Sophie Zelmani
Memory loves you
Sony/BMG

On Sophie's sixth album, intimacy comes first. Her band could be playing right there in the room with you, as Sophie sits and whispers into the listener's ear. While her musical palette has basically been the same reflective songs for dusky autumn days since 98's "Precious burden", "Memory loves you" pours a bit of light and optimism into the melancholia. A light that gives the album an identity and feel of its own. A feel that Sophie finally seems comfortable in facing her audience, by baring herself in songs like the gorgeous stripped down "I got yours". Album highlight "Love on my mind" even dares to climax with a piano that's straight out of ABBA. A few times, the strings cross over from beautiful to saccharine, but mostly the songs wrap the listener up in a tender embrace. Letting us know that spring is on the way, and that there is a tender beauty even in the bleakest rooms.
- Hanzan

Sophie Zelmani's next single will be for the song "Wait for cry". No release date confirmed yet.

This week's top 20 Swedish album chart:

01. The Ark - Prayer for the weekend
02. Sofia Karlsson - Visor från vinden
03. Slagsmålsklubben - Boss for leader
04. Eldkvarn - Svart blogg
05. Jerry Williams - I can jive - Det bästa med Jerry Williams
06. Markoolio - Värsta Plattan
07. Nanne - Jag måste kyssa dig
08. Marie Lindberg - Trying to recall
09. Salem Al Fakir - This is who I am
10. Timbuktu - Oberoendeframkallande
11. Andreas Johnson - The collector
12. Sällskapet - Sällskapet
14. Sophie Zelmani - Memory loves you
15. Svante Thuresson - Svante Thuresson & vänner
16. Mauro Scocco - Ljudet av tiden som går
17. Maia Hirasawa - Though, I'm just me
18. Ingmar Nordströms - Ingmar Nordströms Saxpartyfavoriter
19. Lena Philipsson - Lena 20 år
20. Björn Rosenström - Ett Jubileum som är sådär....10 1/2 år

This week's top 20 Swedish album chart:

01. Eldkvarn - Svart blogg
02. Markoolio - Värsta Plattan
03. Andreas Johnson - The collector
04. Jerry Williams - I can jive - Det bästa med Jerry Williams
05. Marie Lindberg - Trying to recall
06. Sällskapet - Sällskapet
07. Salem Al Fakir - This is who I am
08. Mauro Scocco - Ljudet av tiden som går
09. Maia Hirasawa - Though, I'm just me
10. Timbuktu - Oberoendeframkallande
11. Ingmar Nordströms - Ingmar Nordströms Saxpartyfavoriter
12. Svante Thuresson - Svante Thuresson & vänner
14. Lars Winnerbäck - Efter nattens bränder - 1996-2006
15. Sophie Zelmani - Memory loves you
16. Sebastian - The vintage virgin
17. Nanne - Jag måste kyssa dig
18. Tomas Andersson Wij - En introduktion till Tomas Andersson Wij
19. The Concretes - Hey trouble
20. Caroline Af Ugglas - Joplin på Svenska

This week's top 20 Swedish album chart:

01. Sällskapet - Sällskapet
02. Marie Lindberg - Trying to recall
03. Andreas Johnson - The collector
04. Mauro Scocco - Ljudet av tiden som går
05. Nanne - Jag måste kyssa dig
06. Ingmar Nordströms - Ingmar Nordströms Saxpartyfavoriter
07. Salem Al Fakir - This is who I am
08. Tomas Andersson Wij - En introduktion till Tomas Andersson Wij
09. Sophie Zelmani - Memory loves you
10. Timbuktu - Oberoendeframkallande
11. Sebastian - The vintage virgin
12. Jerry Williams - I can jive - Det bästa med Jerry Williams
14. Svante Thuresson - Svante Thuresson & vänner
15. Lars Winnerbäck - Efter nattens bränder - 1996-2006
16. Lena Philipsson - Lena 20 år
17. Jimmy Jansson - Sån e jag
18. Erik Segerstedt - A different shade
19. Caroline Af Ugglas - Joplin på Svenska
20. Calaisa - Calaisa

