Wednesday, April 1, 2009

The obstacles we build for ourselves

Lately I have been stuck in the upper BPM levels of electro-dance music through recently released and highly satisfying albums from both Pet Shop Boys and Röyksopp. I have come up for air occasionally via 60’s and 70’s AM radio classics (as part of my “research” for a future Top 25 Albums That Changed My Life post) but otherwise it has been a non-stop dance party around here. Thankfully, I found Hello Saferide and have been afforded a rest.

Swedish band Hello Saferide released their second album, “More Modern Stories From Hello Saferide”, this past September. Led by the heartfelt and just-quivering-enough-to-be-described-as-mildly-unique vocals of Annika Norlin, Hello Saferide is now, slowly perhaps, starting to gain some much deserved momentum outside of Scandinavia. Or maybe they’re already huge and I’ve just been oblivious. Out a week ago, Arjeplog is the new single off of “More Modern Stories…” and is a song about country vs. city, love, and spooning without one arm getting numb (so says Annika). The video was filmed at Vittjåkk for $0 and took five minutes (Vittjåkk would appear to be a rather wonderful looking - on a sunny day at least - ski resort). Never mind the DIY aspects and the shaky camera, sometimes simple is the most beautiful…

Video :: Arjeplog by Hello Saferide


Also check out Hello Saferide’s fantastic Detektivbyrån-backed performance of “Anna” at Sweden’s 2009 P3 Guld Awards show. Annika Norlin’s performance, through her sincere vulnerability and tenderness, yields an awkwardly effective stage persona. Meanwhile, a theremin is employed and Jon Nils of Detektivbyrån (now ex of Detektivbyrån - yikes!) plays the scissors!

Video :: Anna (live) by Hello Saferide w/ Detektivbyrån


The heartbreaking music video for Anna here.

3 comments:

Rachel said...

What happened with Detektivbyran? Jon Nils left? Is there a story to share? I am now completely addicted to their music, I even use different songs as my cell phone rings. Even Max is trying to figure out the melodies on the piano and thinks he'd like a real glockenspiel, with the full scale of notes, so he can really play along...

Meanwhile, I LOVE both of these songs by Hello Saferide. The video for Anna is so sad, and I had already watched the live performance of it, so I was tearful through the whole thing...

Cap'n Franko said...

I'm excitedly waiting for your "Top 25" post...

balloonatikmama said...

I was just playing Anna while Fergus played in the same room - I didn't think he was listening but when the song finished he said "I don't like dying and that song is all about dying". When I looked at him quizzically, he said "when your heart breaks you die". I said I thought the song was more about being really really sad, but he said "your heart is your life when it breaks you die". Now he is singing "when your heart breaks" in a mournful way over and over. Maybe you need to share more of your uplifting dance music?