“Stockholm, Sweden’s PRIEST is a must-hear. A must-add to your #musicradar.”
– Puregrainaudio
“It’d be easy to slap the synthwave tag on Priest in light of that genre’s recent explosion in popularity, but Priest sound a whole lot more like the bands that influenced synthwave, the ’80s progenitors of goth, new wave and analogue synth-driven electronic music.”
– Metal Sucks
Today, Priest drops their full-length debut New Flesh. Like a Delorean DMC-12 it will take you back to the colorful future of the 80´s. The illusions presented contains everything from symmetric star prisms, a burning escape from the darkness or to break out of your inner prison. Bit by bit, fragments of a puzzle of success story is taking shape. With a mechanical sound, futuristic melodies and a masterful voice, they´ve seduced listeners all over the planet since their first single in March came out. The Swedish electronic scene is now hotter than forgeable metal.
The album is produced by Alpha (ex Ghost) and features a performace by Airghoul (ex Ghost). The recording is mixed by Niklas Berglöf (Slagsmålsklubben, Dead Soul) and is mastered by Magnus Lindberg. New Flesh contains 10 tracks that sounds like when 1982 imagine how 2019 should sound like.
Lucas Nord is a 24 year old producer and singer from Stockholm that’s already got a number one single — “Run On Love” featuring Tove Lo in 2013 (see video below). Now he’s got another one coming with his second album Company, called “Do About It” with Naomi Pilgrim. The song includes pop, R &B and house all rolled up into a burrito.
Speaking about the track Lucas said: “When I came up with the idea of having a feature on this record Naomi instantly came to mind. She has that soulful touch I’m always looking for. We have known each other for a while and have discussed doing some kinda collab in the past so when this came up I think we both felt it was the right time to do it. I’m very, very excited for it to finally come out.”
Swedish duo Nause have something to celebrate. Their brand new single “Hungry Hearts” has been released, and within hours crashed straight into the iTunes Top 10 in Sweden, with more territories sure to follow suit in no time at all. What’s more the smash hit record has received the full video treatment, directed by Tim Erem (Rebecca & Fiona, “Luminary Ones”)!
It follows the antics of both Jacob Criborn & Leonard Scheja as young boys, frolicking around Stockholm, attending record meetings and then gaining entry to an after-party, depicting an average day in the life of Nause, all complete with a juvenile twist – the video is a fresh take on DJ lifestyle! The rest is for you to indulge in…
Already soaring high in the clubs and record boxes of DJ’s around the world, Nause’s newest single acts as the triumphant vocal version of their 2011 hit, “Mellow”. Now complete, Hungry Hearts is out on PM:AM Recordings world-wide and is available now on iTunes.
Check out this interview with Swedish band The Royal Concept, who released their self-titled EP in June via Lava/Universal Republic and has a full-length album due out in October. They’re also touring in October and November with Wolf Gang.
MA: What song is the most played on your iPods?
TRC: Up until yesterday we all thought Jimi Hendrix was the god of rock guitar but then we saw St Vincent and now her song Cruel is constantly on our iPods.
MA: What chore do you hate the most?
TRC: Sneaking our guitars on board planes as carry on luggage.
MA: Are you attending any festivals soon? (Whether performing or just going to hang out)
TRC: We’re at one now actually! Europe’s best festival: Way Out West in a beautiful park in Gothenburg, Sweden. We’re actually playing ourselves. It’s a small independent festival with some other bands including, Kraftwerk, Black Keys, Blur, Bon Iver.
MA: If you could live anywhere, where would it be?
TRC: In the small and beautiful mountain village in Croatia called Groznjan. Filip is born in that neighbourhood and its the most inspiring place on Earth.
MA: Do you ever read any music blogs? If so, how do you pick which ones?
TRC: Our relationship with music blogs is random. It can lead anywhere. From big blogs to the tiniest ones. We have the blogs to thank for our success so far.
MA: What’s your favorite music media outlet? (TV, radio, shows, magazines, etc. and which ones?)
TRC: Is internet an option? Other than that old radios, vintage magazines, Spotify and all kinds of app’s. We almost never watch TV, honestly.
MA: What’s the first concert you went to?
TRC: David saw Joe Zawinul, the father of synthesizers, when he was really young and he’s still talking about that show. So that’s gotta be the one. Zawinuls band Weather Report is a huge inspiration for us when it comes to sounds, so please check that out if you haven’t heard it before.
MA: Oddest food combination that you love? (Everyone has one!)
TRC: Yellow pea soup, mustard, pork, dried Thyme and Arrak Punch – believe it or not this is a Swedish speciality that you eat on Thursdays.
MA: Do you believe in past lives? If so, what do you think your life was like before this?
TRC: 50 % of the band believes and 50 % only hopes. But as we don’t remember any past life, we probably won’t remember this life in a next life, so whats the point really. Let’s say we were Marilyn Monroe , Greta Garbo, Grace Kelly and Rita Hayworth then, that would explain a few things.
MA: What’s going to be your next big purchase?
TRC: A Jaguar probably, gotta get that real quick. And we also need some strings and band aid for the road, so we’re saving for that first.
