Laakso
Mother, Am I Good Looking?
V2 Music

From Sweden arrives the new melancholy, impetuous, symmetrical album from this well-known band. Armed with synthesizers, and glockens, they produce throughout the 10 songs electro-acoustic semitones with progressive, catchy and bangin’ sounds, echoing of bands such as The Concretes, Moneybrother and David & The Citizens.

The addictive accent of Markus Krunegård charges the melodies with solar luminescence. The lyrics express a tenacious examination into the meaning of life without ever becoming pretentious. The more you listen to this album the more you will be addicted by these sounds which you may ignore at first glance.

The album begins with the volatile “Worst Case Scenario” referring to an insistence on pursuing ideals, perhaps one of Laasko’s best songs to date. “Italy vs. Helsinki” is a stupendous ballad with Peter Jöback, famous Swedish singer and actor. On the other hand, “Stay Turned To My Love” and “Norrköping” are relentless songs recommended for those that like to move impulsively and allow themselves to be trapped in spontaneous pop; simply an option to enjoy creative retrospective rhythms.

Lis er Stille
Apathobvious
Brutal But Sentimental Records

Without classification, is the term that comes to mind when you listen to this album for the first time. It won’t be easy to decipher unless you have an open mind to sounds that are purely poetic; and you probably won’t find a word to describe this unpredictable material. These Danes create melodies without measuring time, submerging you in an intimate utopia full of hidden secrets.

Silence…paradoxes of uncertainty, melancholy, somberness, divinity, euphoria…are many of the feelings that are exploited during each second that passes while you listen to this band.

The piano and the cello create an undefined depth of skepticism which accelerates your breathing. The imposing percussions, the marvelously smooth voices, the strong tones unified with the flaccid guitar notes and the energy created by the synthesizers, trap your senses as if you were reaching the apex of eloquence.

With a universe of experimental elements, the eight songs will transport you to a style that is musically sublime. There is no point of comparison with other bands, only listen

Au Revoir Simona The Bird of Music Our Secret Records

Machine created drum sounds and vintage keyboards are the instruments that are used by these three North American women who have left breadcrumbs for the followers of synthpop with their recent album. They have drawn attention to themselves simply for being beautiful, cloaking their image in a unique and intuitive style from the seventies. 42 minutes of sweet, peaceful, comforting, catchy, seductive melodies, with rhythms that make you want to cry for joy and dream harmoniously.

Their major inspiration comes from their trips to Iceland and the Amazons in Peru. You can imagine that their songs transport you to a landscape of green prairies, impressive waterfalls, snow-topped volcanoes and a contrasting misty jungle.

The trip commences with smooth tones on “The Lucky One”, which evolves onto the ironic and amped-up “Sad Song”. When you least expect it you’re dancing a waltz with “Don’t See The Sorrow”, which quickly illuminates the low-fi pop of “Dark Halls and Night Majestic” trapping you in a bubble of joy.

There exist many comparisons to Beth Orton, Broadcast and the experienced Stereolab; but the magical and delicate voices of these women put an original seal on The Bird of Music, alluding to optimism and nostalgia, which wraps us in their notes. Definitely an excellent option that will make you dance any time of the year, Au Revoir Simone