Blossoming past the confines of traditional songwriting, Fredrik's newest album "Flora" is a melancholy outing carpeted with of horns, bells, and guitars. Sure, it's what we've come to expect from the Swedish experimental trio (two members who also perform as the criminally underrated band, The LK) -- but it's also more than most fringe-folk acts could hope deliver.
A lo-key, densely arranged cacophony, theirs is a brand of hypnotic chanting and melodic repetition that could easily grow stale or downright grating in lesser, or less restrained hands. Instead, we're offered remarkable variance, from the clattering urgency of "Vattenfront" to the haunting, never-quite-peaking crescendo of "Inventress of ill (and everything)". Though perhaps it's the driving, narrative-heavy track "The shape and colour of things gone blind" (a reference to member Ola Lindefelt's reported synesthesia) that offers the best context in which to discuss/dissect the album. Armed with a world-view turned some 180-degrees from current trends, Fredrik doesn't just make music to hear, but to get lost in. - Laura Studarus
Swedish rock act The Movements will be celebrating their 10-year anniversary with a new LP on that will include four new tracks plus two previously unreleased ones with a repress of their OOP EP "Drag me up" on the flip. The official release date is set for March 1 and there will be a release party at Truckstop Alaska in Göteborg on the 12th.
There's a new episode of Off the Record online featuring The Soundtrack of Our Lives performing three acoustic songs at Kafe Moskova in Helsinki, the bar owned by famed director Aki Kaurismäki: http://offtherecord.fi/tsool/
Lambgoat reports that Swedish viking metal act Amon Amarth will be doing a special US tour in April where they will be doing two sets a night with no support, including one set in which they perform their new album "Surtur rising" in its entirety: http://www.lambgoat.com/news/view.aspx?id=15778
Unsigned Swedish sludgerockers Signo Rojo have a new 6-song promo record that they are streaming on Bandcamp: http://signorojo.bandcamp.com/
Some definitely post/beard-metal vibes, but my first impression is that it tends to stick more with a straight-up heavy/crusty feel than otherwise.
I don't listen to the radio very often so I hadn't heard the new Lady Gaga single "Born this way" until just a few moments ago when I found a YouTube stream that wasn't been pulled (yet). And now it appears that I am further behind the times than I thought because here's Swedish teen-pop sensation Ulrik Munther already performing a cover of said tune. Direct link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIekOkkepTw
Making the rounds and definitely worth checking out: "Andra takter", a short documentary on Swedish hardcore/kängpunk legends Anti-Cimex featuring guest appearances by The Subhumans and Peter and the Testtube Babies. Full stream: http://filmarkivet.se/sv/Film/?movieid=292
No subtitles, but they're not really all that necessary.
has announced that their next project will be a Missbrukarna LP consisting of the legendary Swedish punk band's sole full-length release, which I believe is the "Krigets gentlemen" cassette. More details are forthcoming... UPDATE: Skrammel has informed me that the LP will actually be a collection of various never-released material that they compiled together with the assistance of member Rolf Bäcklund. Expect it to be out sometime this spring.
Fredrik