“Shaping up to dominate.” – Clash “Boy In Space is sure to land in hearts everywhere.” – Paper “Incredibly candid songwriting.” – Wonderland “He has carved out his own lane.” – tmrw |
Sweden’s leftfield pop innovator Boy In Space crafts unorthodox and emotionally-charged songs which examine life in all of its chaotic and ridiculous beauty. His recent tracks, ‘Dance Alone’ and ‘Remember Me’, have accelerated his huge and still growing following, reaching 2 million monthly listeners at Spotify. That rise has been magnified by huge interest at tastemakers, earning the 26-year-old widespread critical acclaim along with high profile airplay at Radio 1. Having dropped a slew of increasingly expressive and adventurous releases since 2018, Boy In Space today shares his debut EP ‘FRONTYARD’ – the biggest creative statement of his career to date. The EP is launched alongside the brand new single ‘Sucker Punch’. LISTEN HERE. ‘FRONTYARD’ finds Boy In Space (real name Robin Lundbäck) looking back to the early-2000s, sidestepping cosy nostalgia and instead forensically exploring his past in an attempt to make sense of his present. Its lyrical depth is defined by what he feels comfortable sharing with the world. Those often heavyweight themes are given an enticing allure by the EP’s sound: pop with a capital P that’s open, inclusive and accessible to all. ‘FRONTYARD’ is the first installment in a pair of interconnected EPs, which will be completed with a second release later this year. The title is a metaphor for the stories that the EP contains. Just like a frontyard is gardened and maintained to look presentable to the neighbourhood, the EP’s songs are tales that Boy In Space is comfortable sharing with the world at large. Boy In Space’s push for pure pop perfect shines boldly within the new single ‘Sucker Punch’. His vocals brim with both an easygoing charm and the confidence to keep the topline enticingly straightforward, which gives him a really individual identity. The instrumentation also makes simplicity a virtue, with a looped guitar groove and streamlined beats supporting an equally uncomplicated sentiment – an unspoken adoration for someone who might not even know that you exist. Boy In Space commented, “For me, the ‘FRONTYARD’ EP feels like a time machine. I really tried to go backwards in time in a sense when it comes to influence and sound. It represents my musical core in the best way possible.” As the EP’s previous tracks have demonstrated, Boy In Space has a remarkable ability to hone in on the feelings behind universal struggles. It doesn’t always make for comfortable listening. See ‘Dead End’, a song in which Robin channels energy from his younger self to look at relationships that ended badly and the hopelessness that came with the collapse of something wonderful. Elsewhere, ‘Save Me’ simultaneously embraces both a positive energy inspired by old school pop-punk and the devastating details of crippling depression. Boy In Space created the EP during sessions in New York, Los Angeles and Stockholm with a small, carefully curated group of collaborators such as long-term friend Philip Tillström (aka DREAMDNVR), Freddie Häggstam (Chainsmokers) and Elton Holmsten (aka unheard). Raised and still based in Alingsås, Sweden, Boy In Space is a singer, songwriter, self-taught producer and multi-instrumentalist. In his young life, he’s already been through so much, from losing friends and the turbulence of his parents’ divorce, to trouble at school that was at least partly attributable to undiagnosed mental health disorder, and the unexpected intensity of international success in his teens as part of the international pop trio JTR. When the band came to a natural conclusion, Boy In Space delved into dark, introspective lyricism blended with Scandipop style and an experimental edge. One thing in particular informed his changing outlook. Dreaming of a move to Hollywood, led him to question his other aspirations. The revelation was both simple and revelatory: the things he wanted in life were satisfying but ordinary. There was no need to cultivate an image aside from who he really was. Expect much more content from Boy In Space to follow in the near future. ‘FRONTYARD’ EP tracklist: ‘Dance Alone’‘Picking Flowers’‘Sucker Punch’‘Roses’‘Remember Me’‘Save Me’‘Dead End’ |