Swedish~ Stereo~

Sweden always attracts many artists around the world gathering them in local studios to give a birth to new hits from Swedish songwriters and producers. This time I'd like to tell you about international project Killabite that seems to settle in Sweden for a long time to fill its bag with some great music stuff.
Legend says that Matt and Chao being interested in aliens, paranormal concepts and so on have met at an underground UFOlogists Anonymous Club meeting in LA. Music that they've decided to make together was also planned to reflect their interests being full of cosmic sounds and proper science fiction atmosphere. Few years ago they were mentioned by international-community with pretty successful cover "Puttin’ On The Ritz" (under "the you know who..." name). Work and life in Scandinavia has brought them to new impressive colaboration with Axwell and Alexander Kronlund on new track "Follow Me Home". Pretty interesting electro-pop track, Alexander worked (among million of other records) on last Robyn's album "Body Talk" and tasty chorus line smells Robyn a lot, when verses are based on filtered robo-vocals. Band seems to be creative not only when it's up to music but in live performances, check yourself one of them below and don't forget to download very nice mix of "Follow Me Home" for free here.

Vendela Hollmström won Scandinavian show Camp Rock 2 and we can already check debut single and video of this young and very sweet artist. As there's nothing a lot to say about Vendela for now, let's just enjoy this beautiful song. But if you want a bit more stuff regarding Camp Rock you can check soundtrack "Fire" recorded with Ola's participation and watch Vendela Palmgren's song "Här är jag" with What's up! (when Eric Saade was still in) from previous season.
Talking about young talents I can't be silent about coming collaboration of Arash and Thomas G:Son who (together with Robert Uhlmann and Johan Bejerholm) have written song "Allt Jag Vill Ha" for Josefine Ridell - girl who will present Sweden at Junior Eurovision Song Contest-2010. Song is described as midtempo Beyonce-inspired ballad. Year before Sweden has recruited another hige international name - Alexander Kronlund who have written song "Du" for Mimmi Sandén.

Ola Svensson's coming back from the... no, not death, Ola's definitely not that unstoppable Natalie, he's more alive than anyone and he never stops to prove it. Today Ola's releasing his second single "Overdrive" from his forthcoming album. Ola has already managed to release 2 albums after his participation in Idol-2005 and 5 (!!!) singles #1, will this one become his 6th #1 single? Herr Svensson has made his first solo-step back in 2006 when he gave his fans right of choice between songs "How We Do It" and Anthony Calleas' cover "Rain", fans chose "Rain" and the single debuted on the 1st place of Swedish chart and kept there 3 weeks, next single "Brothers" became another Top-10 hit (#4) and debut album "Given To Fly" just like debut single started from the 1st place of Swedish albums-chart. Ola decided not to make a big break after first album and together with producer Tony Nilsson they record new #1 single "Natalie" - one of the biggest hits of 2007, followed up by another hit "S.O.S." and new album "Good Enough". In 2008 Ola took participation in Melodifestivalen with another Tony Nilsson's song "Love In Stereo", unfortunately he didn't reach the final but it became huge summer-hit again together with next single "FeelGood", both were included in re-edition of Ola's second album. Year before Ola came back releasing new track "Sky's The Limit", soundtrack "Play Me" for Finno-Swedish musical "Play Me". and being announced as official participant of Melodifestivalen-2010 with the song "Unstoppable" written by Dimitri Stassos, Alexander Kronlund and Hanif Sabzevari. This time Ola has reached the final and although didn't win the contest it has become huge radio-hit and another #1 single. Ola never makes his fans waiting too long and his new hits are on the way.
"Overdrive" is nice summer track with acoustic calm sound and warm feeling, not that powerful disco-schlager-track that you could expect from Ola but all who will buy this single won't be disappointed as it includes few other tracks and all of them sound different and can satisfy any expectation, "All Over The World" that you can check on Poster Girl blog sounds like a big radio hit mixing some brilliant moments of "Release Me" and "If I Had You", another new track "Still Remember" sounds like another well-produced pop-track with a bit of electro-sound that's gonna make all Ola's fans waiting for a new album even more. EP contains also Benji Of Sweden remix of "Unstoppable".

There are no limits for perfection and even most brilliant albums can be a little bit more brilliant when artist adds some bonus-tracks so one of absolutely best albums of 2009 - "Pieces" by Erik Hassle has got deluxe re-edition. Actually it was released already in February on British iTunes together with original UK edition. I've missed it and if you've missed it also here are added bonus-tracks.
If I Could Build My Whole World Around You (featuring Agnes) - cover by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell that was performed back in 2009 on P3 Live Session when Agnes hasn't yet blast Europe with "Release Me" and was included in UK edition of Agnes album as well.
Nothing Else Matters (Metallica cover) - one of numerous brilliant Erik's covers which you can find on youtube.
I Probably Want You Now (new song) - new little more positive song than you could expect from Erik but very well however.
Who's Gonna Walk You Home (featuring Malin Dahlström) - another nice duet with less popular but sweet singer.

