The Cult Of sPop

The Attic | Destiny

noreply@blogger.com (Matti) — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 00:47:00 +0000

Destiny was the first commercial release by The Attic, in late 2003. Unfortunately, the track failed to chart, but its pop-house tendencies and sheer danceability made it a big hit on Sweden's club scene.
Contains remixes by Axwell and Laid

Tracklisting
01 Destiny (Radio Version)
02 Destiny (Original Version)
03 Destiny (Axwell Remix)
04 Destiny (Laid Remix)

Click Here to download
Password: sweden

The Attic ft. Therèse | The Arrival

noreply@blogger.com (Matti) — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 00:41:00 +0000

The Attic's first entry into Melodifestivalen, The Arrival was a duet with former Drömhus lead singer and Stonebridge collaborator Therèse Grankvist. Sadly, the song came 7th in the qualifiying round in Önsköldsvik, and was out of the contest. Despite that, it recieved a high amount of airplay, and became the Attic's most popular track to date!

Tracklisting
01 The Arrival
02 The Arrival (Extended)
03 The Arrival (Dub Mix)

Click Here to download
Password: sweden

Veronica Maggio | Måndagsbarn

noreply@blogger.com (Matti) — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 00:34:00 +0000

It's not just Kleerup who's back on the scene... Veronica Maggio has just released the first single from her new album Och Vinnaren Är... The single is called Måndagsbarn and has the same nonchalant vocals and simple but effective production that made Dumpa Mig and Nöjd? so popular in 2006.

Tracklisting
01 Måndagsbarn
02 Måndagsbarn (Instrumental Version)
03 Måndagsbarn (Acapella Version)

Click Here to download
Password: sweden

The Attic | The Festival Theme

noreply@blogger.com (Matti) — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 00:14:00 +0000

The Festival Theme is without a doubt The Attic's most well known track, even though most people probably don't realise it. The very imaginitively titled The Festival Theme is the current Melodifestivalen theme tune, and has been for some years now. The track never got a proper commercial release, and is only available as a digital download.

Click Here to download
Password: sweden

The Attic | It's Beautiful

noreply@blogger.com (Matti) — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 00:06:00 +0000

It's Beautiful was the last single to be released from Remeber Tomorrow, in May of 2007. The single only managed number 57 on the singles chart. The single featured only remixes by the Attic themselves, and as individuals.

Tracklisting
01 It's Beautiful
02 It's Beautiful (The Attic Remix Radio Edit)
03 It's Beautiful (The Attic Remix)
04 It's Beautiful (Michael Feiner Remix)
05 It's Beautiful (Eric Amarillo Remix)

Click Here to download
Password: sweden

The Attic | Remember Tomorrow

noreply@blogger.com (Matti) — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 00:48:00 +0000

Following their participation in Melodifestivalen which generated much more interest in the group, the Attic boys released the album Remember Tomorrow. The album is basically a re-release of The One with some new songs added, and some old ones taken away. Included are two tracks with Stonebrige-collaborator and solo singer Therèse Grankvist, one of them being the group's Melodifestivalen entry. The album also features new collaborations with Jennie-Ann Smith.
Contains the singles It's Beautiful, In Your Eyes, The Arrival, Remember Tomorrow, Destiny and I Just Can't Help It.

Tracklisting
01 It's Beautiful
02 In Your Eyes
03 The Arrival (ft. Therèse)
04 Minute After Minute
05 Remember Tomorrow
06 Ticket To Love (ft. Jennie-Anne Smith)
07 A Life To Live
08 Sail Away
09 Don't You Know Me? (ft. Therèse)
10 Catch Me When I Fall For You
11 The One
12 Don't Turn Your Back On Me (ft. Jennie-Anne Smith)
13 I Just Can't Help It
14 Destiny

Click Here to download
Password: sweden

The Attic | The One

noreply@blogger.com (Matti) — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 00:31:00 +0000

The Attic's début album The One was finally released in September 2006, after a few years of one-off singles and remixes for other people. The album failed to impact on the Swedish charts, but managed to generate a very positive buzz around the band.
Contains the singles Destiny, In Your Eyes, It's Beautiful and I Just Can't Help It. Also, the track A Life To Live was released as a single in Poland.

