Tag: Yota

A Beginner’s Guide To JOHAN AGEBJÖRN

26 August 2025 /

Based in Lund, Swedish producer Johan Agebjörn studies psychology but makes music from time to time.

While involved in a variety of arctic ambient, piano, instrumental, dance and remix projects, he is best known for the Italo-inspired duo Sally Shapiro featuring an anonymous singer who has become known as “Sally”. Following the lead of Italo acts such as Valerie Dore and Katy Gray which were actually fronts for producers promoted under the names of fictional solo singers, Sally Shapiro would become worldwide cult favourites with their wispy melancholic synth swathed disco-friendly pop.

The journey began when Agebjörn demoed what would become ‘I’ll Be By Your Side’ and remembered a gathering in 2004 with everyone singing Christmas carols by the piano: “I asked a friend of mine whom I noticed had a sweet singing voice if she wanted to sing on it, and she gave it a shot. After hearing and mixing her recording, I felt ‘this is really something’ and posted it to various Italo disco and electro forums on the web. I quickly got a few offers to release it on 12” single and the Sally Shapiro project was born.”

Despite a publically announced retirement in 2016, Sally Shapiro has released 5 full-length albums with corresponding remix collections since 2006. In parallel, Johan Agebjörn has maintained solo career and worked with Samantha Fox, Ryan Paris, Fred Ventura, Tom Hooker, Lisa Barra and many more, along with fellow enigmatic duos such as ELECTRIC YOUTH and R. MISSING.

In 2025, there has already been a new Sally Shapiro long player ‘Ready To Live A Lie’ which proved to be the duo’s darkest yet, while coming in late September is a new nature-themed downtempo album from Johan Agebjörn called ‘Southern Forest’ which features Dr Atmo, Miranda Magdalena, Mikael Ögren, Cate Brooks and NINA.

Johan Agebjörn presented his personal stories and insights on 20 career highlights selected from his various musical projects over the years by ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK

SALLY SHAPIRO I’ll Be By Your Side (2006)

“I remember writing this track being in an inspirational mood after having listened to Valerie Dore ‘Get Closer’” said Johan Agebjörn of the breakthrough Sally Shapiro track, “The track opened a lot of opportunities for us and maybe more importantly, it made me think that I could maybe actually write pop songs”. It attracted the attention of the Austrian label Diskokaine who would go on to release the debut album ‘Disco Romance’.

Available on the SALLY SHAPIRO album ‘Disco Romance’ via Paper Bag Records

https://www.johanagebjorn.info/sally.html

SOUVENIR Allô, Allô – Johan Agebjörn Remix (2007)

With the cult success of Sally Shapiro came remix commissions from all over the world for Agebjörn including this from a Spanish indie band: “This was one of the first remixes I made” he remembered, “I was amazed that someone would actually pay me money to remix something. I really liked the band and I was happy with the remix, I’ve played it quite often when I DJ-ed. Jaime of SOUVENIR later played the backing guitar on Sally Shapiro’s ‘What Can I Do’”.

Available on the SOUVENIR EP ‘Extras 64’ via Jabalina Música

https://www.facebook.com/Souvenirpop/

JOHAN AGEBJÖRN featuring SALLY SHAPIRO Spacer Woman From Mars (2008)

Filled with vocoder, “This is one of the recordings from the ‘Disco Romance’ sessions but we didn’t think the track fitted on the album, leaning more towards spacesynth than Indiepop-Italo” recalled Agebjörn, “Actually, Sally refuses to sing any songs about space, this was the only exception, so we released it under my name as the primary artist. I sent it to Lo Recordings who loved it and included it on their ‘Milky Disco’ compilation”

Available on the compilation album ‘Milky Disco’ (V/A) via Lo Recordings at https://lorecordings.bandcamp.com/album/milky-disco-lo62

https://www.johanagebjorn.info/

SALLY SHAPIRO Looking At The Stars (2009)

“One of my favourite tracks from Sally’s second album, ‘My Guilty Pleasure’” said Agebjörn of this starry eyed dance number, “The shuffled arpeggiated bass was inspired by Skatebård’s ‘Vuelo’. My friend and frequent collaborator Roger Gunnarsson wrote the lyrics, they are actually about the memories from his dead grandmother. FM ATTACK later made a really beautiful remix out of it”.

Available on the SALLY SHAPIRO album ‘My Guilty Pleasure’ via Paper Bag Records

https://www.facebook.com/shapirosally

ANORAAK Don’t Be Afraid featuring SALLY SHAPIRO (2010)

“Anoraak invited us to collaborate on a track from his debut album. My role here was to write the melody and the lyrics, I remember sitting at the library of Lund University writing it” said Agebjörn of this collaboration with the DJ from the French Valerie Collective, “Anoraak then re-made the backing track for his album version, but we later released the original version on Sally’s third album ‘Somewhere Else’ – so the version labelled ‘Alternative Version’ is actually the first version”.

Available on the ANORAAK album ‘Wherever The Sun Sets’ via Naïve

https://www.facebook.com/anoraak

JOHAN AGEBJÖRN Swimming Through The Blue Lagoon – Original Casio MT-52 Instrumental (2011)

“I got the idea for this track in a dream back in 2005” said Agebjörn, “The drums and the “electric guitar” are lead sound from a Casio MT-52 keyboard that I borrowed from Sally. To my joy, it was playlisted on some channel on Sirius XM radio and also included in the background of many TV programs around the world. We had also made a short version with some Sally vocals on it, as an opener to Sally’s second album”.

Available on the JOHAN AGEBJÖRN album ‘The Mountain Lake’ via Lotuspike

https://www.facebook.com/agebjorn

JOHAN AGEBJÖRN & ERCOLA featuring QUEEN OF HEARTS The Last Day Of Summer (2011)

“I asked Ercola to collaborate on a track after hearing his banger ‘Follow Me’ with Annie on vocals” said Agebjorn, “He sent me a loop that we developed into this instrumental. I asked QUEEN OF HEARTS if she wanted to sing on it, and she made a terrific job. Finally Ercola and I finished the mix in in Helsinki. This is one of very few tracks I’ve had playlisted on Swedish national radio P3”; QUEEN OF HEARTS would co-write the 2025 Sally Shapiro song ‘Hard To Love’.

