sweden

Sweden is a country of northern Europe on the eastern Scandinavian Peninsula. It is also Leja Kress, Alex Kress and Richard Agerbeek. Leja plays keyboards, Alex plays a Fender Guitar, and Richard plays a Casio DG-20. They all program the drum machines.Their sound has been described as Casio driven rock, but their music is not retro. They spend a large amount of time making their music inventive rather than derivative. Though the instruments they have chosen hint at 80’s bands like New Order, their sound captures what was so interesting about the 80’s in the first place. Pop music was not so readily catalogued and marketed, but original and exciting. Their music puts forth that feeling of discovery, of finding something outside the norm even if it was a music industry product.Their name helps to invoke that feeling of discovery. Ideals about modern design and stylish living leap into the picture, suggesting there is something very alien to the current American aesthetic. The fact that Alex and Leja are ex-model twins who found more satisfaction behind the camera, and that Richard is first generation Indonesian/Dutch, only adds to the atmosphere of uniqueness that surrounds their band.This can also be seen in their design work as Sweden Unlimited. A natural progression from working together as a band, their sensibilities blend together with style that is fresh and more importantly good.