Norway's Beatservice Records is celebrating their 10-year anniversary with a special free EP for download entitled "Mind over MIDI". Check it: http://www.beatservice.no/blogg/2005/09/mind-over-midi-10-years-anniversary.html
Download the track "From door to door" from Mother Goose: http://www.lamplite.fi/doortodoor.mp3
The Finnish noiserock band's new album "Obvious works" was just released on LampliteLtd.
Finnish shoegazer/drone act Cahier has a new website: http://www.pyhpyh.com/cahier/
Their debut album "Jour ouvrable" will be released this fall via US-based CDR label Foxglove Recordings.
Norwegian hardcore act Amulet has signed with Golf Records in the UK and will have their new album "All that is solid melts into air" released across Europe in November. The record was recorded by the legendary production team of Pelle Henricsson and Eskil Lövström at Tonteknik in Umeå and the first single "Warpriest" is downloadable at the band's website: http://www.amulet.no/
Swedish "jangle-soul" act Shade Tree has a new website online with quite a few tracks available for download: http://www.shadetree.se/
Umeå's Klubb Modos is hosting their most amazing night ever on November 12 with an extra-special NONS-tribute night at Scharinska Villan. Not only will Isolation Years and The Perishers be performing live, but Puffin, the band of label founder Per Helin will reunite! And the NONS record crew will be on-hand to DJ as well. Should be an amazing time, I'm sure. For those that are unaware, NONS (North of No South) is one of Sweden's premiere indie labels, releasing records from bands like Komeda, Dr. Kosmos, Ray Wonder, Silverbullit, Komeda and more.
Check out an e-card for the Danish metal act BlindFault: http://www.fastbeatrecords.adsl.dk/start.html
The band's new album "Talking to deaf ears" comes out October 3 via Fast Beat Records and the band will be touring Scandinavia throughout November and December before hitting Europe early next year.
MP3: Firefox AK - What's that sound
Speaking of new stuff in the webstore, I finally got CDs from the good people at Combat Disc in stock. Not only are the Kellermans some of the nicest folks I've ever had the pleasure of meeting, but they're also amazing musicians. I'm sure a lot of you are already familiar with Rasmus and Tiger Lou (if not: shame on you), but there's more. I've posted tracks from Jenny Kellerman and her melancholy folksy act Dexter's Moon and also Las Puertas which features Rasmus with his wife Andrea, but now it's time for a song from Firefox AK - Andrea's solo act. Like a lot of her contemporaries such as El Perro Del Mar, Andrea plays alone with programmed backing tracks, but I find her sound to be a lot more driving and beat-heavy. No too much so, mind you, but there's definitely more of a techno influence going on. I dig it. And it seems I'm not the only one - her debut EP "What's that sound" got picked up by Razzia Records for wider release, so she's gotta be doing something right. Check out the title track whydoncha?
Firefox AK - What's that sound
I've posted tunes from The Motorhomes before, but it's been a long time. I think it was probably way back when their final album "The long distance runner" first came out in 2002. I had been kind of iffy on the band before, but man oh man, when this record came out, I was blown away. Seriously, this is easily one of the best Swedish pop records of the past five years, in my oh-so-humble opinion. 1999's "Songs for me (and my baby)" showed the band had potential, but ultimately was kind of weak. It's just a little too wimpy, too hesitant. There's no guts or bravado. But, as I was saying, all that changed when "The long distance runner" was unleashed. The first single "The man" came out late 2001 and instantly made a huge impression on me. I got the record as soon as I could and it immediately went on constant rotation. There's not a single weak track. Of course all good things must come to an end and the band eventually fell apart, shedding members before finally giving up and finally calling it quits in 2004. I understand there's an unreleased EP out there somewhere, but I've never heard it. In some ways it's for the best as it's doubtful they could top such a masterful album. Still, if anyone wants to hook me up, I'd be much obliged. In the meantime enjoy my favorite track "Love". The build-up when the bass comes in just kills me every time.
El Perro Del Mar will be playing two shows at CMJ in NYC next week:
09/14 - Upstairs at Pianos (Ludlow St.) at 7:30pm
09/17 - Upstairs at Pianos (Ludlow St.) at 6:00pm
Pitchfork gives an incredibly high score to the reissue of Luomo's "Vocalcity": http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/record-reviews/l/luomo/vocalcity.shtml
Memoplay is Sudd's band in focus this month: http://www.sudd.org/focus.htm
The Swedish act is a duo consisting of Adam Svanell (50 Hertz) and Björn Kleinhenz.
Powersolo bids farewell to their trusty old van The Red Sword: http://www.powersolo.dk/redsword.html