The Sound of Arrows

The Sound of Arrows formed as a Swedish indie pop duo whose output blends computerized, dance-oriented charm with echoes of 1980s synth pop and the melodic indie pop wave that swept Sweden in the following decade. Stefan Storm, previously a member of Panache, and his friend Oskar Gullstrand first teamed up during the winter of 2006 with the modest goal of recording a holiday track. Roughly half a year later, after overcoming their limited technical skills, they completed the piece and began writing additional material. One early song, “Narrow Escape,” drew the interest of Labrador Records, which issued the duo’s debut EP, Danger!, during spring 2008. Further singles appeared on the same label the next year—“M.A.G.I.C.” and “Into the Clouds”—before the pair moved to Geffen and delivered the “Nova” single in early 2011. During the intervening period they continued recording while also supplying remixes for Club 8, Nicole Scherzinger, and Lady Gaga. A reissued version of “M.A.G.I.C.” arrived in summer 2011, followed that November by the full-length Voyage on Skies Above, which included several productions credited to Richard X. After remixing tracks by Alphabeat and Royal Teeth in 2012, the duo went quiet until the 2017 release of the single “Beautiful Life.” Their second album, Stay Free, emerged soon afterward, shifting toward 1990s dance-pop textures and featuring guest contributions from Annie and Niki & the Dove.