IT'S A TRAP! Scandinavian Music Journal

A new outlet for Sanna Kurki-Suonio

Tue, 18 Oct 2011 14:16:30 -0700

The Finnish Music Information Centre reports that the brilliant vocalist Sanna Kurki-Suonio (Hedningarna) is in a new international group called SANS, along with Andrew Cronshaw, Ian Blake and Tigran Aleksanyan: http://www.fimic.fi/fimic/fimic.nsf/0/047C0D764BC11BB0C22579220045029C?opendocument
Look for their debut album "The unbroken surface of snow", out soon under Cronshaw's name.

MP3: Hedningarna - Tuuli

Fri, 23 Sep 2011 13:29:44 -0700

Besides industrial, the other thing I've been listening to a lot of recently is Swedish folk. Spotify has actually been a really great tool for this even if their genre tagging is less-than-stellar -- you just gotta know where to look if you wanna dig deep. For instance, how else would I know about Jonas Knutsson's various "Norrland" album collaborations with Johan Norberg? "Skaren: Norrland III" with Kraja? Maybe not as edgy as I usually go for, but it is undeniably gorgeous. Plenty more where that came from, too. Novices however, are very much encouraged to start with Hedningarna since they are (were?) an act that can do no wrong. "Tuuli", off the 1994 album "Trä" piles on the works: brilliant dense vocal harmonies, hypnotic beats, Wimme's excellent and unmistakable joik, witchy cackling and more -- everything the band is renown for, aside from their creative hurdy gurdy playing. Absolutely essential listening and a major influence on me and my interest in Scandinavian music.

MP3: Valkyrien Allstars - Å gjev du batt meg

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 13:21:07 -0800

The good folks at MIC Norway sent me a big box of CDs earlier this week as part of their "Listen to Norway" music promotion program, so to oblige them I will attempt to do some sort of weekly feature on one of the contents therein. I'm planning on listening to most of it anyway, so why not give it focus? Now as for the types of discs they sent me, there's a good selection of pop, rock, indie and metal stuff that I've either heard before or at least somewhat familiar with, so I decided to jump into the other stuff first. I know some Norwegian jazz, mostly through artists affiliated with Rune Grammofon or ECM, and we'll get to those in coming weeks, but it's definitely the folk music that intrigued me the most. As regular readers should know by now, I love traditional Scandinavian folk, especially when it's done in contemporary fashion ala Detektivbyrån, but I'm also quite fond of the trad stuff, it's just that I barely know where to start with it so let us consider this to be a mutual exploration. There's a lot of folk music out there and I've listened to a damn lot of Hardanger fiddle this week and while I couldn't begin to tell you the history of the style or anything about the various regional variations, I know what I like and Valkyrien Allstars are a group I definitely can get into. According to the liner notes of their self-titled debut (2007), the trio got their start as the house band at The Valkyrien Restaurant in Oslo though they definitely seemed to have moved beyond that now, having been nominated for a Norwegian Grammy and toured Japan (and released a new album "To måner", which I do not have yet). Musically speaking, they are at their essence, a Hardanger fiddle trio, though they do mix it up by adding a few extra instruments and vocals. But what I like best about them is their energy and enthusiasm, a similar trait I heard in Swedish act Hedningarna, the band that first got me interested in Nordic folk. "Å gjev du batt meg" is one of the group's mellower tracks, but I just love the vocal on it, especially frontwoman Tuva Livsdatter Syvertsen's rough-edged tone. It reminds me of Hajen/Jaw Lesson a bit, in fact they even kinda look similar as far as hairstyle is concerned. Anyhow, it's those little cracks at the edges that make it, and that's why I'm sharing this song today.

Expect more folk discoveries and other new (to me) tunage in weeks to come.

Hedningarna live dates

Thu, 23 Jul 2009 13:30:46 -0700

Hedningarna, possibly my favorite modern Swedish folk group, will be playing a bunch of dates soon after a long period of inactivity:

07/30 - Parapanda Folk, Illora (ESP)
07/31 - Intercéltico de Sendim, Sendim (POR)
08/01 - Pardiñas Festival, Lugo (ESP)
08/04 - Fashing, Stockholm (SWE)
08/05 - Warfsholmen, Klintehamn (SWE)
08/07 - Kulturbrottet, Hide (SWE)
08/15 - RonnebyFolk, Ronneby (SWE)

The likewise excellent Hurdy Gurdy will be joining them on all Swedish dates.