Tracklisting
01 Destiny
02 A Life To Live
03 In Your Eyes
04 It's Beautiful
05 On And On
06 Even If It Hurts Me
07 Catch Me When I Fall For You
08 The One
09 I Just Can't Help It
10 Petite Difference
11 U.N.I. (ft. Katherine Ellis)
12 Minute After Minute
13 Can You Hear Me?
14 In Your Eyes (Ballad Version)

Click Here to download
Password: sweden

This week's featured artist...

noreply@blogger.com (Matti) — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 00:11:00 +0000

Swedish pop/dance duo and DJs The Attic were born out of the ashes of group Stereopol in 2003, and the group is made up of Eric Amarillo and Michael Feiner. Since then, they have released one and a half albums (this will be explained later) and several singles, as well as making some brilliant remixes for artists such as S-Pop favourites Alcazar, BWO and Fredrik Kempe. In addition to this, Amarillo and Feiner are also both songwriters, and have written tracks for Axwell, Nevada and Sebastian Ingrosso. Somehow amongst all this hard work, they found the time to participate in Melodifestivalen in 2007, teaming up with former Drömhus frontwoman and Stonbridge collaborator Therèse Grankvist on the song The Arrival. And the theme music to Melodifestivalen itself was written and performed by the boys!

Lena Philipsson | Lady Star

noreply@blogger.com (Matti) — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 01:08:00 +0000

She's a lady, a Lady Star! When it comes to Schlagerqueens, Lena Philipsson is one of the biggest, and without a doubt the coolest! The 2006 release Lady Star, is a collection of b-sides, one-off singles, various bonus tracks and a little more besides spanning from 1986 to 2001. Basically, tracks which have not appeared on any of her studio albums. Pay special attention to the fantastic hands-off-my-man themed Helene and the hopelessly romantic Om Kärleken Är Blind.
Contains the singles Fly Me Over The Rainbow, Spell Of Love and Lady Star.

Tracklisting
01 Juliette & Johnathan
02 Det Är Här Jag Har Mitt Liv
03 Stanna Här Hos Mig
04 Vindarnas Väg
05 Fly Me Over The Rainbow
06 Jag Sänder På Min Radio
07 Oskuldens Ögon
08 Lady Star
09 Om Kärleken Är Blind
10 Helene
11 Spell Of Love
12 När Jag Behöver Dig Som Mest
13 You Opened My Eyes
14 Om Du Ger Upp
15 Kom

Click Here to download
Password: sweden

Maia Hirasawa | The Worrying Kind

noreply@blogger.com (Matti) — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 15:43:00 +0000

One of the unexpected highlights of this year's Melodifestivalen final was the stunning cover version of last year's winner The Worrying Kind by Gothenburg-born Maia Hirasawa. Her downtempo, unplugged-style version of the track was performed in the interval to huge applause and was showered with praise. The track is now available as a studio version, and is currently sitting at #2 on the Swedish iTunes chart. The song is being used to promote a re-release of her critically acclaimed début album Though, I'm Just Me.

Tracklisting
01 The Worrying Kind

Click Here to download
Password: sweden

Christian Falk | People Say

noreply@blogger.com (Matti) — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 15:34:00 +0000

People Say was the 4th solo album to be released by long-time music producer and bassist Christian Falk. Well, it's officially a solo album, but it features so many collaborations that solo might be pushing it a bit! The album was released at the end of 2006, and reached #17 in the album charts. It was showered with critical acclaim, and led to Falk winning the award for best modern dance at the Swedish Grammis. The album features S-Pop favourites Robyn and the Ark frontman Ola Salo, as well as Falk's own daughter, Vanessa.
Contains the singles Dream On and Shine.

