I'm surprised it took so long for this to happen: Roadrunner Records has licensed Swedish arena-rockers Takida for international release and will start off by putting "Bury the lies" out in Germany on October 2. It's a perfect fit for their roster as they are Sweden's answer to Nickelback, for better or worse.
Metronomicon Audio will be releasing
Pilemil
's debut album "If you make a lot of ceramics; ceramics will make a lot of you as well" on September 7. Head to the label's site to download a couple sample tunes: http://www.metronomiconaudio.net/New music from Taken By Trees at Fluxblog: http://www.fluxblog.org/2009/08/be-in-be-out-be-in
The Spotify iPhone app got approved: http://www.thelocal.se/21750/20090828/
Invasionen (nee The Lost Patrol Band) have two new tracks up at myspace: http://profile.myspace.com/invasionensweden
The band has an album in the can and is looking for a label to release it.
This week's top 20 Norwegian album chart:
01. Alexander Rybak - Fairytales
02. A-ha - Foot Of The Mountain
03. Röyksopp - Junior
04. Sibbe - Best Of
05. Espen Lind, Kurt Nilsen, Alejandro Fuentes og Askil Holm - Halleluja Live Vol. 2
06. Motorpsycho - Child Of The Future
07. Lollipop - Lollipop - 50 beste
08. Trøste & Bære - Drita full før Drøbaksundet
09. Narum - Samma Hen Du Fær
10. Reidar Larsen - Kom in te oss
11. Henning Kvitnes - Tid for latskap
12. Jens Carelius - The Beat Of The Travel
13. BigBang - Edendale
14. Noora Noor - Soul Deep
15. D.D.E. - Ut av kontroll
16. Randi Tytingvåg - Red
17. Postgirobygget - Øyeblikk
18. Tone Damli Aaberge - I Know
19. Terje Formoe - Hiv o'hoi - Kaptein Sabeltanns beste
20. Erik og Kriss - Tabu
This week's top 20 Swedish album chart:
01. Erik Hassle - Hassle
02. Drifters - Ljudet av ditt hjärta
03. Malena Ernman - La voix du nord
04. Tomas Ledin - 500 dagar om året
05. Scotts - Längtan
06. Irya's Playground - Irya's playground
07. Lasse Stefanz - Truck stop
08. Rolandz - Efter regn kommer solsken
09. Veronica Maggio - Och vinnaren är...
10. Hans Edler with String Orchestra - Remember the sixties
11. Dead By April - Dead By April
12. Caroline Af Ugglas - Så gör jag det igen
13. Erik Linder - Inifrån
14. ABBA - Nore ABBA gold
15. Benny Andersson Band - Story of a heart
16. Blackjack - Summertime blues
17. Smurfarna - Smurfparty 2
18. Thorleifs - Sweet kissin' in the moonlight
19. Style - Vill ha dej igen
20. Bullet - Bite the bullet
Pics from the Testbild! "Imagine a balloon" single release: http://hem.bredband.net/isotop/foto090826.html
Montys Loco, one of my most favorite, criminally underrated acts, will be playing Point Ephémère in Paris on September 25 with Titiyo and Nina Kinert.
I expressed interest in Mikael Lind after checking his recent mini-album download so the artist was kind enough to send over a copy of his CD "Alltihop" for perusal. Now that I've dug a little deeper, I realize I've actually heard him before through the very excellent "Postawakeningsound" download comp. If you dig skittery, dreamlike electronica, that's a must-have; as for "Alltihop", it's much more composed and demanding... to a point. Lind is not one for whom words such as "loud" or "brash" would ever fit, his music always lies on the mellower end of the spectrum. "Upprisa" is a good example: despite the bass-heavy Rhodes-style keys taking the lead, the drums are squelched into static and the melodic counterpoint is taken on with light strings and soft pads. There are elements of pop in the structure too, but in the end it seems that Lind lets his classical-influenced tendencies lead the piece in a straight line rather than through circles. Ideally, I think this would sound best on live acoustic instruments, but until he gets himself an ensemble, this is still quite nice.
Mikael Lind - Upprisa
Scandinavian crust acts Warvictims, Total Banxat, Besthöven and Krüel are teaming up for a 4-way split LP. Norwegian label Bombs Away Records will be handling things locally, but they're also looking for someone to handle things Stateside, so if that sounds like something you'd be into, get a hold of Fofão from Besthöven.
The 2nd single from Baby Woodrose's upcoming self-titled album will be "Emily". Listen at myspace: http://profile.myspace.com/babywoodrose
Moneybrother's current album "Real control" has been licensed by Bladen County Records for a US release in January and he'll be coming back for another batch of US dates in September:
09/18 - The Sunset Tavern, Seattle, WA w/The Love Language
09/19 - Rontoms (Music Fest North West), Portland, OR w/The Love Language
09/22 - Red Devil Lounge, San Francisco, CA
09/24 - The Viper Room, Los Angeles, CA w/Tigercity
Okkultokrati share members with Haust and more than a slight resemblance soundwise, but they are definitely way more on the current pessimistic hardcore zeitgeist tip than the latter. Haust mix hardcore aggression with black metal nihilism, Okkultokrati are just aggro. If you dig on the contorted sounds of Sex Vid, Total Abuse, Cult Ritual or any other like-minded negative creeps (overused Brainbombs references are a surefire tip-off), you'll probably dig this too, especially if you wish those bands had a heavier rhythmic integrity. The debut "Knarkskog EP" (free d/l here) won't usurp "Communal living" as the subset standard-bearer, but it's way better than some and bodes well for the future.
Okkultokrati - Neandertime