It was a so-so day at work, and so the first thing I did when I walked in the door – actually, the second thing I did, since the first was grab a glass of wine – was tune in to P3 – Svea.
P3 – Svea is an internet only radio station that only plays “ung svensk musik” (literally “young” but really they mean “new Swedish music”). It’s a reasonably eclectic – and therefore unpretentious – mix within the pop music genre, so you’re likely to hear everything from folk-inspired indie pop to rap and dance.
Thanks to P3, I’ve discovered a whole bunch of Swedish artists I would never have heard of just by following the charts.
The latest discovery tonight was a song called “Arrest Me ’til It Hurts” by a band (? – there’s only one bloke in the clip) called Deportees. The lead singer’s vocal style ranges from Prince to Chris Norman of Smokie.
Deportees – Arrest Me ’til It Hurts [Official Video]
It’s an interesting combination that works, especially with that great Swedish pop sensibility that’s made Sweden one of the world’s top music export nations. Wikipedia notes “The Consulate General of Sweden states they are the third biggest exporter of music in the world, after the United States and the United Kingdom”
Thanks to P3, I’ve discovered some other great performers, including Johan Brogert, Petter and Oskar LInnross, all of whom sing in Swedish.
Oskar Linnros – Från Och Med Du
Petter – Gör Min Dag feat. Magnus Carlson
Smalfilm – Johan Borgert
As the playlist notes, however, there’s an increasing number of Swedish performers who only sing in English, though others like Annika Norlin manage to combine both English and Swedish language careers. I discovered her Swedish language band Säkert! also thanks to P3 – Svea.
The station has no announcers: it’s an automated station that just plays music.
So yeah… a big thumbs up to Swedish Radio (SR) generally, and P3 Svea specifically for keeping me entertained and informed.
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