Deadline is midnight January 22nd.

Bracket 4.1.1
Arvo Pärt - Spiegel im Spiegel
John Holm - Ett Enskilt Rum På Sabbatsberg

Bracket 4.1.2
Eleanoora Rosenholm - Bolly Palkkionmetsästäjä
Ebba Grön - Staten och kapitalet

Bracket 4.1.3
Jóhann Jóhannsson - How We Left Fordlandia
Hedningarna - Skampgreppet

Bracket 4.1.4
Maria Kalaniemi & Aldargaz - Sofias Flykt (No YouTube video)
Imperiet - Märk hur vår skugga

Stephan there's a little mistake !

Dalriada is a HUNGARIAN band so it belongs to Eastern Europe (4.2). You must have confused this song with another !

Edit : instead of Dalriada, it's Arvo Pärt - Spiegel Im Spiegel

You are of course absolutely correct. That should be Arvo Pärt. Edited, thanks!

Bracket 4.1.1
Arvo Pärt - Spiegel im Spiegel
John Holm - Ett Enskilt Rum På Sabbatsberg
Spiegel im Spiegel is definitely one of the best Pärt songs I've ever heard, but it's no match for a song that is exactly my taste. Phenomenal!

Bracket 4.1.2
Eleanoora Rosenholm - Bolly Palkkionmetsästäjä
Ebba Grön - Staten och kapitalet
Tough choice here between some good 'electronics' and some good punk; Grön wins by a nose.

Bracket 4.1.3
Jóhann Jóhannsson - How We Left Fordlandia
Hedningarna - Skampgreppet
How We Left Fordlandia is just so epic.

Bracket 4.1.4
Maria Kalaniemi & Aldargaz - Sofias Flykt
Imperiet - Märk hur vår skugga
Very strong contestants this week; Imperiet is very good indeed. It even made me doubt my own pick, but I'm gonna have to give it one vote at least.

This week's Spotify playlist includes 7 songs, missing Maria Lakaniemi's one (the one without You Tube video also).


Bracket 4.1.1
Arvo Pärt - Spiegel im Spiegel (1978)
John Holm - Ett enskilt rum på Sabbatsberg (1972)
John Holm's ballad is outstanding but I'm going to vote for the evocative Pärt piece that showcases the beauty of simplicity, sorry, minimalism.


Bracket 4.1.2
Eleanoora Rosenholm - Bolly palkkionmetsästäjä (2008)
Ebba Grön - Staten & kapitalet (1980)
Fiery anti-capitalist punk rock from Sweden that wins against fine electropop from Finland (oddly this song could have fitted in our last East Asian edition). By the way, I prefer the first song from the same album (Tammen varjossa).


Bracket 4.1.3
Jóhann Jóhannsson - How We Left Fordlandia (2008)
Hedningarna - Skampgreppet (1992)
The best bracket on this week (and the most difficult). The sound of Hedningarna is fascinating, a mysterious update of Northern Swedish and Finnish folk with the close harmonies of the two Finnish singers. But I will vote for Fordlandia, the impact of this Jóhannsson piece depends on your state of mind: background music if you are distracted but overwhelmingly emotive if you are in a sensitive mood and you put all your senses on it. Maybe I'm sensitive today.


Bracket 4.1.4
Maria Kalaniemi & Aldargaz - Sofias Flykt (1995)
Imperiet - Märk hur vår skugga (1985)
The musicianship in the first one is impressive, but I’m going to vote for Imperiet (a band formed from members of Ebba Grön, see above). A great song of decadent ambiance, I first listened to it as part of an excellent compilation of Swedish music that Henrik sent me some time ago (now it's an ever growing Spotify playlist that I strongly recomend). The Imperiet song was one of my three favourites then (the other two songs are my own nominations).

Bracket 4.1.1
Arvo Pärt - Spiegel im Spiegel
One of my favourite Arvo Pärt pieces; it's from the Alina album (1999), which would be in my top200 list if it weren't repeated 2 times on the album, together with 2 versions of Alina. Minimalism is ok, but don't overdo it.

Bracket 4.1.2
Eleanoora Rosenholm - Bolly Palkkionmetsästäjä
WOW - anyone know what it's about?

Bracket 4.1.3
Jóhann Jóhannsson - How We Left Fordlandia
Beautiful but a little shallow.

Bracket 4.1.4
pass

ok, football scores


Bracket 4.1.1
Arvo Pärt - Spiegel im Spiegel 2
John Holm - Ett Enskilt Rum På Sabbatsberg 3 (extra time)
Very tough choice. John Holm has been a better grower, with this beautiful flute (I'm not a fan of his voice though). Both are great works.

