Swedish~ Stereo~

NEO's brand new album "Reborn" is finally out, it has taken 2 years since the album "Human Frontier" has become artist's big presentation in Sweden right after his performance at Melodifestivalen.
"Reborn" feels like natural progression of NEO's concept including previously released "Underground" and "Toxicated Love", it's dark, theatrical collection of pop with worthy dance follow-ups of "Human Frontier" ("Let Go", "Atomic", "So Touchable") fans undoubtedly will be pleased by and some big heavily electrified ballads like almost Hurts-sounding "Move On" and "Swan Song".
New single "Fighting The Dark" co-written by Gravitonas' Andreas Öhrn is something closer to the second category, it's a big electro-ballad, lacking drama but very spiritual and containing beautiful middle-eight with epic drums and choirs.
You can listen to the full version and buy "Fighting The Dark" here and to do the same with all tracks of "Reborn" here.

Neo has got his second single "Toxicated Love" out as official b-side of this year's Stockholm Pride - dirty disco-track not directly in Neo's style but all experiments Neo prepares working on his second album are appreciated a lot by us.
Now artist presents live music video of this song as documentary of his performances (the one at Pride among others), shots from the studio and meetings with fans.

Neo has become reponsible for this year's Stockholm Pride's b-side "Toxicated Love". Actually we wonder why not to involve more artists in this event, it's so huge in Sweden, I bet many wouldn't refuse but for now we're absolutely glad it's Neo who has got a chance to present new single at Pride and to attract more attention to it.
"Toxicated Love" was written and produced by the same team who have made official Pride's anthem "Show The World Tonight" but if you thought this alliance can give nothing but uptempo dance song you're wrong as this track is another Neo's experiment out of his electronic dance area (which we'd call comfortable if we didn't realize that the artist sounds quite perfect on it, though Neo is prefessional and he always does), we have a problem with categorizing this song, it's a bit too dark to be disco and it's too hot to be something else so we'll just keep enjoying it and hope you will too.

We hadn't wait before watching video for a new single "Underground" from NEO too long, it was delivered without pause after single release and here you can check it below.
Just like track itself it's dark dramatic story with strong scenes (within reasonable limits), Groundhog Day memories and love-will-overcome-everything idea, interesting and not trivial video. We really enjoy it, hope you will too.
Thanks to FizzyPop!! for tips about live performance of this song, it's shot by someone from hall but quality is good enough to realize how stunning NEO vocally in live performance.

Almost year has passed since NEO has stepped on the stage of Melodifestivalen with his extravagant outfit, memorable cane and colourful show conquering Sweden with his blasting dance-pop singing hit "Human Frontier". Sweden has given up and after cold attitude to his first release of debut album "One" this time praised re-release "Human Frontier" with Top-10 in album chart.
After success of last Spring we haven't heard a lot from NEO and those who waited for his new music since release of "One" in 2008 finally rewarded with brand new single "Underground"!
Probably you expected some new energetic dance-tune marked with NEO's oustanding falcetto? But NEO shows his completely new but not any worse side this time as "Underground" is pop-rock track, it was announced earlier as ballad but I'll refrain to name it ballad as its tempo is too fast, but by emotional level it's very powerful and deep song in a vein of Andreas Johnson's "Glorious" with NEO's high tone perfectly sharpening feelings of this beautiful track.
You can already buy "Underground" here in a pack with instrumental and singback versions as you're undoubtfully gonna love and sing along this song. But before stop and check it right here right now!

Some latest news about what's going on with participants of Melodifestivalen-2010.

Timoteij will release new single "Högt över ängarna" from debut album "Längtan" on June 30th.

In the beginning of May Expressen reported about Neo who after all stresses he's got in the MF-period got serious case of vestibular neuritis and had to learn how to go, now Neo's back and as a proof he performed his MF-single "Human Frontier" and previous "Flower Power Supergirl" in acoustic.

