IT'S A TRAP! Scandinavian Music Journal

Hearts No Static update

Tue, 19 Jun 2012 15:30:03 -0700

Swedish ambient/postrock act Hearts No Static has gone through a bit of a personnel shuffle recently -- drummer Jens Pettersson has left the band, so John Roger Olsson (also in The Grand Opening) has put down his six-string and picked up the sticks and brought in his friend Mikko Singh (Haleiwa) as their new guitarist. The new lineup is now working on basic tracks for the band's sophomore album and hopes to have it out by the end of the year.

Haleiwa - Havana (video)

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 18:14:57 -0700

Haleiwa doing some heavy jamming with pals down in Cuba. This was a rehearsal for a session to record 3 songs a month later.

Haleiwa brings back songs from Cuba

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 19:49:09 -0800

How cool is this? Haleiwa went to Havana, Cuba in January and recorded three new songs for his next album with local musicians: http://haleiwamusic.com/#news

New Haleiwa album in the works

Tue, 18 Oct 2011 19:34:56 -0700

Haleiwa (nee Mikko Singh) is back in the studio working on his next album, with 3 tunes in the can and an eye on a summer 2012 release. Stay tuned! In related news, Mikko's other band Will Gambola Sing (which also features members from The Grand Opening) will begin recording something new in December.

Top tens for 2010: John Roger Olsson (The Grand Opening/Hearts No Static/Will Gambola Sing)

Wed, 01 Dec 2010 11:25:21 -0800

The number one happening of the year: The birth of my daughter Doris.

Favourite music of the year in no particular order:

Various top 10

Kenseth Thibideau "Repetition"
Windsor for the Derby "Against Love"
Beach House "Teen Dream"
Eluvium "Similes"
The National "High Violet"
Three Mile Pilot "The Inevitable Past is the Future Forgotten"
Damien Jurado "Saint Bartlett"
Band of Horses "Infinite Arms"
The Innocence Mission "My Room in the Trees"
Sun Kil Moon "Admiral Fell Promises"

Instrumental top 11

Eluvium "Static Nocturne"
Max Richter "Infra"
William Ryan Fritch "Library Catalog Music Series: Music for Honey and Bile"
Parlour "Simulacrenfield"
Balmorhea "Constellations"
Maserati "Pyramid of the Sun"
Four Tet "There is Love in You"
Grails "Black Tar Prophecies Vol. IV"
Loscil "Endless Falls"
Danny Paul Grody "Fountain"
Comic Wow "Library Catalog Music Series: Music for Mysteries of Mind Space and Time"

Swedish top 13

Brothers of End "The End"
The Grand Opening "In the Midst of Your Drama"
Sophie Zelmani "I'm the Rain"
Haleiwa "Pura Vida dude"
The Late Call "You Already Have a Home"
I'm Kingfisher "Arctic"
Kent "En Plats i Solen"
Tomas Andersson Wij "Spår"
Case Conrad "Dew Point"
Will Gambola Sing "Will Gambola Sing"
Linus Larsson & John Roger Olsson "Leve Hogrän"
Yamon Yamon "This Wilderlessness"
The Tarantula Waltz "Did Not Leave to Find But to Forget, to Leave Behind"

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John Roger Olsson released albums this year with Linus Larsson, The Grand Opening and Will Gambola Sing in addition to recording and producing Case Conrad, The Late Call and The Tarantula Waltz. Coming up in 2011, he'll be touring Germany in February with TGO and will also be working in the studio once again with The Tarantula Waltz. And changing a lot of diapers.
http://www.tgomusic.com/
http://heartsnostatic.wordpress.com/
http://willgambolasing.com/

Sirius playlist week #40

Mon, 04 Oct 2010 12:25:51 -0700

Here's the playlist for this week's radio show Sirius XMU:

01. TALK 1
02. Robert Svensson - Runaway
03. My Poor Lover - Lovesick
04. Fun - Williams house
05. TALK 2
06. Hero Dishonest - Birth, Sports Illustrated, death
07. Hanna Hirsch - Framtid och besvär
08. Haleiwa - Observatorielunden
09. Pistol Disco - Pool
10. TALK 3
11. MF/MB/ - The grand chase
12. Ståålfågel - Stupet
13. The Nature - Northern lights
14. TALK 4
15. The Loveable Tulips - Fortune favours the brave
16. Anna von Hausswolff - Track of time
17. Hunt - Ashes of a secret heart
18. The Bells - No Waves
19. TALK 5
20. Makthaverskan - Know love

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.

Want an Ear interviews Haleiwa

Mon, 16 Aug 2010 19:33:39 -0700

Turkish blog Want an Ear interviews Mikko Singh about his new album under the guise Haleiwa: http://wantanear.blogspot.com/2010/08/haleiwa.html

Audio Suede reviews Haleiwa

Fri, 06 Aug 2010 17:32:26 -0700

Audio Suede has a comprehensive review of the new Haleiwa album "Pure vida dude": http://audiosuede.com/haleiwa-pura-vida-dude/

Sirius playlist week #31

Mon, 02 Aug 2010 11:39:40 -0700

Here's the playlist for this week's radio show Sirius XMU:

01. Niels Nielsen - Dpend
02. TALK 1
03. Haleiwa - Pure vida dude
04. Óðmenn - Einn ég ræ
05. The Bear Quartet - Lovers goodbye
06. Night Minutes - Sweetheart at the funeral
07. TALK 2
08. A Swarm of the Sun - The worms are out
09. Logh - An alliance of hearts
10. Tomas Halberstad - I must be in love
11. TALK 3
12. Liechtenstein - On the tram
13. Scraps of Tape - Blindspot
14. Dear Euphoria - Coming down
15. Dyno - Emotional
16. TALK 4
17. Kvelertak - Ordsmedar av rang
18. The Social Services - Baltic Sea
19. Oriel Joans - Knuckles whiten
20. TALK 5
21. Ted Gärdestad - Oh, vilken härlig dag

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.

