Bop 2 Pop

Today I thought I’d like to feature two electronic acts whose recent material is generating a lot of buzz lately in the blogosphere, and although I support their efforts, I just haven’t been able to embrace them as much as I perhaps should. Just because I don’t seem to be getting it, however, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t either.

First up is Sweden’s Lykke Li and her new single Sadness is a Blessing. Lykke Li first burst onto the scene in 2008 with her critically acclaimed album, Youth Novels. The album contained a couple of fantastic standout tracks (Im Good, Im Gone and Little Bit, particularly their remixes). Her new album came out this year and her fan base seems to be expanding. First official single, I Follow Rivers has gained considerable airplay, even being featured in an advert for the television show, Grey’s Anatomy. Sadness is a Blessing has a definite 60s vibe to it and although enjoyable enough, it just doesn’t seem to have that same magic as the stuff on her first album.

Next up is Canadian band Austra who are on Paper Bag Records, the same label as bop2pop favorite, Sally Shapiro. She seems to be channeling the Fever Ray template, with eccentric visuals that complement icy, yet emotionally powerful vocals.