The Sound Of Scandinavia

Hello and welcome! This blog is dedicated to music fom Scandinavia. I want people to discover new music artists and genres. Feel free to send any suggestions!

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Virkelig Virkelig is a trio of young boys from Norway, Bodø. Names of band members are: Tobias Aamodt, Erlend Nygaard,and Sondre Lund Johansen. Their style is combination of pop and indie rock. It’s something that’s very easy to listen to with nice tunes and very soft voice of  a singer. Band released only one album so far. Its name is Lykke Till I Livet (good luck at life) and it came out just recently, 31.8.2018. But band released some singles and EPs before so they already have thier fanbase. This album was released shortly after boys finished high school and it serves as a personal message for them because they know there are many new things waiting for them. Song Fall Ut Av Bild is one of the songs from previously mentioned album. Its sound reminds me of a British band Foster The People. It’s mainly the vocals that are very similar. But band still has its own sound. Altough there is something sad and mellancholic that is coming from thier work.  Songs on Lyke Till I Livet are about topic like anxious city living, changing, future, broken relationships... You can just feel the young minds thinking about their lives and what’s ahead of them. 

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Sigur Rós Sigur Rós is a band from Iceland. It has only three members: Jón Þór "Jónsi" Birgisson – vocals, guitar, keyboard, harmmonica, banjo, bass guitar, Georg "Goggi" Hólm – bass guitar, glockenspiel, keyboards, backing vocals, Orri Páll Dýrason – drums, samples, keyborads. Despite being a trio band has very rich sound that can be described as avant-rock or ambient. Very typical thing is also Jónsi’s falsetto. Band started to spread it’s work world wide and their popularity grew pretty fast. Most of their songs are in icelandic language what makes them very unique and special to listeners that are used only to English. Their name comes from Jónsi’s sisters name Sigurrós Elín. Song Ísjaki (Iceberg) was released at 2013 on album Kveikur. It has many electronic sounds that mix with percussion and singer’s iconic voice. Ísjaki is a love song where narrator describes his loves as an iceberg. Cold, quiet with eerything covered under ice. But their love is like a flame that burns all bad into ashes.

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Egotrippi Egotrippi is a finish band that was formed at 1993. Their biggest hits are called Älä koskaan ikinä (never ever), Matkustaja (passenger), Koivuniemen herra (Mr. Koivuniemi) and Unihiekkaa (feeling sleepy). Egotrippi even recorded a soundtrack for finnish movie Nousukausi( Upswing;2003). Their main genres are pop and rock. Band went through some changes in it’s structure and now it has 5 members: Mikki Kauste – vocals, piano, Knipi – vocals, guitar, Skele – Guitar, Anssi Maasalo – bass guitar, and Risto Niinikoski – drums. Their first album was released at 1995 and to this day band has been playing music for 13 years with four years long break (2008 – 2013). Their latest album was released at 2017. Song Matkustaja was released on album 20 Suosikkia (2004). Song is in a rock/pop style. What makes it very nice are parts with string instruments. Lyrics are rather pessimistic but full of metaphors and symbols. It tells a sotry of a tired bus driver that is just a passenger and feels like bus is driving him through the world, landscapes and bus stops. To me it is a metaphor to lives that some of us lead. People that go through their lives just like a passenger on the bus.

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Ted Gärdestad Ted Gärdestad was born 18.2. 1956 near Stockholm. He started playing music when he was just six years. Later he started to work with his brother Kenneth. At that time they released songs such as Jag vill ha en engen måne, Sol, vind och vatten and För kärlekens skull. Later he started to work with Benny Andersson from ABBA who helped him produce his LP Undringar. Ted Gärdestad sadly died at age 41 by jumping under a train after sufferig from schizophrenia for a long time. We will remind Ted Gärdestad with his previously mentioned song Sol, vind och vatten (Sun, wind and water). He wrote it together with his brother during 70s. Many musicians in Sweden aimed their work towards politics at that time. But Ted usually avoided this topic in this works. Sol, vind och vatten is optimistic pop song. It has very nice melody played on acoustic guitar with sound similar to folk artists from US or UK. It has religious lyrics that talk about God and birth of Jesus. Despite having Christmas theme song is considered as a summer hit.

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Thvilling There is very little known about this artist. Young singer and musician Thvilling(Thomas Youssef) comes from Sweden. His work spreads mostly through streaming platforms such as Spotify or Soundcloud. First two songs Horoskop and F4llout were released at 2017 and just at 2018 his first album Jaget/Detetcame out. Thvillings music has electric sound and songs are usually full of changes and dynamic. Most of lyrics are aimed towards LGBTQ+ community and his young listeneres. Thvilling himself is member of this association. Song Barriär is the latest release from this young singer, songwritter and producer. What interested me the most was his very pleasant voice and nice melody of a song. It has very nice melody and very positie vibes. One just can’t get bored listening to it, it has many changes what makes Barriär very interesting.

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Björk Björk (full name Björk Guðmundsdóttir) is probably the most famous personality from Iceland. Her music started to spread  worldwide mostly in 90s. Her work is mostly alternative but that doesn’t mean unpopular. Björk has many fans from whole world that support her earlier and aslo later released albums. Her biggest hits are Venus Was A Boy or Human Behaviour both from first album Debut that gained a lot of popularity. She usues many different aspects in her music. Electric elements often mix with signs of rock while she works with her voice in very unique way. Song Vökuró from album Medúlla is written in mysterious sounding Icelandic language. All we can hear is Björks voice and her singing that sounds like from some kind of traditional ballad from old ancestors. But Vökuró is not a ballad, it is a lullaby for a little girl. It was written long time ago and Björk renovated it.  Lyrics are very beautiful. Narrator is describing nature and spring while giving it human traits. And just at the end we know that song is a lullaby for a girl that is represented as a white lily.

