Swedish~ Stereo~

Sorry for a little blogging break that I absolutely will compensate with everything interesting I've missed during last week, just give me a little time.
Awesome day for all melofans as we've got 8 first Melodifestivalen-entries. To be more exact, 1-minute snippets of the first participants and here they are. Get ready for studio-version on Saturday at 14.00 of local time

Sean Banan has become famous with sommarplåga (summer plague - incredibly infectious track that loads are going to hate fast but it doesn't leave dancefloors and the radio till the end of summer) "Skaka Rumpa" last year and he has tried to deliver another one with "Sean Den Förste Banan". Problem that I see here is really messy verse, chorus sticks from the first listen though and I can imagine Sean's colourful show qualifying to Andra Chansen with his fans' support.

Abalone Dots sing country-ballad "På väg", pretty dark moody country-ballad with beatiful instrumental part but not as American sounding track as "Solo" and too complicated to go Pernilla Andersson's road I guess.

The Moniker turns from utterly positive "Oh My God!" show to his calmer music side he has represented on the debut album, not too calm, I'd say "I Want To Be Chris Isaak (This Is Just the Beginning)" to "I'll Drag You Up" is what "I'll Drag You Up" was to "Oh My God!" and this progress puts The Moniker on a really risky path. If Melody Club and Sebastian haven't qualified last year can The Moniker do?

Afro-dite make glittery disco-comeback with "The Boy Can Dance", it's melodic warm old good retro-disco that worked so good for them back in the past. Will it work still? Well. Last year we had Sanna and Linda winning semifinals and Shirley getting to AC - all with their classic sound. So I don't see a problem for them to get their ticket at least to Andra Chansen. Girls have prepared a big show, they're huge professionals and perform after two calm songs so they have a chance.

As Dead By April promised the sound of "Mystery" isn't too different from their last album. It's half-growling verses moving into a big expressive pop-tune of chorus that they're really skillful in. I think we haven't got the best snippet to judge but due to response from Växjö it's a really strong entry.

Marie Serneholt is almost as light, sweet and dancey in her "Salt & Pepper" as she was in 2009 with "Disconnect Me", as Schlagerprofilerna mentioned the chorus sounds VERY "The Boy Does Nothing", melodic girly swing-pop which is hard to believe in as in strong MF competitor though.

Initially I was pretty sceptical towards Thorsten Flinck's entry, it sounds theatrical and hm...weird with a dark combination of electronic organ and castanets in "Jag reser mig igen" but that electronic organ and Thorsten's theatricality makes me thinking about Caroline af Ugglas and Lykke Li. You can find it weird, but can't you imagine this song performed by them? It's a big question if this entry has a future but I believe it can surprise.

And finally Loreen expected by many Swedish pop-fans. Loreen is back with dramatical emotional dance-pop "Euphoria" and this time she moves forward anthemic club sound with Avicii's taste but the vocal is the key that makes it all so much bigger than just modern club-hit. This girl sings her soul out and if she won't qualify it will be even bigger injustice than whole Andra Chansen-2011.