DELTRON 3O3O RECOMMENDED: ceo – ‘White Magic’
What do past TRAffIK featured artists The Radio Dept, Miike Snow alll have in common? They, along with Robyn, The Shout Out Louds, Lykke Li, The Tallest Man on Earth, and El Perro Del Mar are all Swedes. Should we start breaking ground for a new wing of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame over there? I suppose I’m jumping the gun a tad but you have to admit their music scene has grown by leaps and bounds. Before 2000, when The Hives broke into the states with “Hate to Say I Told You So“, the Swedes were best known for….well let me just provide this chart.
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Rank Swedish acts Sold Genre Years active
1. ABBA ———-300 million + ——- Pop —————- 1972–1982
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2. Roxette ———-70 million + ——- Pop rock ———– 1986–present
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3. Ace of Base —- 50 million + ——- Eurodance ——— 1990–present
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4. Europe ———- 20 million + ——– Glam rock ———–1979–1992; 1999; 2003–present
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5. The Cardigans –15 million + ——–Alternative rock –1992–present
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Not exactly a murderer’s row of artists. What is most impressive is that Europe was able to sell 20 million albums off of one (kick ass) song. That has to be some kind of one hit wonder record.
Now that you have Sweden’s most prolific artists fresh in your mind it is much easier to appreciate the Swedish music landscape for what it is now. Artists like The Hives, Peter Bjorn and John, The Knife, and The Sounds laid ground work for the Swedish invasion that we are currently reveling in. “Swedish Invasion” sounds too played. Let’s call it “The Stockholm Syndrome”. Soon to be added to my favorites from Sweden list, which currently consists of Miike Snow and the Radio Dept, is ceo. I find the stylistic choice of leaving the letters in ceo all lowercase off putting and the fact that his website is a black hole of info* is a bit annoying…but the album makes up for all of that. For a short form (28 mins) album it manages to hit a few different sounds. It is a combination of M83 styled instrumentals (“All Around”) Miike Snow-esque sleek romps of synthy pop driven jams (“Come With Me”) and Sigur Ros lush soaring strings and emotion (“Den Blomstertid Nu Kommer”). I just threw out M83, Miike Snow, and Sigur Ros?! WOW.
I don’t think I need to say more. Do I?
Highlights: “Come With Me,” “Illuminata,” “No Mercy”
Black hole of info* – As far as info goes, this is what is available on his website:
“CEO arises in 1981 and 1891. in 3064 and tomorrow. after ibrahimovic and before nectanebo II. before the dark ages and after spring break. before time was, ceo is.ceo arises in miami, hell, holzschlag, the andes, sparta, chianti and wall street. in the antennae galaxies, kungsm ssan, flushing meadows and the mariana trench. before space was, ceo is.you may call me sophia, yukio, fanta, eric, kiki and krishna. and wii and whitney.ceo is the photosynthesis and an aria, it is silence and virginity lost in a gang bang.ceo is a bird in space and ceo is the space in a bird.ceo is saliva, patr n, november rain and panic. it is a relief, a citrine and it is broken dreams.ceo is the harlot, the prince the snake and the shaman. in a spyker c8 laviolette. and on a mirage.ceo is raspberries and chlamydia, it is the shadow and it is a clapping game.ceo is auroras and charlotte casiraghi. it is laser beams and a home by the ocean.ceo is a lost love and rihanna’s voice. it is hibernation,the spectacle, and every breath you take. ceo is platinum and it is valium, it is a quasar and it is a lie. ceo is a breech forest and a slamdunk. ceo is the ashanti and ceo is seinfeld. it is eucalyptus, neon and a smile. ceo is a war zone and a sanctuary. it is dukkha, dilla and the body of light. ceo is cashmere, sweat, zooxanthellae and a stiletto. it is implosion technology and it is the match point. ceo is you and you are me and i am ceo. in eternity.”