The Hives have been told by a Swedish court to pay fellow compatriots The Cardigans 18.5 million Kroner, or £1.8 million, after an accounts mix-up by Malmö’s Tambourine Studios.

The case came to be after it was found that the studio transferred money between the accounts of the several artists they represented, effectively using artists’ own money as cash flow.

The Hives claim no knowledge of this practice, saying that no documents were signed or correspondence made but Lund District Court have ruled that while this cannot be seen as a “loan” from the Cardigans to their fellow Swedes, the money should promptly be returned in full.

CMU report that this is one of several other lawsuits that Tambourine are currently involved in.