Bracket 4.1.2
Eleanoora Rosenholm - Bolly Palkkionmetsästäjä 0
Ebba Grön - Staten och kapitalet 0

pass
Punk vs. Electronica : too hard a choice for nicolas (as we say in french, it's ike chosing between plague and cholera ) rosenholm is original in its making and Ebba Grôn has a nice melody, but both are rather uninspiring to me

Bracket 4.1.3
Jóhann Jóhannsson - How We Left Fordlandia 1
Hedningarna - Skampgreppet 0

Short margin for Johannsson. Hedningarna has a nice folky touch.
Folk music from Northern Europe is similar to Great Britain folk. No wonder modern music from theses countries is very close to UK/US.

Bracket 4.1.4
Maria Kalaniemi & Aldargaz - Sofias Flykt 1
Imperiet - Märk hur vår skugga 0

short margin too. Imperiet is nice but a little too solemn for me.

Nicolas, I suppose you mean that Ebba Grön doesn't inspire you? Because I would have a hard time finding a more inspired performance...

Also, what do the numbers mean? You gave both my nominations a 0, does it mean you hate them or that you're indifferent?

Maybe you're upset because I didn't nominate any Ry Cooder songs in the 2011 stage one poll.


Edit: I suddenly remembered your football parable.

0 is not bad. It's a song I don't completely back that's all

I gave Eva Gron 3.5/5 and Imperiet got 3.75 which is not bad at all

Arvo Part - Spiegel Im Spiegel 10
John Holm - Ett Enskilt Rum Pa Sabbatsberg 10

Tabula Rosa could easily do very well in the new Moderate.
Not happy about this being a first round match. One of these two songs will be eliminated!

Eleanoora Rosenholm - Bolly Palkkionmetsastaja 9
Ebba Gron - Staten och kapitalet 7

Added Rosenholm's 2011 album to my check out list. That is really something unique. Gron is awesome but a little more genre generic.

Johann Johannsoson - How We Left Fordlandia 7
Hedningarna - Skamgreppet 7

Fordlandia has a bit of a cheesy twist at the end, but starts out strong.

Maria Kalaniemi & Aldargaz - Sofias Flykt 8
Imperiet - Mark hur var skugga Videon 8

Bracket 4.1.1
Arvo Pärt - Spiegel im Spiegel

Bracket 4.1.2
Eleanoora Rosenholm - Bolly Palkkionmetsästäjä

Bracket 4.1.3
Jóhann Jóhannsson - How We Left Fordlandia

Bracket 4.1.4
Maria Kalaniemi & Aldargaz - Sofias Flykt (No YouTube video)

Bracket 4.1.1
Arvo Pärt - Spiegel im Spiegel

Bracket 4.1.3
Jóhann Jóhannsson - How We Left Fordlandia

Arvo Pârt is one of the greatest composer of the end of the XX and the beginning of the XXI century. And this piece is wonderful.

I discovered Jóhann Jóhannsson two years ago and it ecome an immediatly personal favorite.

I have to take some times to listen the two other brackets.

Bracket 4.1.1
Arvo Pärt - Spiegel im Spiegel


Bracket 4.1.2
Eleanoora Rosenholm - Bolly Palkkionmetsästäjä

Bracket 4.1.3
Jóhann Jóhannsson - How We Left Fordlandia

Bracket 4.1.1
Arvo Pärt - Spiegel im Spiegel
John Holm - Ett Enskilt Rum På Sabbatsberg

I've heard other Pärt I like better, but I really like Holm's raspy voice accompanied by that beautiful music.

Bracket 4.1.2
Eleanoora Rosenholm - Bolly Palkkionmetsästäjä
Ebba Grön - Staten och kapitalet

Neither are really my thing, but I appreciate the energy in "Staten och kaptalet"

Bracket 4.1.3
Jóhann Jóhannsson - How We Left Fordlandia
Hedningarna - Skampgreppet

Jóhannsson's slow, layered build reminds me of Gorecki's Third Symphony. But I prefer "Skampgreppet," which sounds much more original to my ears.

Bracket 4.1.4
Maria Kalaniemi & Aldargaz - Sofias Flykt
Imperiet - Märk hur vår skugga

Not a huge fan of either, but the accordion tune is a little more fun for me.

Bracket 4.1.1
Arvo Pärt - Spiegel im Spiegel
John Holm - Ett Enskilt Rum På Sabbatsberg

I like how the production and arrangements of the John Holm song have a laid-back feel to them, yet they are sophisticated enough to elevate the song way above mere background music (more so than the Arvo Pärt piece).

