Koop is Oscar Simonsson & Magnus Zingmark.
When listening to Koops music it's somehow easy to believe that it's played by a small orchestra, but in fact the music is based on samples. Thousands of small clips from records puzzled together into new songs. All the drums, strings, horn sections and choires are actually sampled! This is a very time consuming way to make music (it's one of the reasons it takes such long time to make a koop album), but it's the only way to create the surreal Koop sound. One thing though, that for sure aren't sampled, is the vocals. Many singers has blessed the Koop albums with their talent, and on Koop Islands the singers are : Ane Brun, Yukimi Nagano, Hilde Louise Asbjornsen, Rob Gallagher and Mikael Sundin. Some fine musicians has also participated on the album playing solos, percussion and bass. Those are : Mattias Ståhl, Magnus Lindgren, Karl Frid, Nils Berg, Martin Höper, Ola Bothzén, Dan Berglund and Mats Lindfors. When playing live Koop transforms into a 7-9 piece swing orchestra including one or two singers, and the main mission is to make people move their feet. The line-up may vary from time to time so if you are looking for the personel on a specific concert please dont hesitate to drop a message. Koop themselves play piano/accordion (Oscar), sampler (Magnus), and wear dresses.
Record label
Playground Music Scandinavia
tengroth@playgroundmusic.com
Lyrics
KOOP ISLAND BLUES
hello my love
it's getting cold on this island
i'm sad alone
i'm so sad on my own
the truth is
that we were much too young
and now I'm looking for you
or anyone like you
we said goodbye
with a smile on our faces
now you're alone
you're so sad on your own
the truth is
that we run out of time
and now you’re looking for me
or anyone like me
COME TO ME
baby
I've been waiting for you
don't run away now
you've got nothing to lose
maybe
I feel so alone
and I need someone
to call my own
'cause my love has just left me
and I need someone new
who can tell me forever
and my eyes are on you
oh baby
oh baby
oh baby
come to me
FORCES....DARLING
she had the force of nature
some say the force of hell
god took out an insurance
for when that angel fell
understandably jumpy
dark on the stairs
those hate and love brothers
did their night hits in pairs
now love sits beside him
to set out their case
dressed up words real pretty
all shotguns in lace
but when they was over
he got held by the seat
had some place to walk but
a look jumped off his feet
there's just a thought that
they'd been there to long
as shadows grow
they can't believe the pull
how the night had got so strong
forces, solid
I'll never run from you
forces, darling
I'll never run from you
back then things where different
a long time ago
south of hell's borders
saint peter just won't go
she knew of his dark side
aked was there no light
but he said "honey I'm the devil
it just wouldn't be right"
I SEE A DIFFERENT YOU
so we are astray
there's nothing else to do
in another place
I see a different you
'cause we
we loved and lost again
I'll never love again
oh, baby now we are apart
there's nothing we can do
in a different place
I see another you
and in another place
I see a different you
oh, we loved and we lost
I'll never love again
LET'S ELOPE
let's elope today
we'll find a secret hideaway
summer's here to stay
leaves will fall on another day
another day
there's a place I know
we can go
where the cops won’t show
for this land we pray
and leaves will fall
on another day
youth is gone now
I hear you say
but it doesn't
matter anyway
I'll cook the dinners
if you bring the wine
youth has gone now
but we still shine
THE MOONBOUNCE
do
dapa do di do doa
do
dapa do di do doa
do
dapa do di do doa
doa doa doa
STRANGE LOVE
strange love
even though you hurt me I feel
blessed love
baby I'm your puppet
on a string
making me tumble and swing
trouble's what you bring
strange love
strange how
you control my every little
move now
hanging from your strings
is all I know
starring in your puppet show
never let me go
strange love
all the things
you've said and done
there's no space
for me to run
baby I've lost and you have won
cause' all I really want is
strange love
WHENEVER THERE IS YOU
whenever there is you
to hold my hand
I find a way to be true
and change my plan
so please
let our life begin now
say you will stay with me
and be my man
Before we start we need you to do one thing. Listen to Come To Me. If you ask me, that song encapsules almost everything you need to know about Koop Islands. After just a few seconds your..re in two completely different places at the same time. Come To Me is the point where the Swedish summer solstice meets a Caribbean christmas. It..s where the sweetest melody ever swings easy on a faraway beach where Santa Clause handles the steel pans.
