Kuryakin - Still here
(Shelflife Records)

The most obviously Scandinavian of the three Shelflife Records acts I delighted in this past weekend, Kuryakin open their EP with "Take my hands", a song that combines the lush dreaminess of The Radio Dept. with the sample-happy, Motown feel of Jens Lekman -- which is quite an accomplishment to say the least. Effortlessly integrating the organic with the electronic, Kuryakin may carry a torch that many would feel The Radio Dept. initially lit, but this torch lights a very different path for Kuryakin. On "Still here" there is a buoyancy where similar bands explore melancholy, and Kuryakin retain this optimism without sacrificing any of the ethereal quality of their songwriting. "Peace of mind", the closer of the EP, has all the makings of a heartrending composition, instead the song channels all of these genre techniques down brighter avenues. The deft craftsmanship that went into "Still here" has put Kuryakin firmly on my list of artists to keep an eye on. I have the feeling these recordings are only the beginnings of a wonderful catalog.
- Lars Garvey Laing-Peterson