Tracklisting
01 Brighter Days
02 Dream On (Robyn & Ola Salo)
03 Mind Elevation (Demetrius)
04 Way Home
05 Shine (Pauline)
06 Something Good (Vanessa Falk)
07 C.C.C. (Robyn)
08 People Say (Vanessa Falk)
09 My Heart (Cindy)
10 So So Beautiful

Click Here to download
Password: sweden

Magnus Carlsson | Another Rainbow

noreply@blogger.com (Matti) — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 12:30:00 +0000

Another Rainbow was the 3rd single to be taken from Magnus's hit album Live Forever, released at the end of 2007. The single failed to make an impact on the Swedish singles chart, but was a sizeable radio hit!
Contains remixes by Hard Act 2 Follow

Tracklisting
01 Another Rainbow (Single Edit)
02 Another Rainbow (Hard Act 2 Follow Radio Mix)
03 Another Rainbow (Hard Act 2 Follow Club Mix)

Click Here to download
Password: sweden

Linda Bengtzing | Vild & Galen

noreply@blogger.com (Matti) — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 22:17:00 +0000

Post-Schlager fever has really hit in Sweden now, with all of the tracks in this week's top 15 singles being Melodifestivalen entries. Ms. Bengtzing has taken advantage of this schlager-epidemic to release her fantastic 2nd album Vild & Galen (Wild & Crazy). The album is full of Linda's trademark upbeat schlagerpop, with clever lyrics and melodies you'll be humming all day. Also included is the hilarious Markoolio duet Värsta Schlagern, a parody of the perfect schlager tune. The album also contains what is possibly the coolest hidden track of all time: A Swedish-language cover of Sandra Kim's J'Aime La Vie recorded when Linda was just 11 years old!
Contains the singles Hur Svårt Kan Det Va?, Värsta Schlagern and the forthcoming Vild & Galen.

Tracklisting
01 Hur Svårt Kan Det Va?
02 Utan Dig
03 Inga Pojkar I Världen
04 Idag, Imorgon & Igår
05 Grannarna Vaknar
06 Det Första Guldet
07 Vild & Galen
08 Sanningen
09 Om Du Vill
10 Varför Gör Du Som Du Gör?
11 Värsta Schlagern/Älskar, Älskar Mitt Liv

Click Here to download
Password: sweden

Andreas Lundstedt | Lovegun/Nightfever

noreply@blogger.com (Matti) — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 21:32:00 +0000

It's not just Magnus who's flown solo. Andreas has had a few attempts too. The double A-side Lovegun/Nightfever was released in 2006, and were Andreas's solo tracks on the Six4One album (the band with which Andreas performed the Swiss Eurovision entry in 2006). The decision to release a cover of the Beegees' classic came after Andreas's successful run in the Swedish production of Saturday Night Fever. The release had a particularly odd chart run, entering at #1 and then falling to #60 the following week!
S-Pop would like to assure readers that yes, that is the real cover, and yes, we think the designer should be shot too.

Tracklisting
01 Lovegun
02 Nightfever
03 Lovegun (Lovegun Remix By Spånka)

Click Here to download
Password: sweden

Alcazar | Start The Fire

noreply@blogger.com (Matti) — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 09:38:00 +0000

Start The Fire was the final Alcazar single before their three year hiatus. The chorus is borrowed from Billy Joel's classic hit We Didn't Start The Fire, though the verses are completely new. During the filming of the video, poor Annikafiore managed to break her foot! The maxi single contains two previously unreleased tracks Glamourama and Nothing But The Video On. These tracks are rumoured to have been recorded for a third Alcazar studio album, which was never finished. The track reached #10 in Sweden, and, randomly enough #67 in Switzerland.

