2008 Woodie Awards
The Tough Alliance release strong new album on won label
Christopher Bengtsson
Issue date: 5/29/07 Section: Entertainment
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Their debut was groundbreaking with its do-it-yourself punk-riot attitude. Together with the Knife and LO FI FNK they proved that Sweden is cutting edge when it comes to electronic music.
"A new chance" is their second album off their own label Sincerely Yours (the first one being the ambient "Escaping your ambitions") and it is a must-hear gem if you are into electronica at all.
The Tough Alliance of 2007 sounds fresher and more playful than ever, mixing a soulful production with subtle samba influences and a richer sound. Henning Fürst's and Eric Berglund's singing sound as if they were passionately sung from the grandstands by wild soccer hooligans. The sweeping and beautiful arrangements from the "New waves" EP has evolved, and is even more engaging on "A new chance."
"The last dance" is a blazing neon dream of a ballad, flirting with the 80s and a Motown beat. The title track "A new chance" features a gorgeous electric piano and Indian battle cries. "Neo violence" is the under-the-radar sneaker of the album, with its quick shuffling pace and quirky rhymes that just begs to be remixed into a dance floor filler.
"Miami" is a tribute to lounging at the beach and drinking drinks in the sun with the thickest beat ever. The first single off the record, "Fist class riot," is a battering barrage of sunshine soul that instantly sticks a smile on your face. And the track list goes on and on.
"A new chance" is one of those albums where you get increasingly curious and impressed as each song progresses. It is a relatively short full-lengther with eight tracks and clocks at a mere 32 minutes. The fact that "A new chance" is brief doesn't matter at all. Instead it leaves you hungry for more and willing to play it over and over again.
The Tough Alliance manage the difficult and inspiring task of blending youthful beauty with a highly danceable beats to create fantastic pop, sounding more here and now in 2007 than anything else.
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