Available on the JOHAN AGEBJÖRN album ’Casablanca Nights’ via Paper Bag Records

https://www.iamqueenofhearts.com/

SALLY SHAPIRO & ELECTRIC YOUTH Starman (2013)

A track recorded with the acclaimed Canadian synth duo, “Sally and I asked ELECTRIC YOUTH if they wanted to collaborate on a track, since we think they are pop geniuses” recalled Agebjörn, “We sent them this instrumental and they came back with ‘Starman’. After recording Sally’s vocal, it was selected as one of the singles from Sally’s third album ‘Somewhere Else’. There’s also a cool Miami Nights 1984 remix of it”.

Available on the SALLY SHAPIRO album ‘Somewhere Else’ via Paper Bag Records

https://www.facebook.com/electricyouthmusic/

YOUNG GALAXY In Fire – SALLY SHAPIRO remix (2013)

YOUNG GALAXY were a haunting dream pop duo from Montreal comprising who were label mates of Sally Shapiro at Paper Bag Records. Agebjörn reworked ‘In Fire’ from their fourth album ‘Ultramarine’ with a brooding gothic groove. “I met them once in Linköping, the city where I grew up and I DJ-ed before their live show” he recalled, “We made a remix swap with each other and I think this remix became quite dark and cool”.

Available on the YOUNG GALAXY album ‘Ultramarine’ via Paper Bag Records

https://www.young-galaxy.com/

ANNIE featuring BJARNE MELGAARD Swedish Kiss – Johan Agebjörn Remix Of Russian Kiss (2014)

Norwegian pop artist Annie is known for her Richard X produced hits ‘Chewing Gum’ and ‘Songs Remind Me Of You’ but one day, Agebjörn got an important call: “I’m a big Annie fan so I was really happy when she asked me to remix this pro-HBTQ rights, anti-Putin track. I turned it from what was kind of a monotonous acid house-inspired track produced by the genius Richard X to more of a chord-driven Italo disco track with lots of vocoder work.”

Available on the ANNIE featuring BJARNE MELGAARD single ‘Swedish Kiss’ via Totally

https://www.annieofficial.com/

JOHAN AGEBJÖRN & LONEY DEAR The Leftovers – Mikael Ögren Remix (2015)

“Loney Dear is a skilled and likeable Swedish musician, whom I contacted for singing this song from my album ‘Notes’” said Agebjörn, “Paper Bag wanted to make a remix contest around it, and I encouraged everyone to turn in remixes of it. One remix came in under a pseudonym, I loved it and we decided it was the winner out of some 70-80 entries. It then turned out it was made by friend and soon-to-be frequent collaborator Mikael Ögren.”

Available on the JOHAN AGEBJÖRN & LONEY DEAR single ‘The Leftovers’ via Paper Bag Records

https://www.loneydear.com/

JOHAN AGEBJÖRN featuring TOM HOOKER Have You Ever Been In Love? (2018)

“I was asked by Swedish director Kristian Söderström to make some tracks with various legendary Italo disco singers for his movie ‘Videoman’, as one of the characters listened a lot to Italo disco” said Agebjörn of this notable soundtrack commission, “This is one of the results, with vocals by Tom Hooker, the voice behind Den Harrow. It was also included on a CD compilation on the legendary Italo disco label ZYX.”

Available on the soundtrack album ‘Videoman’ (V/A) via Lakeshore Records at https://videomansoundtrack.bandcamp.com/

https://www.instagram.com/therealtomhooker/

SAMANTHA FOX Hot Boy (2018)

Another track from ‘Videoman’, Kristian Söderström suggested that Agebjörn ask Samantha Fox or Sabrina to sing on ‘Hot Boy’: “I sent it to Samantha on her official web site and her manager replied that she wanted to sing on it! Samantha recorded the vocals in London and I later met her in Gothenburg when we recorded a music video to it with the ‘Videoman’ team, it was an unforgettable day”; the track recently got its first vinyl release on Keytar Records as 12″ picture disc.

Available on the SAMANTHA FOX single ‘Hot Boy’ via Fox 2000 / Keytar Records

https://samfox.com/

JOHAN AGEBJÖRN featuring RYAN PARIS & SALLY SHAPIRO Forget About You (2020)

Agebjörn had produced a Ryan Paris vs Sally Shapiro duet called ‘Love On Ice’ for ‘Videoman’ and ‘Forget About You’ was its follow-up song: “It was fun to work on Ryan Paris on a few tracks, in return for the vocals on this track, Sally also recorded some backing vocals to Ryan’s track ‘Je Veux T’aimer Encore Une Fois’. Later, we turned ‘Forget About You’ into a Sally Shapiro solo track for the comeback album ‘Sad Cities’”.

Available on the JOHAN AGEBJÖRN featuring RYAN PARIS & SALLY SHAPIRO single ‘Forget About You’ b/w ‘Love On Ice’ via https://agebjorn.bandcamp.com/album/forget-about-you-love-on-ice

https://www.instagram.com/ryanparisofficial/

JOHAN AGEBJÖRN & MIKAEL ÖGREN A Tribute To Florian Schneider (2020)

“Mikael thought we should make a tribute track, since we are both KRAFTWERK fans” remembered Agebjörn when hearing about the sad passing of Florian Schneider, “Mikael had a basic idea for the groove using the analog Toraiz AS-1 synth. We tried to make the track as close as possible to the KRAFTWERK sound between 1975 and 1981. The vocoder lyrics are about Florian’s sounds continuing to vibrate in the universe”.

Available on the JOHAN AGEBJÖRN & MIKAEL ÖGREN album ‘Dynamic Movements’ via Lo Recordings at https://agebjorn.bandcamp.com/album/dynamic-movements-music-for-exercise-relaxation

https://www.instagram.com/mikael_ogren_music/

PET SHOP BOYS The Man Who Has Everything – Johan Agebjörn & Mikael Ögren Re-edit (2020)

“I’m a huge PET SHOP BOYS fan and this track is one of my favourites from their “underground” album ‘Relentless’ included with the limited edition of ‘Very’” confirmed Agebjörn, “I was so thrilled when I found a copy of it in a record shop in the small city in Sweden where I grew up. I felt this track could benefit from a more modern sound and I asked Mikael if he wanted to join me on this re-edit. It’s an unofficial edit only with all proceeds going to UNHCR.”

Available on the PET SHOP BOYS single ‘The Man Who Has Everything – Johan Agebjörn & Mikael Ögren Re-edit’ via https://agebjorn.bandcamp.com/track/the-man-who-has-everything-johan-agebj-rn-mikael-gren-re-edit

https://www.petshopboys.co.uk/

SALLY SHAPIRO Fading Away (2022)

“This was the first Sally Shapiro single in 5 years, our comeback after having announced that we ended the project, but then we changed our minds” said Agebjörn on Sally coming out of ‘retirement’, “It was also our first single on Italians Do It Better. Mikael Ögren co-produced the track, his most notable input is the beautiful pads from the Roland JD-800. This was my first attempt to make a ‘proper’ synthwave production, whatever that means.”

