Studio Barnhus Sweden Vinyl & CDs

Review: Is there a more fun and hard-to-pin-down label than Studio Barnhus? The plaything of Swedish artists Kornel Kovacs, Axel Boman and their mate Petter Nordkvist it has done it all from trancehall to bubblegum house via pop edits and plenty in between. Now they look to Stockholm boys Ari Bald & CJ Scott once more for a new EP that bangs hard and has a great sense of character, much like their label debut here last year. All four of these house cuts are full-flavoured slammers with heartfelt vocal samples and lovely naive melodies that really make their mark.

Review: The icy techno sounds of Cologne's Barnt make their way across Europe here to Studio Barnhus's Swedish bunker. Across five fresh cuts, he brings plenty of experimental flair but also some playful rhythms to a forward-thinking EP that sounds like little else. 'Aqua Melopella' is an unsettling opener with glistening synths scurrying like ants over a sparse rhythm, 'Aqua Breeze' establishes a marching beat and 'Aqua Bass' brings twanging synths and frosted loops that keep you on your toes. 'Millennium Silver' is another tune blend of dystopian synth sounds and distorted lines that speak of human destruction and last of all 'Millennium Melopella' offers moments of ambient reflection.

Review: Experimental deep house superstar Bella Boo returns to Studio Barnhus for her latest album DreamySpaceyBlue, and expands outwards into a more varying tempo range in the process. If album titles are anything to go by, this one should give you an indication of the kind of sonics you'll hear when popping this 180g cream vinyl record on the belt-driven plate. Moving in more bittersweet, heartstring-tugging directions after a jankier set of EP movements years prior, the likes of 'Can't Stop' and 'Heartbeat/Into The Night' move through every influence from Jersey bounce to breaks, pitting deeply affected vocals and spacious synth bubblings against a thematic backdrop of "dark times (demanding) love, healing and forgiveness."

Review: You can never second guess what is going to come out of the Studio Barnhus camp and so it is that this is another left of centre 12" from Blende. It comes on limited purple vinyl and opens with 'Rodeo' (feat Mickael Karkousse) which is all ricocheting synths, sleazy vocal sounds and meandering house drums. 'First Rodeo' (feat Smiles Davis) gets more languid and loose with its 80s chords dancing over hiccuping beats that recall the beguiling work of DJ Koze. 'Kampai' closes out with more peak time sounds that are awash in bright chords.

Review: A welcome return to action from Studio Barnhus boss man Axel Boman, who has been surprisingly quiet since the release of his excellent Luz/Quest For Fire double album in 2022. On the Space Drag EP, Boman showcases the depth, variety and imaginative eccentricity of his deep house productions to the full. For proof, check side A, where the ghostly, stab-happy hedonism of 'Acid Left and Right' - all bubbly TB-303 motifs, synth-strings, digital woodblock lines and repetitive bleeps - is followed by the druggy, dubby and percussively dense Latin house quirkiness of 'Forever Latino'. He throws in a fine curveball in the shape of 'Space Drag', where looped-effects laden Swedish vocal samples and woozy chords ride a tight kick-snare pattern and deep, warm bass, before closing things out via the picturesque breakbeat house deepness of 'Ohh Baby'.

Review: Those pesky Swedish pranksters Studio Barnhus always like to surprise and subvert with the music they make and release and it is fair to say we never expected to find FaltyDL on their well regarded label. It finds the accomplished New Yorker paying homage to deep house while also updating the classic template. 'Our House Is Barnhus' is run through with serene strings as the paddy drums uplifting you and sprinklings of percussion keep things classy. 'Gut Punch' is the one though - a steamy and deep cut that channels early Prescription and Pepe Braddock into something beautiful.

Review: Said to be two decades in the making, this record features two tracks by Makode Linde, the visual artist and musician who has long been a friend and frequent cover designer for Sweden's most eccentric dance label, Studio Barnhus. 'Never Getting Over Me' features Makode's poignant vocals on a quirky, sun-drenched rhythm while 'Professional Help' delivers bossa nova brilliance with a graceful, flute-driven backdrop which reflects the protagonist's lament over his old flame's aversion to therapy. With exquisite songwriting and charming lo-fi appeal, these songs are brilliant dance-pop fusions with a great message and plenty of irresistible grooves.

Review: The dynamic duo MLiR, a creative force fuelled by a perfectly balanced blend of shared vision and contrasting styles, return with their debut album, Pulpo Fiction, on Stockholm's Studio Barnhus label. Building on the success of two highly regarded EPs, this 16-track offering showcases their vibrant and innovative approach to global dance music. MLiR's sound is a product of both relentless crate-digging and studio mastery, seamlessly blending past, present, and future influences. Pulpo Fiction boasts a diverse array of vocal collaborators, from Kenyan rapper Nah Eeto and American poet Oliver Grimball to Swedish soul singer Cosima Olu, adding another layer of texture to their already eclectic sound. Expect a sonic journey that traverses the spectrum of dance music, from nostalgic throwbacks to futuristic soundscapes, from deep grooves to infectious pop sensibilities, all underpinned by MLiR's signature high-energy, effortlessly cool dancefloor aesthetic.

Review: As you will likely know if you are reading this, Swedish label Studio Barnhus never releases anything predictable or traditional. It unearths producers who blend familiar sounds in unfamiliar ways and always bring some leftfield charm to their grooves. Enter Off & Train who here bring plenty of dreamy charm to their deep and scuffed up house opener 'Ewok'. 'Sunday' has lovely innocent melodies unfurling way up over some dusty drum breaks, 'Polestar 2' is a more chunky cut for sweatier moments but still retains a naive melodic air and closer 'Milpool' (Ode To Karl) brings squelchy space-jam vibes to a dreamy house music closer.

Review: Studio Barhnus is one of the most playful and amusing labels out there. They are also one of th only labels we can think of who would release a whole album of acapella versions of previous album tracks. But that's what we have here from Off The Meds, whose late 2002 self titled debut sounds very different without the beats. His unique Zulu-Tsotsitaal-English flows all open with short and sweet musical passages and then get spright to it. They are great tools for jobbing DJs to work into their sets and add some wonderful weirdness.