One of the underground success stories of 2009, Gothenburg’s jj have signed with indie behemoth Secretly Canadian with new album no.3 due for release 9th March (in the US, UK release will be in May). Originally picked up by Sincerely Yours – the label owned by fellow Gothenburg residents The Tough Alliance – jj are one of many acts riding high on the balearic revival that is sweeping the blogosphere (see also; Lake Heartbeat, Washed Out, Sail A Whale, Air France, Korallreven, Nhessingtons – I could go on forever). The act are due to appear at SXSW in March, preceded by a highly anticipated London debut at The Luminaire on 17th February.
jj of course, isn’t the only Gothenburg resident who Secretly Canadian have picked up on. The influential American indie have had huge success with Jens Lekman (signed to Service [original home to The Tough Alliance] in Sweden) and I’ve no doubt that jj will follow in Mr Lekman’s steps. After all, they both craft delicious slices of timeless pop music – albeit by totally different ways and means.
Tracklisting for no.3 is as follows:
My Life
And Now
Let Go
Into the Light
Light
Voi Parlate, Io Gioco
Golden Virginia
You Know
I Know*
No Escapin’ This
*NOTE: I Know is on the LP version only.
Here’s what Secretly Canadian have to say about the release…
Last summer Gothenburg, Sweden’s jj quietly released one of 2009′s most critically-acclaimed albums. The album was named jj nº 2 and it was the group’s debut full-length (their first single was jj nº 1). With the naive swagger of youth, jj have already completed their next full-length. We here at Secretly Canadian are incredibly proud to present jj nº 3 to you. If jj nº 2 was (as it was to many) the quintessential summer 2009 album, jj nº 3 is destined to be the quintessential winter 2010 album, a soft, red smear of blood on a field of fresh snow.
jj create R&B and balearic dub from the ghosts of lost lovers; pop as delicate as a fawn’s nose across blades of frosted grass. It is the soundtrack for friends packed into the town square’s tiniest tavern, their moontanned, apple-cheeked faces glowing, their dilated pupils filled with all the meaning and meaninglessness of a magic 8-ball. Their music is both carefree without carelessness, and self-aware without being self-conscious. With it, they build an ice bridge arching from Gothenburg into the heart of middle America, and everywhere in between.
mp3:> jj: “Ecstasy”
Think it’s been pushed back…?
not according to the secretly canadian website… perhaps it’s just the UK release that has. it makes sense for them to release it in march – what with sxsw and the xx tour.
Ah UK release, that’s what I meant. Seems silly to do that when it’s going to be so very blogged and available on the internet from March…
yeah… but secretly do that a lot with their releases. i recall it happening with the Frida Hyvonen album. a couple of others too. oh well, as long as i hear it, i don’t care!