Veronica Maggio - Mitt hjärta blöder (video)
"Mitt hjärta blöder" is the latest video from Swedish pop star Veronica Maggio.
D-takt & Råpunk to release new Massgrav LP in April
will be releasing a new 19-track LP from Swedish mangel-punx Massgrav this coming April oh-so-modestly titled "Still the kings". Read more: http://dbeatrawpunk.blogspot.com/2012/02/massgrav-are-still-kings.html
The band will also be releasing a new cassette with the even better title of "Too fast for Ove" via in March as a precursor. 3 album tracks, 1 exclusive cut and 100 copies only, so interested folks should probably jump on it if they want one.
Sailor & I - Tough love
Solid melancholic pop from Swedish act Sailor & I off their forthcoming EP of the same name with a touch of "Cloudbusting" ala Kate Bush. Look for said EP to be released in late March.
Nordic Music Prize 2011: Goran Kajfes
Swedish trumpet player/composer Goran Kajfes is this year's winner of the Nordic Music Prize for his album "XY" on .
Terrible Feelings sign with Double Sun, album in April
Hyped Malmö punkrockers Terrible Feelings have been picked up by ' new imprint for the release of their upcoming full-length debut "Shadows", due out April 16. will handle the release in Europe and will take care of the band in America.
Jonny Hefty & Jøden - Vi går aldrig hjem (video)
"Danmarks bedste rapper...over 40?" That might not be much of brag, but I can't argue with it.
Frida Hyvönen - Terribly dark (video)
Here's the video for the new Frida Hyvönen single "Terribly dark": http://svtplay.se/v/2711638
Burning Hearts
Extinctions
Solina Records/Shelflife Records
Burning Hearts' second full-length "Extinctions" is a treat. Delving into description disguised as heavy-handed metaphor would be a disservice to such a carefully crafted, thoughtful album, so I'll simple start with a hearty "wow." (It's worth noting the decision to forgo poetics was made after several spins marked by hand flailing and randomly squealed superlatives)
Yeah. It's good.
Other than injecting a note of mystery to their otherwise light-as-air pop confections -- perfected with the debut, "Aboa sleeping" -- very little has changed since the last time we met the Finnish quintet. Not that anything needed altering. The band has created another charming outing that leans just as much on French pop as Scandinavian melancholy, its nine tracks (including "The swallows" and "Into the wilderness" which first hit ears with last year's excellent "Into the wilderness" EP) splitting the difference between wistful refrains and modern synths. The album benefits heartily from vocalist Jessika Rapo's latter-day Nico delivery, but nowhere does it hit such heights as on "Love and dissonance", the soaring line, "Beautiful, beautiful sing me a song the way you used to do," rendered downright beatic in her melodic whisper. On "The best" her languid call hopscotches over the band's near near-folk instrumentation, complete with steel drum backing. But perhaps most surprising is "The swallows", where their formula of gentle instrumentation is turned on its head in favor of 1980s synths, with Rappo as a slow-motion dancing queen. Sure, their music is still sweet, but "Extinctions" -- in all its subtle variations -- only servers to demonstrate that Burning Hearts should be considered pop heavy weights.
- Laura Studarus
Den Inre Striden - Demo
Check out some demo tunes from the new classic Swedish punk/progg-influenced act Den Inre Striden. A little rough around the edges, but I dig where they're going.
New stuff from Bring Me the Fucking Riot soon
Bring Me the Fucking Riot... Man will release the new album "Solidarity died and so did we" on April 16 with the first single "There is something wrong in your head. Your brain is dead." preceding it on March 19.
Cut City LP in March?
The vinyl edition of Cut City's superb swansong album "Where's the harm in dreams disarmed?" is on track for a late March release: http://www.deletedart.org/releases.asp?id=49
Linnea Olsson - Dinosaur (video)
PSL has the premiere of the new video "Dinosaur" from Swedish pop-cello/loop artist Linnea Olsson: https://blogg.svt.se/psl/2012/02/15/premiar-linnea-olsson-dinosaur/
New Frida Hyvönen album in April, first single out now
The new Frida Hyvönen album "To the soul" will be released on April 18. Listen to the first single "Terribly dark" here.
Yet another Vevo failure
There's a new Amanda Jenssen video online but since someone has shortsightedly decided it can't be played in the US, I'm not gonna link it.