Tracklisting
01 Start The Fire
02 Glamourama
03 Nothing But The Video On
04 Start The Fire (Extended Version)
05 Physical (Poolbreeze Mix)

Click Here to download
Password: sweden

Barbados | Världen Utanför

noreply@blogger.com (Matti) — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 19:35:00 +0000

Ever wondered what Magnus Carlsson was up to before Alcazar? Well, from 1992-2002 he was the lead singer of the Swedish dansband group Barbados. During Magnus's time with the band, they released 8 studio albums! Världen Utanför is the most tolerable of all of these. It was the final album recorded with Magnus, and was released in 2002 and reached #2 on the album charts. The lead single, Världen Utanför was also the band's 3rd Melodifestivalen entry, where it came 4th in the final.
Contains the singles Världen Utanför and Ung Och Vild.

Tracklisting
01 Kissin' In The Backrow Of The Movies
02 Aldrig I Livet
03 Sweet Little Angel
04 Världen Utanför
05 Om Du Vill
06 Keep On
07 Burning Love
08 Himlen Var Blå
09 Ung Och Vild
10 Den Som Jag Vill Ha
11 Stanna Hos Mig
12 Come Stay The Night (Carnival Version)
13 Har Aldrig Sett Så Mycket Tårar
14 Natten Kommer
15 Superstars
16 Världen Utanför (J Pipe Last Minute Disco Remix)

Click Here to download
Password: sweden

Alcazar | Alcastar

noreply@blogger.com (Matti) — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 19:14:00 +0000

Alcastar was Alcazar's 3rd attempt at Melodifestivalen success. The second song they submitted, Grillvagn, a Swedish-language track, was not selected to participate, and was never released, except for a live performance in the interval of Melodifestivalen's Andra Chansen. Alcastar, however, faired somewhat better - it made it to the final via Andra Chansen, where it came 4th. Upon release, the single shot straight to #1.
Contains mixes by The Attic, Club Junkies and, of course, Soundfactory

01 Alcastar
02 Alcastar (Soundfactory Starstruck Anthem)
03 Alcastar (The Attic Remix)
04 Alcastar (Club Junkies 12" Remix)
05 Alcastar (Soundfactory Connection Dub)
06 Alcastar (Acapella)
07 Alcastar (Club Junkies Radio Edit)

Click Here to download
Password: sweden

Alcazar | Love Life

noreply@blogger.com (Matti) — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 19:04:00 +0000

Love Life was the fourth single to be taken from the #2 album Alcazarized, and was written by none other than the Pet Shop Boys. The song was originally titled Can I Be The One?, and was demoed by the boys themselves. However, they weren't too keen on it. The PSB had been fans of Alcazar since Crying At The Discotheque, and when Alcazar asked them to do a track, Chris and Neil dusted off the old demo and gave it a bit of a polish. The track has a distinct Pet Shop Boys quality to it, but mixed with the disco glamour of Alcazar. Love Life peaked at #10 in Sweden.

Tracklisting
01 Love Life
02 Love Life (Extended Version)
03 Love Life (FL Rebirth Club Mix)

Click Here to download
Password: sweden

Magnus Carlsson | Live Forever (EP)

noreply@blogger.com (Matti) — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 10:01:00 +0000

Live Forever was Magnus's second solo in Melodifestivalen, in 2007. He has actually participated a total of 7 times, as part of Barbados, Alcazar and now as a soloist. Unfortunately, Live Forever failed to impress and didn't make it past the qualifying rounds. Its chart performance however tells a different story, where it peaked at #3, and was the lead single for the album of the same name.
Contains French and Spanish versions of the track, as well the obligatory set of mixes by Soundfactory.

Tracklisting
01 Live Forever
02 Siempre A Tu Lado
03 Je Vivrai
04 Live Forever (Soundfactory Radio Edit)
05 Live Forever (Soundfactory Eternal Club Mix)
06 Live Forever (Soundfactory Damnation Dub Mix)

Click Here to download
Password: sweden

Alcazar | This Is The World We Live In

noreply@blogger.com (Matti) — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 09:49:00 +0000

This Is The World We Live In was released in the summer of 2004, and became a huge hit, not only in Sweden but accross Europe, and even as far away as China and South Africa! The song samples Diana Ross' motown classic Upside Down, and the chorus is adapted from the Genesis song Land Of Confusion.
Contains mixes from Soundfactory and Almighty.

