The Sweet Serenades are the next in a long line Swedish pop-smiths who craft bouncy catchy tunes that are sure to make you forget your wintertime woes. Check out their video for their single “Mona Lee”.
January 8, 2009
Music For Swedish Lumberjacks! The Sweet Serenades!
November 29, 2008
Guess What Wesley is Dressed as! Plus: Superb Saturday Mix!
This is it! The last Wesley the Robot Cartoon of the year! I decided to take a hiatus from the squid battle and do something more festive and cute. Who would have ever thought that “Cute” would be the word to describe this emotionally impaired automoton? Stay tuned for more on Wesley’s meteoric rise to fame.
In the meantime, enjoy this cold, snowy, winter-y mix.
Snowfight in the City Centre – No Light Left
Graig Markel – Figures in the Snow
The LK – The Private Life of a Cat
Snowden – Anti Anti (Treasure Fingers Remix) <-- Highly Recommended!
The Stills – Snow in California
Dieter Schöön – The Harbour’s Cold
The Octopus Project – Exploding Snowhorse
Moby – When It’s Cold I’d Like to Die
Jens Lekman – The Cold Swedish Winter
November 15, 2008
Wesley the Robot and A Superb Saturday Mix♦
Upon his way to investigating the reason that the power is out across the city, Wesley has a “Human moment”. Maple leaves huh?
The Secret Machines – Underneath the Concrete
Longwave – The Devil & The Liar
The Killers – Human (Armin Van Buuren Remix)
Red Light Company – Scheme Eugene (James Yuill omega 3 Remix)
The Banshee – Colder
The Faint – Mirror Error
October 31, 2008
Achat avec Boo Hoo au Hypermarché! Sublime Electro/Chamber Pop!
The musical artist known as “Boo Hoo” is a 24 year old man named Bernhard Karakoulakis from Frankfurt Germany. He describes his music as “an antifolkish indietronic version of Simon and Garfunkel”. That’s not far off, his music is full of charming melodies and introspective lyrics. On his second release “Hypermarché”, Synths wash over glockenspiel and lo fi drum beats carry the whole affair like cartoon ants at a picnic. The songs featured here were recorded at his home and are mostly about shopping save for one song about robots. This song, called “Gakutensoku”, is “is partly inspired by the japanese robot Gakutensoku, partly by the movie “Brave Little Toaster” and partly by the “Wesley the Robot” strips” created by me, AZLTRON!
Gosh, I feel all important! But don’t think that I’m bias due to flattery, although I am honored that a man this talented would look to Wesley for inspiration, “Hypermarché” is the most complete crossover of two of my favorite genres that I’ve heard to date. Those two genres being lo-fi electro pop and melodic chamber pop. Boo Hoo glides effortlessly between the two. My only complaint is that the song “Nothing” really is nothing, two minutes and ten seconds of nothing. Other than that, this is an album of compelling beauty that is entertaining and insightful.
Lights Out on Wesley the Robot, plus new Lights mix
This is a bit strange. I posted this Wesley cartoon a while back along with a mix and now it doesn’t exist anymore. I know there wasn’t any objectionable content and no one notified me regarding taking a track down… Hm, well anyway here’s a few more tracks that go along with the repost of the cartoon. It seems that Wesley is encountering some electrical problems… I wonder what the cause could be?
Autolux – Robots in the Garden
My Robot Friend – Robot High School
Bright Eyes – Light Pollution
Cobra Dukes – Leave the Light On
The Dub Pistols – The Speed of Light
Erlend Oye – There is a Light That Never Goes Out (Smiths Cover)
Heart Beeps – Light Leaks
The Sonixx – I See The Light
Jens Lekman – You Are The Light
Justice – Let There Be Light (Breakbot Remix)
P.S. Happy Halloween!
September 5, 2008
Dada Life Remix Lykke Li
Are you ready for more modest cutesy female vocals over thumping beats and stuttering synth arpeggios? Of course you are. Dada Life transforms the slowly sashaying original into an old school dancefloor storm. It might take a full minute before you recognize those gentle vocals, but the synth riff that drops and the use of the reverb on the vocals that creates a kind of”Pull Away” effect adds some serious velocity.
Lykke Li – Dance, Dance, Dance (Dada Life Guerilla Fart #4)
August 26, 2008
Jon & Roy
Jon Middleton and Roy Vizer are in a folk pop band. Their band is called Jon & Roy and they are from British Columbia, Canada. Jon sings and plays guitar while Roy plays drums and percussion. Their song “Another Noon” was used in a Volkswagen commercial for their Eos vehicle. It’s an interesting selection for a car commercial as their music is relatively mellow whereas most car commercials have some kind of upbeat electronic/rock songs. I think the method works though, as Jon & Roy provide a calming atmosphere amidst a sea of volume turned up way too loud.
Their music accompanies the end of summer particlularly well. I can imagine campers living out thier last day fishing off of a small row boat and reclining around the campfire until the remaining embers burn out. Thier music isn’t anything revolutionary but it does fill the niche for contented late night drives home.
August 25, 2008
Klumpfish Remixes Lykke Li
Klumpfisk returns with an sublime dream pop take on up and coming Swedish pop songstress Lykke Li. The original versions gentle clank is replaced with a wide open ambience and some raw guitar work.
This snippet came with the remix:
“To those of you who appreciate genuine handcraft in these times of mass-produced nonsense, Klumpfisk presents yet another trip to the shores of the Baltic Sea. Made from small amounts of matter, but from larger amounts of time, before you lies a beautiful example of what a pop song of 2008 could or could not be. If this doesn’t make you shiver, either your brain or your nerves may be damaged.”
Lykke Li – Little Bit (Klumpfisk Remix)
August 22, 2008
Dieter Schöön
Some artists like to stay safely within a sound, to work with what they’re comfortable with to create songs. Dieter Schöön from Sweden is not one of those artists. On his latest release “Lablaza” he combines classical sounding horns, accordian, strings and guitar with lo-fi blips, beats and beeps that sometimes shoot past you so fast they give you whiplash. His sound is something like if Beck and Peter Bjorn & John collaborated on an album with Clor producing. His songs don’t always hit the sweet spot but you’ve got to hand it to him, there’s not anything else out there that sounds exactly like him and that’s admirable.
July 16, 2008
Klas
Klas is a musician from Sweden signed to Series 2 records who is compared to Jens Lekman due to his sense of humor and heartfelt delivery. I know I say this whenever I write about an artist from Sweden, but 9 times out of 10 I am always impressed with whatever Sweden has to offer.
Albeit simple and to the point, the young man from Malmo, Sweden uses his hushed voice and engaging simple arrangemets to create soothing atmospheres that are the perfect vehicle for his sometimes ironic, sarcastic, but always heartfelt lyrics. Klas is everything you would want Swedish indie pop to be.