Available on the SALLY SHAPIRO album ‘Sad Cities’ via Italians Do It Better

https://www.instagram.com/sally_shapiro_official/

YOTA & JOHAN AGEBJÖRN Our Highs (2024)

“I really had fun working with Yota for our EP released last year, and this was the last track we recorded for it” said Agebjörn of this collaboration with the Paris-based Swede, “Basically it’s a track that was born because I was playing around with the Korg Polysix for the bass and arpeggio. Yota liked the instrumental and got some nice vocal ideas for it. The intro and ending is Yota originally singing in a lower key, pitched up in some weird 90s Eurodance way!”

Available on the YOTA & JOHAN AGEBJÖRN EP ‘Universe In Flames’ via Keytar Records at https://agebjorn.bandcamp.com/album/universe-in-flames-ep

https://www.instagram.com/yota_official_artist/

R. MISSING & JOHAN AGEBJÖRN Fakesnow (2025)

“I worked several months on the groove of this track, it took a while but it had this very deep bass and hypnotic loop that I kept returning to” said Agebjörn, “Finally with an Italo disco beat, I felt it was worthy to present to some singer, and I thought it would suit the dark approach of R. MISSING whom I had worked with earlier mixing one of their tracks ‘Verónica Pass’. Sharon Shy really turned it into a great song, I’m really happy about it.”

Available on the R. MISSING & JOHAN AGEBJÖRN single ‘Fakesnow’ via https://agebjorn.bandcamp.com/album/fakesnow

https://www.instagram.com/r.missing/

JOHAN AGEBJÖRN featuring NINA Little Fluffy Clouds (2025)

Agebjörn paid a visit to Berlin to work with the Queen Of Synthwave: “THE ORB’s original has been a companion in my life for over 30 years, it never sounds too old. I was playing around with the harmonies without any serious intention to develop it into a finished track, much less having it be the lead single from my new ambient album. But with NINA‘s spoken word on it, the track became a quite dreamy and organic beatless interpretation of the track.”

Available on the JOHAN AGEBJÖRN album ‘Southern Forest’ via Constellation Tatsu

https://www.iloveninamusic.com/

Text by Chi Ming Lai with special thanks to Johan Agebjörn
26th August 2025

2024 END OF YEAR REVIEW

27 December 2024 /

Image by Simon Helm

Me? Definitely Won’t Be! Join the #SynthResistance

When ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK came into being in March 2010, synth was still on a recovery path and it seemed PET SHOP BOYS were the only act continuing to fly the flag successfully having been awarded the BRIT Award for ‘Outstanding Contribution To Music’ the previous year.

While DEPECHE MODE and SIMPLE MINDS had released albums in 2009, their latest material showed few signs of their imperial phases. BLANCMANGE, NEW ORDER and SOFT CELL had not yet returned, ULTRAVOX were still to release ‘Brilliant’ despite a well-received live return and while THE HUMAN LEAGUE were regulars on the live circuit, they had not issued a new album for 9 years. Meanwhile OMD and DURAN DURAN were in a state of creative flux having released disappointing albums in ‘History Of Modern’ and ‘Red Carpet Massacre’ respectively.

However in 2024, most of these acts are performing to sizeable audiences and while ULTRAVOX may have called it a day in 2013, Midge Ure continues to tour with songs from ‘Vienna’, ‘Rage In Eden’, ‘Quartet’ and ‘Lament’. For these heritage acts, the concert circuit is now very lucrative and a testament to their music still standing up after several decades and most importantly for longevity, appealing to new and younger audiences.

Photo by Chi Ming Lai

But for new synth music generally, particularly in Britain, it appeared to be in decline although these signs had been very apparent over the past few years. One thing that has been significant about ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK’s 30 SONGS OF 2024 was that on only 4 occasions was there full or part representation from the nation that seeded Synth Britannia… how the mighty have fallen! And when Taylor Swift is doing better electronic pop songs than most, then there’s a real problem!

First time around during 1994 to 1997, Britpop had as good as killed off the synth and with the news of the OASIS live reunion in 2025 grabbing all the headlines, it looks as though history is repeating itself. But everything is cyclical and there was a backlash against guitar bands after the new millennium began. There is hope yet but while a MIRRORS reunion is unlikely any time soon, it takes darkness to appreciate the light so anything is possible 😉

2024 was a year fraught with uncertainty and this was reflected musically. With ongoing political tensions in their homeland and having spoken out against the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, MOLCHAT DOMA relocated from Belarus to Los Angeles. Their excellent fourth album ‘Belaya Polosa’ channelled the anxiety and fear of that journey into exile and literally saw the trio change from sounding like JOY DIVISION to sounding like NEW ORDER. But have they walked from the frying pan into the fryer?

Released back in March before the US Elections, one of the best albums of 2024, ‘Masochist’ by NIGHT CLUB became a dystopian prophecy come true. Emotions were summed up by the inclusion of ‘The Lunatics (Have Taken Over the Asylum)’, a cover of the song by FUN BOY THREE. Written as a metaphor to the dangerous posturing games played by “The Cowboy” Ronald Reagan in 1981 during The Cold War, today the even crazier orange face is back followed by his flock of mindless MAGA sheep…

‘If You Tolerate This, Then Your Children Will Be Next’ sang MANIC STREET PREACHERS and more than ever in the UK, it is important to stand against the retarded racist scum getting behind the neo-fascist posturings of that pompous grifter Nigel Farage to cover up for their own life failings. Add in a crackpot billionaire who inherited blood money made during the vile South African Apartheid regime, playing a real life Dr Evil by throwing his cash into the far right and supporting the new Nazis in Germany of the AfD, and the world is in a very precarious position right now. Quoting Midge Ure who recently gave new live renditions of the ironically monikered RICH KIDS’ sadly relevant 1978 anti-Nazi anthem: “NEVER AGAIN DO I WANT TO HEAR THE SOUND OF MARCHING MEN!”

Anglo-German duo KALEIDA experienced an existential crisis due to the pressures of parenting and the shifting patterns of life. But Christina Wood and Cicely Goulder managed to make their long distance creative partnership work again and their reward was their third album ‘In Arms’. As the title suggested, it has been an impassioned battle capturing 3 years of artistic perseverance and reinforced their sense of purpose.

