Inbox News | Desireé Duvringe

Another talented musician found its way to my inbox :) Desireé wrote me an email and told me that her dreams is about to come true.

She sent her music to the Music Supervisor of Skins [a popular British tv-series] and they ended up using her song Automation in one of the episodes. It's opening up doors for her and gives her a chance to make a living on her music. Read Desireé's own words about her music below.

Check out the scene from Skins with her song here --> Skins SE03EP04 - Pandora.

When did you start making music, and decided that it was what you wanted to do with your life?
I have always made my own melodies and improvised texts as far as I can remember but I started writing lyrics and songs on a regular basis when I was fifteen, and wanted to enter the music high school Rytmus in Stockholm, Sweden. I have always known that I would be doing music, my dad is a musician and when I was four I got to sing with him on a gig. Since then I decided that I wanted to be a singer.

Which bands/artists are your main influences? Do you have any Swedish influences and who might they be?
My greatest inspiration is film music because I'm fascinated by the many layers it contains and how through film music you can communicate with the listener's feelings. I'm inspired by composers like Yann Tiersen, Philip Glass, Thomas Newman and Alan Silvestri, but I'm also very inspired by singer/songwriters and more low-key pop as Damien Rice, Paulo Nutini, Maria Mena and Kings of Convenience. A Swedish inspiration is Lars Winnerbäck which I think has great lyrics and I also like Tingsek with his perfect productions and ingenious melodies. Otherwise I'm inspired by all that is good, lately I've been listening to a lot to Jamie Cullum's latest album!

A lot of people try to be successful in music, why should the listeners listen to your music? What uniqueness can you add to the music world?
I always speak from a feeling in my music, I want to tell a story or to touch the listener. If I do that I can give the listener a unique experience in the moment. I sing every word and play every note from the heart and I want to believe that it reaches the listener's ear. I want to hit you straight through your heart.

Why do you think Sweden has so many more talented musicians per capita than the rest of the world?
If it is true, which it may well be because there are many extremely talented musicians in Sweden, I think it is because we have a great and effective municipal music school. We get an early taste of different musical instruments and we have access to dedicated and competent teachers!

Desireé Duvringe - Automation


Read more about the song on Skins or find out more about Desireé on her Myspace!

Inbox News | Good Morning June

Good Morning June is consist of five young and talented musicians from Stockholm. In a near future they will release their first five track EP. I asked them a few questions:

When did you start making music together?
Late 2006, so around three years ago.

Which bands/artists are your main influences? Do you have any Swedish influences and who might they be?
We’re five members with very different influences. But I could mention Radiohead, Bob Dylan, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Deerhoof. Swedish influence… E.S.T. and Koop are two examples!

A lot of people try to be successful in music, why should the listeners listen to your music? What uniqueness can you add to the music world?
I don’t know. I don’t think it’s very easy to put a “winning concept” like that on paper. People should listen to our music if they feel that there’s something in it that somehow speaks to them!

Why do you think Sweden has so many more talented musicians per capita than the rest of the world?
Because it’s a small country in which making music is a very trendy thing to do!

Check out their Myspace to find out more about the band and when their EP will be released!

Inbox News | Great Videos

It's time for some more Inbox News! Three news in my inbox that i think you should check out some more. Three very different videos, but all so great!

Magnus Weideskog - 20 år

Oh, what a lovely pop song! Magnus debut album will be released i January and it was recorded with Josef Zackrisson, Magnus Tingsek and Ken Ring. The video is made by director Mats Udd.

Check out Magnus Myspace for more information!

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Symfoniorkestern - Tänd eld på dig själv [för det du tror på]

In their own words: A mostly instrumental journey from Gothenburg to the southern parts of Sweden. Five songs about late nights in Slottsskogen, mornings at Hisingen and the haunting feeling of repetition in life. All with a light smell of alcohol. Dreamy symphonic pop music from a collective where everyone who owns an instrument is invited. The video is directed by Pär Fredriksson.

As always, you will find more information on their Myspace!

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The Super Orchestra - No One Deserves a Winter

The Super Orchestra - No One Deserves a Winter from The Super Orchestra on Vimeo.

The Super Orchestra sent me their video for the song No One Deserves a Winter. It's lovely and soothing and beautifully filmed by Adrian Levander / Sektorfilm. The band call it; Innocent yet dirty, pure and growingly erotic.

Find out more about The Super Orchestra on their website or Myspace.

Inbox News | Nom de Guerre

Check out the band Nom de Guerre, a energetic Stockholm based pop group that mixes genres on their album Love thy Neighbour. The song Everybody Knows feels inspired by Queens but George [see mini interview below] didn't mention them as one of their influences :) One thing is true, you can find influences from most genres on their album. Check them out and make up your own mind!

When did the band start to make music together, and how did you meet?
We met through our shared love of distorted electric bass about ten years ago, and ever since we wanted to form a band based around that wonderfully exhilarating sound. In 2005 we finally got round to forming Nom de Guerre, a band with an intense, close-knit feel, kind of like of a brotherhood, which is why we decided to take the same surname. We stand united against the use of guitars in pop music - our records and gigs are proudly guitar-free but always brimming with lovely fuzzed-up bass.

Which bands are your main influences?
I think I can truthfully say our tastes cover just about every genre of music. But I can't think of a single band or artist that all three of us likes!

Do you have any Swedish influences and who might they be?
Personally, I [George] am less into Swedish music than Hector and Louis. But I do like a bit of Eggstone and Nationalteatern.

Why do you think Sweden has so many more talented musicians per capita than the rest of the world?
Because with the winters being so long, dark and cold here it's no wonder musicians love to hang out in their warm, cosy rehearsal rooms so much. Plus I think the climate makes Swedes rather melancholy, which always makes for good music.