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 14:02:03 -0700

Detektivbyrån will be performing at this year's Nordic Roots Festival in Minneapolis, MN in late September, which will apparently be the 10th and final year of said festival. Also on the (amazing!) lineup are Hedningarna, Hoven Droven, Hurdy-Gurdy, Frigg, Väsen and many more. More details: http://www.nordicroots.org/NRF2008/index2008.html

MP3: Jonas Knutsson - Bosambo-Revati

Tue, 04 Mar 2008 11:48:51 -0800

Hey, look! More jazz to bore all you indie music fans. I make no secret that I'm a huge fan of Nordic folk-inspired jazz such as Jan Johansson and Cornelis Vreeswijk and other modern folk-influenced acts such as Detektivbyrån, Det Gamla Landet and Hedningarna, but did you know that I am also a soprano sax player? Or was I guess I should say, as I am waaaay out of practice. I know most people immediately think Kenny G when they think soprano, but please put such thoughts aside! Think John Coltrane, Steve Lacy. Anyone else! Or maybe start thinking Jonas Knutsson & Horn Please. Six sax players (from sopranino to baritone, but mostly soprano) plus a rhythm section playing "Country & Eastern" music (as the cover proclaims), or as you may have guessed, ethnic folk-inspired jazz. I became hooked on this stuff way back when John Zorn first started his acclaimed Masada project- I had been a fan of his work with Naked City among other projects, but it's his roots-based work with Masada that I consider to be his best. Did you realize that there are many similar tonal qualities in Middle Eastern, Eastern European and Scandinavian folk? It's true. The styles blend together far more easily than you might expect. That's why me, as some Jewish kid getting into Masada, can also similarly appreciate a "polska" piece from Jonas Knutsson. Now, I'm not actually posting a polka today, but you get the idea, right?

Sun, 06 Jan 2008 11:30:39 -0800

The playlist for this week's radio show:

01. Jan Johansson - Visa från Utanmyra
02. TALK 1
03. Annika Norlin/Säkert! - Generalens visa
04. Don't Be a Stranger - Mon-chi-chi
05. Audionom - In the streets
06. TALK 2
07. Elias and the Wizzkids - Fourth of July
08. C.Aarmé - Golden retriever
09. Kasper Bjørke - Humming song
10. The Carny - Bestseller
11. TALK 3
12. Marybell Katastrophy - Hip
13. Flyphonic - The truth is
14. Universal Poplab - Heart apart (Timo Räisänen acoustic remix)
15. TALK 4
16. E.S.T. - Tuesday wonderland (live)
17. Rigas - Dead like you
18. TALK 5
19. Bröderna Lindgren - En hund som jag
20. Springfactory - Swedish folk highschool
21. Loud Pipes - Don't you ever
22. Sophie Zelmani - To know you
23. TALK 6
24. The State of Floral Beings - Man you owe me
25. Caitlyn - Oh no!
26. The Bombhappies - And at Belle Bed Inn, I told you
27. TALK 7
28. Brick - Call Batman
29. Smalltown - What's going on?
30. Desert Planet - Return of the ninja droids
31. TALK 8
32. Hedningarna - Neidon laulu
33. Dreamboy - What have I done
34. Captain Murphy - Sailor behaviour
35. TALK 9
36. Lemonator - Heart burns
37. The Kissaway Trail - Smother + evil = hurt
38. Johndoe - Rastløs rock'n'roll
39. Lukestar - Shade you hide
40. TALK 10
41. The Fine Arts Showcase - Teenage poetry

Mon, 01 Oct 2007 11:04:48 -0700

Christopher Porter was kind enough to pass along his full, unedited interview with Norwegian artist Sinikka Langeland for your reading pleasure - check it out!
As you may or may not be aware, one of the things I like best about Scandinavian music is the way that folk traditions are kept alive in modern times. Whether it's acts like Hedningarna or Detektivbyrån playing folk tunes using home-built instruments and electronics, Enslaved exploring their viking roots, Amorphis using the Kalevala for lyrical inspiration or Jan Johansson borrowing folk melodies for jazz (much in the same way that Sinikka does), there's a vast, rich musical heritage that's constantly being reinvigorated in new and interesting ways.