On a more personal level, Anglo-French artist Julia-Sophie delved deeper into the complexities of relationships by exploring themes of self-destruction, tenderness, love and emotional struggles. This is what happens when people ‘forgive too slow’ but swathed in an intriguing electronic sound, her understated fulfilment combined emotional unease with an airy beauty for some satisfying thoughtful listening for another of the best albums of 2024.

Photo by Chi Ming Lai

With the onset of climate change but still those in denial despite the scientific proof, Patricia Wolf conceived ‘The Secret Lives of Birds’. Having recorded various bird songs and calls, curiosity led her to become a conservationist and while her music was very beautiful at times, there were darker moments of angst and sadness driven by concern. Birds and their behaviour have been a creative haven for artists of a more ambient persuasion and Masayoshi Fujita continued his avian fascination on his new work ‘Migratory’.

Loula Yorke presented her new ‘Volta’ and the wonderful opener ‘It’s been decided that if you lay down no-one will die’ acted as a bittersweet meditation on overwhelm, an emotion many were feeling. For Finlay Shakespeare, his creative journey appeared to have taken its emotional toll and ‘Directions Out Of Town’ reflected turbulent times and was touted as possibly his last album. Meanwhile Polish producer ZAMILSKA summed feelings up with the impassioned ‘United Kingdom Of Anxiety’ as another exile from Belarus CHIKISS captured this moment ‘Between Time & Laziness’.

Photo by Thomas Stelzmann

While a new PET SHOP BOYS album was always on the cards and they duly delivered with their fifteenth ‘Nonetheless’, Michael Mertens and Ralf Dörper starting a new chapter of PROPAGANDA was perhaps on not on anyone’s bingo card at the start of 2024. Featuring the sultry vocals of Thunder Bae, PROPAGANDA presented an eponymous long player to signify a fresh start with the closing cover ‘Wenn Ich Mir Was Wünschen Dürfte’ being a key highlight.

There were several key esoteric releases in 2024; Gareth Jones and Daniel Miller released their third volume of ‘Electronic Music Improvisations’ as SUNROOF while Heiko Maile and Julian DeMarre offered ‘Neostalgia’, leaving Jori Hulkkonen with some ‘Hurt Humour’. And like a greeting from wherever he is now in the universe, Klaus Schulze had ‘101, Milky Way’ posthumously released in a continuation of his vast electronic legacy.

In 2024, there were albums released where 90 to 100% of the content comprised of previously released singles; one of those was the debut album by LEATHERS, the side-project of ACTORS keyboardist Shannon Hemmett which explored her love of dark electronic pop. Another was the appropriately titled ‘VII’ by Swedish duo KITE which was their seventh body of work containing music from their seven most recent singles released over the past seven years, gathering the power and the glory of their ambition.

Using a similar strategy,  R. MISSING finally released an album ‘Knife Shook Your Hand’ after years of embracing a scattergun standalone song approach which at times was frustrating to follow, especially with today’s now widely embraced Netflix-led home and mobile entertainment methodology of “binge watching” TV series.

Photo by Volker Maass

CAMOUFLAGE finally took their ‘Rewind To The Future & Goodbye’ tour on the German road with a show look backing on four decades. Meanwhile celebrating 45 years of BLANCMANGE, ‘Everything Is Connected’ was a new career-spanning collection supported by a tour where Neil Arthur supported himself with his collaborative side project THE REMAINDER. Celebrating 25 years of the multi-million selling ‘Play’, Moby delivered a mighty greatest hits set in front of a packed house at London’s O2 Arena as well as highlights from that album.

Midge Ure aired his catalogue of his greatest hits and with so many ULTRAVOX songs part of the set, it was difficult not to think of his departed bandmate Chris Cross who passed away this year. Another sad loss in 2024 who had connections to ULTRAVOX and their former leader John Foxx was the iconic photographer Brian Griffin; his other subjects included DEPECHE MODE, OMD, SPANDAU BALLET and TALK TALK.

With 16 tracks speeding through its restless 40 minutes, ‘Powder Dry’ saw Tim Bowness revisiting his passion for the post-punk and electronic pop acts of his teens, having opened for the solo Billy Currie version of ULTRAVOX and worked with members of JAPAN while in his first band NO-MAN with Steven Wilson; of course the latter has been behind the spate of new remixes of ULTRAVOX for their series of lavish boxed sets.

A number of veterans returned after long new release absences. Michel Moers, best known as the front man of Belgian electronic trailblazers TELEX released what was only his second solo studio album ‘As Is’ and had Claudia Brücken guest on its lead single ‘Microwaves. Meanwhile after several years in the making, Harald Grosskopf presented ‘Strom’, translated from German as “electricity”.

Across the Atlantic, Los Angeles-based multimedia artist Geneva Jacuzzi gave a detached Eurocentric poise reminiscent of Gina X and her third album ‘Triple Fire’ was an enjoyably delightful mix of accessible electronic pop and energetic art chaos. Comprising of North America’s alternative music power couple Tom Shear and Mari Kattman, HELIX took their fans to an ‘Unimaginable Place’ as another US based couple XENO & OAKLANDER further refined their precise yet spirited productions for their eight album ‘Via Negativa (in the doorway light)’.

Newer North American acts making a splash were IMMORTAL GIRLFRIEND and Canada’s MINDREADER while Los Angeles-based duo DIE SEXUAL finally brought their erotic charge to the stage opening for the likes of IAMX and LEÆTHER STRIP. But the most promising act emerging stateside were Haute & Freddy.

Photo by Tim Darin

For the past few years, Alison Lewis has focussed on her ZANIAS solo venture but she was back playing live with Ryan Ambridge as LINEA ASPERA in the summer with the pair having been quietly writing and recording new material together. Having found TikTok fame performing synthwave styled covers, DREAMKID released his second album ‘Daggers’ to capitalise on his social media traction while both exploring much darker climes, CURSES and CZARINA released their third full length albums.

In Europe, Belgian duo METROLAND released their sixth album ‘Forum’ as well as simultaneously maintaining their solo projects 808 DOT POP and LECTREAU. In Sweden, Johan Agebjörn was a very busy man releasing EPs with Yota and Mikael Ögren while also announcing he has a work-in-progress with NINA; the Queen of Synthwave’s own musical partnership with RADIO WOLF was developing nicely, with a European tour opening for CANNONS giving the couple a chance to showcase their darker sound.

As the summer ended, IONNALEE ambitiously issued her new album simultaneously in English and Swedish while Norwegian neighbours PISTON DAMP declared there were “No Points For Trying” as they launched the more pessimistic instalment of their twin volume ‘Mastermind’ album venture.

