Adam Tensta
It's a Tensta thing
K-Werks

This debut album from Adam Tensta won a Swedish Grammy the other day for best "dance/hip-hop/soul" album. Not sure if it was the best dance album, but it was definitely the best hip-hop album to come out of Sweden in 2007. That said, it's not that great, but quite average to be honest (even though there is hope for it, Swedish hiphop is currently a poor state of affairs). There are a handful of great tracks on here, the rest are fillers. By avoiding gangster rap lyrics (he wore a "close Guantanamo bay" t-shirt when picking up his Grammy), having quite dance orientated beats together with soulful hooks, and having a soft spot for neon colours, Adam Tensta comes across a bit like a Swedish Kanye West or Lupe Fiasco. "It's a Tensta thing" can be scaled down to a fantastic 6-track EP, but the 14 songs as a whole are quite derivative and not all that fresh. Also, if I listen to him too much I quite quickly tire of Tensta's über-American vernacular. Still, it's a very promising debut and it'll be interesting to see what he'll come up with for his second album. Hopefully his quick rise to fame won't affect him too much in a negative manner (like it did to Kanye).
- Simon Tagestam