Thu, 05 Apr 2007 00:00:00 -0700

Artists confirmed for this year's Nordic Roots Festival in Minneapolis, MN on September 28-30: Sinikka Langeland Trio, JPP, [NI:D], Harv, Hedningarna (instrumental) and Den Fule (reunion). More details to come.

Fri, 31 Mar 2006 00:00:00 -0800

The final mp3 from our week of Scandinavian folk comes from Hedningarna, the group responsible for getting me seriously interested in the genre. I can still remember the first time I heard them - a friend of mine who worked at a record store had picked up a copy of "Trä" on a whim and we were both blown away by how amazing and unique it sounded. The instruments are traditional, but they're amplified and distorted and far away from the stodgy, pristine production usually found on world music recordings. I was already fairly heavily interested in Scandinavian music at the time (this was around '97, if I remember right. I was probably just getting over my At the Gates infatuation.), but hearing Hedningarna took it to the next level. This live track that I've posted for you today is a great example of what the group is capable of. Wimme starts off the piece with a joik over a droning bass note. The piece builds and band gets louder and louder until the hurdy gurdy comes in takes things to a huge, buzzing climax. It's way more intense than what most post-rock bands are capable of.

MP3: Hedningarna - Live from P3

Fri, 31 Mar 2006 00:00:00 -0800

Wed, 29 Mar 2006 00:00:00 -0800

We continue our exploration of traditional Scandinavian folk this week with a track from the aptly-named Hurdy Gurdy. Artist monikers don't get much more self-explanatory than that! The concept is staightforward enough: two men (Stefan Brisland-Ferner of Garmarna and Hållbus Totte Mattson of Hedningarna) and their instruments. Except that it's not really that simple - the men don't just play their instruments - they also process and chop the recordings on their computers so that every single nuance of sound you hear on the album originated from a hurdy gurdy. The so-called "medieval synthesizer" is an unexplored landscape of noise, especially when it comes to modern recording technique. It's not at all like electric guitar where there's an established and accepted standard for mic placement, tone range and so forth. Most engineers, when faced with a contraption like a hurdy gurdy, would have absolutely no idea what to do. Stefan and Hållbus use that to their advantage and are free to play around and create something completely new from the old device. It's a fascinating instrument and I highly recommend that, if the opportunity presents itself, you see it performed live. I caught Garmarna on tour a few years back and Stefan stole the show. Never would I have imagined that a hurdy gurdy player could rock out with such reckless abandon.

MP3: Hurdy-Gurdy - Venjan

Wed, 29 Mar 2006 00:00:00 -0800

We continue our exploration of traditional Scandinavian folk this week with a track from the aptly-named Hurdy-Gurdy. Artist monikers don't get much more self-explanatory than that! The concept is straightforward enough: two men (Stefan Brisland-Ferner of Garmarna and Hållbus Totte Mattson of Hedningarna) and their instruments. Except that it's not really that simple - the men don't just play their instruments - they also process and chop the recordings on their computers so that every single nuance of sound you hear on the album originated from a hurdy gurdy. The so-called "medieval synthesizer" is an unexplored landscape of noise, especially when it comes to modern recording technique. It's not at all like electric guitar where there's an established and accepted standard for mic placement, tone range and so forth. Most engineers, when faced with a contraption like a hurdy gurdy, would have absolutely no idea what to do. Stefan and Hållbus use that to their advantage and are free to play around and create something completely new from the old device. It's a fascinating instrument and I highly recommend that, if the opportunity presents itself, you see it performed live. I caught Garmarna on tour a few years back and Stefan stole the show. Never would I have imagined that a hurdy gurdy player could rock out with such reckless abandon.