Photo by Joanna Wzorek

Presenting the second volume of their ‘Midnight Confessions’ series, ITALOCONNECTION were back with their vintage but modern style of Italo disco while Greco-German trio DINA SUMMER showed that good electronic dance music with a grittier impassioned outlook was alive and well in Berlin. Also based in the former divided city, Polish DJ and producer CHARLIE emerged as one of the promising new stars on the Italo-Proto scene.

Retrospective sets can often compile another time, another place as exemplified by releases this year from Bryan Ferry, Peter Baumann and NO-MAN proved. But the best one came from FRANK CHICKENS whose ‘Ninja Legends 1983-1989’ captured them in their quirky prime, especially on the collection of BBC radio  sessions which made it an essential purchase. On the book front, ‘1984: The Year Pop Went Queer’ was among the best.

The desire to revisit the past became a major thing in 2024, as exemplified by the frenzy surrounding the sale of tickets for the OASIS reunion shows which were among the first in the UK to employ the dreaded but perfectly legal scam of dynamic pricing. But the need to see any band years past their commercial peak with the likelihood of a less accomplished performance than before, be it vocally, musically or energetically, was a head scratching prospect. The music world has been trying to make up for lost time and money since 2021 but the post-covid gig bubble may have now burst.

With ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK having seen many bands back in the day at their best, the shows now available with a hint of nostalgia may not have been universally appealing as they were to those who were too young or not even born to have attended first time around. But paradoxically thanks to the dearth of new quality music, ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK found itself listening to podcasts of old people talking about old music! So it was an honour to be invited by host Iain McDermott to chat about our favourite year in music 1981 for his wonderful ‘Back To NOW’ podcast centred around the noted compilation album series.

‘The Album Years’ hosted by Steven Wilson and Tim Bowness remarked that “talking about music IS the new music” and on the most knowledgeable, passionate and humorous podcasts, hosts were able to express their opinion and say a record or an artist was “sh*t” without immediate fear of social media retorts while also praising where praise was deserved!

But during a recent edition of ‘The Small Town Boys’, Clark Datchler of JOHNNY HATES JAZZ remarked that while music critics back in the day could be “cynical” and “nasty”, today they are at the other extreme and “sycophants now” with “hardly any criticism of records released” – this everything is brilliant mentality has undoubtedly led to an acceptance of mediocrity and a lack of perspective in a monoculture of medium pleasure.

With those forthright and articulate expressions key to their success, live presentations of these podcasts in theatres and arenas are becoming increasingly popular and profitable thanks to lower overheads, especially when compared to concerts.

Among ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK’s favourite music podcasts in 2024 were ‘Word In Your Ear’ presented by former Smash Hits and Q editors David Hepworth and Mark Ellen, ‘Electronically Yours With Martyn Ware’ and ‘The Giddy Carousel of Pop’ discussing the history of Smash Hits. But best of all was the more general podcast ‘The Rest Is Entertainment’ hosted by Richard Osman and Marina Hyde which is part of Gary Lineker’s Goalhanger Podcast empire also behind ‘The Rest Is Politics’, ‘The Rest Is History’, ‘The Rest Is Money’, ‘The Rest Is Classified’ and ‘The Rest Is Football’; one suspects the popular socially conscious former footballer will not miss the BBC the way it will miss him 😉

If 2023 was something of a strange year, 2024 might have actually been stranger. There is a glimmer of hope for the future, but the signs are already there that things may get worse, be it socially, politically, environmentally or culturally… sometimes, people really do deserve what they get!

ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK’s 2024 playlist ‘The Great Bleep Forward’ containing over 235 tracks from the year can be listened to on Spotify at https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4xMrAkCbeWvUmTfrN6i6Gu

Text by Chi Ming Lai
27th December 2024

ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK’s 30 SONGS OF 2024

13 December 2024 /

Streaming has made music more accessible to people than at any time previously in the music industry’s history.

With traction of new music now very dependent on social media, many artists are playing the algorithm with single songs rather than bodies of work such as EP and albums which are now almost an afterthought.

While ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK has always done end of year summaries around songs rather than albums, as they can best represent an annual period, the release strategy adopted by some proved frustrating for listeners. As a result, with everything now democratised and so much choice available following seemingly random patterns, promising new acts found it much harder to get noticed than 10 years ago and simply fell into the cracks of the web.

In 2024, there were albums released where 90 to 100% of the content comprised of previously released material; while the albums made sense as a journey in most cases, during the build-up, what used to be considered traditional “album tracks” were being issued as underwhelming singles that may have disappointed when listened to out of context from the main programme. Whereas the rant in the past with the plethora of different remixes available might have been “JUST GIVE ME THE VERSION THEY GOT RIGHT!”, today it is more likely to be “JUST GIVE ME THE BLOODY ALBUM!”

Then there were artists who only seemed to release single tracks with no EP or album likely, so unless a consumer had the time or the inclination to become a dedicated follower, it could be quite difficult to follow what was going on. Yes, ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK may be stuck in the past as it is often accused of doing, but it simply does not embrace this bitty fragmented approach!

A straightforward list to compile, ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK’s 30 SONGS OF 2024 gathers tracks available on the usual online retail platforms with a restriction of one song per artist moniker and placed in alphabetical order…

BRIGITTE BARDINI Crush

Hailing from Melbourne in Australia, Brigitte Bardini is another artist to embrace her dark side having begun as an acoustic singer songwriter. Her first venture into the dark side came with the shady gothic techno of 2023’s ‘Start A Fire’. But ‘Crush’ was more ethereal, a dreamy melancholic number expressing some bittersweet heartache where “I’ll forget about you, if you want me to”. But despite a desire to hold on, it really is all over…

Available on the BRIGITTE BARDINI single ‘Crush’ via https://brigittebardini.bandcamp.com/track/crush

https://www.facebook.com/BrigitteBardiniMusic

CHARLIE Let Go

Not to be confused with the classic 1984 Italo disco track ‘Spacer Woman’ but no doubt in homage, ‘Spacewoman’ was the new EP by Berlin-domiciled DJ, musician and producer Leona Jacewska, best known by her stage name CHARLIE. Its highlight was ‘Let Go’, a thumping strobe-lit slice of dark disco saw Chicago meeting Italy in hypnotic bliss. Tonally and rhythmically, it was a sexy and sweaty number that provided an exhilarating ride.

