Erik Hassle
With Erik Hassle, it was love at first listen. OK, I only discovered him a few minutes ago, but I’m already obsessed. Some pop acts are just special and within seconds of the stunningly beautiful Hurtful I was certain that Erik belonged to that category. His other fantastic songs proved me correct. He’s like an indie-chav Darin, singing soulful electro-pop with real feeling. He’s also a massive slut if his rather rude new video‘s anything to go by – I couldn’t keep count of all the different girls! He may or may not become a worldwide superstar, but Erik is undoubtedly set for huge hits in ever-sensible Sweden, and I’ll be leading his fanclub as soon as I move back there in August. I think I’m in love!
Hit potential: 84% Poptasticness: 100%
Tough Love
If you like Patrick Wolf, listen up: Here’s a whole band of Patricks, but poppier! There aren’t many more appealing descriptions than that, surely. With 5 male members and one girl (although not the singer this time), comparisons have already been made to the Scissor Sisters, but really what they have in common with SS and Patrick is that they’re something totally new and different, which makes them fascinating and exciting. Pop experiments can often end in disaster, but Tough Love have remembered that they are making pop music, and the end result is certainly poptastic. I love every one of the songs on their website, and it’s hard to pick favourites, but I will recommend Bastard and Is That All There Is as great starting points. Today has been an utterly brilliant day for pop discoveries!
Hit potential: 75% Poptasticness: 94%