I have a known weakness for breezy, feather-light, Scandinavian pop music. Sami Suova and Mikko Pykari are Shine 2009, and their music reminds me of elementary school, “If” off Janet, and the stuff I would hear played on 90210, circa 92/93. On Cascine, Realism is the debut album by Shine 2009 and, as mentioned prior, the LP is filled with nods to downtempo, soul, and golden-era hip hop, as well as a Paula Abdul appearance to really drive home the point. Realism is Shine 2009‘s follow-up to last year’s celebrated EP, Associates. It marks their second release in collaboration with Casine.  Check out “So Free” (feat. Paula Abdul), and my favorite, “Naturally”, and let it’s infectious, uplifting chorus permeate your psyche and stay there till fall…“to me, to me, to me, it comes naturally”…

Shine 2009 – 02 So Free (feat. Paula Abdul) by CASCINE
Shine 2009 – 08 Naturally by CASCINE