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 Time for something truly delightful in the form of the brand new album from Marcus Schossow and Thomas Sagstad known in their pair as anamē with “Hopes & Fears”…
Responsible for instantly recognizable records, including ‘The Best Part’ (with Bien), ‘Anywhere’ and ‘Gratitude’ (with label head honchos Above & Beyond), Marcus Schossow and Thomas Sagstad, a.k.a anamē, embark on a new chapter with ‘Hopes & Fears’, set to be released on Anjunabeats on February 21.
In the last four years, the pair has added a Scandi flair to the melodic house world. They have celebrated storytelling and songwriting at the heart of everything they do, be it their debut album, Beautiful World, or multi-million streaming remixes for Armin Van Buuren or Franky Wah.
‘When we announced Beautiful World over a year ago, we wanted to bring our audience along with the journey of writing the album,’ says Thomas. ‘Anjuna trusted us to pull back the magician's curtain on the A&R, art, and marketing process of the album, and we’ve met people around the world who want to talk as much about the process as the music that came out of it. Those meet-ups, dinners, and drinks kept us sane on the road while away from our families and were equally inspiring and encouraging for what we were doing.
‘Hopes & Fears’ is an honest reflection of how Marcus and Thomas feel about the world around them and the connections they’ve made worldwide. It is an emotive, highly charged, statement-driven record that ultimately leans to the lighter side of life.
With their second studio album, the duo continues their history of bringing in incredibly talented collaborators. Jenny Rossander, better known as Lydmor, is an incredible Danish pop artist, one of the biggest in that territory. Her cultural heritage includes five albums, sold-out headline shows across Scandinavia, co-produced albums with Who Made Who’s Thomas Holding, and the author of a best-selling book charting her journey through the electric arts world over the last ten years.
‘A live wire - show stealer - natural performer, Jenny’s at the heart of our writing process. The ambiguity and poetry of everything she does ultimately lead to songs people want to scream at the top of their lungs. She’s also always at the end of the phone - the songs on this album are born out of being together, investing in each other's emotional state, and letting it play out in the music we’re writing,’ Thomas says. The focus track of the album showcases that sentiment with ‘Hopeful’, as well as ‘Hero,’ a poignant Lydmor tale of one-sided love.
The duo has made a point with this album to focus more on their home Nordic territories this time, growing from their upbringings in Sweden and Norway. In keeping with the theme of home, their collaborators mostly fit the bill. Lydmor’s voice is front and center on four different tracks and continues to attract her Danish fan base to anamē’s music. Norwegian pop singer-songwriter Moyka appears on the album with anamē reworking her 2019 hit ‘Colder.’
The album also sees anamē working with Swedish singer-songwriter Welt on ‘It Can Be Better Now’. Released in November 2024 as a double-a-side, with Lydmor’s ‘Hero,’ ‘It Can Be Better Now’ quickly gained traction in the United States, working to the #1 record on SiriusXM Chill. It is an emotional, slow-burning, deeply-yearning tale that kicked off anamē’s 2024 set in Mexico City during the Above & Beyond Group Therapy 600 show - online now. The Swedish artist writes lyrics based on her own experiences and feelings, which the listener can hear in her heartfelt vocal delivery.
Longtime anamē fans will also be excited to see Bien return on their third collaboration with the track ‘Happy To Be Alive.’ The US-based trio struck gold with anamē in 2021 when their hit track ‘The Best Part’ went viral on social media and recently passed over 100M total streams. ‘Happy To Be Alive’ continues the familiar happy, summery, and melodic house vibe that has been so well received on their previous works with anamē.
"Hopes and Fears builds on the journey we started with our first album, which was about finding beauty in the world around us. Back then, how we experienced the world felt far less bleak than the stories we were being force-fed. This new album is about holding onto hope when the times feel increasingly uncertain—a search for light in the dark and the belief that even in the shadows, there’s always a glimmer of light worth fighting for” - anamē
With eleven of the twelve songs on the album featuring a vocalist, anamē’s latest work is a lesson in teamwork and collaboration with their fellow creatives. Also appearing on the album are Biishop, Bri Zoli, and PEARL, all lending their unique voices and incredible songwriting to the project.
Anamē will donate a percentage of all revenue from sales and streams to Mental Helse Ungdom, an organization that supports young people’s mental health.
“Music has always been about more than sound—it brings people together. That’s why we’re teaming up with Mental Helse Ungdom, an incredible organization that supports young people’s mental health. With our album Hopes and Fears, we want to do more than just put out music. We’re donating 5% of all revenue from sales and streams to support their work, and we’re also launching a rolling fundraiser—something anyone can join in on to help spread the word and make a difference. This starts here in Scandinavia, with Thomas working closely with the Norwegian team on different activations and programs. But the vision is bigger than that. Over the next year, we want to take this further—to more causes, places, and people who need support. Because no one should feel like they’re alone in this. Hope starts here.”
:: Available right now to stream and download
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