Fortuna POP! - CDs

For Fans Of: The Concretes, The Cardigans, Peter, Bjorn and John, Swedish Pop

With the current vogue in music for all things Swedish it was perhaps surprising that one of the best and most important Swedish bands of recent years, the exquisitely melancholic yet danceable Club 8, had seemingly vanished from the scene.

Of course founder member Johan Angergård had been busy both in his role as chief of the hugely influential Swedish label Labrador and with his other bands The Legends and the Acid House Kings, but still, three years had passed without so much as a note.

Finally, in May of this year, Club 8 returned to have a massive blog hit with the amazing Tropicalia-influenced Whatever You Want. Now, with their long-awaited sixth album The Boy Who Couldn't Stop Dreaming, Club 8 are set to take their rightful place at the top table of Swedish pop.

Initially inspired by a love of The Smiths and Sarah Records Karolina Komstedt (vocals) and Johan Angergård (all instruments) released their debut album as Club 8, Nouvelle, on Spanish label Siesta.

However, it was with their more dance-orientated next album The Friend I Once Had and its beguiling mix of bossa nova, glittery guitars and shiny pop melodies that they took their first big step forward, the single Missing You becoming a club and radio hit in Spain and a college radio favourite in North America.

Constantly changing, the self-titled follow-up was both darker and slower, labelled as both trip-hop and chill-out, before the band diversified again with the semi-electronic, slightly experimental but intensely emotional Spring Came, Rain Fell (2002) and the more guitar-based Strangely Beautiful (2004).

During this time the band's reputation spread, with live shows across Europe, USA and South East Asia where they are at least partly responsible for the thriving Indonesian music scene.

With The Boy Who Couldn't Stop Dreaming Club 8 have evolved yet again and made a truly different and very special album that packs a heavy personal emotional punch.

The sweet transience of life and the closeness of death come wrapped in the shape of twelve perfect pop songs in a summer dress, the mix of sunshine and melancholia as unique as it is profoundly moving. A glorious return to say the least.

Exquisite¦ lovely vocals¦ indie pop bliss (Pitchfork).

Tracklisting:
1. Jesus, Walk With Me
2. Whatever You Want
3. Football Kids
4. Hope And Dreams
5. Everything Goes
6. Heaven
7. When I Come Around
8. Leave The North
9. In The Morning
10. Sometimes
11. Where Birds Don't Fly
12. The Boy Who Couldn't Stop Dreaming