Sofia Talvik – Americana / Folk with Swedish Roots
Unmistakably Nordic in flavor, Sofia Talvik somehow still conforms to American interpretations of her own original music, a North Sea siren blending sparkle and melancholy, creating a special niche of folk music.
Tune into Chicago radio show “Noteworthy” on UIC radio (The official Illinois University radio) tomorrow Monday July 23rd at 5:30pm. I’ll be chatting about the tour and might even play at tune or two. You can listen through their website.
After the show, make sure you get on the bus to the Elbo Room where I’ll be performing at 10pm. Chicago based cellist Ian Maksin will be doing a set at 9pm so don’t miss that! We’ll also play a few tunes together! I can’t wait!
Hectic but Eclectic / UIC Radio
I’ve had a pretty fab first week touring. We’ve been on the west coast of Florida and it’s been great. Not to mention the RV life. The RV turned out so nice after we fixed it up and it really feels like a home now. Especially since we got the brand new queen size bed and the cozy king size duvet. And it’s so nice to wake up to different places every day too. One day it’s on the beach, the next in a fruit tree garden. I’ve even overcome my fear of driving the beast.
This week I played at the Independent in Tampa and St Petersburg. Got invited to a real southern lunch at Otis and Sian’s place and was treated to a great massage at the Warm Mineral Springs where I did a sold out intimate concert at the spa café. Yesterday was a long day with two gigs. One in the daytime at the Flamingo Flea Market in Bonita Springs and later on a house concert followed by a bluegrass jam. Bluegrass seems to be the melody of this neighborhood and even though I tried to pitch in, I think I’d better stick to folk music. But Roger Borg who set me up with the gig treated us all to some awesome Swedish meatballs, so I felt right at home anyway.
Thanks to all who came out to see me this week. To everyone who has been so kind to invite us to their homes and to all the venues!
Don’t miss out on downloading me free Christmas single and support ActionAid in their fight against poverty here:
My annual Xmas single is released and I’ve already gotten some great response to it. It’s funny though how my little pun with the cover and the title seemed to pass people by 🙂 The song is written in a manner that is called “canon” in musical terms. Wiki explains the canon like this: In music, a canon is a contrapuntal composition that employs a melody with one or more imitations of the melody played after a given duration (e.g., quarter rest, one measure, etc.).
But as it sounds just like cannon, I put a little cannon shooting snowflakes on the cover.
PostHere’s some links to the reviews that’s out so far:
O -part two of L.O.V.E is being released June 6th and we chained the producer to the wall for a while to get the truth out of him about the new EP…
Hi Joakim Lundgren, producer of “O – part two of L.O.V.E”! You’re the second producer in line to write a chapter in our book of L.O.V.E, how do you feel the progress has been so far?
Good! We’re done with mixing and mastering and I hope that it will spread like wild fire and be much appreciated.
What was your main inspiration for the sound of this EP?
I wanted to make a totally synthetic sound image around Sofias straight melodys and her clear voice, making an EP with almost no live elements but with big syntheseizers and plick plock drums …
… since that didnt happened at all, I wound up with the complete opposite. I still think the melodys are surrounded by big things in a good way, but Its all with guitars and piano instead of synths. The way the songs sounded to me, this was the natural way to record it.
What do you do when you’re not producing Sofia Talvik EPs?
I play the drums, teach youngsters in music programs and drums and I recently found a very nice music studio to be in, since then I’ve been doing some producing and recording.
How do you feel that this EP will be different from Sofia’s previous albums?
It’s Louder.
Which is your favorite of the four songs and why?
”King of the willow tree”.
It’s a simple and beautiful melody with lyrics that reminds me of my sami-childhood on the great plains of Lappland.
If this would be a soundtrack to a movie, which movie would that be?
”For a few dollars more”
What is your favorite part of producing music?
When your listen to a melody of something for the first time, you have so many directions, tempos and ways to begin doing things. I like the part when you just decide the way, based on guts instead of bad influences.
Tell us your favorite songs right now.
”Wichita Lineman” Tony Joe Whites version
”Gubben i lådan” Daniel Adams Ray
Thanks for the chat! We really look forward to hearing the result!
Thank you!
The greatest thing about doing these videos is that so many fab artists from so man different genres has participated, doing their own thing with my songs, adding their own touch!
Emma Nylén, singer in the band Paris and her own electro/disco project Emmon joined me on my first “Jonestown” single “As summers pass”. Emma reminds me of Modesty Blaise with her jet black hair and beautiful big eyes. If Modesty could sing, I’m sure she’d be thrilled if she sounded like Emma.
Sofia Talvik / Emmon – As summers pass
Guest artist: Emmon
Song: As summers pass (Jonestown 2008)
http://www.myspace.com/emmonmusic
http://www.emmon.se
The 15th of September, I’m releasing my third album “Jonestown” in the U.S and later in Japan. To give you a preview of the songs from the album I have gathered 12 of my favorite Swedish artists who will each do one song from the album live with me on tape.
You will get the opportunity to meet well known artists as well as up and coming new stars, and when the videos are all released we’ll turn it into a competition where you can win signed albums of “Jonestown”.
About Emmon:
Emmon is the solo project of Emma Nylén. She is also one of the member of the Swedish pop-band Paris. The Emmon-project was started in 2001 as an experimental music vs. art project under her art studies at Konstfack University Collage of fine Art in Stockholm. Emmon’s computer based music lies on the border between pop, synth, electro and disco music. Its based on her vocal resources with a lot of attitude and melodic pop songs. She also working as a DJ and doing remixes for other bands and artists. For example: The Knife, Melody Club, Homy, Soviac, Postplay