Tracklisting
01 This Is The World We Live In (Edit)
02 This Is The World We Live In (Extended Version)
03 This Is The World We Live In (Soundfactory Club Anthem)
04 This Is The World We Live In (Almighty Mix)
05 This Is The World We Live In (Soundfactory Drama Dub)

Click Here to download
Password: sweden

Alcazar | Here I Am

noreply@blogger.com (Matti) — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 09:35:00 +0000

Here I Am was a bit of a departure for Alcazar... A ballad! The track had been featured on the album Alcazarized, but was used in the promotion of the greatest hits compilation Dancefloor Deluxe, and was released just in time for Christmas 2004. The track failed to make a big impact on the charts, peaking at #40. However, over in neighbouring Finland, it proved much more popular, climbing to the #6 spot on the Finnish single charts.
Contains French and Spanish versions of the track, as well as remixes from Groovetemplate, FL and Mark Jason among others.

Tracklisting
01 Here I Am (Winter Version)
02 Here I Am (English Single Version)
03 Aquí Estoy
04 Je Suis Là
05 Here I Am (Groovetemplate Radio Mix)
06 Here I Am (Hard Act 2 Follow & Sharpshooter Club Mix)
07 Here I Am (FL's Dream Symphonic Remix)
08 Here I Am (Mark Jason's UK Sonar Club Anthem)
09 Here I Am (Piol's Dancing Snowflakes Remix)
10 Here I Am (Groovetemplate Extended Remix)

Click Here to download
Password: sweden

Alcazar | Casino

noreply@blogger.com (Matti) — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 13:20:00 +0000

Alcazar's début album, Casino, was released in October of 2000. The album failed to make a big impact on the Swedish charts, peaking at #40. However, the singles started to take off abroad, especially the mega-hit Crying At The Discotheque, and the album was repackaged for an international release, with an altered tracklisting, which now included a cover of the Human League's iconic track Don't You Want Me.
Contains the singles Shine On, Ritmo Del Amor, Crying At The Discotheque, Sexual Guarantee and Don't You Want Me.
Presented here is a composite of all the album's various releases, featuring tracks only available on the original Swedish release, and the Japanese bonus track Click Your Heart.

Tracklisting
01 Sexual Guarantee
02 Crying At The Discotheque
03 Don't Leave Me Alone
04 Almost Famous
05 Paradise
06 Transmetropolis
07 Stars Come Out At Night
08 Paris In The Rain
09 Baby Come Back
10 Breaking Free
11 Don't You Want Me
12 Shine On
13 Ritmo Del Amor
14 Tears Of A Clone
15 The Bells Of Alcazar
16 Blues In G-Minor
17 Salmone
18 Seasons In The Sun
19 Click Your Heart

Click Here to download
Password: sweden

This week's featured artist...

noreply@blogger.com (Matti) — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 04:44:00 +0000

