IT'S A TRAP! is a non-profit web publication devoted to Scandinavian music, exploring the subject from many angles including critical and historical perspectives. The countries we cover include Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland and Iceland and we are updated year-round Monday through Friday excluding a few major holidays. Special feature items are sometimes posted on Saturdays such as our 2007 spotlight on Luleå-based artists The Bear Quartet and 2008's showcase on the music of Göteborg.

IAT! is constantly improved upon through the contributions of its readers. If you have a news item to submit, please feel free to let us know using the contact form in the header menu.

If you came looking for any Admiral Ackbar related garbage, you are obviously in the wrong place.

Credits/History:
IT'S A TRAP! was founded in September 2002 by Chief Editor Avi Roig. Everything on the site is written, coded, conceived and designed by Mr. Roig unless otherwise noted. Avi currently resides in Olympia, Washington, a city approximately 60 miles south of Seattle in the state (not city) of Washington. His brother, Jon Roig, wrote the basic code for the original content management system which has since been heavily modified. Nick Forte designed the flytrap logo. Much of the heavy lifting is done via jQuery/jQuery UI, but we also employ other widgets such as jPlayer and Tipped.

Avi is 46 years old and married with three dogs and two chickens.

Why?/Media Coverage
Ah yes- the inevitable, yet ultimately unanswerable question. The short version: Chief Editor Avi Roig became interested in Scandinavian music through the Göteborg/Swedish metal scene of the early/mid-90s and gradually branched out from there. The site was founded because, at the time (circa 2002), there were no other websites covering Scandinavian music written in English.

For more, please read these interviews/news stories:

Kultur Nyheterna (SVT)
Stockholm Metro
Upsala Nya Tidning
ROSA (Danish Rock Council)
Dagens Industri
Dagens Nyheter
Vertex (Umeå University)
Internet World Sweden
Tofu Hut (meeting the neighbors)
Cut the Chord (Scandinavia's American allies)

Mp3s:
The mp3s and podcast mixes are provided for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, please support the artist and label by actually purchasing their music and/or merchandise and supporting them on tour. For downloaders with a conscience, please note that an overwhelming majority of the music posted here is legal and with permission. If you are the copyright holder of a particular track and would like to see it removed, please let us know.

Reviews/Content Submission:
Please use the form in the header menu. Remember, this site appeals to an international audience, so we often don't cover live events unless they involve an international tour or a special event, such as a record release show or festival.

If you want to submit music for review, please first get in touch using the contact form. While we love getting free schwag, our mountain of promo records is getting unruly, so digital content is usually preferred.

By submitting recorded material to IT'S A TRAP! you are implying the right to post mp3s. If you do not want to authorize the posting of your music without more explicit instructions, please include a short note stating as such.

It's a Trap! Clubnights:
IT'S A TRAP! sponsored clubnights at Debaser in Malmö, Sweden are handled by Jonas Appelqvist. Please contact him for more information and/or booking details.

How To Contribute/Help Wanted!
IT'S A TRAP! is always seeking out new writers for our team. Give us a shout via the contact form with a basic introduction and we'll get back to you.