Available on the CHARLIE EP ‘Spacewoman’ via Wrong Era / Slow Motion

https://www.instagram.com/charlieszum/

CURSES Vanish

Berlin-based New Yorker Luca Venezia, better known as CURSES, joined the Italians Do It Better family in 2024. One of the highlights of the ‘Another Heaven’ album comes with the superb ‘Vanish’; this was CURSES’ own ‘Your Silent Face’ with its brightly bubbling sequencers and solemn demeanour. There was even a subtle ‘Heroes’ like quality about it as our hero declared to his love that he wanted to ”vanish with you”.

Available on the CURSES album ‘Another Heaven’ via Italians Do It Better

https://www.cursesforever.com/

MARIE DAVIDSON Sexy Clown

Embracing her inner clown, ‘Sexy Clown’ was a delightful slice of detached minimal synth disco from Montreal’s Marie Davidson. Off her new album ‘City of Clowns’ out in 2025 on SOULWAX’s label DeeWee, the song explored the conflicted feelings around her treatment as an outsider where vulnerability and mettle, candidness and humour struggled to co-exist in other people’s minds. But real life is all about contrasts!

Available on the MARIE DAVIDSON album ‘City Of Clowns’ via https://mariedavidson.bandcamp.com/album/city-of-clowns

https://www.facebook.com/mariedavidson.official

DIE SEXUAL Need To Sin

From out of the shadows to under the strobe lights, DIE SEXUAL are the erotically charged Los Angeles-based duo of Anton Floriano and his wife Ros. Their second EP ‘Inservio’ developed on the themes of domination and submission of their debut EP ‘Bound’. With their penetrating club-friendly sound, ‘Need To Sin’ was conceived as a tantalizing roleplay of our seemingly innocent subject submitting to their ultimate desires and hedonistic fantasies.

Available on the DIE SEXUAL album ‘Elektro Body Musique’ via https://diesexual.bandcamp.com/

https://www.instagram.com/diesexualofficial/

DINA SUMMER Halkidiki

A product of Berlin, DINA SUMMER blend new wave, synthpop, dark disco, techno and Italo; although their EP ‘Hide & Seek’ embraced a cutting Mittel Europa edge, it was just a precursor to a new album ‘Girls Gang’ in 2025. Released ahead of it, ‘Halkidiki’ was an infectious electronic club tune made for sultry summery nights and named after the popular holidaying destination in Northern Greece known for its sandy beaches.

Available on the DINA SUMMER album ‘Girls Gang’ via https://dinasummer.bandcamp.com/album/girls-gang-idi021

https://dinasummer.berlin/

GAVIN FRIDAY Ecce Homo

With a long gestation period, the ‘Ecce Homo’ long player started as a collaboration between Gavin Friday and Dave Ball who had first produced his band VIRGIN PRUNES on the 1986 album ‘The Moon Looked Down & Laughed’. Combining elements of synth with post-punk, the title song itself was a wonderfully deathly slice of disco gothique that sounded like Ian McCulloch meeting SOFT CELL at Berghain given an extra chill by an opera soprano sample!

Available on the GAVIN FRIDAY album ‘Ecce Homo’ via BMG

https://www.gavinfriday.com/

HAUTE & FREDDY Anti-Superstar

North American glam glee duo Haute & Freddy have only had two songs released but they made an impression in 2024. While ‘Scantily Clad’ was an excellent debut, the best of the pair was ‘Anti-Superstar’, a superb slice of avant synthpop with a chunky driving electronic bass triplet. There was certainly a cool wonderment about their style, sound and theatrics, making them one of the most promising new acts of the year.

Available on the HAUTE & FREDDY single ‘Anti-Superstar’ via Even If

https://www.instagram.com/hauteandfreddy

HELIX Unimaginable Place

North America’s alternative music power couple Tom Shear of ASSEMBLAGE 23 and Mari Kattman returned as HELIX. Blessed with one of the most captivating voices in electronic music, Mari Kattman was on top form with ‘Unimaginable Place’, an infectious slice of electronic pop with sparkling hooks and groovy rhythmics. Tom Shear said “I prefer to make other people dance than to dance myself. If you’ve ever seen me perform live you know why! I can’t dance to save my life”

Available on the HELIX EP ‘Unimaginable Place’ via https://helix.bandcamp.com/https://helix.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/HelixElectronic

GENEVA JACUZZI Dry

With a detached Eurocentric poise reminiscent of Gina X, Geneva Jacuzzi described her third album ‘Triple Fire’ “as a hit parade of wildcard synthpop and sly post-apocalyptic camp”. Brilliantly catchy, ‘Dry’ offered alluring danceable synthpop which went weirdly discordant halfway through. A commentary about dehumanisation, it highlighted the song’s lyrical gist about being ghosted following a date.

Available on the GENEVA JACUZZI album ‘Triple Fire’ via Dais Records

https://www.genevajacuzzi.com/

IONNALEE The End Of Every Song

Jonna Lee returned in 2024 as IONNALEE to the electronic sound she is best known for after 2022’s more organic IAMAMIWHOAMI record ‘Be Here Soon’. This third IONNALEE long player ‘Close Your Eyes’ had the twist of having a Swedish Language twin in ‘Blund’. ‘The End Of Every Song’ surprised with a thumping rhythm and a cacophony of chunky sequences and piercing electronics, the vocals sitting brilliantly like ABBA on helium in outer space!

Available on the IONNALEE album ‘Close Your Eyes’ via to whom it may concern

https://ionnalee.com/

ITALOCONNECTION Europa

In 2021, ITALOCONNECTION issued ‘Midnight Confessions Vol1’, a record themed around love. On ‘Vol2’, there was a twist; en Français using an AI generated female voice, ‘Europa’ paid homage to the art movements and machine music of the continent in a dramatic midtempo piece accompanied by synth passages that could be Jean-Michel Jarre. KRAFTWERK, TELEX, PET SHOP BOYS, PROPAGANDA and NEW ORDER were among those getting a name check.

Available on the ITALOCONNECTION album ‘Midnight Confessions Vol2’ via Bordello A Parigi

https://www.facebook.com/italoconnection

JAIN Nobody Knows

French singer Jeanne Louise Galice is more known for mixing pop with Afrobeat, but with an electronic energy and Moroder-esque throb, ‘Nobody Knows’ was very different from her previous work. With a similar lyrical disposition to Taylor Swift’s ‘I Can Do It With A Broken Heart’, where “Nobody Knows, it’s just the way I’m feeling tonight, I’ll keep on dancing, but I feel heavy-hearted”, underneath the glitterball splendour was deep sadness.

