Medina > Robyn > Annie

One of the 2009's best pop songs has just been released in Australia and no one seems to have noticed. Medina's "You And I" is currently riding a tidal wave of internet hype and clubplay but the song is yet to properly cross over. I'd like to think it's only a matter of time but Scandipop doesn't have a great track record in this country - just ask Robyn! Speaking of that Swedish troll, "You And I" is the first Scandinavian pop tune to give me goosebumps since "Be Mine" way back in 2005. Everything about this icy dance anthem reeks of quality. The production (courtesy of The Providers) is clinically precise, the lyrics perfectly capture the rollercoaster ride of a bitter break up and the chorus is catchy to the point of being ridiculous. Interestingly, "You And I" was first released in Denmark last year under the title "Kun For Mig" and went on to spend 6 weeks at #1. The original Danish version is amazing and I hope it's included as a B-side if EMI Australia decide to release a physical single. It might also be wise to stop pushing the Deadmau5 remix (regardless of its brilliance) and go with the far more commercial UK radio edit that's used in the unfortunate video clip (below). I say unfortunate because poor Medina suffers from a bad case of Lady GaGa face and dressing her up like a Russian prostitute doesn't really help her cause! That said, the song is absolutely irresistible and deserves to be huge. I can't wait to hear more from the pride of Denmark.

Hammer Time With Linda Sundblad

Linda Sundblad's stunning new anthem has been all over the web for the past couple of weeks with good reason. "To All My Girls" is the kind of edgy yet relentlessly catchy Swedish pop music that Robyn used to make before she turned into a "serious artiste" and started churning out shit like this. I've had a soft spot for Linda since the glory days of Lambretta (does anyone else remember the band's floptastic attempt to crack Australia in 2002 with "Bimbo"?) but I was underwhelmed by her debut solo album. It was a little too cool for its own good - something she has definitely rectified with her latest release. As much as I love "To All My Girls", I think I'm even more obsessed with the film clip than the song. Despite the diva's eerie and unsettling resemblance to Portia De Rossi, this is a cinematic masterpiece. The 90s choreography puts MC Hammer to shame, Linda manages to dance without wearing a top (or bra for that matter) and somehow rocks a pair of American flag boxing shorts and leopard skin print poo catchers. Respect! With Agnes and Medina currently flying the Scandipop flag in Australia, surely it's only a matter of time before someone snaps up this hot bitch?

Agnes' Australian Makeover

It's time for me to eat some humble pie and admit that I was wrong about "Release Me". I still think that the average piece driftwood has more charisma than Agnes Carlsson and remain completely unconvinced about the quality of "Dance Love Pop" but her international breakthrough has grown on me to a ridiculous extent. There's just something utterly irresistible about those disco strings and that anthemic chorus. Imagine how amazing the song would sound if the writers had given it to an actual human being instead of a soulless Swedish robot! But I digress. Since being released in early July "Release Me" has doggedly hung around the lower reaches of the Australian top 100 (currently sitting at #64) but failed to make much of an impact. However, the song is finally starting to gather some upward momentum as a result of increased radio airplay, the onset of summer and a sizzling batch of freshly commissioned local remixes. Which is the whole point of this post. I'm wondering what you all think of the new Australian radio edit courtesy of Todd Watson:


Todd Watson Radio Edit

As far as I'm concerned the Moto Blanco Mix is still hard to beat for a hit of pure pop goodness but I really like this. Todd does the impossible and gives Agnes a bit of an edge. His version is dark and brooding yet still true to the original. I just think it might be a bit too much for Australian radio. To hear the other local remixes check out Neon's youtube channel. Speaking of new and improved Agnes tracks, Scandipop recently revealed that a new mix of "I Need You Now" will be Scandinavian diva's second single in the UK. I love what they've done with the song and hope the entire album is given a similiar overhaul. Oh and if Swedish pop floats your boat and you live in London, make sure you head along to Scandipop Live on the 29th of September to check out BWO. I'd go along just to throw things at Alexander Bard!

Swedish Skank Scores Aus Record Deal!

Evil Swedish pop troll Agnes Carlsson is set to unleash her mediocrity upon Australia after landing a local distribution deal with Neon Records. The 2005 Swedish Idol winner is currently taking the UK by storm with her single "Release Me" and should find similar success when the song is released here in early July. I've made my feelings about Agnes pretty clear in the past but there's no denying that "Release Me" is an exceptional pop song. It's just a shame that it was wasted on someone with all the charisma of an anal fissure. Excitingly, local remixes have already been commissioned - including one by the amazing TV Rock. Hopefully they make it a dub!

This is Neon's first foray into the pop scene, so I wish them a lot of luck. If "Release Me" takes off it could pave the way for some decent Scandipop hitting the shelves in the future. I'll update you with more details as they come to hand. In the meantime, check out the Swedish automaton trying to act like an actual human being in the drab video (below).

The Ultimate Trash Xmas Carol

I thought Cyndi Lauper's duet with The Hives was the year's best Christmas anthem but that modern classic has been blown out of the water by Linni Meister's clubtastic cover version of "Do They Know It's Christmas". Seriously, this fabulous shit has to be heard to be believed! The track is credited to John Astericks (its producer) featuring Glam Aid (a bunch of Scandinavian plastic surgery addicts) but the most recognisable face and "voice" is that of Norwegian Big Brother contestant come pop/porn star Linni Meister. I featured Linni's amazing "Where My Limo At" on the blog earlier this year but she is still best known for her breathtakingly awesome cover of Destiny's Child's "Survivor". Until now. "Do They Know It's Christmas" is a triumph of bad taste. The song has been re-worked into a stilted dance anthem with all the soul of a store mannequin. Linni's voice, in particular, has been vocodered to the point where she sounds like a robot! The video clip is also pretty amusing. It looks like it was filmed at a hooker convention and what kind of club spins a tune about starving Africans to get people on the dancefloor? I'm sure everyone involved had the best intentions and it goes without saying that I prefer this to the original version. I'm just not sure how this wonderful trash is supposed to help starving children when it's being given away for free (along with a club remix and the video clip) on John Asterick's website. I guess it's the thought that counts. Right?