Wed, 03 Aug 2005 00:00:00 -0700

PopMatters reviews Swedish folk act Triakel, a trio featuring the vocal talents of Emma Hardelin from Garmarna and members of Hedningarna: http://popmatters.com/music/reviews/t/triakel-songs.shtml

Thu, 05 May 2005 00:00:00 -0700

The first set of artists confirmed to appear at this year's Nordic Roots Festival in Minneapolis has been confirmed and it's a beauty: Garmarna, Hoven Droven, Triakel, Hurdy Gurdy (with Stefan Brisland-Ferner of Garmarna and Totte Mattsson of Hedningarna), Gåte, Frigg and Ellika & Solo. The event is scheduled to take place September 30 through October 2 and more details such as ticket information will be coming soon. Hopefully Gåte will do some other US dates as well.

Mon, 14 Feb 2005 00:00:00 -0800

MI has the list of all the Swedish artists receiving stipends for 2005: http://www.musikindustrin.nu/mi/smpage.fwx?page=198&NYHETER=5485
Looks like the entire NorthSide label roster (Hedningarna, Hoven Droven, Harv, Väsen, etc.) got hooked up, hopefully that means lots of new releases from them this year.

Wed, 17 Nov 2004 00:00:00 -0800

New mp3 today from Gåte, a Norwegian band that deftly marries ancient Scandinavian folk tradition with modern rock music. This song is the first single from the band's excellent sophomore album "Iselilja" and it's a great example of their style. While contemporaries like Hedningarna and Garmarna approach similar music from more of a classically-trained perspective, Gåte tackles it the other way around by building up from a strong rock base. There's a fieceness in the way they attack the material that simply doesn't come from the conservatory. They even throw in a mosh-worthy half-tempo breakdown at the end. As proven by numerous Scandinavian metal bands, their culture's folk music traditions integrate seemlessly into heavy music. Gone are the cliché electronic and goth leanings from the first album and in its place a newfound maturity and determination. Make no mistake - that doesn't mean they've lost any of their youthful vigor, it just means they've honed it. Very recommended.

Wed, 25 Aug 2004 00:00:00 -0700

Mp3 blog Red Lotus Radio has posted a track from Hedningarna today: http://home.earthlink.net/~masquedhex/redlotus/

Thu, 05 Feb 2004 00:00:00 -0800

PopMatters continues their week of Scandinavian music reviews with this report of the "1989-2003" best-of collection from Nordic folk revivalists Hedningarna: http://popmatters.com/music/reviews/h/hedningarna-19892003.shtml

Thu, 15 Jan 2004 00:00:00 -0800

Nordic folk label NorthSide Records reports that they'll be putting out a new Wimme solo joik CD and a Gjallerhorn DVD in the near future. They also say that Väsen is working on another trio CD to coincide with their fall US tour. Fellow acts Triakel, Harv and Hedningarna (instrumental only, sadly) are working in the studio on new material and Garmarna and Hurdy Gurdy Project will soon follow. Tentative US tour dates for later this year:

Garmarna: September 10-20, 2004
Väsen: September 17-27, 2004 (east) / October 28-November 7, 2004 (west)
Harv: October 1-17, 2004
Aly Bain & Ale Möller: February, 2005

Mon, 01 Dec 2003 00:00:00 -0800

Nordic roots music label NorthSide has added a ton of video to their website. Go here for the full list of links, including stuff from groups such as Garmarna, Hedningarna, Väsen, Värttinä and more.

Thu, 04 Sep 2003 00:00:00 -0700

Hedningarna is doing some dates in Scandinavia and Spain this month:

09/13 - Festival, Orejo (SPA)
09/14 - Etnohelmántica Festival, Salamanca (SPA)
09/25 - Södra Teatern, Stockholm (SWE)
09/26 - Cattalin, Uppsala (SWE)
09/27 - Musikens Hus, Göteborg (SWE)
09/28 - Pumpehuset, Köpenhamn (DK)
09/29 - Voxhall, Århus (DK)
09/30 - Studenthuset, Ålborg (DK)

Tue, 15 Jul 2003 00:00:00 -0700

The rest of those Hedningarna live tracks are online now. Check 'em out on the right. Once again, highly recommended - especially for people curious about the roots of Scandinavian music.

Tue, 08 Jul 2003 00:00:00 -0700

Added some new music today from Hedningarna on the right. They play a perfect mix of traditional Scandinavian-style music combined with modern electrified elements that elevates them above the pack. Very recommended listening. Sorry I don't know the track names, but I have no way to figure them all out. Second half of the set to come later.

