Outlandish - Keep the record on play (video)
Danish hip-hop act Outlandish have a new video for the single "Keep the record on play": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqFqUFOlfI8
Luxury release schedule update
has given two of their upcoming releases confirmed dates: the new My Darling You! 4-song 7" "Let the good times roll" comes out January 28 and will be followed by Almedal's full-length 8-track CD "Till kyrkogården" on February 3.
The Eight Arms Around You in album pre-production
Göteborg hardcore act The Eight Arms Around You (feat. members from Scraps of Tape, Anchor, The Smackdown etc.) are currently doing pre-production for their forthcoming full-length debut. The band plans to being actual recording in about two weeks.
Dyno album preview?
Dyno (ex-Closer) are streaming a bunch of new song clips from what I presume will be their debut album: http://www.myspace.com/dynodynodyno
Shout Out Louds US tour in May
Shout Out Louds are coming over to tour the US in May:
05/02 - 9:30 Club, Washington
05/03 - First Unitarian Church, Philadelphia
05/05 - Webster Hall, New York
05/06 - Paradise, Boston
05/07 - Cabaret Music Hall, Montreal
05/08 - Mod Club, Toronto
05/10 - Lincoln Hall, Chicago
05/11 - Varsity Theater, Minneapolis
05/14 - Commodore Ballroom, Vancouver
05/15 - Neumos, Seattle
05/16 - Doug Fir, Portland
05/18 - Great American Music Hall, San Francisco
05/20 - House of Blues, San Diego
05/21 - El Rey, Los Angeles
Umiumi - Söder om söder (video)
Swedish indie/twee-tronic pop artist Umiumi has a new video for the song "Söder om söder": http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=102189660
MP3: Java - Smokescreen
The best new music is old, part II. Java was a somewhat short-lived instrumental act from Gävle, Sweden that formed out of the remains of the hardcore act Ashram. A mere footnote perhaps, but re-visitation might suggest otherwise. Also, consider that the 90s was a fertile time in Swedish hardcore, especially up in Norrland where you had acts such as Fireside, Breach, Refused and Starmarket; to say nothing of acts such as The Bear Quartet or Randy -- so many great bands, all from the same set of towns along the Bothnian coast. The year was 1996 and as such, Java embraced the zeitgeist and sought to expand the sound of modern hardcore as fragmented and moved towards postrock, a sound echoed in acts such as Slint, June of 44 and pretty much any act of that era. The remnants of the 90s 'core remains though, particularly on tracks like "Smokescreen" where you can hear the lingering effects of bands like Groundwork in the subtle mosh. Certainly not as overt as the stuff was putting out further north, but oh yeah, it's there and it's alright. Java never amounted to much in their day, they never played a show even, but they did record a demotape and has seen fit for its rerelease. There is certainly nostalgia for those of us who remember this time in music and saw it firsthand, but I'd assert that Java is simply a good band that never got heard. Until now, that is.
Java - Smokescreen
SMRT Records offers Noncens preview
SMRT Records is streaming a couple tracks from the upcoming Noncens reissue they are doing: http://www.myspace.com/smrtrecords
Still no exact release date yet, but they say it will be ready very soon.
Shout Out Louds - Fall hard (video)
Shout Out Louds have a new video for the song "Fall hard": http://vimeo.com/8672927
Jonna Lee song of the month
Swedish singer/songwriter Jonna Lee is now offering a new song for download every month at her website: http://www.jonnalee.com/
New Munich album in the works
Danish act Munich report that they are recording a new album.
Oskar Schönning preps new album to feature lyrics by Annika Norlin
Swedish jazz bassist and band leader Oskar Schönning will release the new album "Belgrade tapes", his fourth, on March 1 via his own label. The album will feature live recordings from his band's trip to Serbia in August of 2007, as well as street recordings and other errata plus unsung lyrics composed by Annika Norlin (Hello Saferide, Säkert!). Says Oskar with regards to the words: "Jag har aldrig lyssnat på en låttext i hela mitt liv. Musiken dominerar texten på samma sätt som bilden dominerar musiken i film. Däremot har jag alltid lusläst booklets och låttexter. Särskilt Annika Norlins." (translate) Personally speaking, I completely relate. For locals, there will be a release party at Mosebacke in Stockholm on February 28.
The Quietus talks to Rockettothesky
The Quietus talks to Jenny Hval of Rockettothesky: http://thequietus.com/articles/03523-jenny-and-the-jets-the-musical-universe-of-rockettothesky
Good to see that she's starting to get some international attention -- she deserves it.
Kiss Kiss Kiss confirm debut record
Young Danish upstarts Kiss Kiss Kiss will release their debut record "More than this" on March 1. The band has previously released two well-received singles, "Broken hearts" and "Mirrors", both of which sound pretty boring to me in that way that almost all indie-dance-pop does, but what do I know?
Lowood to get GAS release
Swedish act Lowood will see their album "Close to violence" released in Germany, Austria and Switzerland on January 29 via .