Available on the JAIN single ‘Nobody Knows’ via Spookland / Sony Music

https://www.instagram.com/jainmusic/

JULIA-SOPHIE Numb

The long awaited debut long player from Julia-Sophie entitled ‘forgive too slow’ was a contemplative body of work as reflecting on past relationships. Lead single ‘numb’ was a marvellous avant pop set piece over a subtle rhythmic rumble with a stark haunted monologue. But then things took a frantic about turn as sung and spoken passages alternated with the growing intensity. A concluding barrage of unsettling cut-up voices highlighted her resigned state of mind.

Available on the JULIA-SOPHIE album ‘forgive too slow’ via Ba Da Bing Records

https://www.facebook.com/juliasophiex0x

KALEIDA Stranger

It looked as though KALEIDA would disband due to the pressures of parenting and the shifting patterns of life. But Christina Wood and Cicely Goulder made their long distance creative partnership work again and their reward was a third album ‘In Arms’. The glorious ‘Stranger’ sprung a surprise with 808 electro dance rhythms and a superb collage of staccato voice samples, punchy bass and great vocals that came over in a prayer-like chant.

Available on the KALEIDA album ‘In Arms’ via Embassy One

https://www.kaleidamusic.com/

KID MOXIE Ti Einai Afto Pou To Lene Agapi

The Greek love song ‘Ti Einai Afto Pou To Lene Agapi’ was made famous when Sophia Loren sung it with Tonis Maroudas in the 1957 film ‘Boy On A Dolphin’. For 2024, KID MOXIE gave the song an emotive electronic arrangement that was both sweet and haunting. It was included in the soundtrack of the new season of Netflix drama series ‘Maestro In Blue’ which had been the first Greek television series to be included on the platform.

Available on the KID MOXIE single ‘Ti Einai Afto Pou To Lene Agapi’ via Minos EMI

https://www.facebook.com/kidmoxie/

KITE Glassy Eyes

Releasing their first EP in 2008, KITE finally released their first full-length studio album on the American independent label Dais Records. As their seventh body of work and following on from the numbered series of EPs, the appropriately titled ‘VII’ contains music from their seven most recent singles released over the past seven years. Like a slice of Nordic gospel, ‘Glassy Eyes’ confronts the turmoil of existential anxiety.

Available on the KITE album ‘VII’ via Dais Records

https://www.facebook.com/KiteHQ

LEATHERS Daydream Trash

While ACTORS have been gaining increased worldwide recognition, their keyboardist Shannon Hemmett has developed her more synth focussed solo project LEATHERS in parallel. Her long awaited debut album ‘Ultraviolet’ contained romantic synthpop with sinister twists in that classic Lynchian fashion. However, ‘Daydream Trash’ was a wonderful outlier, a summer new wave tune that was “100 in the shade” and could have easily come off the soundtrack of a John Hughes film.

Available on the LEATHERS album ‘Ultraviolet’ via Artoffact Records

https://www.leatherstheband.com

LINEA ASPERA Mycelium

While Alison Lewis has focussed on her ZANIAS solo venture for the past few years, she was back playing live with Ryan Ambridge as LINEA ASPERA in the summer. The pair had quietly been writing and recording together with the absorbing ‘Mycelium’ being the first fruit of labour. Featuring Ambridge’s characteristic arpeggio-laden backdrop, Lewis turned to using the fuzzy mass growing on mouldy food as a metaphor for the state of a personal relationship.

Available on the LINEA ASPERA single ‘Mycelium’ via https://lineaaspera.bandcamp.com/track/mycelium

https://www.facebook.com/lineaaspera

MICHEL MOERS featuring CLAUDIA BRÜCKEN Microwave

Best known as the front man of Belgian trailblazers TELEX, in 2024 Michel Moers released what was only his second solo studio album. Recorded primarily using Logic, the songs were developed over several years. While Moers continued with his distinctive cynical surrealism, the single ‘Microwaves’ featured Claudia Brücken on lead vocals for a more straightforward slice electronic pop with solid bass and icy synth lines that came over like PROPAGANDA meeting TELEX.

Available on the MICHEL MOERS album ‘As Is’ via Freaksville Records

https://www.instagram.com/michelmoers/

MINUIT MACHINE Hold Me

Now the solo project of Parisian producer and DJ Amandine Stioui, MINUIT MACHINE has been described as “disrupted, emotional, and terribly addictive”. But making a fresh restart with a clear sheet on her Instagram, ‘Hold Me’ showcased an optimistic lyrical gist and melodic drive on top of the thumping beats than had been heard in her work with previous MINUIT MACHINE creative partner Hélène De Thoury aka Hante.

Available on the MINUIT MACHINE single ‘Hold Me’ via https://minuitmachine.bandcamp.com/track/hold-me

https://www.facebook.com/minuitmachine/

MOLCHAT DOMA Kolesom

Now exiled from Belarus to LA, MOLCHAT DOMA brought in the dancier but still sombre sequenced pulses of classic NEW ORDER and DEPECHE MODE for their fourth album to create a more refined studio product. The magnificent ‘Kolesom’ was a glorious slice of apocalyptic electronic disco with an obvious NEW ORDER influence although Bernard Sumner never sounded this foreboding! The ominous baritone offered a commentary on the banality of modern life.

Available on the MOLCHAT DOMA album ‘Belaya Polosa’ via Sacred Bones

https://molchatdoma.com/

NIGHT CLUB The Lunatics (Have Taken Over the Asylum)

‘Masochist’ was the highly appropriate title for the fourth NIGHT CLUB album, a dystopian prophecy that came true! Written by FUN BOY THREE in 1981 as a metaphor by to the dangerous posturing games played by “The Cowboy” Ronald Reagan during The Cold War, the inclusion of a cover of ‘The Lunatics (Have Taken Over the Asylum)’ with an even more sinister resonance was sadly relevant as the crazy orange monster was mindlessly voted back as the leader of the free world!

Available on the NIGHT CLUB album ‘Masochist’ via Gato Blanco

https://www.facebook.com/nightclubband

NINA & RADIO WOLF My Dark

Created, recorded, produced and mixed at home in Berlin, ‘My Dark’ encapsulated a dark romantic spirit between NINA and RADIO WOLF. “I knew we’d be creating a kind of revelatory anti-love song about the dark side of relationships” said RADIO WOLF while NINA added “we both felt like creating something quite heavy and I wanted to let out my inner femme-fatale… it’s very moving as a dance track yet provocative like a sex scene in a movie”.