The Royal Concept and Wolf Gang Tour Dates:
OCTOBER
1 Los Angeles, CA Troubadour
2 San Diego, CA Casbah
6 Portland, OR Doug Fir
7 Seattle, WA Crocodile
10 Salt Lake City, UT Urban
11 Denver, CO Hi Dive
12 Colorado Springs, CO Black Sheep
14 Kansas City, MO Record Bar
15 Minneapolis, MN Varsity
16 Chicago, IL Lincoln Hall
18 St. Louis, MO Blueberry Hill
20 Columbus, OH A & R
22 Toronto, ON Wrong Bar
24 Providence, RI Met Café
25 Boston, MA Brighton Hall
27 Washington, DC U Street
28 Philadelphia, PA Union Transfer
29 Pittsburgh, PA Stage AE
30 Brooklyn, NY Cameo
NOVEMBER
1 New York, NY Santos Party House
3 Charlotte, NC Stage Door
4 Atlanta, GA Vinyl
5 Birmingham, AL Workplay
7 Houston, TX Fitzgeralds
8 Dallas, TX Trees
9 Austin, TX Parish
The brainchildren behind two of Sweden’s most beloved musical projects have combined to form one artistic force, the result being an infectious pop revolution. Smile is the collaboration of Björn Yttling, world-renowned writer, producer and bassist of international indie-pop powerhouse Peter Bjorn and John, and Joakim Åhlund of bear-masked electro outfit Teddybears. The duo is excited to announce the May 29th release of their debut LP, A Flash in the Night, as the first artist album from the Swedish artist collective, Ingrid. The recording is fully loaded with electro-focused pop tracks, many instrumental and constructed around addictive synth. The vocals that are offered are artfully sparse. The album features the single “Clean Gloves, Dirty Hands,” a standout instrumental track that The Fader has deemed, “excellent”, set amongst the hazy and nostalgic “Jean Michel,” complete with retro future-synth and the dream-pop gems “Crooked” and “Satellite Blues”
Ingrid made it’s official debut on Record Store Day, April 21st. with a 15-track compilation aptly titled Ingrid Volym I . The release features new original tracks from Nordic musicians and label founders Lykke Li, Joakim Ahlund of Teddybears, Miike Snow and Björn Yttling of Peter Björn and John. In addition to solo music projects by members of Peter Björn and John, Teddybears and Miike Snow, additional artists on the compilation include Andrew Wyatt, The Chinamen, Coco Morier, Electrocute, Hortlax Cobra, Little Majorette, Max Von Sydow, Peter Moren and Starlight Serenaders. The story behind the Swedish powerhouse label is anything but ordinary. Now they have all joined forces to record music as a single sonic entity highlighting Sweden’s eclectic music scene, ranging from dark, lush cosmic pop to psychedelic minimalism to melodic kraut.
The video starts off showing bandmates walking on set in their tuxedos with tails. It was filmed live during the recording of the album, at RMV Studio on the island of Skeppsholmen in Stockholm, Sweden. The footage offers a glimpse into the gorgeous new studio owned by Benny Andersson from ABBA.
The Hives elaborate, “We recorded large chunks of LEX HIVES at Rixmixningsverket. It is a new studio that Benny Andersson from ABBA built in the heart of Stockholm, and he cut us a deal we just couldn’t refuse. We were the first band to record there. The video shows us walking to the studio on the first day of the second week of recordings. We basically set up a bunch of cameras in order to film while we recorded the take to make this more realistic than most “rock videos.” The thing is, we needed extra mouths and hands since we couldn’t do it all ourselves at the same time. These were generously supplied by people close and dear to us who can be seen in the film. Even Randy Fitzsimmons can be seen through the studio window wearing a mask. Randy on camera is a historical first. This moment is also a historical first. We give you.. We tell you to… GO RIGHT AHEAD!”
Their highly-anticipated new album, Lex Hives, is due out June 5 via the band’s own Disques Hives label and comes in advance of a North American tour that kicks off June 19 in Washington, D.C. A more extensive U.S. headlining tour is in the works for this Fall. Lex Hives is now available to pre-order on iTunes.
With less guitar, more keyboards, more bass, deep vinyl grooves, twitching percussion and some good old cowbell – but still with those trademark melodies – Sweden’s The Concretes are finally back! This time armed with a new album, a new label (Brooklyn-based tastemakers Friendly Fire Recordings), a new singer (Lisa Milberg, though not new to the band, has stepped out from behind the drums to take over vocals for the band after the departure of Victoria Bergsman), and a new lease on life. Their dreamy, ethereal disco-influenced record WYWH will be out on November 8th.
You have to check out their new single, “Good Evening” <—- click to download
The Amplifetes are a brand new 4-piece band from Sweden. Being accomplished songwriters and producers on their own, the members have worked with names such as Kelis, Madonna, Grandmaster Flash and Peter Bjorn and John. While having occasionally crossed paths during the course of their careers, they have existed as a unit for about a year. The band think of themselves as a dreamteam collaboration of their influences – listing 60s Psychadelia, The Electric Light Orchestra, The Ramones, Elvis Costello, David Bowie and Chicago Trax Records House releases.
The highly addictive result can be heard in The Amplifetes debut single “It´s My Life“, a spitting image of urban life and a happy three-part marriage between garage pop, electro and punk. It was featured recently in a promo campaign for Italian fashion house Roberto Cavalli, starring a lightly dressed Milla Jovovich, creating quite a stir over Europe.
Watch the video for their second single, “Whizz Kid” HERE and fall in love like I have!
Musically Amusing 