When the world comes alive, I'll be by your side

Do you remember Sylwia Chaliss? The Swedish model released a dance-pop album, Loud Enough, back in 2003. A few singles were taken from it, but the combined results of that campaign and the response to "Blinded By The Light," the 2005 Von Der Burg-penned lead single for her second album, weren't good enough to take her past that second album lead single (or at least that's my presumption based on the fact that she didn't release any further music).

"Meet You At Midnight," today's song, wasn't on her debut album, so I can only guess that it was intended for her second album. To tell the truth, I prefer it to "Blinded By The Light," though I can see how "Blinded By The Light" might be the more memorable of the two. At least in this form, "Meet You At Midnight" isn't the sort of Von Der Burg song that you can see having international success like September's "Cry For You" or Alcazar's "This Is The World We Live In," but it's the sort of song that went straight onto my iPod: a string-touched sweet catchy dance-pop song with a revvy beat underneath it, albeit a restrained one. "Meet You At Midnight" has fewer club influences than the work VDB generally does for September but isn't worlds removed from that sound; it's much less sweeping, though. Much of the difference may also be a result of Sylwia's voice: it isn't nearly as dark as Petra's, so "Meet You At Midnight" has a much lighter, fluffier, more carefree feel to its dance groove.

Edit: I got so caught up in writing that I didn't make clear that "Meet You At Midnight" might very well not be by the Von Der Burgs. "Blinded By The Light" is, but as for whether or not this song is, I couldn't say for sure.

I can't find anywhere online still selling Sylwia Chaliss's debut album, Loud Enough, but you can buy her single for "Check All Exits" here (physical).

Next up: maybe I'll write about one of those albums I've been saying I'll write about or do a run-through of some of the songs on my frequently played list right now.

...how a beat can trigger all emotions

A few weeks ago, I said Elin's new song was Minogue-esque; well, today's song is so blatantly trying to be Minogue that it wouldn't be too difficult at all to imagine someone other than Swedish singer Sylwia Chaliss is singing it...well, that would be the case if it didn't feel kind of more on the level of castoff; Elin's song manages to have a certain spark or freshness to it and, though I think the song I'm posting today is fun, it doesn't really feel "fresh" (then again, it was recorded years ago).

All that said, though, it is a fun way to spend 3:17, even if it's not going to change the world. Sylwia was a model who was kind of launched as a Swedish answer to Kylie back around (I think) 2003-2004. I know she released several singles off of her album Loud Enough, but I have no idea how they performed commercially or on the radios. I think she tried to start a second album campaign, but never made it past another single, "Blinded By The Light," which I've not heard.

Incidentally, the song I'm posting today was covered by Mexican singer Fey for her album Faltan lunas, on which it was renamed "Sólo por bailar."

Declare Dance--a pop-dance-disco song that may feel kind of disposable at first--or even further--listens, but it's the kind of thing you could easily put on when you're just in the mood for this sort of thing and not feel let down by it--it would keep up the fun level, and really, that's all it wants to do. Just don't expect something quality on the level of "Wow" from it. I don't want to downplay it too much, though--it really is a good song, and really, a more international-level singer could have recorded it and no one would have blinked an eye; it would have fit right in at that time, or a little earlier (it just might not have been beefy enough for said act to release it as an early single). Plus, I'm kind of addicted to it at the moment. "Declare Dance," like several other songs on the album, was produced by 2N Productions, the same people who've given us some of Kate Ryan's best songs.

Sylwia Chaliss's debut album, Loud Enough, can be bought here (physical), but you can get it at much, much lower prices at places like the Swedish eBay, if you can find a seller who'll ship internationally.

Next up: maybe another female Swedish pop singer, though one with a very different sound.