Milberg - It may be winter outside (but in my heart it's spring)
Lisa Milberg (The Concretes) has a new Christmas single posted for free download on her blog: http://missmilberg.blogspot.com/2009/11/merry-christmas.html
Country: Sweden
Rupesh Cartel - Kick me into action (feat. Firefox AK)
The video for the new Rupesh Cartel single "Kick me into action" (feat. Firefox AK) is now on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9mDLcV477g
Country & Eastern push back new releases, prep Advent calendar
The excellent Swedish jazz/world music label Country & Eastern has delayed their planned December releases and pushed them back to late January, 2010, but they will be doing their annual Advent calendar of unorthodox Christmas music starting December 1: http://www.countryandeastern.se/
Taxi Taxi! - Oh my darling Clementine (video + mp3)
Check out Swedish duo Taxi Taxi! covering the American evergreen "Oh my darling Clementine" which they recorded for the Swedish juice company Brämhults: http://www.bramhults.se/
It's a tenuous connection between the subject of the song and the fruit, but whatever -- it sounds alright.
The Swede Beat #10
Issue #10 of Swedish fashion + music newsletter The Swede Beat is out now and available for reading at their new website: http://www.theswedebeat.com/blog/magazine/10-streets-of-sweden/
New Kristofer Åström EP on the way
Kristofer Åström will be releasing a new EP called "When her eyes turn blue" on December 4 which will be available on both CD and 10" gatefold vinyl. 6 songs, including 4 previously unreleased cuts from the "Sinkadus" sessions.
The Silent Ballet reviews Erik Enocksson
The Silent Ballet reviews the latest Erik Enocksson record "Man tänker sitt": http://thesilentballet.com/dnn/Home/tabid/36/ctl/Details/mid/384/ItemID/2922/Default.aspx
Elias & the Wizzkids confirm new album, single
Elias & the Wizzkids have confirmed that their new Andreas Söderlund-produced album "Just do it" will be released on February 2. The first single "Oh these nights" will be officially released on December 2, but you can already check out for free right here: http://www.eliasandthewizzkids.se/OhTheseNights/
Two new tracks from Bastard Priest now streaming
Swedish death metal maniacs Bastard Priest are streaming two new tracks at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/bastardpriestsweden
Their forthcoming LP is definitely one of my most anticipated releases of 2010.
[ingenting] - Dina händer är fulla av blommor (video)
The video for [ingenting]'s excellent single "Dina händer är fulla av blommor" is now online: http://www.vimeo.com/7721838/
Kning Disk unveil new website
Kning Disk's new website is now open: http://www.kningdisk.com/
Umeå Open starting lineup confirmed
Umeå Open, Sweden's first major festival of 2010, has announced their initial lineup: http://www.umeaopen.se/
Worth noting since sometimes this is a good indication of who to pay attention to next year.
![[ingenting] - Tomhet, idel tomhet](/reviews/ingenting-tomhet.jpg)
[ingenting]
Tomhet, idel tomhet
Labrador
It's been inspiring to watch [ingenting] develop from record to record as they peel off all those print-out faces from pop music's hall-of-fame piece by piece. These days, their influences stand behind, never in front of the music, as they move from making music inspired by others to finding their very own place among the many indiepop bands that sing på Svenska. The competition is pretty stiff it seems, but [ingenting] need not hide their creativity behind that of their countrymen and women. Their strength lies in their directness: their witty melocism is never overly playful, their trademark melancholy never overdone. When they become bombastic, like in the album's definite stand-out "Dina händer är fulla av blommor", it's to make a point. And when I, as a non-native speaker, make the effort to track their lyricism in my head, I'm struck by how equally direct it is. [ingenting] seem to have no need for cynicism to make their point, yet they manage to sidestep those kitsch-traps that overly direct lyrics often cannot avoid. Even if "Tomhet, idel tomhet" can't make true on all the promises that "Dina händer..." and powerful opener "Hallelujah" carry along, I still expect the album to make many year-end-lists.
- Arnulf Köhncke
Ikons - Slow light (video)
Check out the new Ikons video for "Slow light": http://vimeo.com/7848846
Apparently the band's new self-titled album will be available for streaming starting tomorrow.
Friday Bridge remix competition
But is it Art? will be releasing a Friday Bridge remix album in late January called "Do you know how to spend it?" and are looking for a couple more tracks so they're holding a contest to see who can come up with the best version of "Horror of horrors". Go here for the full details and to grab the files: http://butisitart.org/Friday_Bridge_rmx_competition/