Fri, 06 Jun 2003 00:00:00 -0700

Happy Swedish National Day.

Turbonegro are doing an online benefit for the St. Pauli Football Club ("the one with skull & crossbones logo" as they say) in the form of three ebay auctions:

"Scandinavian Leather" deluxe box set #666, autographed by the complete band
"Scandinavian Leather" deluxe box set #1910, autographed by the complete band
St. Pauli player jersey with Hank van Helvete lettering on the back and his autograph

Check 'em out, but keep in mind they also promise "more interesting things to follow."

Here's some pictures from Komeda's video shoot for the track "Cul de Sac".

Nicolai Dunger will be providing guest vocals on an upcoming EP from Calexico for the song "Alone again or", originally done by Love. It comes out June 16.

Labrador Records has announced they will now be distributed in Germany by AL!VE with promotion to be handled by C&D Promotion. Their first release over there will be "Kate 97" from Tribeca. For more info contact Stephan.Meyer@alive-ag.de or chris.donn@cdpromotion.de.

Paris has signed a publishing contract with Songs & Stories Publishing.

The latest edition of Doomsday Magazine just came out and it includes interviews with Uncurbed, Totalt Jävla Mörker, Burst and more. More info and some back-issue text: www.doomsdaymag.tk (in Swedish)

NRK has posted Amulet's new video for "Breaking News". Check it.

Hedningarna has posted a couple videos on their new website. The band's new retrospective CD is out now in Finland, Spain and the US and should hit Sweden in September. It contains various tracks from 1989-2003 along with two brand new songs. Read more.

The Confusions, Satirnine, Dynamo Chapel, Paola and The Crystal Committee are now confirmed for the Trästock festival in Skellefteå, Sweden on July 17-19.

Kent's big concert at Stockholm Stadium tonight will be recorded for a future album/DVD release. There's also rumors of various special guests showing up, such as Titiyo and Lisa Miskovsky.

Clawfinger has posted the video clip for their new single "Recipe for Hate": Windows / Real
You can also check out some behind-the-scenes photos from the shoot right here.

The Hives, In Flames, and Flint have been added to Hultsfred fest.

Fri, 18 Apr 2003 00:00:00 -0700

Glad Påsk! Happy Easter! Happy Passover! Hope you enjoy your holiday weekend!

Watch the video for "Long Beach" from Laakso: high / low

Startracks has announced a new signing - their first since picking up the Loosegoats in '96. And the lucky band is Tiger Lou aka Rasmus Kellerman. He used to be in EM/Music By EM, but has now gone solo. His first show ever with a backing band is at Popaganda fest in Stockholm on May 30, but he's also hitting the road by himself:

4/21 - Lübeck D Cafe Brasil
4/22 - Oldenburg D Alhambra w/Karate, One Man and His Droid
4/23 - Hamburg D Molotow w/Me Without You
4/24 - Köln D Underground w/Karate
4/25 - Wolfenbüttel D Juz Harztorwall w/Karate
4/26 - Konzert Geschlossene Veranstaltung
4/27 - Freiburg D KTS w/NRA, Oil
4/28 - TRIER D Ex-Haus
4/29 - Aflenz A Sublime
4/30 - Wien A Shelter w/Karate
5/01 - München D Kafe Kult w/Karate
5/02 - Leverkusen D Pentagon
5/07 - Stockholm S Lava w/Lova and Dexter's Moon

Look for a 4-song EP in May/June. More info here.

For a limited time you can view the new Fireside video for the song "All You Had". Manne Lindvall filmed it and Leif Andree stars. Very entertaining.

Nicolai Dunger has booked himself a couple new gigs around the UK:

5/27 - Nottingham Rescue Rooms w/Matt Elliott (solo)
5/28 - Brighton Albert Inn (solo)
5/29 - London Union Chapel w/The Frames (band)

NorthSide Records has posted mp3s for two new albums that are coming out June 3. First is "Vettoi" (excerpt) from Hedningarna and their new CD "1989-2003", a best-of collection that includes a couple new tracks. Next is "Mikkel Per / Kus Erik" from Frifot's new album "Sluring". If you're curious about tracing the roots of Nordic music, I strongly encourage you the check this stuff out.

