Pitchfork recommends the new Luomo album "Convivial": http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/147089-luomo-convivial
The Washington Post Express talks to Swedish art-rock band Fredrik: http://www.expressnightout.com/content/2008/11/rhythmic_lullabies_fredrik.php
Watch them perform "1986" and "11 years" live from the House of Sweden in Washington, DC, and broadcast on TV4 in Sweden.
On Volcano
My sleep was filled with dreams
self-released
On Volcano attempt to tread the ground between postrock inspired rock of Silverbullit and the female-fronted shoegaze of A Sunny Day in Glasgow. Opener "Ride the wolf" is the best product of this strange interlocution, both driving and atmospheric. The chanting in "Out of sight" renders the composition slightly forced, deviating quite a ways from their strengths. "Goodbye fireflies" is crafted wonderfully, but it's poppier focus gives the track a radio-friendly sheen that spoils the pleasure a bit. There is hope to be found in the closer, as "The blank page" approaches sonic chaos in a way that I can only really compare to Sonic Youth, though there is a pop finesse present that Sonic Youth has not embraced. There's potential within On Volcano, it's just a shame that evidence for it is only found on half the tracks of their debut EP. Worth keeping an eye on these Finns, though.
- Lars Garvey Laing-Peterson
Cloudberry Records has announced that they'll be doing a 7" with Swedish indiepop act Hari and Aino in the near future. Preview here: http://www.cloudberryrecords.com/
The new Masshysteri (ex-Vicious) album "Var del av stan" is will be out this month via Feral Ward: http://www.feralward.com/home.html
Check out an e-card for the new Satyricon album "The age of Nero": http://indierec.no/ecards/satyricon
Swedish EBM act (and friends of Tiger Lou) Rupesh Cartel will release their new album "Anchor Baby" in early 2009, but you can check out the video for the first single "Oh no oh no!" right here: http://www.megahype.com/new_releases/rupesh_cartel_oh_no_oh_no
Check out the video for the The Mobile Homes' new comeback single "I'm phoning a friend and he says that": http://www.megahype.com/new_releases/the_mobile_homes_phoning_a_friend/
Danish extreme metal act A Kid Hereafter in the Grinding Light will see their acclaimed album released throughout Europe this coming February.
The Hellacopters may have played their final shows, but they're not walking away quietly. The band plans to release a final live album and some sort of live film/documentary in the near future. I'll keep you posted when I get details.
Swedish industrial/metal act The Project Hate has signed with upstart Dutch label Vic Records and will be recording their next album over the course of the winter with an expected finish date sometime around February. Read more at the band's website: http://www.theprojecthate.net/
Lots of new goings-on over at Danish DIY label collective BSBTA: http://www.bsbta.com/
New releases from Funny Art Collective (ft. Bjørn Svin) and Manipulator Alligator are out now on sub-sublabel d'Oorhinge Mandarine and there's more stuff on the way from Workaholics on Holiday! and the newly-formed BSBTA Heritage project.
PopMatters on the new Frida Hyvönen album "Silence is wild": http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/63568/frida-hyvoenen-silence-is-wild/