Cool Hunting

For most, Swedish music is one glorious name that comes to mind, ABBA. And if your music knowledge extends beyond wedding band classics, you might come up with something esoteric, like Roxette or Ace of Base. And if you are truly sophisticated, The Hives, The Cardigans, or neo-electro-rockers The Knife. Good stuff for sure. But funky? Soulful? F.R.E.S.H.?

I discovered these folks in their natural habitat during semi-frequent trips to Scandinavia. But thanks to MySpace (the most infuriatingly slow and lo-tech website you now can’t live without), you don’t have to brave the mean streets of Stockholm to get a taste of the new wave of Northern soul. Here’s a primer on the new Swedish chefs.

Linn (pictured center) sings like Erykah Badu with songwriting chops to boot. Check out her sultry shuffle-house remake of the Cherrelle classic “Saturday Love”, a duet with her brother Stefan Segolson.

Girl is Dilla meets Funkadelic, with catchy hooks. Listen all the way through to “Spank the Drum” for one of the illest beats you have heard in a while, guaranteed.

Lykke Li (pictured right) is a melancholy and intimate singer-songwriter with a beautiful lilting voice, and heartfelt lyrics. Listen to “Born Blue”. She’s just getting started, but look for her to come out swinging in the coming year.

Hearin’ Aid emcees Damon Frost and Aaron Phiri are originally from Hawaii and Zambia, respectively, and they actually have an amazing boundary-stretching hip-hop album out. But have you heard of them? Probably not.

And last but definitely not least, my hands-down favorite new artist right now, Salem Al Fakir (pictured left), fuses Lionel Richie’s cheesily-good 80’s ballad mastery, Robert Smith’s hair, and Stevie Wonder-esque (and I do not evoke him lightly) deep musicality. Fakir’s “Dream Girl” is an unlikely hit steadily climbing the charts in Sweden.

Also notable (and more likely to be available in stores soon) are two hip-hop/soul artists with great albums set to drop in October. Up Hygh (on Tru Thoughts) and Freddie Cruger (on Ubiquity). Expect to hear more about these cats from me soon. Now, eat your meatballs!

by DJ Scribe

Also on Cool Hunting: What's Going On?, Part I: Pop Gets Its Groove Back