Uppsala Hio-hop duo Allied Forces have their debut 12" coming out soon. It'll be called "Ögon I Nacken" and will feature a guest appearance from Highwon and production from Masse.

The Sounds are now booked to play the outdoor stage at Gröna Lund in Stockholm on June 18. The rest of the acts confirmed so far for the venue this summer are:

4/30 - The Soundtrack of Our Lives, The Ark, Mando Diao (view poster)
5/9 - Melody Club
5/23 - Dilba vs. Stephen Simmond

In case you weren't already aware, the pop group Alcazar worked together with the Pet Shop Boys to write some new songs. Here's an short interview/article from Expressen on the subject. (in Swedish) Oh, and feel free to catch 'em on tour too:

4/18 - Ö-vik, Parken (S)
4/19 - Höör, Jägersbo (S)
4/23 - Stockholm, Company Party (S)
4/25 - Sälen, HC (S)
5/03 - Sölden, Snowmove (Austria)
5/10 - Amsterdam (NL)
5/15 - Nurnberg (Germany)
5/24 - Jönköping, Rix FM (S)
5/27 - Stockholm, Company Party (S)
5/30 - Umeå, Festen (S)
5/31 - Gislaved, Sigges Loge (S)
6/06 - Stockholm, Gröna Lund (S)
6/07 - Eringsboda Brunn (S)
6/08 - Sätela (S)
6/18 - Neubrandenburg, NDR (Germany)
6/19 - Bad Arolsen, Festival (Germany)
6/26 - Ludvika, City Festival (S)
6/27 - Enköping, City Festival, (S)
6/28 - Klagenfurt, Cityfestival (S)
7/02 - Sundsvall, Gatufesten (S)
7/12 - Tidan, Olstorp (S)
7/18 - Sölvesborg, Hanöhus (S)
7/19 - Bergen, NDR (Germany)
7/25 - Borlänge, Rommehed (S)
7/26 - Sunne, Fryksdalsdansen (S)
7/27 - Eskilstuna, Parken (S)
7/28 - Zurich, Pride (Switzerland)
7/30 - Ellös, Parken (S)
7/31 - Bromölla, Dagarna (S)
8/02 - Stockholm, Pride (S)
8/15 - Paris, NRJ (France)
8/16 - Gothenburg, Liseberg (S)
8/17 - Berlin, NRJ (Germany)
8/30 - Östervåla, Parken (S)
9/06 - Pasewalk, NDR (Germany)
11/01 - Bryssels, Company Party (Begium)

Mon, 07 Apr 2003 00:00:00 -0700

Read a short, gushing review of the new album "Souvenirs" from the Netherland's The Gathering. As mentioned in therein, the album features guest appearances from Mathias Elk of Jaga Jazzist and Trickster G (Kris Rygg) of Ulver, and yes, I agree that it really is great.

Reviews and samples of new releases from Ulver, Katatonia, JR Ewing and more from Aquarius Records. Mailorder, too.

As already reported, Arve and Jarle from Supersilent will be appearing solo and as part of the Tord Gustavsen Trio on May 10 at the Maijazz festival in Stavanger, Norway. It's not confirmed that Supersilent themselves will also be playing the fest on the day before. In other news, Arve makes a guest appearance on the new Jørn Simen Øverli album "Pengenes Oppmuntrende Virkning" along with Stian Carstensen from Farmers Market.

Mustasch is entering the studio on April 22 to record a new album under the tutelage of producer Jacob Hellner (credits include Rammstein, Clawfinger, and Fläskkvartetten). They expect to have it out around fall.

Here's an interview with Ebbot from TSOOL talking about touring the US among other things. (in Swedish)

25 years ago the first Swedish punk single "Vårdad klädsel" from Kriminella Gitarrer came out. There's gonna be a show celebrating this event at Vågen in Göteborg on October 4 featuring Brända Barn, Asta Kask, Attentat, Stry Terrarie and Freddie Wadling plus more to be announced. Tickets go on sale April 11.