Bracket 4.1.2
Eleanoora Rosenholm - Bolly Palkkionmetsästäjä
Ebba Grön - Staten och kapitalet

As usual for me, electropop wins against punk.

Bracket 4.1.3
Jóhann Jóhannsson - How We Left Fordlandia
Hedningarna - Skampgreppet

As usual for me, folk music wins against ambient-like modern classical.

Bracket 4.1.4
Maria Kalaniemi & Aldargaz - Sofias Flykt
Imperiet - Märk hur vår skugga

A close contest, but the Imperiet song has grown on me more this week.

Bracket 4.1.1
Arvo Pärt - Spiegel im Spiegel

Bracket 4.1.2
Eleanoora Rosenholm - Bolly Palkkionmetsästäjä

Bracket 4.1.3
Hedningarna - Skampgreppet

Bracket 4.1.4
Imperiet - Märk hur vår skugga

Bracket 4.1.1
Arvo Pärt - Spiegel im Spiegel
John Holm - Ett Enskilt Rum På Sabbatsberg
Two songs that give me goosebumps. John Holm wins by a few hairs. I didn't know this version though and the more polished album version remains my favorite.

Bracket 4.1.2
Eleanoora Rosenholm - Bolly Palkkionmetsästäjä
Ebba Grön - Staten och kapitalet
I rarely listen to punk nowadays so I might not have liked "Staten och kapitalet" so much if I didn't already know it (it's my nomination). But as I wrote to Nicolas, this is is one of the most inspired performances I have ever heard.

Bracket 4.1.3
Jóhann Jóhannsson - How We Left Fordlandia
Hedningarna - Skampgreppet
Pass - I would need more time too choose between two such different songs (Hedningarna is in the lead but Johannsson could be a grower).

Bracket 4.1.4
Maria Kalaniemi & Aldargaz - Sofias Flykt (No YouTube video)
Imperiet - Märk hur vår skugga
As Honorio said some of the members from Ebba Grön continued as Imperiet, now definitely more "rock" than "punk". Hands up if you heard that it is the same singer...! This song is a cover of an old Swedish folk song (from 1790) and not typical for Imperiet's style. Ebba Grön was Sweden's biggest punk band and Imperiet was probably even more commercially successful. I am not their biggest fan but these two songs are definitely among the best that Sweden has to offer. I love accordion and "Sofias flykt" is no exception, but "Märk hur vår skugga" is so powerful... I honestly thought everyone would be floored by it.

Bracket 4.1.1
Arvo Pärt - Spiegel im Spiegel

Bracket 4.1.2
Ebba Grön - Staten och kapitalet

Bracket 4.1.3
Jóhann Jóhannsson - How We Left Fordlandia

Bracket 4.1.4
Imperiet - Märk hur vår skugga

Bracket 4.1.1
Arvo Pärt - Spiegel im Spiegel - 7
John Holm - Ett Enskilt Rum På Sabbatsberg - 6

Bracket 4.1.2
Eleanoora Rosenholm - Bolly Palkkionmetsästäjä - 7
Ebba Grön - Staten och kapitalet - 5

Bracket 4.1.3
Jóhann Jóhannsson - How We Left Fordlandia - 7
Hedningarna - Skampgreppet - 4

Bracket 4.1.4
Maria Kalaniemi & Aldargaz - Sofias Flykt - 5 (3)
Imperiet - Märk hur vår skugga - 5 (3)

A complete draw for this last bracket. Anyone who hasn't voted for bracket 4.1.4 yet can vote during the next 24 hours.

Bracket 4.1.4
Maria Kalaniemi & Aldargaz - Sofias Flykt (No YouTube video)
Imperiet - Märk hur vår skugga

It's a pity John Holm isn't in this bracket (would have won both of them 10-0).
I vote for Maria Kalaniemi.

So far, no Swedish acts in the next round !!!

Nicolas, now I know how it feels to lose all your favourites in the first round!

I really sound bitter in this thread, don't I?

The vote for bracket 4 is not over yet, anyone who hasn't voted yet can still vote!

Sweden definitely will have one song in the next round simply because there are two songs from Sweden in the same bracket for the current week. Also, I hope this won't cause your interest in this game to wane Henrik; you were quite unlucky this week with the match-ups.

Don't worry, Stephan. Of course I will continue the game.

I hope I didn't need to say this but it is not a patriot thing. It just happens that these three Swedish songs are among my absolute favorites. I would gladly vote out "The Final Countdown" in another game...

(I love all the Swedish songs in the next round too. Great selections, guys!)