This is the time you've been waiting for

Swedish group Da Buzz may fall into the category of "for those who love what you think of when you say 'Swedish pop' only"--that is, their work is seen as too cheesy and formulaic in some eyes--but for those of us who are in the former group, it's tough to find a more reliable act to turn to for good, usually dancey pop songs.



"Let Me Love You" from their first album is as good an indication as any of their sound. It's from 2000, and it sounds like it, a stylistic mix of Cheiron and dance pop with a sweet melody.



Their 2003 Melodifestival entry "Stop! Look! Listen!" does sound better in its studio version than live, but still included a good vocal performance from lead singer Annika and deserved far better than fifth in its semifinal. It's a little less dancey, a little more poppy, and one of my favorite things they've done.



On the other side of things is the purer dance sound of "Without Breaking," a single from their last studio album which is produced by the Jonas Von Der Burg of September fame. The harder electronic beats and little electronic squiggles make this track harder-hitting than many Da Buzz songs, but it's still in keeping with their aesthetic.



After a greatest hits album a few years ago, the three-person group has been on a break, with the members pursuing different projects, but this summer they've returned with a new single, "U Gotta Dance." I have a pretty bad track record of judging Da Buzz songs right off the bat, with a tendency to underrate them, but I feel pretty confident in saying that 1.) "U Gotta Dance" will win them no new converts, but 2.) fans will be happy. Da Buzz includes some pretty talented musicians, so really, we shouldn't be surprised, but still: thank goodness they're back.

I'm not sure when the single for "U Gotta Dance" is coming out, but the song is included on the compilation album Bodywork 11, which you can buy here (physical).

(This post was going to include something about the new Magnus Carlsson single--out, available on iTunes internationally, and sounding like Star Pilots meets Velvet--and the new Ola single--called "Overdrive," co-written by Sharon Vaughn, at radios, as yet unheard by me--but it's already a bit long and I still, as mentioned, haven't heard the latter yet.)