skweee
{{Short description|Musical genre with Scandinavian origins}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2021}}
{{Infobox music genre
| name = Skweee
| stylistic_origins = {{hlist||Electro|chiptune|minimal techno|funk|contemporary R&B|soul|Middle Eastern rhythms}}
| cultural_origins = Late 2000s, Sweden and Finland
| instruments = Synthesizer
}}
File:Skweee-records.jpg in Sweden]]
Skweee is a musical style, with origin in Sweden and Finland. Skweee combines simple synth/chiptune leads and basslines with funk, R&B or soul-like rhythms, overall rendering a stripped-down funky sound. The tracks are predominantly instrumental.
Origins
The name "skweee" was coined by Daniel Savio, one of the originators of the emerging sound. The name refers to the use of analog synthesizers in the production process, where the aim is to "squeeze out" the most interesting sounds possible.{{cite web |url=http://skweee.com/he-called-it-skweee |title=skweeelicious! » He Called It Skweee |publisher=Skweee.com |date=9 January 2009 |access-date=18 October 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111007162522/http://skweee.com/he-called-it-skweee |archive-date=7 October 2011}}{{cite news |last1=Marchese |first1=David |title=Skweee's Play |url=http://skweee.com/spin_skweee_article.PDF |access-date=10 June 2022 |work=Spin |date=April 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716081936/http://skweee.com/spin_skweee_article.PDF |archive-date=16 July 2011 |url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=http://www.clashmusic.com/feature/inside-skweee |title=Inside Skweee | Clash Music Exclusive Best of Clash |publisher=Clashmusic.com |date=16 September 2008 |accessdate=18 October 2011}}
Producers can vary from high-profile to new talent from the Scandinavian electronica environment.
Recognition
The major outlets of skweee music are the Swedish record label Flogsta Danshall{{cite web|url=http://www.flogstadanshall.com |title=Flogsta Danshall |publisher=Flogsta Danshall |accessdate=18 October 2011}} and Finnish record label Harmönia. Norwegian Dødpop, Canadian Ancient Robot,{{cite web|author=Un |url=http://ancientrobot.bandcamp.com/|title=Ancient Robot | |publisher=Bandcamp.com |accessdate=5 April 2013}} US Losonofono,{{cite web|url=http://losonofono.bandcamp.com |title=losonofono |publisher=Losonofono.bandcamp.com |date=14 February 2011 |accessdate=18 October 2011}} US Titched, US Poisonous Gases, Spanish Lo Fi Funk, Finnish Mässy,{{cite web |url=http://maessy.com |title=Mässy Recordings, Helsinki Finland 2011. Skweee, Mekano-trunk, Wonky etc |publisher=Maessy.com |access-date=18 October 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110820111543/http://maessy.com/ |archive-date=20 August 2011}} and French Mazout have since been added to this family. The preferred media format of skweee enthusiasts is the 7" vinyl record. Early releases were exclusively released in this format. More recently, however, a series of 12" vinyl records, digital releases and CD compilations have been released through these outlets as well.{{fact|date=July 2022}}
The increasing notability of the skweee genre has resulted in releases such as the Eero Johannes album on Planet Mu.{{cite web |url=http://www.planet-mu.com/artists/eerojohannes |title=Planet Mu Records |publisher=Planet-mu.com |access-date=18 October 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100205000103/http://www.planet-mu.com/artists/eerojohannes |archive-date=5 February 2010 |df=dmy-all }}{{cite web |last=Earp |first=Matt |date=June 9, 2009 |title=Somewhere: Nordic Skweee |url=https://xlr8r.com/features/somewhere-nordic-skweee/ |accessdate=16 November 2023 |website=XLR8R}} Producers such as Rusko, Gemmy, Joker, Zomby, and Rustie have given their take on the sound, resulting in several releases on the boundary between skweee and dubstep.{{cite web|author=Ralf Christensen |url=http://www.information.dk/186532 |title='Wonky' giver ny søgang i computeren |publisher=information.dk |accessdate=18 October 2011}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20070809035009/http://www.flowmagazine.net/more.php?id=45 Interview with skweee pioneer Pavan]
- [https://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2009/apr/07/skweee-8bit-hiphop-electronica John McDonnell's (The Guardian UK) blog article about skweee]
- [http://skweee.com/spin_skweee_article.PDF Article in Spin magazine (April 2009) as a PDF file]
- [http://www.clashmusic.com/feature/inside-skweee Article in Clash magazine]
- [http://www.thewire.co.uk/articles/1430/ Article in The Wire]
- [http://www.globalsoundtracks.com/show/10-august-2009/ Podcast featuring live recording of Harmönia vs Flogsta battle at the Norberg Festival 2009 and an interview with most of the main artists of these labels]
{{Chiptune-footer}}
{{nerd music}}
{{Funkmusic}}
Category:21st-century music genres