Nom de Guerre - So Long Sister


Nom de Guerre - Slick vs Lame


Press Photo Matilda Rahm

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Check out their Myspace for more information
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Inbox News | Kate and After

Music is constantly pouring into my inbox and its sometimes hard to keep up with all the talent in this country. Today's inbox news is a band called Kate and After and comes from Gothenburg. I know a few of the members from back in the days when went to the university and all the university parties :)

Kate and After were finalists in the GP Scen [GP Stage] competition last month with Pop icon Messiah, a song with distinct Soundtrack of our lives influences. The competition is one of the biggest competition for unsigned bands in the city.

When did the band start to make music together, and how did you meet?
The band was formed on Valentines day 2008. Carl [Hammond Organ] and Jonas [Guitar] founded the band and shortly after recruited their old companion Jocke [Drums] from their former band The Milestone Corporation. In October 2008 Magnus [Lead Vocals], who the guys knew from university, joined the band. In mid December the band was finally complete when bass guitar player Kristoffer [Previously in Combat Rock] joined the band. In some way or another all the guys know each other from University.

Which bands are your main influences?
Franz Ferdinand, Band of Horses, Arctic Monkeys, Babyshambles, Led Zeppelin, Jakob Hellman, The Soundtrack of our lives, Stone Roses etc.

Do you have any Swedish influences and who might they be?
As seen above Jakob Hellman and The Soundtrack of our lives are great influences, but also bands as Mando Diao and the sounds and solo artists like Moto Boy, Frida Hyvönen, Timo Räisänen and Christian Kjellvander in different ways contributes to what we do.

Why do you think Sweden has so many more talented musicians per capita than the rest of the world?
Beautiful women/men, music and booze have throughout time been main objectives for pleasure. The first and last we have plenty of in Sweden, so why not music? Jokes aside, we believe that success breeds success, so the music pioneers of Sweden should have a lot of cred.

Kate and After - Wrong Intentions [live]


Press photo John Sjölander

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Find more information about the band on their official website and listen to their music at Myspace.
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Inbox News | Paul Mac Innes & T.B.O.I.

Are you in the mood for some Swedish soul inspired by Jazz, Hip Hop and RnB? Then you should take some time and get to know Paul Mac Innes & T.B.O.I. They have been creating music together since 2005 and recently released their second album Paul Mac Innes & T.B.O.I.

Personally i feel that their single Even Though could be a future radio hit, it stays with me all day :) I sent Paul and Björn some questions about their work and you can read their answers below.

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When did you (Paul) and T.B.O.I start to make music together, and how did two you meet?
T.B.O.I. (Björn) and I first met when he was sharing a rehearsal room with my singing coach when I was 17. We didn't really get to know each other. It was mostly hi and bye as we finished and he came to rehearse. Then some years later he is asked to join and play saxophone in a Live Hip Hop group that I was a part of.

It is really here we discover we share a similar love and taste in music and we figure we should write together. So we start writing in sometime in 2005.

On the website you list soul, hip hop and gospel as your main influences, is there anything in particular, in these genres, that you recommend the readers of this blog?
No Doubt - Donny Hathaway's work. The mans voice is pure soul and the music is beautiful.

I have as long as I remember loved soul music, I used to listen to my dads Stevie Wonder records growing up, and as most people in my age, I could not avoid loving Michael Jackson and Prince music. So those are my first strong soul influences. My love for soul music grew passionate, I could be in the record shops for hours, searching for and listening to new music.

When I found Donny Hathaway in the shelves I was blown away! That was SOUL! I am Influenced by so many, the above mentioned, Marvin, Curtis, Aretha, D'angelo, Maxwell, Bilal, Erykah Badu and Lauryn Hill and many, many more. Hip hop and Gospel have also had huge impact on me.
T.B.O.I. is inspired by many of the same artists however being a sax player that has spent much of his life in jazz, he brings that influences he mentions the following as strong influences Jim Pepper, Eddie Harris, Miles Davis (all of it but most early 80s), David Sanborn, Michael Brecker, John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins, Wayne Shorter, Pharoah Sanders, Keith Jarrett, Chaka Kahn, Mary J Blige, The Roots, Common, A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul, Faith Evans… so there is also a lot of Jazz influence in our music.

Do you have any Swedish influences and who might they be?
I'm sorry to say I don't have many clear Swedish influences. I really used to listen to Per Erik Hallin. He is definitely a soulful man and had a early influence on me.

Why do you think Sweden has so many more talented musicians per capita than the rest of the world?
This is a commonly asked question. I think it is that we have great opportunities through our school/culture school. We are offered to learn instruments at an early age. There are also a lot of places for young people to rehearse. I think this has been very healthy for the music.

Paul Mac Innes & T.B.O.I. - Even Though


Press photo by Pamela Cortés Bruna

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To get more information about Paul Mac Innes & T.B.O.I; check out their Myspace and official website
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Inbox News | City

Björn Nilsson [Slagsmålsklubben] and Tommi Levin [The High Fives] have started a new electro pop band together called City. They have been playing live during the spring and is visiting festivals during the summer. The music has been described as a mixture of Håkan Hellström and Slagsmålsklubben. Listen and decide for yourself!

Their debut single called Tack För Denna Sommaren is available for download at iTunes and Amazon from July 29th.

Press Photo

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Find out more and listen to their single on Myspace.
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New Feature | Inbox News

Through this blog i receive music news from different artists and bands, often new bands that are unsigned and unknown to the public. Therefor i will start a new feature on the blog that i will call Inbox News. New Swedish talented artists that deserve a break in the world.

Hopefully you will find a new favorite or two among the stuff that comes into my Inbox :)

Keep a look out for Inbox News in the future!