The classic 1990s releases from Stockholm indie pop quartet Red Sleeping Beauty have long been out of print and unavailable on streaming services. That changes with the release of ‘Pop Songs’—an astonishing 50-track double-CD retrospective!

The band began in 1989 as a solo project by Mikael Matsson, soon becoming a duo with Kristina Borg on vocals. In 1991, Niklas Angergård joined on vocals and guitars, and in 1992 the lineup was completed when Carl-Johan “Callis” Näsström came in on bass.

Disc one collects 27 tracks released from 1992 to 1996 on international pop labels of the day—including the ‘Pop Sounds’ 3” CDEP and the ‘Bedroom’ CD album on German label Marsh-Marigold Records, the ‘Top of the Pops’ 7” EP on Japanese label Motorway Records, the ‘Seasons Change’ 7” EP on American label Somersault Records, the ‘Smile’ 7” EP on American label Sunday Records, and four extra ‘Bedroom’ tracks on Japanese label Quince Records.

The physical CD includes a bonus second disc collecting 23 additional tracks recorded between 1989 and 1998—featuring rare contributions to vinyl records, CDs, and compilation cassettes released on various labels from France, Germany, Japan, Spain, and USA, plus 15 previously unreleased songs. These 23 tracks are only available on the physical CD and are not part of the digital ‘Pop Songs’ release. 

This is Red Sleeping Beauty at their poppiest and sunniest, carefree and naive in a way that is only possible when you are young—and carefree and naive. The album is further proof (as if any were needed) that a perfect pop song is only two minutes long.

More pop songs, for everyone!

Epilogue: Mikael and Kristina were the perfect indie pop couple until, in 1998, they weren’t. Red Sleeping Beauty dismantled, with Niklas continuing work with his brother Johan as Acid House Kings and Mikael releasing records with The Shermans and The Charade. With the healing of time, Red Sleeping Beauty returned in 2016 in a more electronic costume—pop sensibilities intact—to release numerous singles and three additional albums: ‘Kristina’’ (2016), Stockholm’ (2019), and ‘Diary’ (2024). Expect more new music from the band next year!