Francis @ SXSW

Upcoming SXSW-related appearances for Francis:

03/17 - MusicGorilla.com Showcase Series @ Treasure Island, 413 East 6th Street (8pm) 03/18 - The MuseBox, Pirate! Radio & Bandize Party @ Rusty Spurs, 405 East 7th Street (5pm)
03/18 - Mike Galaxy/BandPromote.com Presents Annual Day Party @ Guero's, 1412 South Congress Avenue (7pm)
03/19 - SonicBids Day Time Party @ Maggie Mae's (upstairs stage), 323 East 6th Street (4:30pm)
03/19 - Official SxSW Showcase @ Friends Bar, 208 East 6th Street (9pm)
03/20 - Sweden Goes SxSW 2010 @ Antone's, 213 West 5th Street (corner of 5th/Laraca Street) (1.30pm)
03/22 - House Of Sweden w/Miss Li, 2900 K Street NW, Washington DC (7.30pm)

The Sweet Serenades - Die young (video)

Swedish indie/pop act The Sweet Serenades have a video for their new single "Die young" (feat. guest vocals from Karolina Komstedt of Club 8): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQ-jzDsl_ic

Verket - Jag kom, jag såg, jag förlorade (video)

Check out the video for the new Verket single "Jag kom, jag såg, jag förlorade": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GoVBBWv5l44
Definitely a strong Jesus and Mary Chain influence on this one.

Fever Ray to play UK, France in September

Fever Ray has announced a few new dates for September:

09/08 - Brixton Academy, London (UK)
09/09 - La Cigale, Paris (FRA)
09/11-13 - Bestival, Isle of Wight (UK)

The Silent Ballet interviews Pg.lost

The Silent Ballet interviews Swedish postrock act Pg.lost: http://thesilentballet.com/dnn/Home/tabid/36/ctl/Details/mid/367/ItemID/3170/Default.aspx

New material from Blinders On

Swedish post-hardcore act Blinders On are streaming new material at myspace after a long break: http://www.myspace.com/blinderson
Keep an eye out for a new EP to be released in the near future.

Gaffa.se now open

The Swedish edition of music mag Gaffa has opened their new website: http://gaffa.se/

The Giant's Dream
Canto III: Sun spark solaris

Super-prolific Swedes Emil Johansson and Joakim Westlund are the originators and creators of this project, the ethereal, trancelike third part of their "Canto" series. From the onset it continues their electronic/ambient journey and sounds off like a movie soundtrack you'd expect to hear on an Oscar-winning Euroflick that has everyone raving about its creative genius. Most of the tracks on here are bright, uplifting anthems that elicit a happy smile; almost as if a fond memory has come flooding back. On the other side of the emotional coin, there's a sinister undertone that belies the contented aura of the majority of the album, evident on "Lying memorial", and that touches the edges of dark ambience. In between, all manner of emotion comes to the fore; optimism, love, sadness, longing, sympathy, and contentment all play a part in "Sun spark solaris" and demonstrate that the music not only elicits emotion but was created by emotion. It doesn't get much more ponderous than dimming the lights and letting The Giant's Dream take you on a journey of fond memories and longing desires. Sublime.
- John Norby

Ane Brun to tour with Peter Gabriel

Ane Brun will be backing Peter Gabriel on his upcoming world tour as part of his backing band: http://www.petergabriel.com/news/archive/2010/03/05/Ane_Brun_to_join_Peter_Gabriel_on_%27New_Blood%27_dates.

Sirius playlist week #10

Here's the playlist for this week's radio show Sirius XMU:

01. TALK 1
02. Familjen - När planeterna stannat
03. Elephant9 - Fugi fønix
04. Yosei - The raven
05. TALK 2
06. The Tarantula Waltz - Bacchus
07. Hortlax Cobra - Smoke
08. Sonic Ritual - Early graves
09. Meleeh - Vowbreaker
10. TALK 3
11. Khoma - From the hands of sinners
12. The Ark - Echo chamber
13. Darkthrone - Those treasures will never befall you
14. Fun - Slonko
15. TALK 4
16. Degrees - Can't walk thru this alone
17. jj - Let go
18. Bruket - Polisen lägger pussel
19. Dreamboy - Pay attention
20. TALK 5
21. Moto Boy - IF you your bed could cry

Reminder: my show airs every week on Sundays and Mondays at 11pm ET on Sirius XMU. That's channel 26 on Sirius, 43 on XM and 831 for DirecTV subscribers.

This week's top 20 Swedish album chart

This week's top 20 Swedish album chart:

01. The Playtones - Rock'n roll dance party
02. Sophie Zelmani - I'm the rain
03. Tomas Andersson Wij - Spår
04. Björn Skifs - Da capo
05. Dark Tranquillity - We are the void
06. Amanda Jenssen - Happyland
07. Nordman - Korsväg
08. Erik Grönwall - Erik Grönwall
09. Rigmor Gustafsson & Radio String Quartet Vienna - Calling you
10. Kent - Röd
11. Shout Out Louds - Work
12. Calle Kristiansson - Calle Kristiansson
13. The Knife - Tomorrow, in a year
14. Melissa Horn - Säg ingenting till mig
15. Torgny Melin - Dansbandsnatt
16. Zekes - En sån natt
17. Freda' - Ett mysterium
18. Lars Winnerbäck - Tänk om jag ångrar mig och sen ångrar mig igen
19. Thåström - Be-bop-a-lula hela jävla dan (1989-2009)
20. Mando Diao - Give me fire!

The Radio Dept. - Never follow suit

There's a new song from The Radio Dept. in the Pitchfork Forkcast: http://pitchfork.com/forkcast/13993-never-follow-suit/

Bonnier Amigo starts new metal label

MI reports that Bonnier Amigo has started a new rock/metal imprint called Supernova Records to be run by ex-Roadrunner Records exec Johnny Hagel: http://www.musikindustrin.se/artikel/1534/Bonnier_Amigo_startar_rocketiketten_Supernova_Records.html (in Swedish)
Their first release will be Royal Republic's debut album with other releases on the way from Hate Ammo, Three Minute Madness, April Divine, The Animation and others to follow.

Bruket - Stad som aldrig vaknar (video)

Check out Bruket's new video for their new single "Stad som aldrig vaknar": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yp8NWutjXo

The Silent Ballet on "Tomorrow, in a year"

The Silent Ballet gives their take on The Knife's electro-opera "Tomorrow, in a year": http://thesilentballet.com/dnn/Home/tabid/36/ctl/Details/mid/384/ItemID/3158/Default.aspx