Dirty Loops is a phenomenal power trio from Sweden that stars singer/keyboardist Jonah Nilsson, bassist Henrik Linder and drummer Aron Mellergardh. This combo of virtuoso musicians first stepped into the spotlight around 2011. They broadcasted a bunch of videos on YouTube of their spectacular funk/jazz renditions of hit songs by the likes of Adele, Lady Gaga and Britney Spears. Dance/pop hits including Justin Bieber’s “Baby” or Spears’ “Circus” were reinvented by the young trio with a fresh blend of funk, pop and dance delivered with jazzy chords and top-notch instrumental performances. Forever shining is Nilsson’s powerful voice with echoes of Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson.

Those fantastic performances started a huge word of mouth among music lovers and pro musicians worldwide. As a consequence of this overwhelming support, the group’s manager, Andreas Carlsson, decided to bring Dirty Loops to the US in 2012 and look for a recording deal. Carlsson was a very successful music-maker in his own right having produced and co-written hits for big names including NSync, Backstreet Boys and Westlife. Carlsson worked his contacts and the trio had the chance to meet music giants including Nathan East, David Paich, Brian McKnight and Jay Graydon. Another music legend, Verve Records’ president David Foster, was interested in Dirty Loops’ superior talent and invited the guys to showcase for him. The direct result was Dirty Loops signing a deal with Verve Records. Eventually, Foster invited the trio to join his “David Foster & Friends” 2012 Asian tour alongside superstars including Chaka Khan, Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds and Paul Young.

Right after that successful tour, Dirty Loops started working on their debut cd. Loopified saw the light of day in the Spring of 2014. This collection presented a string of originals written by the group with Carlsson plus a couple of selected covers. Loopified was an adventurous melting pot where powerful funk/jazz influenced by Level 42 and Jamiroquai meets some pop/dance atmospheres a la Bruno Mars. The result was catchy material delivered with intricate arrangements,  jazz-drenched chords, infectious refrains and superlative solos. Foster, together with Carlsson, served as executive producers of the project. They helped the guys with their trained ear and unique experience.

Loopified included catchy jams like the first single, “ Hit Me. ” A big hit in Japan , “Hit Me” was a funky tune that showcased the band’s talent. “Hit Me” led to some refined funk/dance goodies including “The Way She Walks” and “Lost In You.” Most of the tracks featured spectacular solos by the group’s members with Nilsson’s versatile voice sitting center stage.

The Song of the Week is a cover of the Justin Bieber hit, “Roller Coaster.” This harmless pop/dance ditty becomes a powerful funk/jazz jam after getting the Loops’ treatment. It’s a rhythmic tour de force with a fantastic job by Linder on bass, Mellergardh on drums and Nilsson giving his usual outstanding performances on keys and vocals. The icing on the cake were the horns from special guests the Jerry Hey Horns. They jazz up the atmosphere even more and deliver some in-your-face breaks that are nothing short of sublime. The smart addition of the horns beefs up this tune and serves as a reminder of the amazing artistry of Jerry Hey, one of the best horn arrangers ever. Kudos to Dirty Loops for their decision to use such a music legend.

Loopified was well received in Asia and Northern Europe . It also made Billboard’s Top 200 at #86 and was a top seller on the Jazz chart at #2. As great as it was, Loopified was just a first taste of Dirty Loops’ immense talent. What’s in store for this amazing trio with a deep conviction? They may become one of pop music’s next big things.

Listen

Dirty Loops:
Vocals & Keyboards: Jonah Nilsson
Bass: Henrik Linder
Drums: Aron Mellergardh
Trumpets: Gary Grant & Wayne Bergeron
Saxophone: Dan Higgins
Trombone: Bill Reichenbach
Horns Arranged by Jerry Hey

Produced by Dirty Loops
Executive Producers: Andreas Carlsson & David Foster

Lyrics

Come here
I don’t know what happened
Come here
I don’t know what happened

Where did they go?
Nights like this don’t happen anymore whoa
Oh babe
I need to know
Is it me and did I lose control? Yo voom voom (oh babe)
It’s slowin’ down

Lonely overseas
Only memories
Wish I had the key to your heart
People come and go
Baby, they don’t know
What we had before
What it felt before our eyes

Roller coaster, roller coaster
Spinning all around and around for a world baby
Roller coaster, roller coaster
For a minute we were up, but the next we were falling down

It’s been difficult (difficult, difficult)
I’m just happy there’s no fights no more (fights no more, fights no more)
But it’s nights like this that I never ever missed you more
If there’s a reason why this happens for, yeah

(But I can’t help I feel like)

Lonely overseas
Only memories
Wish I had the key to your heart
People come and go
Baby, they don’t know
What we had before
What it felt before our eyes

Roller coaster, roller coaster
Spinning all around and around for a world baby
Roller coaster, roller coaster
For a minute we were up, but the next we were falling down

(Bounce)
Lonely overseas
Only memories
Wish I had the key to your heart
People come and go
Baby, they don’t know
What we had before
What it felt before our eyes

Roller coaster, roller coaster
Spinning all around and around for a world baby
Roller coaster, roller coaster
For a minute we were up, but the next we were falling down