Tag Archives: Bjorn Yttling

Folk, Indie, Pop, Scandinavia

LYKKE LI – WOUNDED RHYMES (Indie/Folk – Sweden)

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Swedish songstress Lykke Li, who grabbed the attention of bloggers and music critics in the late 2000s with her gorgeous debut album Youth Novels, stayed away from the spotlight for a long time (too long, her fans will say) to write her sophomore effort. Three years it took her to come up with Wounded Rhymes, co-written and produced by Björn Yttling (of Peter Bjorn and John), but these years were well employed.

Following the success of her quirky debut, Li was often wrongly tagged as just another frail-voiced electronic artist. With her new album, the young artist shows a completely different of her artistic persona. This time around her voice is stronger, huskier and darker and her confident presence shines through. With Yttling’s help she has created a sweet and sour album that constantly navigates between the brash and the quiet, eftortlessly combining pouding drums, multilayered vocals and lush textures.

Sure enough Lykke Li’s new tunes have attracted some of the best DJs and producers around and remixes are already popping up left and right.

Lykke Li - I Follow Rivers (Dave Sitek remix)     

Lykke Li - Get Some (Beck Remix)     

Lykke Li - I Follow Rivers (The Magician Remix)     

Stream the whole album on Soundcloud or sign up for Lykke Li’s official newsletter on to get a free download of the new single. Buy her music on 

Alternative, Indie, mp3, Pop, Scandinavia

PETER BJORN & JOHN – GIMME SOME (Indie/Pop – Sweden)

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With six albums under their belt, Peter Bjorn and John have managed to establish themselves as a mainstay of Sweden’s indie pop scene. Formed in Stockholm in 1999, the trio consists of members Peter Morén on vocals, guitar, and harmonica; Björn Yttling on vocals, bass, and keyboards; and John Eriksson on drums, percussion, and vocals. Internationally, the band is best known for the whistled refrain on their memorable happy-go-lucky 2006 hit single “Young Folks”.

The band is influenced by the sounds of classic ’60s baroque pop, power pop, and new wave, all of which are omnipresent on their latest album, Gimme More, released today on Cooking Vinyl/PIAS. After the experimental detour of their previous album Living Thing, which was based on pulsing beats and heavily processed vocals, Peter Bjorn and John are back on more familiar territory. They have crafted a collection of eleven bouncy pop songs with strong melodies and brilliant instrumentation.

Peter Bjorn and John - Second Chance     

The album maintains an upbeat tone throughout but is in no way repetitive or monotonous. The arrangements are inspired and nuanced, with some psychedelic riffs here, toe-tapping beats there, and an obvious knack for wildly infectious hooks everywhere. Peter Bjorn and John clearly know what they’re doing and they show it all through the record.

Find Peter Bjorn and John on MySpace and on their official website. By all means go out and buy the new album at your favourite CD store or on Peter Bjorn and John