Best new Scandi music in June

Swedish pop superstar Zara Larsson is out with a brand-new single and video. On End Of Time, she presents us with a pop concoction that merges eerie strings with a taste for the theatrics, and super-charged snare drums straight out of the ’80s. Over the top of this multi-layered production, we have Zara delivering some suitably Scandi melancholy. One of her most ambitious creations to date, it bodes well for what September’s album number-three has in store for us.

Icona Pop have hooked up in the musically-speaking sense with fellow Swedish pop queen Yaeger – on a brand-new track they’ve put out ahead of the release of their forthcoming album. Shit We Do For Love has been inspired by the ’90s rave scene – and it’s pretty evident that the trio have done their homework here. This is peak-time night-out stuff. And their invigorating vocal performances are sharing the spotlight equally with those nostalgic trance beats.

Danish artist Dopha has blessed us with a rather smashing new tune that goes big where it matters most – the chorus! It’s her new single Whatever. The song is an ode to wishing you’d adopted that laidback and carefree attitude a little bit earlier in life. There’s learnings to be had here, kids, if you listen carefully enough!

From Denmark, Bathsheba is out with an absolute beaut of a track. Her first single of 2023 is Rain. A mid-tempo, melody-driven pop tune, it sounds like it could have been a drive-time staple of ’90s radio in another life. And whether you’re old enough that this evokes pleasant memories for you, or young enough that you merely know that it’s a pretty good reference point for a song to have, this is a must-listen.

Web: www.scandipop.co.uk