jj

jj n° 2

Secretly Canadian

Released July 2009

Take Lil Wayne’s “”Lollipop,”” add a smattering of calypso and jungle sounds, slow the track down to a trance club mix and you will get close to the sound of jj’s album jj n° 2.

Produced under Göthenburg-based indie record label Sincerely Yours, the Swedish pop group jj released no. 2 in July 2009 and have received notable underground buzz from Pitchfork and other indie reviewers.

The Lil Wayne cover, re-titled “”ecstasy,”” is an unabashed ode to the club scene. But the album is more than a single tongue-in-cheek remix. Other tracks like “”things will never be the same again”” and “”masterplan”” integrate calypso instruments like maracas and steel drums with string and bass drum samples to create a truly unique pop sound.

The album is undeniably versatile. Tracks such as “”me & dean”” and “”are you still in valida?”” have an acoustic rawness, and the lead singer has the soft voice of a crooning singer-songwriter. The lead singer’s wispy yet driving vocals create a very cohesive, yet wide-ranging album. This album is a versatile, ethereal record that is a fresh approach to new sound in an increasingly diverse indie music market.

jj remains a very mysterious group, with no band member bios or very many photos. Recently signed to the American label Secretly Canadian, jj plans to release n° 3 later this year. jj will also be touring the United States with indie band The xx this year, from March to April.