The Royal Concept - Knocked Up + Gimme Twice (New Video)

When we introduced unsigned Swedish band The Concept in January the number of web page views and plays we received for the songs Gimme Twice and D-D-Dance suggested that the group were onto a winner. So it comes as no surprise to find that they have now been snapped up by a major label and are unleashing their effervescent brand of Phoenix / Strokes / Alphabeat /cross pollinating pop via a self titled EP. The sound might be the same with both the original frenetic tracks present and correct, readying themselves for a second go at making you jerk your body like an electrified headless chicken, but the name has changed; The Concept are now The Royal Concept.

From the EP we’re streaming a brand spanking new track. Maintaining the bands pop songwriting sensibilities Knocked Up sees the group start at a more moderate pace than the two previous numbers,then at about two minutes and fifteen seconds it kicks off its boots and races for the finishing line like a lost member of the Strokes at their best.

There’s also a new video for Gimme Twice (below) which has already picked up nearly 100,000 views in half a week. The song is a gloriously sunny side up piece of pop music and the film matches the tune’s energy with good-looking head-shaking Swedish band members, pillow fights and a set that is literally trashed to destruction by the end.

If you missed The Royal Concept first time round, shame on you. Here’s your second chance time to get acquainted.

The Royal Concept - Knocked Up

The Royal Concept - Gimme Twice (Video)

The Concept - D-D-Dance (Video)

You might remember Swedish foursome The Concept who we introduced as a new wave back in January. The bands jubilant joy pop (not to be confused with the horrible and evil LOLpop) has been creating huge smiles wherever it’s heard. The band is tagging themselves as post-hipsterporn which arguably is not the greatest tag line, but we’ll forgive them when they’re making such exceptional pop music.

You may remember the song D-D-Dance, which is still available for download using the new wave link above. Now the band have issued a video for the track which was recorded crudely on an iPhone with a young boy called David as conductor. Warning; it contains flashes of nudity so may not be office safe. The Concept is currently recording a bunch of new songs in Sweden before heading to the USA where they say they intend to ‘live on air-thin-promises until the end of 2012.’ 

Get your dancing shoes on it's time to D-D-Dance again.

The Concept - D-D-Dance (Video)

The Concept - New Waves

Even if The Concept were singing about their parents dying their music would probably still sound resolutely happy. Because this Stockholm band follow in the tradition of acts like Alphabeat, Phoenix and The Wannadies in creating tunes that boom out smiles. We challenge you to listen to the invigorating upbeat songs below and not feel a little flutter of joy in your heart. The Concept make pop music – but it’s not the type of pop music that clogs up the charts like algae in a pond. This is the deliriously well-crafted kind that’s packed with melodic fizz and energy.

The Concept are David Larson, Filip Bekic, Frans Povel and Magnus Robert and they help us continue to write clichés that the Swedish, more than any other country in the world, have an innate ability to construct brilliant pop. They play a number of dates in Sweden in February but really it can’t be long before the rest of the world is dancing to the beat of their drum.

For now we don’t need to say any more than that. It’s the music you come here for. Time to press play, grab the downloads below and d-d-dance like no one is watching.

The Concept - D-D-Dance

The Concept - Gimme Twice