Tuesday, December 05, 2006

Kristoffer Ragnstam - Swedish Style

In this day and age, 5 song EPs are fairly common. What is rather UNcommon is a 5 song EP that doesn't have 5 songs that mostly sound alike. Kristoffer Ragnstam's EP, Do You Want A Piece Of Me, although employing much electronic sounding instrumentation, offers such a wide range of sounds for such a tight little package that you truly get your money's worth. This musical nugget is the teaser for his upcoming full-length release, Sweet Bills.

Hailing from Sweden, the land of fellow countryman Jens Lekman, Kristoffer got his break into the industry by cutting his demo flying solo. Since then, he's added some back-up, a band named the Electric -4-.

The first song I offer up to you here, Fashion, starts out with a driving drum beat that just doesn't let up. It insists that you somehow move your body with the beat, whether it's just bopping your head or getting your whole body into it. Coupled with some electronic instrumentation backing it up, it reminds me somewhat of a lighter version of the opening drum line of Nine Inch Nails' March of the Pigs and its incessant beat that won't let you go.

Kristoffer Ragnstam - Fashion (Alternate Version)
: Do You Want A Piece of Me EP

This next song, the EP's title track, sounds like it could be right off of Van Morrison's Moondance.

Kristoffer Ragnstam - Do You Want A Piece Of Me : Do You Want A Piece Of Me EP

You can get the full EP off of iTunes, and look forward to the complete album early next year.


And this last track is a bonus freebie off of his label's website. Just in case you aren't already swimming in more Christmas music that you can shake a peppermint stick at! It's got a nice Motown feel to it...try it, you might like it.

Kristoffer Ragnstam - Merry Christmas Baby

Visit his website, his label bluhammock music, or become his friend on MySpace.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Coudn't agree with you more! I bought the EP off iTunes and can't stop listening!!!

Anonymous said...

Yes, he is really cool. Got the ep and album one month ago and he is serious contender for the top 10 of my favorite 2006 albums. My review is here:

http://blogger.xs4all.nl/werksman/archive/2006/11/08/146060.aspx