Music Saturday - CEO

Every week again... we're presenting another album of bands or singers we currently love. This week: CEO - White Magic. 

CEO is Eric Berglund’s solo project. Berglund is also one half of Gothenburg, Sweden-based pop duo the Tough Alliance and co-founder of label Sincerely Yours (jj, Air France, the Honeydrips, Nordpolen, Memory Tapes and many more). After releasing two great albums and a handful of EPs and singles with the Tough Alliance with his partner in “Silly Crimes”, Henning Fürst (as they call themselves), Berglund stept out under the ceo name and released his first album, White Magic, in June 2010.

I’ve known the Tough Alliance for some time and have been a big fan of there music, but it was just a few months ago that I discovered ceo. I’m always looking for new CDs and one day the cover of this album attracted my attention in a music store. After hearing the first song, I realized there was a link between ceo and the Tough Alliance. Berglund's music has a remarkable sense of melody, and White Magic has the same tidy precision that initially set the Tough Alliance apart. There's an understanding of hooks and pop structure here that almost seems only available to the Swedish. His music is usually described as a very energetic melting pot of indie pop, chintzy new age and electronic dance-pop. Listening to this album will definitely put you in a good mood!

 One of the most interesting things about the Tough Alliance is the Swedish duo's relationship to optimism. The Tough Alliance don't make songs about being happy; they make songs about wanting to be happy. They're as troubled as anyone else, but in line with the sparkling nature of their music, they simply refuse to wallow in bad feelings. 

In an interview about his solo project, Berglund claims he may have found some peace: “I have a profound sense of belonging that will always stay with me no matter what happens... a feeling that I only dreamt of until a while ago", he said.So, if TTA records were about holding on to hope no matter the cost, then the first ceo album, White Magic, is about achieving lasting contentment. It's easy to connect with the emotional side of the album since everyone can identify with wanting to be happier. 

In November, Eric Berglund announced WONDERLAND, his new album as ceo, which will be released in February. Yesterday Berglund released the second song from this upcoming album, Mirage, which I really love. I’m counting down the days till February 3!

Wonderland's cover - © CEO

 





Click here to listen to Mirage (via SoundCloud).












If you like this music, you should definitely listen to The Tough Alliance, JJ and Air France, just to name some of my favorite groups by Sincerely Yours. 

Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed it!
Louise