Space-themed Scandipop is taking off

Whether it’s about righting the wrongs of space exploration in the past, or encouraging you to enjoy experiences that will leave you starry-eyed, Nordic pop music has seemingly been composed with a little bit of rocket fuel these past few weeks.

There’s feeling detached from the rest of the world and then there’s being “up here in my UFO”. Swedish artist Patrik Jean’s new single UFO offers up some soul-searching soul music that’s as stylishly sparse as the cosmos itself.

Danish trio Scarlet Pleasure have an on-repeat bop on their hands thanks to the clever creative call they made to pair their Nordic pop sensibilities with Southern European sounds and vibes. It just clicks. The title says it all, really – Festa Festa.

Norwegian singer EMMY is out with a delightful concoction of Nordic folk meets Eurodance – all mashed up at just the right level of absurdity. Called Laika Party, it’s a song pondering the possibility that Laika (the first animal to orbit Earth, when the Soviets used dogs to test the safety of space travel in the ‘50s) never died on her mission but in fact found a new life for herself on a distant planet. You might be hearing it a lot in May – EMMY co-wrote it with Irish songwriter Larissa Tormey, and it will be representing the Emerald Isle at the Eurovision Song Contest.

Another tune you’ll probably be hearing a lot more of in May is Finland’s Eurovision entry – Ich Komme by Erika Vikman. As the German-language title alludes to, it’s a song that celebrates life’s pleasures; mirroring the rhythm of one pleasure in particular, by gradually increasing in tempo and building into a climactic finish so powerful, that the song literally cuts off mid-wail. You might need a cigarette afterwards.

Web: www.scandipop.co.uk