The Portastylistic: Sound*Check!...Lake Heartbeat

"The Quiet Between
Dreams Pop
from
Swedish Pop Icon"

-the portastylistic
~

Lake Heartbeat | Trust In Numbers (2009)

Well I wrote you that song a long time ago
It was all I could do to try to let you know
But the metaphores might have come in the way
Of the things I was really trying to say

DOWNLOAD Blue Planet single.

“Hailing from gothenburg on sweden's west-coast come lake heartbeat. the latest in a long line of cutting edge pop acts bursting from sweden's burgeoning music scene. admirers of air france, studio, fontain and jj take note: your new favourite band may have just fallen into your lap. at the helm of trust in numbers is producer extraordinaire dan lissvik. one half of service heroes studio and the musical muscle behind the crepes, fontan and most recently taken by trees' critically acclaimed 'east of eden'. lake heartbeat's mission statement is as simple and clear as the ocean that appears on the album artwork: pop perfection in its most elegant form. the bonus disc 'risky dazzle' contains 16 tracks from the service stable: indie super-hero jens lekman, studio, the embassy, franke, the tough alliance and erik de vahl all appear. with artwork designed by lake heartbeat producer d. lissvik.”

More Dan Lissvik-produced electro-pop from Sweden. What's not too like about that? Admittedly, I am very excited about Lake Heartbeat's debut release (Trust in Numbers, out 9/16 via the always excellent Service label). This semi-mysterious group is the brainchild of Swedish indie pop icon Janne Kaske of Brainpool fame. Of course, I find it very difficult to be truly objective when it comes to Swedish artists, but, then again, I didn't really care for Peter Bjorn and John's Living Thing. That's got to count for something. Anyhow, lack of critical distance aside, if previously leaked tracks "Mystery", "Golden Chain" and "Between Dreams"Trust in Numbers will have a vice-like hold upon my iPod come September are any indication, ...

"Blue Planet" falls somewhere between "Mystery" and "Between Dreams", but, like both those songs, it is an immaculately constructed, imminently tasteful slice of breezy pop noir. I think I even hear a tympani. Despite it's nocturnal vibe, "Blue Planet" still feels strangely beach-y, but perhaps a considerably darker and more desolate strip of sand than those previously charted by Mr. Kaske's sun-soaked countrymen.

It’s not a mystery anymore. Swedish group Lake Heartbeat (Janne Kask from Brainpool) is set to release their full-length debut “Trust in Numbers”, produced by Dan Lissvik from Studio. We already loved the tracks “Mystery” and “Golden Chain” and we are sure the album will keep us good company as soon as it’s released on September 16th via Service.

You can stream four new songs and download "Blue Planet" here (via lakeheartbeat.com).

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