Nya Vågen #4

28 August 2009, 09:00

Hi there, it’s been a while. You ok? Great. Me too.

Have you heard about The Crêpes? No? Then let me tell you about them. I assume that you are familiar with The Embassy and Studio? Well, The Crêpes is a duo consisting of Fredrik Lindson from The Embassy and Dan Lissvik of Studio. They just released their first record What Else?, which is already sold out, I’m afraid. Me and some friends went to a garage sale hosted by Dan and Fredrik and judging by the amount of people who bought the record, I’m really not surprised. I couldn’t afford the record myself, since I got no real job and therefore no money, but Fredrik was kind and provided me with some wine from a carafe. Good enough.

The record is stunning in a modest way. It’s a straight pop album under 30 minutes long. It’s uncomplicated and simple in a sense but every little rattle of the tambourine is carefully planned. The sound is more related to sixties pop than the balearic sound you are used to, which is truly liberating and to some, provoking.

This pop album is a hommage to the pop format. Just liten to the song ‘Sugar’ and you will understand what I’m talking about. The album is released on Information, the label run by Studio. The next release on that same label is the debut album by Fontän (swedish for fountain).

Fontän released a single called ‘Early Morning’ some time ago, which was really great. Their album, Winterhwila, will be released sometime this month.

The album is something quite else. Listening to it feels like running down a mountain. Seriously, it’s a breath-taking experience. Almost overwhelming and frightening. It’s like the raw power of nature. A fucking earthquake.

If Studio’s music is the beach and D. Lissviks solo album is the desert then Fontän is most definitly the mountains.

The album is atmosperic, quite rock oriented and occasionally reminds me of the works by Tangerine Dream, German kraut legends. I was gonna write that the album has a late 70’s feel to it, but it’s unfair to call it anything but contemperary. Watch out for this one, because its huge and it’s coming your way.

Moving on.

Dan Lissvik (Yes, again…) has recently produced the first single from the new Taken By Trees album. The track is called ‘Watch The Waves’. Victoria Bergsman sings hauntingly beautiful, as always, and Lissviks production is spotless. The album is released 7th September and you can pre-order it and receive a bonus disc of music over at Rough Trade.

I suddenly realised that i haven’t written about Lake Heartbeat and for that, I am truly sorry.

Lake Heartbeat consists of Swedish indie legend Janne Kask and Kalle Kåks. Mr. Kask played in a somewhat classic indie band called Brainpool and music journalists all over the counrty are of course thrilled about his comeback.

If you ask me, Lake Heartbeat is way better than Brainpool ever were but I’m not gonna talk about that. The band have released some singles on the heavy weight center piece of Swedish labels; I’m talking of course about Service.

And yes, D. Lissvik has produced them too. Lake Heartbeat sounds like a brilliant cross breed of Prefab Sprout, Pet Shop Boys and contemporary pop. Need i say more? Join the Service Clan and you will be treated well.

A new single by the stunning Ikons (who I wrote about in my first column) just got released. It is called ‘Skull City’ and was produced by Alexander from Pistol Disco. The debut album is currently being mixed and is on its way. Also, a new act who just got signed to the Service family are Korallreven. The first single ‘Loved-Up’ is a lesson in tropical shoegaze. Like a cool drink in some pretty colour. Maybe blue or green. With love from Pitchfork and Gorilla vs. Bear, these guys are well worth your attention.

A band connected to Ikons is Boat Club, which is two dear friends called Andreas and Magnus. They sometimes help Ikons out on stage. Shakin’ a macara or two. Boat Club have been working on new material for a while now, I’ve heard it and it’s just great. You won’t believe it when you hear it. Remember where you read it first. You’ll thank me, I promise.

I’d also like to officialy thank Andreas in Boat Club for letting me eat for free at his restaurant, Kalimera. The finest in Gothenburg. I’ll pay you back – promise.

And oh, you didn’t miss the last Air France single, did you? If you did, look it up. It’s called ‘GBG Belongs To Us’ and was released in three parts on a website with the same name. One part is the song, another is a video and the last part is a very useful guide to our home town, Gothenburg. I think I’m mentioned in there somewhere (something about holding illegal parties – who knew?).

Finally, please accept this mix i made for the independent Swedish magazine Domino.

Your friend in Göteborg,

Victor

‘augusti 2009′ (a mix by Victor Svedberg)
‘Live Forever Or Die Trying’ (a Service label sampler)

Fontän: ‘…You Too’
The Crêpes: ‘What Else?’
Air France: ‘GBG Belongs To Us’
Lake Heartbeat: ‘Mystery’
Taken By Trees: ‘Watch The Waves’
Taken By Trees: ‘Watch The Waves (Memory Tapes remix)’