Oyster Playlist: Sambassadeur
Swedish pop or die.
If the people over at Labrador Records are down with one thing, that thing is Swedish Pop (they're based in Sweden BTW). They've been in the game for some fifteen years now, growing their repertoire steadily into a directional and distinctive line-up of indie pop bands. Sambassadeur, named after the Serge Gainsbourg song 'Les Sambassadeurs', is one such band. Forming in 2003, they've got three studio records under their belt, as well as an upcoming 7-inch which will be out 20 November. You can listen to their new track 'Memories' here:
Sambassadeur were kind enough to make us a playlist of their favourite Swedish pop songs!
Here are some fun facts about Sambassadeur from the band itself:
• Our first show was in Göteborg 2004 at a no longer existing club called Bommens Salonger. Our second show was at a festival called Hultsfred. We had just released our first single 'Ice & Snow', and somehow it entered the Swedish radio that picked it up when it was still a demo. The record label Dolores sent his main man to have a look at as at the festival and, as we understood, he kind of enjoyed the show but also thought we needed a total makeover. Since we didn't visit either the stylist or tattooist, we were out of contract. Kindly enough, instead Labrador Records decided to release our records.
• At the moment, we are writing new songs for a record to be released during 2013.
• Just three of us still live in Göteborg. Daniel Permbo has moved to Skåne in southern Sweden so now we are working with the band from a distance. A bit of a strange thing is that Thurston Moore from Sonic Youth is a fan of Daniel Permbo's father who released pop records in the 60s. Here is proof:
• Joachim is related to the famous Swedish boxer and former heavy weight champion of the world, Ingemar Johansson.
• When Anna was a kid she had a small trial motorcycle with a sidecar. She would love to have one of those again but has no motorcycle driving license. Instead, Anna works with interaction design and makes strange textiles and connects them to electricity.
• Joachim and Daniel Tolergård first met when they were 16-years-old and had a band called Throw Me A Baseball Player.
• The first band Anna played in was instrumental and called Unorthodox Behavior. The sound was distorted electric guitar and drums.
Melissa Kenny