This week's MTV Up North Nordic video chart:

01. The Rasmus - In The Shadows
02. Mew - Comforting Sounds
03. Kwan - Shine
04. Kashmir - Surfing The Warm Industry
05. A-ha - The Sun Always Shines On TV
06. C21 - You Are The One
07. Bertine Zetlitz - Girl Like You
08. Roxette - Opportunity Nox
09. Winta - Emotions
10. The Cardigans - For What It´s Worth

Challengers:
01. Left Lane - Walk after you
02. HIM - Funeral of harts
03. Ralph Meyrz & The Jack Herren Band - Think Twice
04. Whyte Seeds - Slow motions
05. Don Diego - Min lat

Go to the MTVE.com site to watch and vote for your favorite.

Lotta will be playing Tavastia in Helsinki on April 15 with Buddaboys. Even better, Yle Radio X3M will be broadcasting the show live.

Orange Crunch has a new EP coming out on Dead Frog in May. They play Alcazar in Stockholm tomorrow night, too.

The Svensk Rockarkiv will be making a roadshow appearance at Hultsfred fest this year. The archive was started in 1993 as a place to keep documentaries, photos, records and so on from all sorts Swedish artists through the ages.

The winners of the 2002 SAMA awards have been announced:

Best newcomer: Melody Club
Best song: Melody Club – Electric
Best album: Covenant – Northern Light
Best artist: Apoptygma Berzerk

Read more about the SAMAs here.

Download an mp3 of Randy's new single "A Man in Uniform". The new album "Welfare Problems" comes out April 14 on Burning Heart.

Hedningarna, Radio Dept., Tyskarna från Lund, Colony 5, Kamera, Interlace, Stairland, Magenta, Necton and The Celophane Flowers are few of the new Nordic bands confirmed for the upcoming Arvika Festival. Other new bands confirmed include Ministry, Mono and DAF.

The final list of nominees for the Swedish hip-hop awards has been announced. Go here for the full list. The ceremony will April 25 at Nalen in Stockholm. Performing live will be Spotrunnaz, Prominent, Don Diego, Peshi, DJ Confuse, Narcissists, Ison & Fille & Hemmalaget, Ken & BB Entertainment, Sam-E, and Timbuktu.

Speaking of Timbuktu, he'll be hitting the road in May along with Chords, DJ Amato and the live-band Damn!. The dates:

5/6 - Stockholm, Göta källare
5/7 - Göteborg, Nefertiti
5/8 - Göteborg, Nefertiti
5/9 - Malmö, KB

Here's a short interview with Jocke Ahlunds from The Caesars talking about the filming of the video for "Jerk it Out" in Havana, Cuba. You can also view the video from that page, too. (in English)

Check this article on up-and-coming Swedish pop groups Franke, Laakso, José Gonzales, The Embassy, Radio Dept., and Her Majesty from Dagens Nyeter. (in Swedish)

Ulf Lundell is hitting the road this summer:

7/4 - Varberg, Fästningen
7/5 - Sundsvall, Gatufesten
7/6 - Leksand, Sammilsdal
7/8 - Visby, Kneippbyn
7/11 - Christinehofs Slott
7/17 - Stockholm, Skansen
7/19 - Karlstad, Mariebergsskogen
7/22 - Borgholm, Slottsruinen
7/24 - Karlskrona, Bastion Aurora
7/25 - Västervik, Gränsö Slott
7/26 - Halmstad, Brottet
7/29 - Fjällbacka, Hamnen
8/1 - Uppsala, Fyrishovsparken
8/2 - Mariestad, Folkets Park
8/8 - Norge, Wrightegaarden
8/9 - Norge, Fredrikstens Festning
8/10 - Norge, Oslo, Rockefeller
8/15 - Linköping, Slottsparken
8/16 - Göteborg, TrSdgsrdsföreningen

Finnish electronic act Mr. Velcro Fastener will be playing at The Egg in London on May 9.

Finland's Amorphis has signed a deal with Virgin Records to release their new self-produced album "Far From The Sun". It will come out May 20 with the first single "Day Of Your Beliefs" coming later this month. Guitarist Esa Holopainen comments:

Having had to go through all the contractual differences in the past, the future does really look bright at the moment. The process of making the album was easy and the schedule for the summer and autumn live dates is developing steadily. We aim to play European festivals over the summer and hit the road on our own in the fall.