There is a strange habit of 'band-hopping' amongst Swedish pop stars, and the groups themselves change members nearly as often as they change their outfits! Nowhere is this phenomenon more evident than with 21st century disco-defenders Alcazar.
Alcazar was the brainchild of S-pop king (or queen...) Alexander Bard, who himself has been in at least three different bands!). Basically, he'd written some songs and simply needed someone to sing them. Bard enlisted the help of singer Andreas Lundstedt, who had formerly been a member of the group Stage Four and who had had some moderate success as a solo artist. Lundstedt invited friends Annikafiore Kjærsgaard, who had previously been in two relatively unsuccessful groups The Dreamettes and Primitive Cool, and Tess Merkel, known for her work as a backing-singer and in theatre. Alcazar version 1.0 was complete. The band's first couple of singles went largely unnoticed, but their big-break came with the unbelievably camp Crying At The Discotheque, which achieved a great deal of success all over Europe, and led to a re-release of the band's début album Casino. Shortly after the band finished promoting Casino, Andreas drafted in his then-boyfriend Magnus Carlsson, lead singer of the hugely popular dansband group Barbados. The first release by Alcazar 2.0 was the Melodifestivalen entry Not A Sinner Nor A Saint, which became the band's biggest hit to date, peaking at #1 on the singles chart, and becoming something of a schlager-classic. This success led to a string of hit singles, a #2 album (Alcazarized), a greatest-hits package Dancefloor Deluxe and another attempt at Melodifestivalen with the song Alcastar. However, as is so often the case when band members get together, as the relationship soured, the band suffered. After the release of the single Start The Fire in 2005, the band officially decided to 'take a break'.
Magnus almost instantly began working on solo material, and has since released three successful solo albums and several hit singles. Andreas turned up in 2006 as part of the multi-national group Six 4 One, who performed the Swiss Eurovision entry If We All Give A Little, and released a couple of singles as a solo artist, including Melodifestivalen entry Move, though he failed to mirror Magnus' success.
Skip forward to 2008 and Alcazar are back, now in their third incarnation. Magnus decided against returning to Alcazar, preferring to concentrate on his solo career. Perhaps more surprisingly, Annikafiore also officially left the group for good. Andreas and Tess were joined by a new member, Lina Hedlund, who had previously released material both as a solo artist and with her sister Hanna. Alcazar 3.0 launched their comeback with the single We Keep On Rockin' which is still riding high on the Swedish singles chart.
Now, make sure you remember all of that, you may be tested on it later!

S-Pop would like to recommend the excellent Alcazarland blog, for Alcazar news and rare tracks!

Linda Bengtzing | Hur Svårt Kan Det Va? | The Remixes

noreply@blogger.com (Matti) — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 12:39:00 +0000

Hur Svårt Kan Det Va? was the fabulous Ms. Bengtzing's entry into Melodifestivalen 2008, where it won a direct ticket to the final! However, it failed to perform as well in the final, coming 5th, and recieving no points from the public vote.
Despite this, the track is proving very popular with the Swedish record buyers and radio stations. It's an anthemic, energetic slice of modern schlager guaranteed to get in your head.
S-Pop has been lucky enough to get hold of the promo featuring the Soundfactory remixes not available on the commercial release...

Tracklisting
01 Hur Svårt Kan Det Va? (Soundfactory Lätt Radio Mix)
02 Hur Svårt Kan Det Va? (Soundfactory Svår Klubb Mix)
03 Hur Svårt Kan Det Va? (Soundfactory Svårare Dub Mix)
04 Hur Svårt Kan Det Va? (Instrumental)

Click Here to download
Password: sweden

Melodifestivalen 2008: The Big Final

noreply@blogger.com (Matti) — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 10:42:00 +0000

It's here at last - the biggest night of the S-Pop calendar! The final of Melodifestivalen 2008! And what a contest it's been so far! The downfall of Androla, Christer Sjögren being voted into the final, Thérèse Andersson's knicker-shock... And that's just the start of it, who knows what's going to happen tonight?
The Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet have done a huge online survey, and after 60 188 votes, this is who Aftonbladet readers think will take home the prize and represent Sweden in Belgrade:

01 Charlotte Perrelli - 30.9%
02 Sanna Nielsen - 16.8%
03 BWO - 12.4%
04 Christer Sjögren - 7.9% (Please God no!)
05 Linda Bengtzing - 6.9%
06 Rongedal - 6.7%
07 Nordman - 6.6%
08 Amy Diamond - 6.2%
09 Sibel - 4.3%
10 Frida ft. Headline - 1.4%

However, the previous Aftonbladet survey said that Androla would definitely beat Nordman in Andra Chansen, so it really is anyone's game.

For those of you not in Sweden, you can watch the contest online on SVT's official Melodifestivalen website. The contest starts at 8.00pm CET (7.00pm GMT) and lasts two hours.

And throwing neutrality to the wind for a moment, S-Pop would like to encourage all Swedish readers to vote like mad for Sweden's new schlagerqueen Sanna Nielsen!
The numbers to vote for her are:

099-230 07 (Normal)
099-320 07 (Radiohjälpen)