Alternative bands set the tone in Sweden

Regardless of whether you prefer well-produced pop, laid-back singer-songwriters or falsetto singing over a melodious electric guitar riff, the Swedish indie scene will satisfy your hunger. It’s hard to distinguish any regional differences when it comes to the genre's sound, perhaps with the exception of Gothenburg on the Swedish west coast. A number of bands with style-setting codes and an intellectual image originate from there: The Tough Alliance (TTA), Studio, The Embassy, Jens Lekman, and others.

Swedish alternative pop seems to have a preference for constellations of two-man bands and lone women like Lykke Li, Laleh, Marit Bergman and Taken By Trees. The latter is really Victoria Bergsman, formerly a singer with The Concretes, a band that was a favorite with critics. In recent years, there has also been a clear trend toward digitalization — often with good results, but sometimes forced and feeble. Yet the biggest bands in Swedish indie music have often been around for a few years: Kent, Weeping Willows, The Cardigans and The Hives.

And for those of you who want to expand your knowledge, we recommend checking out some record companies. Labrador Records offers both shoegazing bands and sunshine pop, and the label Songs I wish I had written has Gentle Touch and the sensitive operatic pop artist Moto boy.

Festival time — Swedish indie music invades France

For artists from a small country like Sweden, international fame is vital. French indie festival Les Femmes s’en Mêlent celebrates female artists — and in 2009, the lineup includes six Swedish bands. Watch their videos and find out what Frida Hyvönen and the others have to say about music, fame and inspiration.

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