Polar Music Prize

This year Björk won the Polar Music Prize, a prestigious Swedish music prize founded by Stig "Stikkan" Andersson [the manager of ABBA]. A few of her songs was brilliantly covered by some of the best artists in Sweden right now. Take some time and check out the videos below.

Ane Brun - Jóga [cover]


Robyn - Hyperballad [cover]


Wildbirds and Peacedrums - Human Behavior [cover]

Säkert! á 2010

Did you know that Säkert! [aka Annika Norlin] came out with her second Säkert! album in September. The album is called Facit and the first single Fredrik has been frequently played in the radio. Fredrik is a song about one of Annika's friends.

I have been listening to all of Annika's music, both as Hello Saferide and Säkert! and the more time that passes the more I prefer her Swedish music. Her lyrics is very sad-sharp-funny and brilliantly sung in her dialect from the northern parts of Sweden. One of my favorite tracks from the new album is Dansa, fastän and takes place at a wedding party.

Säkert! is going on a tour around Sweden next year, when winter turns to spring again [I can't wait!] and I'm sure I will be there, and I'm sure it will be great :)

If you want to read Pitchforks review of the new album, check it out here. More information can be found on Razzia Records website.

Säkert! - Fredrik

More First Aid Kit...

Speaking of First Aid Kit, did you hear the Fever Ray cover the sister has recorded [B-side of the Ghost Town single]? It's a mellow acoustic version of one of 2009's most interesting tracks, When I Grow Up. Karin Dreijers electronica works this way too.

Listen to the track in the video below or in Spotify. Read more on the First Aid Kit Myspace or and on Fever Ray's website. Thanks to Paul, for the tip!

First Aid Kit - When I Grow Up [cover]

New video | First Aid Kit

In September First Aid Kit released their new video for the song Ghost Town. It's a great song and I love the warm light and the outfits inspired by the early 1900's. The video is directed by one of my favorite music video directors at the moment, Mats Udd. He has also directed videos for Familjen, Elias & the Wizzkids, Joel Alme and Monty.

The song is featured on their debut album The Big Black & The Blue that was released earlier this year. If you want to keep up with the First Aid Kit news, check out their Myspace.

Summer Hits á 2010

Now when the leaves are falling and we pull the coats tighter around us we can summarize which were the big summer hits of the 2010 summer. Robyn and Oskar Linnros were played on the radio over and over (together with Rhianna and Lady Gaga of course...).

Robyn - Dancing on my own


Robyn - Hang with me


Robyn has released two of her three album series of this year, and she has once again been raised and praised for her work. I agree with most of the praise and her albums Body Talk pt1 and Body Talk pt2 has frequently been played in my house when ever I'm in the mood to dance. The biggest hit of them all has been Dancing on my own. Given hit and a great song! Also check out the track Hang with me (video above).

Check out Robyn's website for more information about her music!

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Oskar Linnros - Ack, Sundbyberg


Oskar Linnros - Annie Hall


Oskar Linnros was one half of the old duo Snook. Oskar is now on his own and his album Vilja Bli was released in the spring. The song Ack, Sundbyberg has been a hit all summer but it's not the best track of this debut album. Instead I urge you to check out the songs 25, Från och med du, Ballad från en loftsäng and Annie Hall. Good Swedish pop for all!

Find out more about Oskar and his music on his website!

River en vacker dröm

Håkan Hellström is back with his sixth album, Två steg från Paradise, on October 13. It's being released exactly 10 years on the day of his first album Känn ingen sorg för mig Göteborg. Håkan's first album is considered to be a Swedish classic by now, and my generation have sweet memories of dancing to the song all through the drunken nights of our youth :)

The first single River en vacker dröm is lovely, you can see it below. If you want to know more about Håkan, check out his website HåkanHellström.se.

Håkan Hellström - River en vacker dröm


Fun fact: When the video above was recorded on the streets of Gothenburg i ran into Håkan and his camera man on Järntorget. It was a lovely, sunny autumn day and Håkan walked by and said hi, always being the friendly himself :)

Back with Kent!

I'm back again, connected but with no clue what has been happening in the last month or so...

As soon as my internet was put back on I decided to have a listen to Kent's new album En plats i solen. In the reviews I have been reading they get mostly 4 out of 5 and that gave me hope. Kent's last few albums has been a bit uninspiring, but this time they seem to have found back to a happier place, and a place you want to share with them :)

Kent will be touring Sweden during the summer, so if you happen to be here you should go see them. As one of Sweden's biggest bands they are relatively unknown outside of Sweden, although they made a couple of their albums in English as well [Isola and Hagnesta Hill]. Without any bigger success it seems, but their popularity in Sweden stays intact.

Kent will be spinning on my Spotify for the rest of the summer! If you want to find out more about Kent you should check out kent.nu, their official website or the Kent channel on Youtube.