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Jakob Sveistrup Jakob Sveistrup is Danish singer known mostly for his appearences in TV singing competiton shows such as Star For A Night or Dansk Melodi Grand Prix. After success in TV he represented Denmark at 2005 Eurovision with song Talking To You. To this day he released six albums. Many of his songs are in English but plenty are in Danish too. Before discovering his talent Jakob Sveistrup worked as a teacher for authistc children with no plans being a musician. His song Tænder på dig (Talking To You) made it‘s way into finale of Dansk Melodi Grand Prix wich he also won. He later sang this song at Eurovision. It has very nice and catchy pop tune that makes everyone nod thier head in its rythm. Song starts with piano foreplay but later we hear more guitar and backing vocals. Lyrics are very similar to other love songs. Jakob Sveistrup sings for this girl that he has feelings for but she’s unaware of his affecton. So he is trying to catch her attention and tell her how much he loves her.

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Silje Negraad Silje Negraad comes from Norway. Her musical career began when she was only 16 with song Tell Me Where You're Going wich made it into charts not only in Norway but also Japan. Silje Negraad sings mostly jazz and her name is pretty popular among jazz fans. In 2011 she was even nominated for  the Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist at Grammy Awards. It’s her vocie what makes her work unique. It’s very soft and fits very well into jazz songs. Most of her songs are sung in English but you can find many that are in beautiful norwegian language. One of those songs in aslo closing song Morgenstemning from her album Chain Of Days (2015) . Morgenstemning can be translated as morning mood. Lyrics are about clamness of sunny and cold mornings. When everything is empty and quiet and the only thing you can hear are your own thoughts. Voice of Silje Negraad is accompanied only by piano and humming backing vocals that create bit dark but also calm atmosphere. If we close our eyes we can see ourselves at one of many little streets in Norway where sun is just setting in and whole world is filling with light but breze still makes us feel cold. Everything is slowly waking up with Negraads beautiful song.  

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Ville Valo is Finnish singer and songwriter mostly known from metal band HIM. He was born 22.11. 1976 in Helsinki. His music is influenced by rock bands like KISS, Black Sabbath or Type O Negative. He started playing in the high school band caled B.L.O.O.D.. But his first big act came in 1991 with previously mentioned band HIM. He also worked with many other artists such as The 69 Eyes, Natalia Avelon (song Summer Wine) or Cradle Of Filth. Besides music Ville Vallo apears also in some movies including one Jackass movie or voice of character Moto Moto in Dream Works Madagascar: Escape To Africa.

Song "Olet mun kaikuluotain" (You're My Sonar) is Villes cover of John Denvers song called Annie’s Song. John originaly wrote this song as an ode to his wife. Soon it became famous folk rock hit. Ville Vallo dedicated his version to label Love Record which was celebrating 50 years in 2016. His song was also first record released by this label in 30 years. Olet mun kaikuluotain soon became popular and reached number one in Finnish music charts. Music video was also awarded with Emma Award for video of the year. Song has nice atmosphere created by soft piano and violin. While original from John Denver sounds like classic folk rock song Ville Valo turned Annie’s Song into nice and calm love song

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Laleh was born 10.6. 1982 in Iran but she spent most of her life growing up in Sweden. First she started as an ctress (movie Jalla! Jalla!) and in 2003 she began her music career with her self titled album. Her work could be compared to artists such as Seal or Sting. To this day Laleh released six albums and every single one received a lot of popularity among people in Sweden. One of her most famous songs are Some Die Young, Live Tmorrow or Bara Få Va Mig Själv.

Song Vårens Första Dag (First Day Of The Spring) comes from album Sjung (Sing). It has nice sound that truly fits in spring days when everyone suddenly feels better. Lyrics are filledwith optimism and ethusiasm. Laleh sings how spring awakens happy spirit in all of us. We are no longer scared to go on. It’s not only new start for nature but also for many people.

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Postgirobygget Band Postgirobygget comes from Norway, Trondheim. It’s current members are Arne Hulén (singer, songwriter), Nicolai Haunan (bass guitar, backing vocals), Nils Petter Time (guitar, backing vocals), Øyvind Kolset (keyborard, harmonica) and  Per Sarin Madsen (drums, percussion, backing vocals). Their first album Melis was recorded in 1996 and band remans active until today with six more albms. Song  En Solskinnsdag is from mentioned album Melis. It has nice happy tune played by acoustic guitar, piano and drums. Backing vocals also create nice backround that just adds to overall feeling of something pleasant. Postgirobygget sings about a summer day. Their summer is filled with all nice things like surfing, long car rides by the sea and of course pretty girls. Song leavs everyone with nice positve vibes that just go hand in hand with summer.

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Movits! Movits! is hip-hop, swing and  jazz oriented band from Sweden, Luleå. It consists of three members: brothers Johan and Anders Rendsfeld and their friend Joakim Nilsson. Band was found by brothes Rendsfelds with name Planeten Jorden. Their work was oriented more towards acoustic songs in style of hip-hop or reagge. After Joakim joned the band name was changed to Movits! (based on Swedish classical musician Father Movitz) and music genere changed into “Applestealingjazz” (Äppelknyckarjazz) which can be described as a combination of jazz and swing/electro swing. The first big hit Applestealingjazz that made Movits! famous comes from 2008. After their apperaence in the talkshow The Colbert Report band blew up. And suddenly they started making tours all around Europe. Now the work with many other artists like Zacke, Timbuktu, Promoe or Maskinen.