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Sweden Sounds is a project that is managed by Export Music Sweden together with Embassy of Sweden, Rikskonserter and Svenska institutet. Our aim is to spread Swedish music abroad.
We started our activity in Japan in 2003 with a concert featuring The Soundtrack Of Our Lives, Ceasars, Whyte Seeds and Melody Club at Shibuya Quattro Tokyo. By 2006 it was decided to expand events in Tokyo. Branching out from rock and indie pop we began presenting singer/songwriters and electronica acts. This included Hello Saferide, Ane Brun and Wendy McNeill with a concert at Astro Hall and Andreas Tilliander, Hans Appelqvist, Lisa Nordstrom and Folie performing at the prestigious Sonar Sound Japan festival.
This year we are proudly presenting a concert at DUO Music Exchange in Shibuya on 6th November with the lineup:
Last Days Of April, that has leaded EMO and are well known among Japanese emotional rock/guitar pop listeners. LDOA has released the 6th album MIGHT AS WELL LIVE produced by Hives’ producer Pelle Gunnerfeldt in February 2007 and Japanese maniac fans have been waiting long for their coming for 3 years.
Sahara Hotnights, Sweden’s best female rock band at the moment released the single CHEEK TO CHEEK from their 4th album WHAT IF LEAVING IS A LOVING THING, produced by Björn Yttling of YOUNG FOLK’s Peter Björn & John and hit the charts during 2007.
Maia Hirasawa who has Japanese father and Swedish mother. She joined Hello Saferide’s tour during 2006 and released her debut album as solo artist in April 2007. Now she is already becoming a big major pop artist beyond the indie pop scene and receives considerable media attention in both Japan and Sweden.
Pernilla Andersson, one of the most talented female solo artists in Sweden today and her catchy melodies with bluesy sound using vintage synthesizers attracts a wider range of audience.
To introduce Swedish pop music we’ve prepared a CD-sampler with 15 artists including previously mentioned four artists as well as Anna Ternheim, The Ark, Atomic Swing, Ella Rouge, Eskju Divine, Johnossi, Samuraj Cities, Shout Out Louds, Säkert!, The Unconditionals, Wildbirds & Peacedrums . This sampler will be attached with the music magazine Cookie Scene and be sold all over Japan along side other promotional activities as well.
