The title of Håkan Hellström's new album will be "Försent för Edelweiss". It comes out March 26 with the first single "För en lång lång tid" preceding it on March 5.
Danish rockers Surfact are currently in the studio working on a new album. Søren Balsner from fellow Danish act Carpark North is producing.
Here are the nominees for the Myspace Prize (best up-and-coming/unsigned act) at the Danish Music Awards:
Factory 45
Kiss Kiss Kiss
No & The Maybes
Supershine
When Saints Go Machine
For more info and links, go here: http://www.myspace.com/danishmusicawards
Digfi on Emily McWilliam's Desert Soul, the winners of the Manifest award for best unsigned act: http://www.digfi.com/default.aspx?id=11553 (in Swedish)
Laakso frontman and soon-to-be solo artist Markus Krunegård is taking over Annika Norlin's (Hello Saferide, Säkert!) position as host of the Swedish Radio program P3 Live Session. His debut show will be February 20 with Swedish hip-hop artists Adam Tensta and Petter.
Danish act Spleen United is now streaming their new single "Suburbia" on myspace: http://www.myspace.com/spleenutd
MP3: Northern Fields - Never take the beauty
I first mentioned Northern Fields way back in October, but it took a few months for the debut EP to finally show up in my mailbox (and still a few weeks more for me to get around to writing about it). Regardless, my initial assessment still stands - Northern Fields are a great female-fronted indiepop act that's guaranteed to appeal to fans of all things twee, but more importantly, their songs are well-crafted enough to impress cynics like me. To further illustrate my point, consider guitarist Andreas Hagman's other band Celestial. They are good at what they do, but they are not a band I would ever choose to listen to on my own. Northern Fields bridge the gap and transcend genre expectations.
Northern Fields - Never take the beauty
Dead Letters Spell Out Dead Words
A line: align
Mystery Sea
Two steps forward, one step back? Fans of the elegant dronepop majesty of "Fall, fall falling" will see this CDR release as a disappointing regression, but those of us who are familiar and appreciative of earlier Dead Letters works will not be daunted. Consisting of three dark and dingy long-form pieces for a grand total of forty-nine minutes, "A line: align" is in fact a throwback to Thomas Ekelund's roots and it is not without its rewards as there are definitely moments of great beauty rising from within the filth. Opener "At Keiller's Park (Summer 2006)" is the weakest of the bunch in that takes far too long to get going, often abandoning themes just as soon as they begin to take hold. Patience is eventually rewarded, though not nearly as well as I'd like. The other two however, fare much better in comparison by adhering to a far more concise narrative arc, not to mention a vastly increased level of volume. As much as I appreciate the subtle crackle of processed field recordings, it's the dull, aching throb of pure noise that affects me most, both mentally and physically. When a melody emerges from the squall and I can feel it tingling all the way down to my toes, that's magic. Ultimately, "A line: align" doesn't compete with any of the "proper" Dead Letters full-lengths, but I don't think it intends to. As a way station to whatever comes next, it'll do just fine.
- Avi Roig
Finally, a track from the new Lack album "Saturate every atom" is up on myspace: http://www.myspace.com/lackbetherepulse
I have mixed feelings about the record as a whole, but this song ("Watchmen") is certifiably killer.
Muzzle of Bees interviews Mathias Stromberg from The Bell who kindly mentions IAT in the process: http://www.muzzleofbees.com/2008/02/10/5-questions-with-the-bell/
The band will also be featured on KEXP's "Song of the Day" on Thursday: http://kexp.org/podcasting/podcasting.asp#song
Swedish management/booking agency Promopop has officially closed their doors: http://www.promopop.com/
The new Superfamily single "Teens of the 70s" is streaming at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/superfamilynorway
Look for a video to appear online soon!
Norwegian country-rockers Orbo and the Longshots are now streaming the lead single/title track off their new album "High roller" at their website: http://www.orbo.no/view01.php?id=41
Said album will be released on March 31.