Fact: In Sweden, it is illegal to make bad music.

Okay, so this may not be empirically true, but it is a reality that the Swedes are known for exporting pop of the very highest quality. In my ongoing series, Amazing Things I’m Listening to From Sweden, I discuss the best Scandipop that’s been quietly slaying your faves.

Andreas Wijk – Like My Style

Andreas Wijk is a Swedish fashion blogger and model who looks like, well, a Swedish fashion blogger and model. (Photographic evidence here, here, and here. Please try not to kill yourself.) In typically life-isn’t-fair fashion, though, Andreas is additionally endowed with some impressive vocal gifts: A smooth, likable voice that would fit perfectly among, say, the boys of The Wanted. His debut single, “Like My Style” — and indeed we do, Andreas — is a surprisingly self-assured little pop bauble that sounds like Erik Hassle as produced by Dr. Luke. While there may not be a lot of crossover potential here, the combination of style and “Style” (see what I did there?) should be more than enough to attract the attention of teh gayz — who are, as we all know, the only listening audience that really count.

Beldina – Here We Go

The dopest bassline I’ve heard this year comes courtesy of Beldina Malaika, a Kenyan-Swedish neo-soul songbird whose new single, “Here We Go,” has been generating buzz all over the place. Instrumentally, it’s a nice throwback to 2007-era Justice, even if it does tread the well-traveled lyrical territory of prepping for a G.N.O. It doesn’t have the punk theatricality of Adiam Dymott or the twee levity of Asha Ali, but Beldina’s sound is slick, polished, and modern. I’d call it a welcome addition to the canon of Sweden-by-way-of-Africa vocalists.

Lykke Li – Sadness is a Blessing

Lykke Li’s sophomore effort, Wounded Rhymes, is a stunning hour of dark-as-pitch pop, but I’m particularly drawn to what’s slated to be the second UK single: “Sadness is a Blessing.” The track is both sad and majestic, without any of the preciousness that colored Youth Novels, and this confidence points to the artist’s developing sonic maturity. After all the brash swagger of “Get Some,” it’s refreshing to see Lykke return to a place of vulnerability.

Erik Hassle – Stay Away

I consider Erik Hassle the unsung hero of the Swedish pop scene. Sure, his music veers further toward the MOR pop-rock vein of The Fray or Snow Patrol than the icy electropop promulgated by Robyn and September, but I expected that this would result in a warmer international reception than the one he’s received; if a song as infectious as “Hurtful” can’t get radio play, then there is truly no justice in the world of music programming. “Stay Away” is the second single from his latest EP, Mariefred Sessions, following the MuuMuse Approved “Are You Leaving,” and it’s similarly melancholy, but with more strumming guitars than chilly synths. The fact that Mariefred Sessions went to #1 on the iTunes Sweden album chart the day it was released is a small consolation for this criminally underrated act.

Sara Lumholdt – Enemy

No shade to Eric Saade, but this was my favorite track to emerge from this year’s Melodifestivalen. It doesn’t hurt that Sara Lumholdt was once one-fourth of the epic bubblegum pop group A*Teens — alongside her better-known blonde counterpart, Marie Serneholt — and also performed circa 2007 under the pseudonym Sara Love, releasing a truly epic trash-pop single called “Glamour Bitch.” (Seriously.) History aside, “Enemy” swagga-jacks the hell out of Jordin Sparks‘ “Battlefield,” from the chord progression to the love-is-violence extended metaphor, and that is not a bad thing. So what if it’s derivative? It’s catchy, melodramatic, and highly listenable.

This just in the inbox: Justice‘s new single off of Ed Banger Records, “Beginning of the End”–free for the sharing!

It’s very noisy and there aren’t any vocals, but it’s nice. I’m loving the deep disco bass line. What do you think?

The new Justice album will be released “in eight months” (which is September if you work the math out correctly) on Downtown Music, according to another e-mail from Ed Banger Records.

DL: Justice – Beginning of the End

How’s about a shiny new electro mash?

Found a brand new one hour set waiting in my inbox today from podcaster 4Watt, and it’s chock full of beat mashing, bass smashing love. The hour set features Justice, Deadmau5, Calvin Harris, DJ Blaqstarr, Don Rimini, Van She, and more!

You can either download the mix directly below, or check out the streaming version at their website.

DL: 4Watt DJ Mix 54 – Dirty Electro House 6 Mash-Up Mix

Click “Read More…” for the full tracklisting!

01 Dog Remix (Datsu vs SebastiAn) – Datsu
02 Genesis (Datsu REMIX) – Justice
03 Ghosts’n'Stuff – Deadmau5
04 Burritos and Buenos (DJ Barletta VDJ Crack Refix) – Crookers
05 Salami (Edu K Ham N’ Cheese RMX feat Barbarella) – La Mode
06 Get Fresh – Kid Sister
07 Shake It To The Ground (Drop The Lime Remix) – DJ Blaqstarr
08 Tighten Up (Bobby LaBeat Re-work) – Archie Bell & The Drells
09 See The Light (Calvin Harris Remix) – The Hours
10 ZOMBIES! – Designer Drugs
11 Kelly (Shinichi Osawa remix) – Van She
12 I Like To Play – Yuksek
13 One Last Time – HeavyFeet
14 Technik (Original Mix) – Zoo Brazil
15 N.A.S.A. Music (LA Riots Remix) – N.A.S.A. ft. Method Man, E40, DJ Swamp
16 Absolute Ego Riot (Louis La Roche Remix) – The Phantoms Revenge
17 Ohow? (Original Mix) – Don Rimini
18 Aurora (Shinichi Osawa Remix) – Alex Gopher
19 Tomorrow (DFA Remix) – Clinic

Hey! You there! You feel in the mood for some anthemic electro grunge? I know I am!

With his first major EP Kick N’ Run, Don Rimini is jumping onto the mixing board with his sleeves rolled up, ready to unleash one hell of a set. Pulsating, pumping, and consistently aggressive, the five track package works a bit like being strapped to a ticking time bomb thrown into the line of fire. The grinding synths are unforgivably loud, while the massive, pounding bass bumps drop and drip as quickly as sweat atop the dancefloor.

The beats bouncing off this set are punishingly addictive, combining sweet-toothed old-school synth sounds with prickling, punching electro stings. Ebbing through screaming highs and colossal crashes back down, the compilation is one jittery trip. “Nervous Breakdown” is the highlight for me, heavy with stammering, stunted vocal glitches and glittering nineties club riffs. Then there’s the closer “Hools,” which supplies a cock-and-loaded explosion of dooming, damning electro slices. Certainly able to fit snugly within a setlist featuring MSTRKRFT and Justice, Rimini’s set shows major glimmers of promise for conquering the dancefloor.

As a MuuMuse Excluusive, check out the streaming clips from the EP now!

Don Rimini – Rave On
Don Rimini – Nervous Breakdown
Don Rimini – Hools

For more information, please check out Don Rimini’s Music MySpace here.