Sofia Talvik

“Soft, airy, and graceful, Sweden’s sweet Sofia Talvik sings songs touching on themes of love and heartbreak, as well as a healthy dose of anecdotal stories from her own life. Her vocals are backed by minimal instrumentation, including an acoustic guitar, cellos, double bass, soft percussion and sometimes piano, to create melodic stories that reveal the simple world of a 29-year-old songwriter traversing an array of emotions. In 2005, Talvik released her debut album, Blue Moon, to much acclaim, followed by 2007’s Street of Dreams, on which she sings, “it’s just love, how hard can it be“, in a beautiful duet with veteran British performer, Bernard Butler. Have a listen to her latest fairytale hymn, “Diamonds.” The song is so light and magical – and her voice so delicate – that you could easily find yourself whisked away into the sweet, sugary air of her world.”

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Fresh from a powerful performance at 2008’s Lollapalooza festival, Sweden’s Sofia Talvik is now poised to conquer the States with the release of her devastatingly beautiful third album. It’s a record of staggering elegance, with the faintest trace of Scandinavian twee and youthful exuberance. (Timpani, crisp castanets, tambourine, all the toys and tricks to put some bounce in your step.) But those forces are tempered by a subtle melancholy that slowly drips down the lonely walls while you listen until, by the last song, you’re drowning in a warm, welcome bath of sad sounds, syrupy string sections, and round, resonant horns. She combines modal chord changes and beautiful 60’s euro-pop production with the gentle singing of a 70’s folk songstress. Her voice shines through the dark tones of dramatic, lush orchestrations and the haze of reverb like a ray of liquid luminescence. “Jonestown” will remind you of Goldfrapp, Pulp, Nico, Joni Mitchell, Nick Drake, Belle & Sebastian, Aimee Mann, Tori Amos, Burt Bacharach (I could go on and on!), and yet it sounds entirely original and, more importantly, rings true.