NPR song of the day: The Raveonettes
"Boys who rape (should be destroyed)" by The Raveonettes is NPR's song of the day: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=121055410&sc=nl&cc=sod-20091203
A Fist in the Face of God interviews Neseblod Records
A Fist in the Face of God talks to Kenneth, one of the gentlemen who runs the Oslo-based specialty metal/punk store Neseblod Records: http://afistinthefaceofgod.blogspot.com/2009/11/interview-with-kenneth-of-neseblod.html
Captain Cougar - Too late
Finnish indie act Captain Couger have finished their new album "Of dreams long gone", a concept work "telling a story of two people living in Finland in the beginning of the 20th Century," and have posted the first sample tune at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/captaincougar
Worth checking out, I must say -- expect the album to be released in January.
Various Artists
Great Northern Recordings compilation #4
Great Northern Recordings
This fourth installment in Great Northern Recordings's sampler collection offers yet another foray into the realm of the avant-garde and ambient lives of four Swedish artists. Lakes of Grass and Gold kick off the proceedings with a feedback-induced drone that winds up the most unsettling of the units on here. This is particularly evident on second track "Lament" with its eerie, almost Native American chants laid over a creepy soundscape. Stockholm trio Tape offer a selection that, while much brighter in the use of playful melodies, is reflective and ponderous in its melancholic phrasing. There's the very slightest hint of a bleak industrial touch on "Brakes" while "Millipede cathedral" displays an innocent beauty quite at odds with the former effort. First track from The Magic State, "Something else", is firmly ensconced in the uneasy otherworld where pure dark ambient resides, while "Spectrum" comes off as a self-styled dark electronica that offers allure and desperation in equal measures. The icing on this rather atmospheric cake, however, is with closer Tsukimono, the super-prolific Johan Gustavsson from Göteborg, who demonstrates that minimalism can truly evoke emotion when administered with style and expertise. "A little heart explodes" oozes a sort of ethereal euphoria, while closing track "Mimilalanono" does the very same in the blending of styles to create one, unique, trance-inducing sequence. Yet again, Great Northern have shown that they have the vision necessary to bring together Sweden's anomalous underground and showcase the creative talent that the country's scene quite obviously has.
- John Norby
Idealists for Ideal CS review
The blog Pringles for Breakfast reviews the "Six idealists for Ideal" cassette comp, singling out the Dead Letters Spell Out Dead Words track as a "ripper": http://pringlesforbreakfast.blogspot.com/2009/11/six-pack-outstanding-review-new.html
Pitchfork reviews GusGus
Pitchfork reviews the new album "24/7" from Icelandic act GusGus: http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/13674-247/
Röyksopp and Trentemøller get US Grammy nods
The American Grammy nominees have been announced and the only Scandinavian non-classical names I see are Röyksopp and Trentemøller, both of whom get nods in the "Best Remix" category (#93): http://www.grammy.com/grammy_awards/52nd_show/list.aspx
Plain Fade - Anthropogonia
Uh, why didn't anyone tell me that Plain Fade wrote a symphony? See here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bZwhOLA77M
Pagan Metal: A Documentary
Bill Zebub of the famed metal zine "Grimoire of Exalted Deeds" has put together a documentary on the genre of Pagan Metal, which of course is well-represented by many Scandinavian acts. Watch a trailer here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VT1MIGJ0b10
Bands featured include Korpiklaani, Finntroll, Ensiferum, Turisas, Tyr among others and the official release date is December 8.
Aqua - Spin me a Christmas (video)
There's now a video for the new Aqua Christmas single "Spin me a Christmas": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hov-M7LK6Q
Haust/Next Life split sent to press
The upcoming Haust/Next Life split 12", the latter's first recordings with a live drummer I believe, has been finished and sent for pressing and will be out on early next year.
Shining - Fisheye (TV edit)
Shining are streaming a new track at myspace off their forthcoming record "Blackjazz": http://www.myspace.com/shiningofficial
"Bourgeois Shangri-La" to get single release, more
Miss Li's "Bourgeois Shangri-La", the song you hear on those new iPod ads including the one at Pitchfork, will be officially released as a single on December 15 via . Also coming out that same day will be the singles "Voodoo doll" from Val and the Bitches and "Trip to Luleå" by NEI.
New Rigas album confirmed
The new Rigas album "Let's get gone" is now finished and confirmed for an early March release via . Said album was written and produced by Rigas in conjunction with his friend, labelmate and frequent stage companion Pelle Lindroth (Parken, The Chrysler) and will also feature guest appearances from the likes of Anna Maria Espinosa, Jenny Wilson and more. Expect the first single in mid-January.