Kent is giving away a remix of their new single "Vy från ett luftslott" as a free download: http://www.kent.nu/
They are also encouraging fans to create their own videos and upload them to YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/kentchannel
Family Tree Music, the parent company of Swedish labels Razzia and Catchy Tunes, has extended their agreement with Sweden's largest indie distributor Bonnier Amigo Music (BAM).
International consolidation comes to Sweden: Live Nation (nee EMA Telstar) has purchased 51% of Luger booking and 75% of the management company Moondog. Personally, I am disappointed to hear it. Read more: http://www.musikindustrin.nu/mi/smpage.fwx?page=198&NYHETER=9228 (in Swedish)
Dusted reviews Maja S. K. Ratkje's Tzadik Records "Composer Series" debut "River mouth echoes": http://www.dustedmagazine.com/reviews/4360
Here's the video for the new Rigas single "Born not to run": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQuIl6BBYpI
Rigas told me that he considers the Bruce Springsteen original "Born to run" to be the best song ever.
Danish act Agata & Me on tour in Italy:
06/24 - LEGOcafe, Cesena
06/25 - Cantina Mediterraneo, Frosinone
06/26 - Karon Beach, Vasto
06/27 - Bahia Light Bar, Napoli
Samples at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/agataandme
Scandinavian acts Cats On Fire, Love Dance and This Year's Model will play the Marsh-Marigold 20th Anniversary Festival on July 18-19 at Prinzenbar in Hamburg, Germany.
I almost forgot, but here's the playlist for this week's radio show:
01. Jesper Norda - Tommorrow you'll be forgiven but tonight you will have your teeth knocked out
02. TALK 1
03. On Volcano - Out of sight
04. Monday Monkey Riot - Go ape
05. Dmitry Fyodorov - Warcollapse!
06. TALK 2
07. Wired for Mono - Don't look down
08. Small - Come around (vs Hippo remix)
09. September Malevolence - ...accidents happen so fasr
10. TALK 3
11. Dead Letters Spell Out Dead Words - Facelessness erase every trace of humanity
12. Napoleon - Send me a woman
13. Rigas Den Andre - I am crane
14. TALK 4
15. Mist - Subjective pop song
16. Ebba Grön - Tyst för fan
17. Neveres - Pause
18. Pascal - Cadillac
19. TALK 5
20. Komeda - Blossom (got to get it out)
Reminder: my show on Sirius Left of Center (channel 26) is now on Sundays at 11pm ET with repeats on Monday.
Here's the video for the new Pascal single "Cadillac": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZ9G7LnA3D8
Better late than never: Download The Kid's new single "Transient dance": http://hybrism.blogspot.com/2008/06/kid-new-single-transient-dance.html
In addtion to the upcoming German shows that Logh has planned for July (posted in the sidebar), they'll also be performing their excellent (and IMO, classic) album "The raging sun" in its entirety at Bang Bang Club in Berlin on July 29.
Did I mention that Convoj is now signed to I Made This? Well, they are. Giant Boar (ex-Seven Feet Four) too.
Check out Assid's new video for the single "When your baba is black" (scroll down) along with a ton of remixes from artists such as Familjen, Daniel Savio and many more: http://www.myspace.com/assidmusic
MP3: The Sound O.E - Party at the moontower
In Malmö today with a side-trip to CPH on the itinerary to see some Norwegian bands. Viva la internationale!
Everybody always asks me- what is it about Swedish/Scandinavian music that you like so much, that makes it different? Now that's a very complicated question that deserves many hours/coffees/beers worth of discussion or maybe even a full book treatment (someday?), but the short answer is simple. I know what I like and I know it when I hear it. Yes, there is a lot of Scandinavian rock that is derivative of American or UK sounds, but there's also lots of stuff with its own identity. One such scene is Swedish noiserock, a sound I identify with bands like Starmarket and KVLR, bands who took the template of classic US indierock ala Sonic Youth/Hüsker Dü/etc. and added their own touch. The Sound O.E carries on that tradition, especially on songs like the epic album closer "Party at the moontower". You get that angular/syncopated heaviness, but it's tempered by a lovely lyricism and strong melodies. Other tracks on the album tend to be more choppy, more heavy and generally more hardcore and they're fine, but this is the stuff that really grabs me. Some bands did epic indie before Arcade Fire, believe it or not. This draws from that.
The Sound O.E - Party at the moontower
Side-Line reports that Nordvargr aka Henrik Björkk (MZ.412, etc.) has two new albums on the way this year: http://www.side-line.com/news.php?id=P32655