The Best Scandinavian Electro-Ballad Of 2012

As 2012 draws to a screeching halt, I've been trying to fill in the gaps of my musical knowledge - so I can put together a well-rounded end of year countdown that doesn't just include the entire Warrior tracklist. As such, I've been spending hours trawling through my favourite blogs and found Susanne Sundfør's "White Foxes" featured on several of them. About 10 months ago. Better late than never, right? I feel like the universe steered me towards the Norwegian sensation to restore my faith in Scandinavian pop music.

We still have Medina and I love Icona Pop's album but with Robyn on hiatus that part of the world faded into obscurity faster than Madonna. With the exception of the aforementioned acts, Scandipop back-pedaled into Eurovision territory this year. I guess that's why Susanne is so refreshing. "White Foxes" is the bleakest electro-offering of 2012. The grim singer-songwriter howls menacingly over an icily beautiful sound palette that positively pounds with foreboding. I loved it from the first listen.

The video for Susanne's masterpiece is suitably dark. There are dead animals, a foetus growing inside a man's brain and surgical footage. So your typical Scandinavian sex dream. It's twisted but arty enough to get the usual music snobs on board. I'm still trying to track down the Norwegian trailblazer's album. If "White Foxes" is any indication, it could be an absolute gem.

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Medina Is Still Happening... In Germany

It's not easy being a Medina fan. And I'm not talking about her unusually depressing approach to dance music. The gloomy Dane is burdened with being big in Germany, which is great for her bank balance (because they still have a viable record industry) but hard for international fans due to the dim view German labels have of YouTube. Their view is - if you want the video, you can buy it from iTunes. As a result Medina's music doesn't get shared on blogs to the same extent as her Scandinavian contemporaries and her music tends to fall through the cracks.

A lot has happened since my last post about Denmark's leading dance diva. For starters, she has released another English language album called Forever. It's great - try hunting down the double disc German deluxe edition if you can. The lead single did well in her key markets but I prefer the follow-up. "Happening" is vintage Medina - an atmospheric burst of down-tempo electro-pop with an understated chorus that worms its way into your head after a couple of listens. She's like a female Hurts but with better songs. 

The video (below) is a typically classy affair and really makes you wonder why Medina hasn't tried her luck in the US or UK. She clearly has the talent and vision.

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Icona Pop & The Song Of The Year?

I'm a bit late on this. Scandipop fans and other cunts I usually ignore have been raving about this duo for the best part of a year but until now I've failed to see the appeal. Sure, "Manners" (which has been heavily sampled by Chiddy Bang on his current hit "Mind Your Manners") was a good song - if slightly pretentious Swedish indie-pop floats your boat. Personally, I'd rather listen to Bionda. So imagine my surprise when I heard "I Love It" in a club and pretty much had a multiple eargasm. Pop doesn't come much better than this nuclear-powered rant. Imagine flawless early '00s girlband Daphne and Celeste crossed with Luciana's trademarked electro-shouting for some idea of what to expect. The production goes hard and that chorus will have every drunk bitch from Brisbane to Broome singing along. Their less-is-more approach to music videos (below) also demands our admiration. This is the cheapest clip I've seen since Madonna's last effort. "I Love It" has been picked up by Neon Records in Australia and has hit written all over it. Download Icona Pop's future smash today for bragging rights.

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Loreen Remixed - Eurovision Winner Gets The WAWA Treatment

I really don't give a fuck about Eurovision. I know that's an unpopular attitude among pop fans but the competition is less relevant than Melanie C. However, the odd gem still pops up occasionally and this year produced two stellar songs. I've already expressed my admiration for the flawless French entry by Indonesian superstar Anggun and there's no denying that the winning anthem is something of a triumph.

"Euphoria" by Swedish Idol flop Loreen encapsulates everything right about Eurovision. It's a beautifully crafted piece of pop with a powerful vocal and volcanic chorus. There is an element of camp but - importantly - it's not a parody like the vast majority of entries. I'd like to think that "Euphoria" would have been a crossover hit without the competition.

Loreen's UK record label obviously thought so. They commissioned a remix from Polish house-maestros WAWA before the show aired (below) and I've been spinning it on repeat. I love how loyal it is to the original and think the mix would work in clubs from Adelaide to Atlanta. Could "Euphoria" be the biggest Eurovision hit since that Ukrainian tranny snatched everyone's wig in 2007? Time will tell but I'm hopeful.

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Mr. Little Jeans = My New Obsession

"Runaway" by Mr. Little Jeans was the free download on Australian iTunes last week. I usually don't bother with the freebies because they're usually horrendous but the name was vaguely familiar. And then it clicked. The Norwegian diva briefly appeared on my radar a couple of years ago when she dropped a cute cover of Beyoncé's "Single Ladies" and was signed to Neon Gold - the ultra hip record label that is home to Marina & The Diamonds and Ellie Goulding. To be honest, I don't know what happened to her after that. Monica (her real name) hasn't broken through like her much-hyped labelmates and appears to have spent the past two years releasing quirky cover versions. It's a bit of mystery but the break appears to have fueled her creative fire. "Runaway" is such a beautiful pop song. I hate comparing artists but it reminds me of early Ladyhawke. The effortless mix of '80s references and cascading synths make Mr. Little Jeans' anthem the slightly disturbed distant cousin of tracks like "Crazy World" and "Oh My". In other words, it's completely fucking amazing. What sets "Runaway" apart is the dark undertone. There's something wonderfully eerie about this jam that is captured rather well by the gloomy video (below). When is her album due? I think I'm obsessed.

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September Vs Agnes

I have to admit that I don't pay as much attention to the Swedish pop scene as I used to when titans like Olinda and Bionda ruled the scene. Unfortunately, those glory days are long gone and now we're stuck with a bunch of nobodies that have probably never fashioned a dildo from clay on national TV or started their own political party to promote a flop single. Shame. On the bright side, two of the more palatable Swedish divas are back with new tunes.

It took me a while to warm to Agnes but I eventually overcame her complete lack of personality to stan for songs like "Release Me" and "I Need You Now". Her new single dropped recently and it's slightly underwhelming in comparison to those gems. "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" follows the Agnes formula of pairing a powerhouse vocal with thundering dance beats but something is missing. I asked her Australian record label if they plan to release the song over here and they said "maybe". Neon is probably waiting to see if it works in the UK. Can I suggest a slight remix to tone down the Eurotrash factor? That usually works for September.

Speaking of my sultry Swedish lover, "Me And My Microphone" will soon be unleashed upon the British public if the new remixes that appeared in my inbox are any indication. I still love the song - it feels like it's been out for years - and hope it's a hit. The cute video should help. For the first time in her career, Petra looks like she was born after 1970. I love the dance routine and her beaming face makes me happy. "Love CPR" is a great album and deserves a second chance. A UK hit could be just what the doctor ordered. Pun intended! Anyway, compare the videos and let me know who is your favourite Swedish export.

VS

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