Basshunter: 'Now You're Gone'

The continuing success of Jonas Altberg is without question the most bizarre story the pop world has thrown up in 2008. Altberg, who began making music on the computer programme Fruity Loops nearly a decade ago, has outsold nearly every Winehouse-wannabe soul siren and skinny-jeaned indie band by a whopping great margin this year. With only Eurodance-loving Clubland TV helping to promote his records, that's quite an achievement for the 22-year-old Swede.

Basshunter racked up over 400,000 sales of his debut single, 'Now You're Gone', earlier this year and his follow-up, 'All I Ever Wanted', is heading for similarly impressive figures. Altberg produces mass consumption hits that appeal to a generation more used to downloading ringtones than flicking through the Woolies' singles charts for their pop fix. He takes the Stock Aitken Waterman hit factory production process to new lows, literally knocking out sound-a-like "choons" from his home computer.

In interviews Altberg comes across as a fascinating character. A Tourettes sufferer who has minor obsessions with geek culture and his own genitalia, he provides more interesting chatter in five minutes than any number of hours locked away with a Pigeon Detective or a Guillemot. Sadly, Altberg's warmth and sense of humour is a world away from the cold calculation of this robotic debut LP.

With 16 tracks in total, most listeners will require a packet of Ibuprofen and plenty of resilience to see them through to the finish. Each track follows a rigid formula, with surging synths, throbbing basslines and corny, power ballad-style choruses that arrive exactly when you expect them to. Altberg understands the basics of Eurodance and wallops us around the head with them until we surrender.

Take for instance the generic shout-outs of "Ready for take off!" and "Are you ready!" from album opener 'Now You're Gone', which are used to herald the inevitable pummeling crescendo of bleeps and beats. Altberg uses the same trick on 'All I Ever Wanted' with the cries "Drop the bass!" and "Are you ready?" Obviously running dry on ideas by track three, he tries "B-B-Bass!" and "Are you ready?" on 'Please Don't Go', a horrifying KC and the Sunshine Band cover. You won't be surprised to hear that Altberg recycles these phrases ad infinitum throughout the rest of the record.

But, on an album jam-packed with musical atrocities, there are a few moments which stand out for their sheer comic awfulness. Altberg's occasional attempts at romance are particularly laughable. "You can make the seeds infertile, but you know you can never make me love you more," he sings on 'Love You More', inviting jaws across the nation to drop to the floor. Meanwhile, the addition of two Swedish-language originals and pair of bonus remixes is surely overkill for even the most die-hard clubber.

What Basshunter intended to achieve with this record is unclear. If he merely wishes to cash in on a musical craze that appeals to kids sloshed on Red Bull and ringtone creators, he's done his job well. However, if he has any desire to be seen as an artist who cares about his music, he's totally abolished that dream with this hellish musical cocktail.


> Click here for our recent interview with Basshunter