It's been awhile since we've heard anything new from Swedish Europop act E-Type, but now he's finally back with a new single called "Back 2 life" which was produced by Max Martin and Shellback, two of the biggest names in pop music production. Look for an EP to surface later this year, otherwise here's a direct link to the track on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ggHEybz-ls
E-TypeIt's something of a miracle that E-Type can still peddle his music, let alone that he has been allowed to keep on doing it for so long. Why, after more than 10 years of sonic torture, haven't people taken to the streets and forced the Swedish government to ban E-Type from recording ever again? Is he perhaps big in Germany or Russia, and the Swedish people are scared of being invaded if they do something about this musical toxin? Last week Iran decided to start a war against obscene rap music, but if they had their priorities right they'd do the world a favour and concentrate their efforts on E-Type instead. If they did that, I'm sure that we'd all turn a blind eye to their plans to build nuclear arms.
Criticizing E-Type is perhaps like shooting fish in a barrel, but I think I'm justified to do this since I've had the extreme displeasure of listening to "Eurotopia" in its entirety while on public transport. It made me feel ashamed and depressed, as if I was sitting there and having my ears raped voluntarily. Being subjected to this album has definitely been one of the most unpleasant experiences I've had in 2007, although deleting it from my ipod gave me a serene feeling of having my soul cleansed.
- Simon Tagestam
This week's top 20 Swedish album chart:
01. Kent - Tillbaka till samtiden
02. Martin Stenmarck - Det är det pojkar gör när kärleken dör
03. Christian Kjellvander - I saw her from here/I saw here from her
04. Hardcore Superstar - dreamin' in a casket
05. Christer Sjögren - Älskade andliga sånger
06. Magnus Uggla - Pärlor åt svinen
07. Louise Hoffsten - Så speciell
08. Lars Winnerbäck - Daugava
09. Peter Lemarc - Kärlek i tystnadens tid
10. Petter - God damn it
11. Thorleifs - Våra bästa år
12. Nisse Hellberg - En tiger i tanken
14. Benny Anderssons Orkester - Bao 3
15. Peter Jöback - Människor som du och jag
16. Shirley Clamp - Tålamod
17. The Hives - The black and white album
18. E-Type - Eurotopia
19. Drifters - Ett liv med dig
20. Mando Diao - Never seen the light of day
This week's top 20 Swedish album chart:
01. Kent - Tillbaka till samtiden
02. Magnus Uggla - Pärlor åt svinen
03. Christer Sjögren - Älskade andliga sånger
04. Lars Winnerbäck - Daugava
05. Benny Anderssons Orkester - Bao 3
06. E-Type - Eurotopia
07. Petter - God damn it
08. Thorleifs - Våra bästa år
09. Nisse Hellberg - En tiger i tanken
10. Peter Lemarc - Kärlek i tystnadens tid
11. Peter Jöback - Människor som du och jag
12. Mando Diao - Never seen the light of day
14. Shirley Clamp - Tålamod
15. The Hives - The black and white album
16. Jaqee - Nouvelle d'amour
17. Sahara Hotnights - What if leaving is a loving thing
18. Sonja Aldén - Till dig
19. Hammerfall - Steel meets steel - Ten years of glory
20. Miss Li - Songs of a rag doll
I know it's insipid, cliché, predictable, and entirely ridiculous, but I can't help it - I love big, dumb, Hi-NRG Europop techno. If I believed in such a thing as guilty pleasures, this would surely qualify. I'm not gonna tell you that the new E-Type album "Eurotopia" is "good" in the usual way, but it's successful at doing exactly what it sets out to do. It won't change your life, but it might liven up your next party. There's no pretension, just pure bombast. Don't think, dance.
E-Type - True believer
Aftonbladet has the new E-Type video for "True believer": http://www.aftonbladet.se/vss/noje/story/0,2789,1124065,00.html (see the sidebar link)
Aftonbladet reports on E-Type's new "Evil Dead"-style video for the single "True believer": http://www.aftonbladet.se/vss/noje/story/0,2789,1101508,00.html (in Swedish, but with entertaining pictures)
The new E-Type single "True believer" will be premiered on Bingolotto on May 13 (always a sign of quality). It comes out May 14 as a paid download and May 16 as a CD single.
Some signs of life from E-Type: http://www.skipsheim.com/nya_sidan/diary.asp
There's a new Max Martin-produced record on the way via his own new label Lulubelle Records. The first single is called "Chiccita".
It's been almost a year since we last heard from him, but E-Type has just recently updated his web diary with some news: http://www.skipsheim.com/nya_sidan/diary.asp