NEO - Flower Power Supergirl (live at Nyhetsmorgon)

In days of Midsommar Peter Jöback got married with his boyfriend Oscar Nilsson. You could see Andreas Lundstedt, Pernilla Wahlgren and Sarah Dawn Finer among guests. Short interview from wedding is here.

Don't forget to visit blog of Jenny Silver as you can find some interesting demos that she's recording with her husband.

Song "Vilar Glad I Din Famn" written by Benny Andersson and Kristina Lung and performed with participance of Orsa Spelmän & Kalle Moraeus gets it's single-release apart from other songs from princess Victoria's wedding included in special compilation "Bröllopsmusiken från Storkyrkan". Benny Andersson commented that he wasn't interested in putting his name among merchandising of this event. By the way Kalle Moraeus along with Salem al Fakir, Anna Bergendahl, Timoteij and Eric Saade few weeks ago received golden status of his latest album "Underbart".

Anna Bergendahl's "This Is My Life" keeps conquering hearts of European audience and is currently at #13 in chart of one of the biggest Lithuanian radiostations M-1, week before the song also appeared in Hungarian chart. Anna along with many other artists performed in Kungsträdgården at Love Stockholm 2010 and looked very-very nice in her beautiful dress (thanx to Vitaliy for photos).

Lovestoned released their album "Rising Love" in Germany, sure band has tried to make this edition special for their German fans and included new song "Who's That Girl", that you can listen below.

Currently Jessica Andersson's "I Did It For Love" is #1 in the oldest Swedish radio-chart Svensktoppen (with following "Underbart" at #2, "Keep On Walking" at #3 and "Kom" at #9), Jessica plans new single but promise next album only next Spring.

Anders Ekborg prepares for release of his album "Painted Dreams" but before we'll get new single "I Do Believe" on July 7th. You can listen piece of new single and another duet with Helen Sjöholm "Always Here" below.

And finally I need to mention that currently we can find only winners of 4 semifinals of MF-2011 in Swedish single-chart.

13 - Timoteij - Kom
22 - Eric Saade - Manboy
28 - Anna Bergendahl - This Is My Life
60 - Salem Al Fakir - Keep On Walking

In the end of July Stockholm will host annual Pride festival with loads of different public events and open-air performances, as a rule it gathers most interesting and currently important schlager-names, so some of approved ones are Hera Björk, Hanna Lindblad, Jenny Silver, NEO, Safura, Anne-Lie Rydé, Rebound, Mariette Hansson, Caroline af Ugglas, sure this list's gonna be much longer in a few weeks.
Every year Stockholm's Pride gets it's official anthem and this year is no exception and it's Ankie Bagger & Peter Gustafsson who provide the anthem this time. It's not the first work of Ankie and Peter together, year before they recorded their first schlager-experiment "Du kan inte lura mig" (joke song about woman fallen in love with gay-guy) written by Thomas G:Son that reached #4 of chart.
"Secret Weapon" is as classic disco-schlager as it can be, like it or not, and sure it's gonna suit its aim very well, the song is written by Ulf Ekwall, Fredde "Francis" Jernberg and Charlie Mason. You can check enjoyable live performance of it below, it really lifts the song to a new level and changing this dead audience to open-air party people it could sound and look really great.

You can check the list of other Stockholm Pride's anthems of 00s. Best one to your opinion?

Jonas Hedqvist - I am What I am (2001)
Christer Björkman, Rickard Engfors och Shirley Clamp - La Vie (This is My Life) (2002)
Alcazar - Someday (2003)
Nina & Kim - Universe of Love (2004)
Leana - Dance With a Stranger (2005)
Christer Lindarw och Stockholms Gaykör - Kom ut! (Go West!) (2006)
6 am feat. Cissi Ramsby - I'm Gay (2007)
BWO - The Bells of Freedom (2008)
Marit Bergman - Casey, Hold On (2009)