It seems that Scandanavians currently have one of the best music scenes around at the moment, managing to have some of the most diverse, and interesting, acts around at the moment. Denmark’s Alphabeat are set to take over the airwaves in 2008 with their unique brand of camp, over-the-top pop which makes the Scissor Sisters look tame.

Perfectly danceable, lyrically strong, and quintessentially Danish in sound, they have some of the best tunes since the Scissor Sisters with a much more European feel, and a hint of flashbacks from the 90’s too. Their self-titled debut came out last summer in Denmark, and is out this May in the UK, but is one of the most varied collections of music I’ve heard in a while - a really great album.

Fans include the Sun, the NME, and a fair few blogs and online news sites, and they have the same management as Mika - and we all know how big Mika has become, love it or hate it.

They’re currently on tour with Palladium around the UK, and I’ll be going to see them on Monday night in Oxford - expect a full review on Tuesday.

A few weeks ago a friend mentioned to me that “you just have to check out the Kissaway Trail”. Having already endured half a dozen crappy myspace one hit wonders from this person I did my usual nod-and-smile, and forget about it. However, when I started reading a few blogs raving about them I thought that I’d give them five minutes. How glad I was that I had.

Sounding like Arcade Fire with a hint of Polyphonic Spree, this Danish five piece have the makings of joining the “big boys league” of innovative, epic, “take me to another place” rock that has had a fine, fine year with great albums from Muse, Arcade Fire and Polyphonic Spree.

Down to earth, the guys are very softly spoken for the music they make. Their debut single (which is in the video below) “Smother+Evil=Hurt” is reminiscent of the Polyphonic Spree at their accessible, storytelling best. They’re unafraid of mixing emotions – from the triumphant “la la las” of “Forever Turned Out To Be Too Long” through to the darkness of Sometimes I’m Always In Black – “When winter comes, don’t wash away my tears”.

Personally I feel that the album starts off at its best and then declines a bit as it goes on, however that is purely because it isn’t as accessible, immediate pop-songs of the initial two. However, the album is best heard when you can devote your entire attention to it in one go, when you continue to find more and more layers to it each and every time.

Dreamy at times and fully alert and pounding at others, The Kissaway Trail offer the mixed bag that is sure to garner much attention, and could become one of the slow burners of the year.

After the jump find their UK tour dates and the video for “Smother+Evil=Hurt”.

Photo is taken from eakena’s flickr stream.
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