This week's top 20 Swedish album chart:

01. Marie Lindberg - Trying to recall
02. Andreas Johnson - The collector
03. Nanne - Jag måste kyssa dig
04. Ingmar Nordströms - Ingmar Nordströms Saxpartyfavoriter
05. Salem Al Fakir - This is who I am
06. Jimmy Jansson - Sån e jag
07. Sophie Zelmani - Memory loves you
08. Sebastian - The vintage virgin
09. Lars Winnerbäck - Efter nattens bränder - 1996-2006
10. Björn Skifs - Andra decennier
11. Timbuktu - Oberoendeframkallande
12. Lena Philipsson - Lena 20 år
14. Erik Segerstedt - A different shade
15. Peter Jöback - Flera sidor av samma man
16. Martin Stenmark - Nio sanningar och en lögn
17. Weeping Willows - Fear & love
18. Tomas Andersson Wij - En introduktion till Tomas Andersson Wij
19. Lisa Miskovsky - Changes
20. Benny Anderssons Orkester - Bao på turne

This week's top 20 Swedish album chart:

01. Ingmar Nordströms - Ingmar Nordströms Saxpartyfavoriter
02. Andreas Johnson - The collector
03. Sophie Zelmani - Memory loves you
04. Timbuktu - Oberoendeframkallande
05. Salem Al Fakir - This is who I am
06. Jimmy Jansson - Sån e jag
07. Erik Segerstedt - A different shade
08. Sebastian - The vintage virgin
09. Lena Philipsson - Lena 20 år
10. Sanna Nielsen - Sanna 11-22
11. Calaisa - Calaisa
12. Sabaton - Metalizer
14. Caroline Af Ugglas - Joplin på Svenska
15. Tomas Andersson Wij - En introduktion till Tomas Andersson Wij
16. Weeping Willows - Fear & love
17. Lasse Stefanz - 40 ljuva år!
18. Veronica Maggio - Vatten & bröd
19. Laleh - Prinsessor
20. Säkert! - Säkert!

This week's top 20 Swedish album chart:

01. Ingmar Nordströms - Ingmar Nordströms Saxpartyfavoriter
02. Sebastian - The vintage virgin
03. Erik Segerstedt - A different shade
04. Timbuktu - Oberoendeframkallande
05. Andreas Johnson - The collector
06. Salem Al Fakir - This is who I am
07. Caroline Af Ugglas - Joplin på Svenska
08. Lena Philipsson - Lena 20 år
09. Sophie Zelmani - Memory loves you
10. Calaisa - Calaisa
11. Lasse Stefanz - 40 ljuva år!
12. Jimmy Jansson - Sån e jag
14. Veronica Maggio - Vatten & bröd
15. Weeping Willows - Fear & love
16. Sanna Nielsen - Sanna 11-22
17. Tomas Andersson Wij - En introduktion till Tomas Andersson Wij
18. Lustans Lakejer - Samlade Synder 1981-2007
19. Björn Skifs - Skifs hits!
20. Jill Johnson - The woman I've become

This week's top 20 Swedish album chart:

01. Ingmar Nordströms - Ingmar Nordströms Saxpartyfavoriter
02. Erik Segerstedt - A different shade
03. Timbuktu - Oberoendeframkallande
04. Sophie Zelmani - Memory loves you
05. Salem Al Fakir - This is who I am
06. Caroline Af Ugglas - Joplin på Svenska
07. Lena Philipsson - Lena 20 år
08. Calaisa - Calaisa
09. Weeping Willows - Fear & love
10. Lasse Stefanz - 40 ljuva år!
11. Tomas Andersson Wij - En introduktion till Tomas Andersson Wij
12. Veronica Maggio - Vatten & bröd
14. Nisse Hellberg - Snackbar blues
15. Laleh - Prinsessor
16. Säkert! - Säkert
17. Helena Josefsson - Dynamo
18. Nicolai Dunger - Rösten och herren
19. Moneybrother - Pengabrorsan
20. Martin Stenmarck - Nio sanningar och en lögn