But what stays the greatest diamond of British edition to my opinion is "Standing Where You Left Me" - powerful energetic pop-rock song with catchy synth lines, great tune and Erik's unique voice. First time I saw the name Kronlund in credits I thought that Alexander Kronlund worked on this track but later I've found that it's another Kronlund with first name starting on L due to some sites. Another recent revelation for me was that Max Martin worked on another track "Love Me To Pieces", that guy feels really talented people to connect with!

Last Saturday Thomas G:son and Anders Bagge were really on fire competing for Denmark and Azerbaijan in the final of Eurovision-2010 and reaching Top-5, Harry Sommerdahl also helped Georgia to finally reach Top-10 and I hope it will serve as the guarantee of success for Swedish songs next season of contest in pre-selections of other countries. Though not all Swedish songs were lucky enough, Eriksson family for Ireland (23), Fredrik Kempe for Norway (20), Robert Wells for Belarus (24) and Niclas Kings for Iceland (19) unforunately didn't achieve such success in the final but however these songs reached the final and it's already good result for Ireland, Belarus and Iceland which are often followed by bad luck on contest when it comes to qualifying from semifinal so our dear songwriters should be proud of their work. As Swedish songs didn't win pre-selections any time this year I decided to give you a guide to all Swedish songs competing in national finals this year, probably you'll find something interesting that should get its ticket to Oslo but didn't.

NORWAY
Didrik Solli-Tangen - My Heart is Yours
[Hanne Sørvaag, Fredrik Kempe]

Venke Knutson - Jealous Cause I Love You
[Laila Samuelsen, Alexander Kronlund & Lucas Hilbert]

DENMARK
Chanée & N'Evergreen - In a Moment Like This
[Thomas G:son, Henrik Sethsson, Erik Bernholm]

Thomas Barsøe - Just Like Rain
[Patrick Jonsson, Joakim Övrenius, Thomas Karlsson]

SPAIN
Coral - En Una Vida
[Tony Sanchez-Ohlsson, Thomas G:son, Andreas Rickstrand]

Venus - Perfecta
[Tony Sanchez-Ohlsson, Thomas G:son, Andreas Rickstrand]

IRELAND
Niamh Kavanagh - It's For You
[Niall Mooney, Mårten Eriksson & Jonas Gladnikoff, Lina Eriksson]

GEORGIA
Sopho Nizharadze - Shine
[Hanne Sørvaag , Harry Sommerdahl, Chistian Leuzzi]

BULGARIA
Miro - Twist & Tango
[Thomas Thörnholm, Peter Panov, Danne Attlerud and Michael Klaus]

UKRAINE
Vasyl Lazarovych - Don’t wanna loose you
[Claes Andreasson]

AZERBAIJAN
Safura / Milk&Kisses / Maryam - Drip Drop
[Stefan Örn, Anders Bagge, Sandra Bjurman]

Milk&Kisses - Cancelled
[Stefan Örn/Negin/Random]

Safura / Maryam - Soulless
[Anders Lundström]

Safura / Maryam / Milk&Kisses - Under My Skin
[Stefan Örn, Phil Anquetil]

BELARUS
3+2 and Robert Wells - Butterflies
[Max Fadeev, Malka Chaplin]

ICELAND
Hera Björk - Je Ne Sais Quoi
[Örlygur Smári, Hera Björk Þórhallsdóttir] (produced by Niclas Kings)

MALTA
Thea Garrett - My Dream
[Jason Cassar, Sunny Aquilina] (produced by Johan Bejerholm)

It was really crazy spring for young artist Eric Saade who has made successful debut on Melodifestivalen-2010 with platinum hit "Manboy", few days ago I told about his Past so now time has come for his Future and this Future is his first solo-album "Masquerade". If you like what you've heard from Eric before tracks from this album will get your players for a long time. I would describe it as mix from Kempe-goes-Britney-disco-pop (Masquerade, Manboy, Sleepless, Upgrade, Radioactive), BWO+September's electro-pop (It's Gonna Rain, Why Do We Need Fashion) and classic boy band stuff that you could expect from What's Up (Say It, I'll Be Alright), next planned single is "Break Of Dawn" that sounds for me like young modern sister of Peter Jöback's "Hollow" and some classic Blue/Westlife ballad. Sounds interesting? Well, probably it's better if you'll check our preview of this album below.

Credits list of the album:
Masquerade (Eric Saade, Anton Malmberg Hård af Segerstad & Tony Malm)
Upgrade (Alexander Jonsson, Björn Djupström & Charlie Mason)
Break of Dawn (Eric Saade & Fredrik Kempe)
It's Gonna Rain (Fredrik Kempe)
Manboy (Fredrik Kempe & Peter Boström)
Say It (Gustav Efraimsson, Hayden Bell & Sarah Lundbäck)
Sleepless (Fredrik Kempe & Peter Boström)
I'll Be Alright (Eric Saade, Dimitri Stassos, Mikaela Stenström & Jason Gill)
Radioactive (Dimitri Stassos & Mikaela Stenström)
Why Do We Need Fashion!? (Eric Saade, Anton Malmberg Hård af Segerstad & Niclas Lundin)
It's Like That With You (Alexander Kronlund, Stephanie Bentley, Gustav Efraimsson, Hayden Bell & Sarah Lundbäck)