Sjung

Sjung
Studio album by
Laleh
Released25 January 2012
RecordedHansa Mix Room
(Berlin, Germany)
Edenheadroom
(Stockholm, Sweden)
Sterling Sound
(New York, United States)
Cutting Room Studios
(Stockholm, Sweden)
GenrePop rock, folk pop, synthpop
Length40:02
LabelLost Army / Warner Music Sweden
ProducerLaleh Pourkarim, Gustaf Thörn
Laleh chronology
Me and Simon
(2009) 		Sjung
(2012) 		Colors
(2013)
Singles from Sjung
  1. "Some Die Young"
    Released: 22 January 2012[1]
  2. "Vårens Första Dag"
    Released: 30 April 2012[2]

Sjung (Swedish: [ˈɧɵŋː], "Sing") is the fourth studio album by the Swedish singer-songwriter Laleh, released on 25 January 2012. Produced by Laleh herself, the album was released on Warner Music Sweden and Lost Army.[3] Sjung is her first long play for four years since the January 2009 album Me and Simon. The album is produced, written, recorded, engineered and performed by Laleh.[4] The release follows her appearance on popular Swedish television show "Så mycket bättre" towards the end of 2011.

The album's lyrical theme centres on new environments and being an outsider, with elements of African drums and synthpop being incorporated into Laleh's sound for the first time. The physical release of the album contains a second disc which features her interpretations from "Så mycket bättre". All of these interpretations were also released as a digital download only extended play preceding the album on 25 December 2011 called Tolkningarna (Interpretations).[5] Critics' opinions of the album were generally favourable although some were divided on the slightly new direction taken and the unevenness of the record. In its first week of release, the album entered the Swedish Albums Chart at number one, becoming her second album to peak at the top, and her first to debut at number one. It was at the top of the charts for four non-consecutive weeks and was certified platinum in March 2012. It also became her first-charting album in Norway, where it debuted at number eight and peaked at number one.

The first single from the album was "Some Die Young", which was released in Sweden on 22 January. The song was performed by Laleh for the first time at the "P3 Guld Awards" on 21 January in Gothenburg. She performed alongside other artists including Veronica Maggio, First Aid Kit and Fibes, Oh Fibes! at the Sveriges Radio P3 event.[6] "Vårens Första Dag" was released as the album's second single on 30 April 2012. "What You Want" was originally due to be released as the album's third single,[7] but was scrapped in favour of "Elephant", which was sent out to radio in early 2013.[8] In July 2013 it was announced that Laleh would release her first international album in Germany during the autumn. The first single from this release will be "Some Die Young".[9]

  1. ^ "iTunes – Musik – Some Die Young – Single av Laleh". iTunes. 22 January 2012. Retrieved 24 January 2012.
  2. ^ "iTunes – Musik – Vårens första dag – Single av Laleh". iTunes. 30 April 2012. Retrieved 10 May 2012.
  3. ^ "Laleh släpper skiva och åker på turné i vår". di.se (in Swedish). 1 December 2011. Retrieved 13 December 2011.
  4. ^ "Ojämnt av Laleh". Uppsala Nya Tidning (in Swedish). Uppsala Nya Tidning. 25 January 2012. Retrieved 27 January 2012.
  5. ^ "iTunes – Tolkningarna – EP by Laleh". iTunes. Retrieved 3 January 2012.
  6. ^ "Laleh: 'Some Die Young'". Scandipop. 22 January 2012. Retrieved 24 January 2012.
  7. ^ "Laleh: 'What You Want'". Scandipop. 22 August 2012. Retrieved 29 August 2012.
  8. ^ "Laleh: 'Elephant'". Scandipop. 6 December 2012. Retrieved 11 December 2012.
  9. ^ "Herzlich willkommen Laleh!". Universal Music Germany. 2 July 2013. Retrieved 13 July 2013.