Örnsberg, the music of Swedish electronic artist Johan Ragnarsson, will have his debut LP Redlinespotting (named after a station in the Stockholm Metro) available through Perfectly Charming Records on April 27th. From the “Intro” into “For Me and Everyone”, interspersed with skateboard-swooshes, the mood is set to conjure images of swift-moving city life through the glittering electronics through and through. Redlinespotting has a distinct feel of continuity flowing through it, each song tightly connected to the other through lyrical themes and instrumental passages.

Johan comments on “Shoegazing”, a high point on Redlinespotting, as being a reference to the genre, citing the Jesus and Mary Chain and Ride as favourites, as well as Blur, Nirvana (“In Utero is magic”) and “more recent bands like Swedish Silverbullit and Oasis and Glasvegas. Don’t know if Oasis and Glasvegas counts for shoegaze, but its those walls of sound and dark minds in shoegaze that appeal to me.” He began working with Mark O Sullivan (DK7) during the recording: “He actually knows Andy Bell from Ride and he has told me he really likes the song. That was a big day…he also knows Magnus C and he brought him down to the studio one day and that was an enormous day.”

Expanding on his influences, he says: “Its hard to pick out albums and artists that had an impact on me during the recording. there are so many. But there is music you always come back too wherever you are in life. For me that means Pet Shop Boys, Oasis, Radio Dept., Beach Boys and two Swedish speaking acts called Bob Hund and Håkan Hellström (they are both genius), to mention a few.”

A softer side of Örnsberg appears on “Arlanda”, “Wake Up in My Dream”, and “The Greatest”, all lovely, drifting tracks. “Away Away” paints a vibrant picture of vibrant night-life, including memorable saxophone melodies throughout, while”Every City” and “Put Your Hands Up For Örnsberg” channel a retro vibe. Single “Weekend Lights” features Magnus Carlson (The Weeping Willows), which I described in the Örnsberg Artist Feature here last month as “a lovely, poignant slice of modern electronic pop”. Appearing on the single release (officially 4/20) are the dark, cruchy, electronified b-side “She is the Weak End” and a demo of “Shoegazing”. The album closes nicely with “38”, ending Redlinespotting as well-rounded and thoroughly enjoyable.

Örnsberg on MySpace | Perfectly Charming Records on MySpace