Little Dragon has a blog
Yukumi from Swedish act Little Dragon has a new blog: http://electricforest-yukimi.blogspot.com/
Dundertåget debut now has a release date
Dundertåget's debut album "Skaffa ny frisyr" is now officially confirmed for release on February 18: http://www.razziarecords.se/releases_details.asp?id=729&artist=Dundert%E5get
Kusowsky debut full-length confirmed for late Feb.
Swedish indie act Kusowsky will release their debut album "Hjärtlös" on February 25. Look for the first single "Dansa" to appear at myspace very soon: http://www.myspace.com/kusowskymusic
Also keep an eye on their website where they'll be posting cover versions of the various album tracks in February.
New song from Rocca
Swedish electro duo Rocca has a new track called "Life on my own" streaming at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/roccarocca
Moto Boy as a music box
Songs I Wish I Had Written is releasing the music of Moto Boy in one of the most old-school, lo-fi ways possible: as a music box. See here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXC4I_ebIIA&fmt=18
Download the song in question: http://www.songsiwish.com/motoboy/Aroomwithoutyou.mp3
They're not the first to do it (Mogwai did the same awhile back), but it's certainly not commonplace. Says the label: In true Songs I Wish spirit we give away the music digitally and charge for the manufactured gadget. We test Seth Godins interesting Seinfeld curve theory that there is no room for the middle price range – no one pay $4 for a Seinfeld episode on TV, but to pay $200 to see Jerry in Las Vegas is not a problem. Applied to music, it's even more true. $1 per song is a construction made up by record labels that is/was doomed to fail. In Godins words: "because if you're not scarce I’m not going to pay for it because I can get if for free."
So $0 for MP3 and $25 for a totally unique musical box!
Read more: http://www.digitalrenaissance.se/2009/01/13/free-expensive/
MP3: Lesli - Half a wing
Another day, another duet. Swedish troubadour Lesli doesn't stray from the typical AAA party line; it's all very nice and pleasant and easygoing and easy on the ears. I hear bits of Jeff Buckley in his voice, maybe some Thomas Dybdahl too, though not so smokey. Heavier on the former by far. So yeah, not subversive in the least and nothing you haven't heard before. Which is not to say it's bad; he actually pulls it off quite well, wisely keeping the arrangements sparse and open. The muted horns on single "Half a wing" give it a distinct, warm 70s flavor, too. As for duet partner Frida Öhrn's (Oh Laura) contributions, she does a fine job of supporting the main act without eclipsing him. They elevate the material by subtly wrapping their voices together. It's actually that combined lowkey approach that wins it -- the casual atmosphere is endlessly charming. Without it, all allure would be lost. Perhaps not quite the sort of song that instantly captivates, but definitely one worth noting.
Lesli - Half a wing (ft. Frida Öhrn)
The Topeka Twins give new EP a release date
The new EP "Swim, swam, swan" from The Topeka Twins aka Björn Kleinhenz + Thomas Denver Jonsson will get an official release on January 24 and the duo will celebrate with a show at Hagateatern in Göteborg. Besides the hand-assembled 3" CD version which I'm sure will be available at the show, the EP will also be posted for free download.
Sirius playlist week #2
Here's the playlist for this week's radio show:
01. TALK 1
02. Promoe - New day
03. High Hats - The end
04. Björn Kleinhenz - Light of love
05. TALK 2
06. Boeoes Kaelstigen - Transpole
07. Ondo - Sunlight
08. Pugh Rogefeldt - Colinda
09. TALK 3
10. The Tallest Man on Earth - Shallow grave
11. The Fine Arts Showcase - Modern love
12. Pan Sonic - Johto 5
13. TALK 4
14. The Bear Quartet - All your life
15. Hanna Hirsch - Ingen kommer sakna oss
16. Mattias Hellberg & The White Moose - Black cat fever
17. TALK 5
18. Isolation Years - Let's step aside
19. Tomas Halberstad - Much better off without it
20. Grande - Rhythms of sin
21. TALK 6
22. Wolfbrigade - In adrenaline
Reminder: my show airs every week on Sundays and Mondays at 11pm ET on Sirius XMU. That's channel 26 on Sirius, 43 on XM and 831 for DirecTV subscribers.
