Highs & Lows

[swedeandsour]

Daniella Binyamin - Toothpaste Kisses

Though “Toothpaste Kisses” is only the second single to date for Lund’s Daniella Binyamin, the fledgling Swedish-Israeli singer is probably somebody you’ve heard of in another capacity. Mingling with Scandinavian pop talents such as Lukas Graham and Zara Larsson, Daniella has already made a name for herself providing back-up vocals and working as a topliner. With her sophomore single, Binyamin bears the marks of an experienced songwriter, where vivid instrumentals and billowy vocals build into a grandiose ballad. Building on a slow and gradual crescendo, the track is first and foremost a vocal performance. Minimal in its architecture, muted percussion and lush strings allow Daniella’s voice to flow unimpededly on her sophomore single. A song written to highlight Binyamin’s tender vulnerability in the aftermath of a break-up, Daniella speaks of her songwriting experience putting her feelings to words on “Toothpaste Kisses”: 

“The day I wrote ‘Toothpaste Kisses’ I remember feeling everything and nothing all at once. The afterglow of the break-up and the rollercoaster of emotions that comes with it was washing over me, and I went back and forth between feeling free and like I’d lost everything. Me and my co-producer and writer Oskar Nyman had booked a session to write for another artist, but when we met I just felt like I needed to write something else; something real. I needed to get all those feelings off my chest (and) those feelings turned into ‘Toothpaste Kisses’”.

You can check out “Toothpaste Kisses” among the childlike glee and playful tone of debut single “Grand Hotel”:

"Grand Hotel"

Dani Binyamin · Grand Hotel

"Toothpaste Kisses"

Dani Binyamin · Toothpaste Kisses

[swedeandsour]

Ellison - 32nd Floor (Premiere) + An Interview  with Carsten Sherpa Eliasen on Starting Anew, Family Firsts on Everest and Working in Tech

With a brand new track that’s been receiving generous coverage on Danish national radio, Carsten Sherpa Eliasen introduces his latest track “32nd Floor”. A falsetto-tipped track with solid jets of grooving bass lines, the infectious single is the second track under his newly-minted Ellison moniker. While we’ve previously covered his tracks from former project SHERPA, a duo with Oh Land collaborator and producer Tore Nissen, we felt it was appropriate do a little catching up with the Danish artist. Already showing the signs of a veteran hitmaker, we asked Carsten about going solo, the legacy of the Sherpa name on Everest and juggling a busy tech career. 

It's not your first time making music, but first as a solo artist tell us about your latest project and what's new?

First of all it’s my own, which means I'm the one making all the choices. In the beginning there are so many options to how your sound can be, but I’m slowly getting to the right place. It’s vulnerable pop music with a twist of the early 80’s. I’ve always been very inspired by Michael Jackson and Prince so that’s definitely a source of inspiration.

Your previous work was very raw and emotional, from the high highs to the low lows, is it difficult writing about music very personal or rather does it come more naturally?

A bit of both I guess. I like it when the song comes close to reality and you can write about certain situations you’ve been in. However, that’s also very vulnerable, but at the same times that’s where you have something at stake.

Your previous band takes its name from your one of your names Sherpa. I remember you telling me once about your grandfather's legacy on Mount Everest. Tell us a little more about this.

My grandfather was on the first expedition that made it to the top of Mount Everest back in 1953. He’s actually the last one still living from that expedition. A book just got released about him, which made me decide to go to the foot of Mount Everest myself in August with my brother. I wanna see the places he went with my own eyes.

Your previous act involved working with Tore Nissen, what's it like with a relatively young producer yet at the same time has worked closely with names like Oh Land.

Working with Tore was great. We had and still have a close relationship and might work together on some of my new material.

Like many artists you juggle both your artistic and financial needs? How do you find the balance between the two, and while very different, do you find there are similarities?

At the moment I’m actually just working my ass off both as a UX consultant in the day time and then in the studio in the evenings. So there’s room for both right now, which makes me financially independent. Luckily I like my job as if consultant because it’s very creative and I can actually use my graphic skills to make my own music promotion materials. So it’s kind of a good match.

You can check out “32nd Floor” below alongside previous works including the dreamy R&B nostalgia of “For Her” and the boosted pop funk of silken ballad “I Could Be Your Lover”:

“32nd Floor” (Premiere)

Ellison · 32nd Floor

“For Her” 

Ellison · For Her

“I Could Be Your Lover”

Ellison · I Could Be Your Lover