Pitchfork reviews "Draumalandid", the soundtrack album by Icelandic composer Valgeir Sigurðsson: http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/13976-draumalandid/
Dusted has a review up as well: http://dustedmagazine.com/reviews/5568
FM BelfastFM Belfast's debut full-length "How to make friends" is a breathless up-yours to any expectation of the (near) cliché ethereal Icelandic sound. Concerning themselves, not with glacially moving soundscapes, but with pulsating dance floors, the Reykjavík quartet stomp though eleven tracks with a dedication to disco-fueled outlandish fun that's likely to make Scissor Sisters jealous. In the case of tracks such as "Par avion", "Underwear", and "VHS", their horn and drum machine-backed high-octane determination goes down with a delicious hook and subversive wink.
However, FM Belfast refuses to simply rest on their outsider status -- piling on layer after layer off-kilter synth, pushing askew melodies a bit further off-center. By album mid-point, their more-is-more approach to quirk grows wearing, dragging down what could undoubtedly have been classic nü-disco cuts. Instead of answering our burning questions -- namely, does the world really need another cover of Technotronic's "Pump"? -- tracks "Synthia" and "President" close out the album with shouting, odd layers, and the world's most awkward rap. Probably not the best way to make friends, but I'm willing to give this relationship a second try if you are.
- Laura Studarus
The Fume now have a video for their single "Turn my back": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2mjOpUg7Sk
Swedish postrockers Pg.lost will be putting out their latest album "In never out" as a limited 300-edition vinyl run.
are giving away a new mp3 from Yosei called "The raven" and featuring guest vocals from Jenny Wilson: http://www.brusoknaster.se/showartists.php?artist_id=2
Look for Yosei's debut album "The wind-up waltz" to be released on April 7. Also on the way from the label is Leif Jordansson's new double album w/photo book "Two suites" on March 15, also to be made available individually as "The doll maker" and "The comet".
The new Moto Boy album "Lost in the call" is out now via and you can download the whole thing, read all the lyrics and even read all the thoughts behind each song at his website: http://www.motoboy.se/lost-in-the-call
Very recommended!
Danish postrock act Lis Er Stille will release their third album "Collibro" on April 10. Look for the first single "The real children" on March 10, otehrwise get more info and see some behind-the-scenes videos at the band's website: http://www.liserstille.dk/
The new Elias & the Wizzkids album "Just do it!" is out now via and the band is now streaming their latest single "Stormy weather" at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/eliasandthewizzkids
Sophie Zelmani has a new video for the single "To be forgiven": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJb5aTSWEUw
Rasmus Kellerman (Tiger Lou) says that his debut solo album "The 24th" is finished and will be released in late April: http://rasmuskellerman.com/?p=881
Drowned in Sound talks to Olof Dreijer of The Knife about their new Darwin-inspired opera "Tomorrow, in a year": http://drownedinsound.com/in_depth/4139258-talkin-bout-an-evolution-dis-meets-the-knife
Check out Thomas Dybdahl playing the song "Dice" in his living room: http://vimeo.com/8839654
MI reports that Torpedo recently collaborated with Justin Timberlake on an ad campaign for Audi: http://www.musikindustrin.se/artikel/1525/Torpedo_i_samarbete_med_Justin_Timberlake.html (in Swedish)
My only take on that is "cha-ching!" Good for them!
I've long regarded Meleeh as a decent band, still their new album "To live and die alone" took some time to grow on me. I think it's because it confounded expectations; I thought I'd hear more post-Refused style Swedish hardcore, but what I got was something far looser, darker, rawer and way more in line with 90s screamo, in the best possible way. I should've been tipped off by the song title -- "What I carry with every heartbeat" screams HeartattaCk, bikes, patches, vegan potlucks -- yet, it wasn't until this past weekend that I had my a-ha! moment. Aside from the vocals, which are still the weakest link, the music isn't too far off from Modern Life is War, albeit more burly and driven. Add a few extra bursts of melody and some subtle syncopation and we've got a band doing their best to push their sound forward. And it gets better and better with every listen too.
Meleeh - What I carry with every heartbeat
