DigitalMetal has reprinted the press release for ex-Emperor frontman Ihsahn's new solo album: http://www.digitalmetal.com/news.asp?cid=7066
This week's top 20 Swedish album chart:
01. Björn Skifs - Decennier sånger från en annan tid
02. Håkan Hellström - Nåt gammalt, nåt nytt, nåt lånat, nåt blått
03. Sven-Ingvars - Livet är nu - 50 år det bästa med sven-ingvars
04. Agnes - Agnes
05. Laleh - Laleh
06. Son of a Plumber - Son of a Plumber
07. Thåström - Skebokvarnsv 209
08. Lena Philipsson - Jag ångrar ingenting
09. Monica Zetterlund - Z - det bästa med monica zetterlund
10. Bodies Without Organs - Prototype
11. The Cardigans - Super Extra Gravity
12. Kent - Du & jag döden
13. Emilia De Poret - A lifetime in a moment
14. Darin - Darin
15. Björn Afzelius - Björn Afzelius bästa
16. Sophie Zelmani - A decade of dreams 1995-2005
17. The Soundtrack of Our Lives - A present from the past
18. Ane Brun - Duets
19. Jan Johansson - Jazz på Svenska
20. Eva Dahlgren - Snö
Did you see that list of the top instrumental/post-rock albums over at Decoy Music? Claiming the #1 spot is a band from Norway cleverly named Samuel Jackson Five. I had seen their name in passing before, but I had no idea what they sounded like so I immediately went out and got a copy of their record "Easily misunderstood". I'm not the biggest post-rock/instrumental aficionado, so I'm not exactly qualified to state whether or not the album deserves the #1 ranking, but I do like what I hear: looping, hypnotic riffs, loud epic passages and a pronounced Scandinavian sense of melody. Some of the tracks remind me a bit of Finnish post-rockers Magyar Posse but then again, on tracks like the one I've posted today, you'll hear that SJ5 takes the "rock" part of the genre name much more seriously. It starts out quiet, but right around 2:30 they crank it up and kick out the jams.
Besides the recent webstore addition of a bunch of excellent releases from Norwegian experimental/electronic label Melektronikk yesterday, I am now quite pleased to announce that I am now selling Closer's debut EP "Tokpela" exclusively as a cheap paid mp3 download. This band blew me away the very first time I heard them, so I'm excited to offer everyone else a chance to check them out. Also, for those of you willing to be patient, be aware that physical CDs of the EP are currently in production and I've been told that the packaging is extra special. So yeah, if you're an old fogey like me who that's still partial to physical objects, it might be worth it to wait. All you young whippersnappers, click here.
Details for Norwegian singer/songwriter Thom Hell's new upcoming album "Every little piece" are now online: http://www.thomhell.com/FullArticleDetail.aspx?m=32&amid=179
It comes out January 30.
The new The Sounds single "Song with a mission" is available for streaming: http://www.mtve.com/artist.php?ArtistId=93
The Perishers will take a break from recording to tour the UK in February:
02/05 - Colchester Arts Centre, Colchester
02/06 - Norwich Arts Centre, Norwich
02/08 - Old Fire Station, Bournemouth
02/09 - Shepherds Bush Empire, London
02/10 - Fez Club February, Reading
02/14 - Rescue Rooms, Nottingham
02/15 - Sugarmill, Stoke
02/16 - The Barfly, London
Check out the video for "Fractured rays" from Swedish drone act Tape: http://www.jossystem.se/hapna/tape_video_high.mov
The clip was directed by Dan Brännvall.
IAT favorites Desert Planet will be touring Germany yet again this coming May and you should book them to play your party: http://personal.inet.fi/taide/junttila/desert/ani/tourmay2006.htm
Good times are guaranteed.
Swedish electronic artist Skoud will be touring the UK later this month:
01/26 - The Venue, Dumfries
01/27 - The Beerhouse, Manchester
01/28 - The Mill, Preston
01/29 - Jug of Ale, Birmingham
01/30 - Port Mahon, Oxford
01/31 - The Shed, Leicester
02/01 - 333, London
02/02 - The Fenton, Leeds
02/03 - The Brickyard, Carlisle
02/04 - 13th Note, Glasgow
Icelandic act Kimono will be touring the UK and Europe in February and March to support the release of their sophomore album "Arctic death ship", due out February 10 on Icelandic label Smekkleysa aka Bad Taste (not the Swedish one).