Sindrome, the new band from Ulver mainman Kristoffer G. Rygg (aka Garm) and Daniel Cardoso (ex-Sirius), is now to be known as Head Control System. Listen to four full tracks on their myspace page: http://www.myspace.com/spiralsektor
MP3: Mew - Why are you looking grave?
Today's mp3 comes from Mew, the latest act hyped for international success out of Denmark. Simon Thibaudeau found the helium-infused vocals to be too much of a Flaming Lips rip in his review, but I prefer to liken the band to other intelligent rock acts such as mid-period Radiohead or maybe heavier acts such as Tool and Dredg. I'm not saying they all sound alike, but rather that they share many similar characteristics such as uneven time signatures and polyrhythms and the tendency towards cinematic soundscapes. Mew doesn't get all that heavy outside of the bombastic intro track on the new album "And the glass handed kites" and because of that, I think they could appeal to listeners on both sides of the fence. It's as epic as any power-metal, but with more of a feminine touch. I'm not really a fan of Dinosaur Jr. (indierock heresy, yes I know), but the guest vocals on this track from J. Mascis are superb in context. His gravelly delivery is a perfect counterpoint to Jonas Bjerre's light and airy voice.
Mew - Why are you looking grave?
Congrats to Karl Elisha - you've won a copy of the new self-titled CD from Hyacinth House. Thanks to everyone that entered - all you people who missed the boat should still download a song and check 'em out. It's good stuff.
Babylon Bombs will enter Decibel Studios in Stockholm in mid-October with Lasse Mårtén (Blindside, etc.) to record their second full-length album, tentatively due out late March 2006.
"Bones" will be the first single from Finnish rockers Slideshaker's new album "In the raw". It comes out out on November 14 in both 7" and CDS format, but in the meantime, you can download an mp3 of the track here: http://netti.nic.fi/~hekkis/audio/Slideshaker%20-%20Bones.mp3
Go here to download a full recording of Stalwart's show from October 8 at Vastavirta in Tampere, Finland: http://www.hahmot.net/html/mp3.htm
Robert Post's next single "There's one thing" (as posted here in August) will be released on October 31.
The video for "Riverbank" from Pelle Carlberg is now online: http://www.labrador.se/video/riverbank_small.mov
Check out the video for "Art director" from Larsen and Furious Jane: http://www.larsenandfuriousjane.com/video/art_director.mov
Their new album "Tourist with a typewriter" comes out October 17 via Morningside Records.
Norwegian all-star cut-up/thrash act Kill is now to be known as Killl. Though the band declares that they will never release an actual studio album, a live DVD is in the works and will contain an assortment of material culled from their recent Norwegian tour. And at long last, you can even download a sample: http://www.v8.no/kill/multimedia.htm
Karisma Records has announced that the debut self-titled album from atmospheric/experimental rock act Corvine will be out on October 24. The band will play a record release show at Hulen with labelmates Petiko on October 21.
The latest Music Export Finland newsletter is now online: http://www.musexfinland.fi/index.php?page=news&id=78
Aa has announced that they will release "Open the gates of Mimer" from Swedish improv/noise act Skull Defekts in the beginning of November. The music was recorded live at Norberg Festival 2005 and features "55 minutes of energy, synergy and Hammarby." It comes packaged in artwork by Thomas Ekelund (Dead Letters Spell Out Dead Words) and will only be available in a limited edition of 500 copies, so you may want to preorder now if you want one.