Adrian Recordings Advent Sunday Mixtapes 2011: Artisan Loyalist

is back again with their Advent Sunday Mixtape series where they let various guest artists remix their catalogue and the first edition for 2011 comes from Artisan Loyalist. Check it: http://www.adrianrecordings.com/default.asp?newsid=331

The return of Desperate Fight

José Saxlund is resurrecting his legendary old Umeå sXe label to release a new 12" from his current band Out of Vogue. Listen/download the band's debut EP here: http://outofvogue.bandcamp.com/album/out-of-vogue-ep

Nordic Music Prize 2011 semi-finalists

The semi-finalists for the 2011 Nordic Music Prize have been revealed:

Sweden:
Anna Ternheim - The night visitor
Jonathan Johansson - Klagomuren
Loney Dear - Hall music
The Field - Looping state of mind
Mattias Alkberg - Anarkist
Lykke Li - Wounded rhymes
Anna Järvinen - Anna själv tredje
Deportees - Islands & shores
Veronica Maggio - Satan i gatan
Goran Kajfes - X/Y

Denmark:
Larsen & Furious Jane - Dolly
Michael Møller - A Month of Unrequited Love
Oh Land - Oh Land
Mikael Simpson - Noget Laant, Noget Blaat
The Late Great Fitzcarraldos - The Late Great Fitzcarraldos
Malk De Koijn - Toback To The Fromtime
Iceage - New Brigade
Thulebasen - Gate 5
When Saints Go Machine - Konkylie
Hymns From Nineveh - Hymns From Nineveh

Finland:
Von Hertzen Brothers - Stars Aligned
Röyhkä & Mattila - Kaksi lensi tuulen mukaan
22-Pistepirkko - Lime Green Delorean
French Films - Imaginary Future
Siinai - Olympic Games
Rubik - Solar
Regina - Soita mulle
Michael Monroe - Sensory Overdrive
Mirel Wagner - Mirel Wagner
Chisu - Kun valaistun

Iceland:
Sóley - We Sink
Lay Low - Brostinn strengur
Ham - Svik, harmur og dauði
Sin Fang - Summer Echoes
ADHD - ADHD2
FM Belfast - Don’t Want To Sleep
Gus Gus - Arabian Horse
Mugison - Haglél
Björk - Biophilia
Apparat Organ Quartet - Pólýfónía

Norway:
Razika - Program ’91
Lars Vaular - Du betyr meg
Jonas Alaska - Jonas Alaska
Team Me - To The Treetops!
Ane Brun - It All Starts With One
Stein Torleif Bjella - Vonde Visu
120 Days - 120 Days II
Montée - Renditions Of You
John Olav Nilsen og Gjengen - Det nærmeste du kommer
Martin Hagfors - I like you

This list will eventually be culled down to a final 12 on December 1 before the winner is crowned on February 16.

Pitchfork top metal of 2011

Pitchfork's best metal albums of 2011 list includes selections from Vanhelgd (#34), In Solitude (#9) and Circle of Ouroborus (#7): http://pitchfork.com/features/show-no-mercy/8717-best-albums-of-2011/

Join the Rock Alliance

I don't normally do any crass ad/promo stuff aside from the ever-present/near-ubiquitous Google ad box below the fold, but I'm happy to make exceptions should the right opportunity present itself, so when Rock Science beckoned, I heeded the call. It wasn't a terribly hard decision: a Swedish-made rock'n'roll boardgame complete with a theme song by Imperial State Electric (included as a CDS in each copy) is totally right up my alley and is pretty much the perfect gift for your favorite rocker this holiday season (hint hint). So if you wanna hook it up, head on over to their webstore and use the promo code ITSATRAP when you check out. Do it!

Peter Bjorn and John - Dig a little deeper (video)

A new video from Peter Bjorn and John off their latest album "Gimme some", still one of the year's best releases.

New HOOB website

The excellent Swedish (mostly) jazz label has a nice new website: http://www.hoob.net/
It's also a good reminder that The Splendor's new album "Delphian Palace" is out now and available on Spotify.

Azure Blue album preview

The new Azure Blue album "Rule of thirds" is currently streaming in full on SoundCloud: http://soundcloud.com/azureblue/sets/rule-of-thirds-for-the-fader/

Caviere Days - The awakening (video)

PSL has the premiere of the video for Caviare Days' debut single "The awakening": http://blogg.svt.se/psl/2011/11/22/videopremiar-caviare-days-the-awakening/
Some decent psychrock vibes going on here, worth checking out.

Organismen & Dj Large - En rastlös själ (video)

From the upcoming EP "God morgon framtid".

Steel Mammoth - Nightmare ad nauseam (video)

A new clip from Finnish metal jokers Steel Mammoth. For full tech specs, hit up director Sami Sänpäkkilä's blog: http://samisanpakkila.com/2011/11/steel-mammoth/

Invisible Oranges likes Anima Morte

Invisible Oranges gives positive marks to Swedish horror/prog/soundtrack act Anima Morte: http://www.invisibleoranges.com/2011/11/anima-morte-the-nightmare-becomes-reality/

Maribel - Jezebel jive

The a-side of the new Maribel 7", officially released tomorrow via .

The Megaphonic Thrift - Tune your mind

The first track from The Megaphonic Thrift's upcoming album, due out next February.

Kent studio blog

Kent are posting pics from Southern France where they are in the studio recording a new album: http://kent.nu/