New Röyksopp single 'Happy up here'
There's a new Röyksopp single up for streaming: http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/download/148404-new-music-ryksopp-happy-up-here-stream
Captain Cougar lineup shakedown
Finnish act Captain Cougar has gone through some lineup changes recently. Read all about it: http://www.captaincougar.net/index.php?EN&news
Manifest nominees are go
The nominees for the Manifest Awards, Sweden's alternative Grammy, have been announced:
Synth:
Thermostatic - Humanizer (Wonderland Records)
Zeigeist - The Jade Motel (Spegel/Imperial Recordings/Playground)
Moonlight Cove - Orphans of the Storm (Kinetophone/Hot Stuff)
Elegant Machinery - A soft exchange (Out of Line/Hot Stuff)
Rhythm:
Movits - Äppelknyckarjazz (BD Pop/Universal)
Erici - Brasilicum (Erici Music/Dead Frog)
Saft Stockholm - Ordet (Saft Productions/Stockholm Electronica)
Kungers - Galaxen (Rätta Visan/Border)
Experimental:
Anders Dahl - Doorbells (Bombaxbombax)
Nina de Heyney, Charlotte Hug & Christian Jormin - Acoustic Electronic (LJ Records)
Pär Thörn - Schöneberg/Stammheim/Gärdet/Rågsved (Treffpunkt)
Anders Hultqvist - Traces (Chamber Sound)
Pop:
Frida Hyvönen - Silence Is Wild (Licking Fingers/Playground)
Hello Saferide - More modern short stories from... (Razzia/Bonnier Amigo)
Joel Alme - A Master Of Ceremonies (Sincerely Yours/Border)
Nordpolen - På Nordpolen (Sincerely Yours/Border)
Rock:
The Hellacopters - Head Off (Wild Kingdom/Sound Pollution)
Pascal - Galgberget (Novoton/Bonnier Amigo)
Fatboy - In My Bones (Fat State Production/Playground)
Manikins - Crocodiles (P.Trash Records)
Dance:
Pär Grindvik - Samlad årsproduktion (Stockholm LTD)
Anders Ilar - Sworn (Level Records 11)
Style of Eye - Duck cover and hold (Pieces of eight records)
Zoo Brazil - No Place Like Home (Gung Ho! Recordings)
Jazz:
Bobo Stenson Trio - Cantando (ECM/Naxos)
Nina Ramsby & Ludwig Berghe Trio - Du har blivit stor nu [En kamp!] (Moserobie/Bonnier Amigo)
e.s.t. - Leucocyte (ACT/Bonnier Amigo)
The Splendor - Sound of Splendor (HOOB/Border)
Punk/Hardcore:
Disco Volante - "We are forever" (Not enough)
Disfear - "Live the storm" (Relapse/Border)
Nitad - "Ibland kan man inte hindra sig själv" (Kranium)
Meanwhile - "Reality or nothing" (Feral Ward)
Hårdrock/Metal:
Burst - Lazarus Bird (Relapse/Border)
Dismember - Dismember (Regain/Sound Pollution)
Grand Magus - Iron Will (Rise above/Border)
Opeth - Watershed (Roadrunner/Bonnier Amigo)
Hip-hop/R'n'B/Soul:
Chords - Things We Do For Things (Juju/Playground)
Afasi & Filthy – Fläcken (P.o.p.e./Playground)
Masse - Gott & Blandat Vol. 2
Allyawan - Blu Duk Mixtape Vol. 2
Folk/Ballad:
Gunnel Mauritzson Band - Det som sker...(Sandkvie Records/CDA)
Maria Hörnelius, Bernt Andersson & Kjell Jansson - En sång för Kent (Eld Records/Border)
Jonas Knutsson & Johan Norberg - Skaren - Norrland III (Act/BAM)
Bjernulf/Björklund/Lindh – Pål Olles väg (Courage)
Singer/Songwriter:
Melpo Mene - Bring the Lions Out (Imperial Recordings/Playground)
Hyacinth House - Black Crows Country (True Music Production/Glitterhouse)
First Aid Kit - Drunken Trees (Rabid Records/Border)
Olle Nyman - Venture (A West Side Fabrication/Border)
Live:
Detektivbyrån (Danarkia)
The Hellacopters (Psychout Records)
Lykke Li (LL Recordings)
Robyn (Konichiwa Records)
Myspace prize for best unsigned act:
Montauk
Hero in action
Miranda Gjerstad
Sci-Fi Hands
John F Karlsson
Dyno
Tim Schmidt
Nottee
The Bellevues
Diskoteket
Go here for more: http://www.manifestgalan.se/
Discobelle's top Swedish tracks for 2008
The folks at Discobelle have made a Fairtilizer playlist showing off some of their favorite Swedish music from 2008: http://fairtilizer.com/playlists/9901
New label: Swedish Columbia
Swedish Columbia is the name of a international new record label/art collective founded by Carcrash Records partners Håkan Johansson (Division of Laura Lee, Gbg) and Shelby Cinca (Frodus, DC). Besides collaborating on various bands (Frantic Mantis, etc.) and design projects, they've also found time to put out music from other people. The first batch of releases is heavy on Americans, so I won't tell you about most of 'em, but they are releasing a new single from the Swedish techno duo BMK aka Blandmissbruk which is supposedly yet another DoLL sideproject. Listen/purchase/download: http://bmkmusic.bandcamp.mu/
For more on Swedish Columbia, go here: http://www.myspace.com/swedishcolumbia
New music from Jeniferever
Jeniferever are streaming a couple new tracks on myspace from their new forthcoming album "Spring tides": http://www.myspace.com/jeniferever
Winter Took His Life, et al bigband tour in May
Winter Took His Life, Euphoria And The Lazy Boy, Hajen and Tvärvägen will all be touring Europe together in May playing as one big band. Some dates are booked, but not all so help out if you can: http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=46503669&blogID=463137548