Tove Styrke – The Afterparty

Following her comeback singles from earlier this year, “Prayer” and “Space,” Swedish artist Tove Styrke returns with the playful double single release “Song and Dance Man” and “Let´s Go Camping.”

The tracks are taken from the forthcoming album The Afterparty, due for release this autumn, and show yet again the creative breadth of the album. The album, written like a film score, is a 47-minute body of work that’s meant to be experienced from beginning to end, of which Tove reveals:

“The Afterparty is a concept album where the story unfolds in chronological order during one night. On the surface, we follow a person through a series of events taking place at a party, but as the story progresses, we begin to realize there may be other dimensions to the plot.”

Regarding the two new singles, which are placed right after each other on the album, Tove explains: “‘Song and Dance Man’ takes place early on in the record and in the story. Things are looking promising. Feeling confident and having fun. Nothing feels too serious at this point. On ‘Let’s Go Camping’, the mood becomes more intense and slightly manic. The line between what’s real and what isn’t is beginning to blur. We hear one side of a drunken conversation.”

Tove also shares about the music videos for “Song and Dance Man” and “Let’s Go Camping,” directed by Natalie Olenheim Boija, “The videos are collages made to capture a sense of life, freedom and nostalgia.”

All album tracks were recorded using only analogue synthesizers from the 1970s and 1980s, alongside live drums and electric bass. Every sound on the single, as well as across the upcoming album, was performed and recorded live in the room or generated through analogue machines. No samples were used. The album is co-produced by Tove herself.

Following the album’s release this fall, Tove Styrke will perform a series of special live shows built around The Afterparty, starting off with an exclusive show in Stockholm. More European dates will be announced shortly.

Speaking of the upcoming shows Tove says “The album is written with a story arc, so I want the live experience to reflect that. I’ve chosen spaces that allows for a more focused way of listening while still having the ability to keep things playful and in the moment. I’m interested in breaking some of the distance between the ’stage’ and the audience.”

“It feels like we’re living in the afterparty phase of our time. The album reflects on what that does to a person, told through the lens of an actual afterparty.” She continues: “This album started as an idea that was so vivid in my mind I could almost touch it. I saw it like a still from a movie scene, a distinct atmosphere and vibe and then the lyrics and the music just fell into place almost without any effort. It was all already there.”

On this new chapter Tove Styrke has worked with a tight, local Swedish crew throughout the entire album which is also co-produced by Tove herself.  All collaborators are artists in their own right: producer and co-writer Magnus Larsson, Joel Kiviaho (drummer and producer of rising act Boko Yout), and songwriter Linnéa Martinsson (Lune). On being co-producer Tove tells:

“I co-produced The Afterparty together with Magnus Larsson. I always work meticulously on every aspect of my music, but this time we really took it to a new level. Because I had such a strong vision of what I wanted the music to feel like it became really important to constantly keep checking that we we’re staying on the right path and that the outcome was true to the idea. Working with Magnus whose home turf is electronic music also widened my view on how to produce and arrange songs. On The Afterparty so much of the production is about building tension, slowly gliding between moods and letting each sound have it´s own journey. This is common in electronic music but not as common in pop.”

Reconnection with nature and parenthood have played a major role in shaping this next chapter of Tove Styrke’s artistry. “Becoming a mother has also meant a really powerful shift in my life,” she says. “I  honestly don’t care what anybody thinks about me anymore. It’s freeing.”  Tove adds: “I’ve also spent the past few years studying to become a biodynamic gardener.  What’s funny is I honestly feel like gardening, my reconnection with nature and parenthood have all influenced this music as much as any piece of art or music ever did. Without these components in my life, this new album wouldn’t exist. I feel like that’s life and nature working in its own mysterious way. Everything has its rhythm and its place and everything is connected.”

The album draws inspiration from artists ranging from Kraftwerk and Laurie Anderson to Boards of Canada, Suicide, LCD Soundsystem and Jon Hopkins – as well as Adrianne Lenker and Alex Cameron.

Tove has also started a political rock band with her partner guitarist Sanna Sikborn Erixon, singing in Swedish, called Året Var (translates to: The Year Was). Only a few weeks ago they released their debut 4-track EP Är Du Nöjd Nu?, with an album due out in September just before the Swedish election. Tove reveals of Året Var:

“From my perspective, the world is falling apart and at the end of the day I got nothing but my brain, my heart and my creativity so I might as we’ll use all those things to the best of my abilities. The band is a result of that. We make music from our own point of view about what we see in society today, especially in Sweden. There’s a lot to cry and to laugh about, and we try to do both with this music.”

Critically acclaimed and internationally respected artist Tove Styrke has released four albums to date – most recently 2022’s HARD – and has amassed over 1 billion streams across her catalogue, including songs such as “Say My Name,” “Borderline” and “Show Me Love.” Her collaborations span artists like Clean Bandit, Ritual, ALMA and Cosmo’s Midnight. Most recently she expanded her creative world by appearing in a leading role in David Bowie’s Lazarus musical in Stockholm in spring 2024. With a new album on the horizon, the stage is set for her to usher in an exciting new era of music.

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