Available on the NINA & RADIO WOLF single ‘My Dark’ via https://iloveninamusic.bandcamp.com/track/my-dark

https://www.iloveninamusic.com/

https://www.radiowolfmusic.com/

PROPAGANDA Wenn Ich Mir Was Wuenschen Duerfte

Michael Mertens and Ralf Dörper starting a new chapter of PROPAGANDA young German singer-songwriter Thunder Bae was perhaps on not on anyone’s bingo card at the start of 2024. She gave a superbly enticing performance in a haunting cover of ‘Wenn Ich Mir Was Wünschen Dürfte’ (translated into English as “If I had a wish”), a Weimar-era song written by Friedrich Hollaender in 1930 also featuring Oscar winning pianist Hauschka.

Available on the PROPAGANDA album ‘Propaganda’ via by Bureau B

https://propband.tilda.ws/

R. MISSING Sleep Will Darken It

Following a trail of sporadic singles with minimal promotional fanfare, R.MISSING have not been straightforward to follow. But with the enigmatic voice of the appropriately named Sharon Shy and the backing of Henry Frost, their alluring pop noir has been compelling when it hits the spot. Short and sharp with the air of a more electronic CHROMATICS, ‘Sleep Will Darken It’ came from their long awaited debut album.

Available on the R. MISSING album ‘Knife Shook Your Hand’ via Terminal Echo

https://www.instagram.com/r.missing/

MARIA UZOR What U Need

“I wrote this track on a social media break as an ode to reclaiming oneself from the grasps of Musk et al” said Maria Uzor, best known previously for being a member of SINK YA TEETH with Gemma Cullingford. Self-produced with a feisty twisted energy, ‘What U Need’ was a techno anthem celebrating detox from the online world that signalled another development in her fearsome beat-laden underground.

Available on the MARIA UZOR single ‘What U Need’ via https://mariauzor.bandcamp.com/track/what-u-need-single

https://mariauzor.com

PATRICIA WOLF The Secret Lives Of Birds

Combining modern and natural worlds, one key aspect in the music of Patricia Wolf is her use of field recordings and this shapes her new album ‘The Secret Lives of Birds’ into a soundtrack for an as-yet-unmade wildlife documentary. While the ambience is very beautiful at times, there are darker moments of angst and sadness driven by concern. Self-explanatory and with synthetic droplets simulating contact calls, ‘The Secret Lives of Birds’ title piece sets the scene.

Available on the PATRICIA WOLF album ‘The Secret Lives of Birds’ via Nite Hive

https://www.instagram.com/patriciawolf_music/

XENO & OAKLANDER Magic Of The Manifold

From their Connecticut laboratory bubble, the new XENO & OAKLANDER album sees a further refinement to their precise yet spirited productions. Past works have demonstrated and reinforced Liz Wendelbo and Sean McBride’s talents as the Jane Birkin and Serge Gainsbourg of synth. With an immediate rhythmic bounce, ‘Magic Of The Manifold’ is classic XENO & OAKLANDER with its squelchy bassline programming being a prominent feature.

Available on the XENO & OAKLANDER album ‘Via Negativa (in the doorway light)’ via Dais Records

https://www.facebook.com/xenoandoaklndr

YOTA & JOHAN AGEBJÖRN Universe In Flames

Yota is a Paris-based singer / songwriter hailing from Stockholm, while Johan Agebjörn is the Swedish producer who is best known as the instrumental half of SALLY SHAPIRO. Blending his melancholic electronic pop style to her sumptuous vocals, ‘Universe In Flames’ provides a telling global warning message. A fine mix of Scandipop, synthwave and rock with sinister twists, it showcased the best of both talents, combining classic synthpop styles with dance music.

Available on the YOTA & JOHAN AGEBJÖRN EP ‘Universe In Flames’ is released by Keytar Records

https://www.instagram.com/yota_official_artist/

https://www.instagram.com/johan.agebjorn/

ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK’s 2024 playlist ‘The Great Bleep Forward’ containing over 230 tracks from the year can be listened to on Spotify at https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4xMrAkCbeWvUmTfrN6i6Gu

Text by Chi Ming Lai
13th December 2024

YOTA & JOHAN AGEBJÖRN Universe In Flames EP

1 October 2024 /

Yota is a Paris-based singer / songwriter hailing from Stockholm who first started recording collaboratively in 2005 and released her most recent solo album ‘Room 412’ via NewRetroWave in 2023; one of its highlights was the longing nu-disco flavoured popwave of ‘Holding On’ while it also contained a cover of ICEHOUSE’s ‘Hey Little Girl’.

Johan Agebjörn is the Swedish producer who is best known as the instrumental half of dreamy electronic disco duo SALLY SHAPIRO. He notably has maintained a parallel solo career that encompassed pop with songs for Samanatha Fox and Ryan Paris as well as more ambient material. His latest album ‘Dynamic Movements – Music for Exercise & Relaxation’ with Mikael Ögren celebrated the era of the exercise tape.

Both Yota and Johan Agebjörn relish collaboration so it was natural the pair would eventually work together to blend his melancholic electronic pop style to her sumptuous vocals for a moody EP entitled ‘Universe In Flames’.

Working with regular Yota  producer Arnault Esteve aka Douze, the ‘Universe In Flames’ title song provides a telling global warning message. It is powerful statement and recalls Agebjörn’s own remix of YOUNG GALAXY’s ‘In Fire’ in a fine mix of Scandipop, synthwave and rock with sinister twists.

Produced in collaboration with American synthwave exponent BETAMAXX and co-written with Ian Schranz aka BARK BARK DISCO, ‘Did You Lose Your Mind?’ adopts more of a shuffling groove while Yota’s voice is silky and alluring throughout; however the remix from another regular Yota collaborator LIFELIKE makes it even more disco and cavernous for club consumption but although vocal phrases retained, this arrangement is much less song-oriented.

As the title suggests and taking in more higher vocal ranges, ‘Our Highs’ gets the trancey vibes in for a wonderfully euphoric slice of electronic dance pop. This is a fun EP that showcases the best of both talents and mixes classic synthpop styles with dance music. Please let everyone have more of this partnership, three songs isn’t enough 🙂

‘Universe In Flames’ is released by Keytar Records on 4 October 2024 as a vinyl EP and digital release, available direct from https://keytar.bandcamp.com/album/universe-in-flames

https://www.instagram.com/yota_official_artist/

https://www.patreon.com/YotaOfficialArtist

https://www.johanagebjorn.info/

https://www.facebook.com/agebjorn

https://x.com/johanagebjorn

https://www.instagram.com/johan.agebjorn/

Text by Chi Ming Lai
1st October 2024

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