Here’s an amazing little video by Sweden’s Little Big Adventure. True to the band’s name, “Happiest Times” features a man on a journey in the more unconventional of senses. What makes this a good video is the near eerie way it progresses, with time sped up and a good concept: the character moves forward on his stomach with flowers and a briefcase, a wanderer roaming the countryside.

He has a mission, but you can tell he’s a bit confused, or maybe lost. When he pauses, you can see real emotion, even with the double-time video speed. And the song itself lends greatly to the video, as it should. “Happiest Times” dons the signature Little Big Adventure vocal sadness and electronic backing that make LBA unique.

“Happiest Times” can be found on The Hateful Eye EP, out now on Labrador Records.

Little Big Adventure: Happiest Times [mp3]

Little Big Adventure “Happiest times” from Labrador Records on Vimeo.

Two weeks, that’s how long we must wait for The Hateful Eye, the debut EP by Little Big Adventure (MySpace). LBA is Labrador Records‘ latest signing, and the second song to hit the net is the oddly titled “Happiest Times”; after all, Little Big Adventure writes pop songs about hate.

Dubbed after a 1994 PC video game, Little Big Adventure is one man: Magnus. His sounds have a pleasant sort of darkness, filled with upbeat notes and downtrodden-sounding lyrics. They are electronic, seemingly Japanese influenced, and entrenched in sleepily sung lyrics. Not necessarily angry, nor overtly directed toward any particular group, they’re simply poetic frustrations, tormented by life. And that’s what makes them great.

As the Little Big Adventure debut EP title track, “The Hateful Eye” emphasized all these elements. It’s predecessor, opening song “Happiest Times” follows suit lyrically, though the backing electro-instrumentation appears slightly more upbeat. As I said before hateful music never sounded so upbeat and pleasant; well, “Happiest Times” easily validates that statement.

Look for The Hateful Eye on Labrador May 13. It’s available now for pre-order.

Little Big Adventure: Happiest Times [mp3]

Little Big Adventure: The Hateful Eye [mp3]

Everyone knows it: when Labrador says jump, I jump. And so it is again – they’ve announced their latest artist, Little Big Adventure, and an upcoming EP titled The Hateful Eye EP. Little Big Adventure demonstrates and further emphasizes Labrador’s foray into signing and releasing more electronic-style pop records, as can be heard on their recent 12″ Single by Pallers.

The group shares its name from a mid-90s PC/Playstation video game (perhaps a coincidence, perhaps not). But where Little Big Adventure the video game had music composed entirely by French composer Philippe Vachey, well-known for composing music for video games, Little Big Adventure the band is all Swedish. Naturally. You wouldn’t expect anything else from Labrador, now, would you?

States Magnus, the sole member of Little Big Adventure: All my music is about hate. I’m not buying it. This song does not sound angry or prejudicial, what you’d expect from music with the “HATE” stamp. If he’s telling the truth, hateful music never sounded so upbeat and pleasant!

Little Big Adventure: The Hateful Eye [mp3]