This week's top 20 Swedish album chart:

01. Timbuktu - Oberoendeframkallande
02. Erik Segerstedt - A different shade
03. Caroline Af Ugglas - Joplin på Svenska
04. Sophie Zelmani - Memory loves you
05. Salem Al Fakir - This is who I am
06. Weeping Willows - Fear & love
07. Lena Philipsson - Lena 20 år
08. Lasse Stefanz - 40 ljuva år!
09. Calaisa - Calaisa
10. Veronica Maggio - Vatten & bröd
11. Nisse Hellberg - Snackbar blues
12. Laleh - Prinsessor
14. Säkert! - Säkert
15. Fläskkvartetten - Voices of Eden
16. Jill Johnson - The woman I've become
17. Östen Med Resten - 19 bästa och resten med Östen
18. Moneybrother - Pengabrorsan
19. Martin Stenmarck - Nio sanningar och en lögn
20. Anna Ternheim - Separation road

This week's top 20 Swedish album chart:

01. Weeping Willows - Fear & love
02. Caroline Af Ugglas - Joplin på Svenska
03. Lena Philipsson - Lena 20 år
04. Sophie Zelmani - Memory loves you
05. Salem Al Fakir - This is who I am
06. Lasse Stefanz - 40 ljuva år!
07. Calaisa - Calaisa
08. Säkert! - Säkert
09. Laleh - Prinsessor
10. Isolation Years - Sign, sign
11. Fläskkvartetten - Voices of Eden
12. Veronica Maggio - Vatten & bröd
14. Martin Stenmarck - Nio sanningar och en lögn
15. Moneybrother - Pengabrorsan
16. Anna Ternheim - Separation road
17. Nisse Hellberg - Snackbar blues
18. Björn Skifs - Andra Decennier
19. Jill Johnson - The woman I've become
20. Markus Fagervall - Echo heart

MP3: Sophie Zelmani - Memory loves you

I keep listening to Sophie Zelmani's new album "Memory loves you" hoping for that moment of connection, but it has yet to occur. I've loved her previous records dearly so it's doubly disappointing that I am unable to get into this one. I'm not sure what's wrong either. Her voice sounds just as beautiful and understated as always. The recording is as close to perfect as one could hope for. It must be the songs. Or perhaps the lack of progression from 2003's "Love affair" to now. I don't mean to disregard the importance of consistency, but I waited over three years for this? ("Love affair" was released in late 2003 - I can do math just fine, don't worry) While it all sounds very pleasant on the surface, there's nothing memorable about "Memory loves you", no put intended. Maybe I expected too much?

Sophie Zelmani - Memory loves you

This week's top 20 Swedish album chart:

01. Sophie Zelmani - Memory loves you
02. Caroline Af Ugglas - Joplin på Svenska
03. Lena Philipsson - Lena 20 år
04. Lasse Stefanz - 40 ljuva år!
05. Salem Al Fakir - This is who I am
06. Calaisa - Calaisa
07. Säkert! - Säkert
08. Ane Brun - Live in Scandinavia
09. Fläskkvartetten - Voices of Eden
10. Laleh - Prinsessor
11. Martin Stenmarck - Nio sanningar och en lögn
12. Moneybrother - Pengabrorsan
14. The Knife - Silent shout
15. Anna Ternheim - Separation road
16. Nisse Hellberg - Snackbar blues
17. Björn Skifs - Andra Decennier
18. Lisa Miskovsky - Changes
19. Bo Kaspers Orkester - Hund
20. Markus Fagervall - Echo heart

Sophie Zelmani has a new website: http://www.sophie-zelmani.com/
I'm really looking forward to her new album.

Sophie Zelmani, one of my favorite Swedish singer/songwriters, will be releasing a new album entitled "Memory loves you" in February.