Featured image: You can’t keep me here
Following on from my previous post ‘My Favourite Songs from Around the World’, here are five more of my favourite songs from five more countries around the world to feast your ears on. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!
Most of them are female artists as it seems that generally, I am better at seeking out and becoming attached to female musicians/vocalists. This has never been a conscious decision but I think it is telling of how much female talent there is out there.
The first one on the list, however, is an all male band from what has been often dubbed the happiest country in the world!
Denmark
Danish psychedelic pop band Treefight for Sunlight entered my life one unsuspecting day when I was browsing Jumbo Records in Leeds. I heard a song playing in the shop that reminded me of one of my favourite artists Bat for Lashes and, feeling spontaneous, I went to the guy at the desk and asked who it was. He told me the name of the band and showed me the CD in the shop and I just bought it there and then – most intrigued.
I got the CD home and played it from the beginning. Initially not quite knowing what to expect, I was absolutely blown away when the first song A Dream Before Sleep blasted out. These musicians are not afraid to experiment and reveal the true nature of all of their personalities. To date, they have two albums A Collection of Vibrations for you Skull and Pizza. Both albums are excellent and share that same experimental psychedelia with Pizza taking this to an even more electronic and synth dominated place.
I went to see them play live at The Cockpit music venue when they came to Leeds in 2011. It was a very small room on the top floor of the (now closed) venue and they clearly hadn’t been much heard of in the UK because there wasn’t a very big audience. This made them very approachable and me and my partner ended up having a really good chat with the bass player, he was very down to earth and friendly and we discussed our influences and favourite genres of music.
I recommend checking these guys out if you like vocal harmonies, electronica/synth; along with experimental/unusual music and artwork.
Ireland
The Cranberries came blasting on to the scene in 1994 with their first big hit Linger which gained mainstream success and gave The Cranberries their initial platform. Having previously released both Dreams and Linger in 1993 to little interest from the public – with the help of TV coverage from MTV – people began to realise the power and potential of this fierce, feisty Irish rock band. Perhaps people needed a bit of time to become accustomed to the unique sounds of Dolores O’Riordan’s vocals and their unashamedly, politically charged and raucous songs. This contrast with their more gentle tracks where they pour out their heart and soul, is vulnerable and mesmerising.
I remember hearing Linger on the radio often as a child in the 90’s but didn’t fully get into The Cranberries until the early 2000’s when I recorded a cover of their album track Put me Down with my band at the time. We then went on to perform their edgy track Promises live and I had great fun belting that one out! I then collected all of their albums and listened intently for a long time, they are one of the most unique bands around, no one sings quite like Dolores.
I went to see them in 2003 in London and loved it, they are a very energetic and exciting band live.
Sweden
Some of you may have heard this song on the History Channel’s established TV series Vikings. This is the music you hear in the opening credits and it fits perfectly with the mood and theme of the show. That is where I first discovered Fever Ray and subsequently sought out her first studio album – eponymously titled – Fever Ray. It is an incredible album and I was hard pressed choosing just one song to put on this post as my favourite This song has a very intriguing music video so I thought that would be a further insight into the personality of this artist if you are a brand new listener.
The artist’s name is Karin Dreijer Andersson and she goes by the pseudonym of Fever Ray. She uses a pitch shifter in some of her songs (including this one) which makes her voice sound unusually deep and very dark and mysterious. Her songs are enchanting and she loves to experiment with different sounds and effects as well as using props and masks in her live performances and unusual imagery in her music videos and artwork.
She is one of a kind. Definitely one to check out!
Japan
I must give all the credit for this one to Jake Wilson of The Retro Perspective who also happens to be my partner. I had absolutely no idea about Japanese music when I met him and he eagerly shared his love of it with me. Whilst I’m not quite as in love with it as he is (as yet) I do love and have endless respect for Salyu as a vocalist, composer, musician and performer. She is something else, just out of this world talented. Her voice sends you to another world and is crystal clear and beautiful. Salyu has a massive discography and this includes everything from J-Pop to Scat; she is very eclectic and offers a bit of everything.
Salyu is very celebrated in Japan and is known for her role as a fictional singer in the band Lily Chou Chou which was created for the film of the same title. She later went solo and has gone on to record six studio albums.
Australia
Sarah Blasko is such a talent, she has one of the richest, smoothest voices I’ve ever heard and listening to her songs is always a very cathartic and comforting experience for me. This song, An Arrow is from her fourth studio album I Awake – an album that I liked when I first heard it but then upon more listens I felt my relationship with it strengthening and evolving. I always love that experience and it makes me feel alive when you know that another soundtrack to that phase of your life has been established.
I went to see Sarah Blasko perform at The Wardrobe in Leeds and even though this was a very intimate, stripped down gig absent of the strings and orchestra that normally accompany her in her large arena performances – and Sarah actually had a cold and sore throat – it did not matter one bit. It was an incredible gig and Sarah’s vocals came through so beautifully. I believe that if that entire gig had been performed acapella it would have been just as incredible, that is the power of this woman’s voice. She was so very down to earth and had a fabulous sense of humour, it was a wonderful evening.
So, there you have it, five more songs from different countries from around the world that have shaped my life, inspired me and given me great pleasure and continue to do so. There will be a third instalment of this series of posts coming up soon so stay tuned! Remember to check out the first installment if you haven’t already.
Let me know if you have listened to and enjoyed any of these songs. I’d love to know what you think!
Featured image: You can’t keep me here