Welcome to Koop Islands.
A place where music and life swing to a slightly different drum.
It's been twelve years since the debut album Sons of Koop (1997) of Stockholm based duo Oscar Simonsson and Magnus Zingmark. Their second album Waltz for Koop (2002) slowly but surely found it's way into the hearts of more than 200.000 record buyers across the globe. Then followed the world tours, the remixes, until finally they found themselves back in Stockholm able to begin work on what was to become Koop Islands.
Where Waltz For Koop was steeped in a modern – and modernist - take on 60s jazz and swedish songstressess from the time (Monica Zetterlunds name was mentioned more times than the group thought was fair), Koop Islands has – despite its name - very little to do with romanticising the Stockholm archipelago. Rather, it goes much, much further south west, all the way down the caribbiean for inspiration. That..s where you..ll find Koop Islands on their imaginary world map.
Also, Magnus and Oscar realised that sometimes the only way forwards is to go as far back in history as possible.
- I think we can do that, says Magnus. Our music is created in a post-sampling world where everything is possible. Even time travel. That..s why we just laugh if somone calls what we do retro.
So back they went. Back to the swing of the 1930s, the exoticism of forgotten orchestras and entertainers performing on late 40s yacht cruises to Jamaica. The characteristic Koop vibes now joined by marimbas, furious gene krupaesque jungle drums (just listen to them rip on Forces… Darling) and an ever present Cape Verdean Blues with just a hint of Mento that would have made islanders in european exile, like the recently salvaged Lord Kitchener & His Friends, nod in approval.
This journey in time and music is what forms the foundation Koop Islands was built on. .
- We create jazz music, says Oscar. It..s as simple as that. We can..t do pop, electronica, techno or whatever because we..re just no good at it. Knowing this and having accepted it we can basically do whatever we want. If we wanna explore and pick up pieces from, say, 1929 – we can.
On their travels towards Koop Islands they were joined by their inner circle of friends, some of whom you might remember from Waltz For Koop.
The amazing Yukimi Nagano with her free flowing vocals and her male counterpart - the criminally underrated Mikael Sundin.
Ex-Galliano main man Rob Gallagher tells a heartbreaking tale that weaves together tennis ace Björn Borg with the sad story of the passing of a mother. On the american release of the album is a new track, "Strange Love", included. It's sung by Hilde Louise Asbjornsen, a new swinging discovery and the main singer in the koop live set.
And, last but no way least, on the album..s title track the norweigan singer-songwriter Ane Brun heads out on her virgin tour of the Islands.
Even though Magnus and Oscars hearts and souls are filled with exotic and eclecticly swinging sounds the whole album was produced and recorded in their own tiny studio on Stockholms Södermalm.
If you listen very carefully you can hear the number 4 bus go by on the snowy street outside.
Andres Lokko, London W11, july 2006
1. Koop island blues (vocals Ane Brun)
2. Come to me (vocals Yukimi Nagano)
3. Forces....darling (vocals Earl Zinger)
4. I see a different you (vocals Yukimi Nagano)
5. Let's elope (vocals Mikael Sundin)
6. The Moonbounce
7. Beyond the son (vocals Earl Zinger)
8. Strange love (vocals Hilde Louise Asbjornsen)
9. Drum rythm A (music for ballet exercises)
10. Whenever there is you (vocals Yukimi Nagano)
11. Come to me (live) (featuring Yukimi and the BBC big band)
All songs written and produced by (Simonsson/Zingmark) except for:
Lyrics track 1 written by (Simonsson/Zingmark/Brun)
Lyrics track 3 and 7 written by (Simonsson/Zingmark/Gallagher)
Lyrics track 8 written by (Simonsson/Zingmark/Asbjornsen)
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Debut album “Metal Heart” out now! 9/10 Orkus 9/10 Gothic 8,5/10 Reflection of Darkness 5/6 Medienkonverter 7/10 Release Magazine 7/10 Zero Music Magazine
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Dearest Koop, I've been listening you since june 2006. when I was so in loved in a person for who I felt, is a man of my dreams. He introduced your music to me and I was amaized. We were on a road in his car and he said "This is the Koop Island. You have to hear it. It was the song "Come to me". I fell in love with your music with the very first sound. This love grows each day more and more and I hope you will come to Belgrade again very soon.
With the wormest regards and admiration for your work I wish you love and joy in each and every day.