MP3: Haleiwa - Vibraandaman

Thu, 22 Jul 2010 12:57:05 -0700

Though I am inherently drawn to the dark, dingy and the dystopian, that's not my whole musical diet. Such monochromatic listening habits wouldn't just drive me crazy, they'd probably also turn my wife murderous way before I'd reach the point of no return. Which is why the dichotomy of having someone like Haleiwa (nee Mikko Singh) in my library is crucial -- his overwhelmingly posi vibes are a refreshing break from my usual rotation of ugly Norwegian punk/metal and Swedish death metal reissues. I know it might seem a stretch to imagine someone being so blissfully happy as to name an album "Pure vida dude" and mean it 100% sans irony (not to mention, songs such as "Two dolphins came by to say 'hello!'"), but having met Mikko in person, I can assure you: it is true. He is exactly the person his music would lead you to believe and I love him for it. Yes, it does veer dangerously close to dippy hippie territory, but there's nothing lame about loving the world/loving life. Especially when there are many days I can't. Yes, I do enjoy the exploration of its darker recesses, but I also need to come up for air sometimes and tracks like "Vibraandaman" help me get there. Simple and beautiful, like many of the little things in life, and meant to be cherished.

Sirius playlist week #29

Mon, 19 Jul 2010 11:25:07 -0700

Here's the playlist for this week's radio show Sirius XMU:

01. Champagne Riot - A friend of a friend
02. TALK 1
03. Hur Högt - Hur högt
04. Karl X Johan - Flames
05. Nils Bech & Krazy Fiesta Arkestra - Drunk love
06. TALK 2
07. Håkan Lidbo - Zuzuvela
08. Jasmine Kara - Try my love again
09. Kaka - Below this sun
10. Viola - Neon lightning
11. TALK 3
12. Supersci - Snap out of it
13. Haleiwa - Vibraandaman
14. Korallreven - The truest faith
15. TALK 4
16. Robyn - Dancehall queen
17. Hunt - Ashes of a secret heart
18. Rasmus Kellerman - Where do you go at night
19. TALK 5
20. Tutankamon - Have you ever been in love?

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.

Haleiwa - Observatorielunden

Tue, 22 Jun 2010 17:05:30 -0700

There's a new song from Haleiwa/Mikko Singh streaming at his Japanese label's myspace page: http://www.myspace.com/friendofminerecords

"Pure vida dude" to get Japanese release

Tue, 25 May 2010 17:15:14 -0700

The new Haleiwa (nee Mikko Singh) album "Pure vida dude" is now officially 100% finished and will be released in Japan on July 7 via Friend of Mine Records.

Will Gambola Sing is here

Wed, 31 Mar 2010 15:25:28 -0700

Now in stock and ready to order, the self-titled debut full-length CD from Will Gambola Sing! So says the one-sheet:

Emerged from the musical melting pot of Northern Europe, Will Gambola Sing, an instrumental pop/rock quartet from Sweden, seems to have achieved what they set out to achieve. Three years after the acclaimed debut with "Overheard Dialogue Reconstructed EP," WGS has finally perfected their sound that is surely enough to stand out from the scene. With an ensemble of two beautiful guitars, the elastic yet soft sounding rhythm section, just the right amount of keyboards, and memorable electronic bits, this self-titled first album was carefully woven by their sincere hands.
There's no tricks, no gimmicks, just plain beauty coming out from their simple, straightforward approach to music. Some may recall the epic works of great pioneers such as Tortoise, Tristeza, The Album Leaf, 33.3, and Unwed Sailor; for this album somehow brings back the best earliest days of post-rock. True, it does hold the same kind of never fading brilliance as all the authentic masterpieces have. Just like your favorite records of all time, this is something you could play on repeat, like forever.

Yup, that about sums it up! Fine quality Swedish post-rock from a group of dudes who also do time with acts such as The Grand Opening, Haleiwa, The Tarantula Waltz, Ohm and probably a few others. I'll sell you a copy of this Japanese import (w/obi strip!) for $14 cheap because I like you; preview here. Email mailorder@itsatrap.com to buy and don't forget to check out the rest of my distro list before you do. Expect an mp3 to be posted once I figure out a track to highlight.

Mikko Singh = Haleiwa

Thu, 25 Mar 2010 19:04:06 -0700

Not brand new news, but new to me: the always awesome Mikko Singh (also a member of Will Gambola Sing) has changed the name of his solo project to Haleiwa. See his new website: http://haleiwamusic.com/
Look for his new album "Pure vida dude" to be released soon and listen to a sample on myspace: http://www.myspace.com/mikkosingh