Despite the recent death of guitarist Teemu "Somnium" Raimoranta, Finntroll has decided to soldier on with their upcoming European tour with Katatonia. The official statement:

We do this with heavy hearts, as the sudden loss of Teemu 'Somnium' Raimoranta, a close friend and one of the leading forces behind this band, gave us a blow from which the recovery will take a long time. We feel that dropping everything now, canceling the tour and all the plans we together agreed for this band, would be an insult on Teemu's memory. Going back on the road was also the particular wish of his family and close ones. We feel that this is the best way to honor our friends' memory, taking the music out to the fans. On the following gigs the second guitar will be played by a long-time friend for all of us, Mikael Karlbom (The Seventh Planet), who has played as a stand-in guitarist for us several times in the past.
During the tour, we wish some courtesy on the part of fans, members of the press and others concerning questions about Teemu's departing, future of the band and such. We will share information in due time.
Thanks to all those who have contacted us, expressed their condolences and honored our brother's memory.

Christian Kjellvander will be playing the opening of the Handikappåret 2003 at the Kulturhuset in Stockholm on April 11.

The Caesars are heading back to the UK in May with the French Kicks. The dates:

5/11 - Oxford, Zodiac
5/14 Manchester, Roadhouse

The Swedish pop group Natural scored a number 2 position on the Japanese radio charts last week with the tune "Put Your Arms Around Me".

Charlie's Magazine will release their new album "Traffic" on April 22. The female-fronted band previously enjoyed a taste of success with the single "Sweet Alibi" back in 2001.

Fri, 21 Mar 2003 00:00:00 -0800

Check it: The BBC's One World spotlight on Norway, 'Part Three - The Oslo Experience.'

I already talked a little about it I think, but here's the info about the upcoming 'Midnight Sun' tour featuring various Norweigan artists in the UK. Set to perform are Supersilent, DJ Strangefruit, Sidsel Endresen, and Arve Henriksen. The dates:

5/22 - Exeter, Phoenix
5/23 - Bath, Bath International Music Festival Pavillion
5/24 - Belfast, Crescent Arts Centre
5/25 - Salisbury, Salisbury Festival
5/26 - Birmingham, Medicine Bar
5/27 - Liverpool, Unity Theatre
5/28 - London, 93 Feet East

Northside Records reports they've got some new CDs in the works. First is "Bárru" from joiker Wimme. Hedningarna singers Liisa Matveinen and Tellu Turkka provide guest backing vocals on threetracks which were recorded at the Holiday Inn during 2002's Nordic Roots Festival in Minneapolis. There's also three video tracks from the same fest on the disc. The label also has a new Hedningarna 'ice-priced' (low-priced: ~$5 or so) comp with a few new tracks in the works along with a new album from Frifot, too.

The Virtues have confirmed the release dates for their new album. Look for it in Scandinavia on March 24, April 26 for the US.

My pals KVLR will be entering Komeda Studios soon to record six new tracks. They describe them as "more rough, energetic, poppy and weird than before, all songs recorded live." I'm definitely excited - all the ones they played on tour sounded really good. And to the guys in the band and the message you posted - you're welcome! 'Twas my pleasure taking you guys out on the road - I had a blast. I'm gonna steal your photos you left me and post my own road journal soon.

Burning Heart has announced that they've signed Sparks of Seven from Göteborg. Their debut album is expected in 2003 and the label describes their sound as "the missing links between Union Carbide Productions, Stone Roses and Primal Scream." They'll be playing Nalen in Stockholm on March 26 with Her Majesty and Whyte Seeds.

Göteborg's Morlocks have broken up. Here's what they had to say about it:

Even if the band Morlocks is buried, the three members will continue their musical work in other constellations, so keep your eyes and ears open!
Morlocks will also take the opportunity to thank all of you who has supported and helped the band during the years, and above all our wonderful audience. You will surely be missed!

Send all 'last hellos' to morlocks@nangijala.com.

Andrea Hagen has announced that she has ceased working under the name Hagalaz Runedance and will ressurect her old moniker Nebelhexe (fog-witch). She also is said to be working on a musical project/theatre piece with Martin Walkyier (ex-Skyclad, Sabbath). Read the full statement here.

Christian Kjellvander had added a couple solo dates in Switzerland to his tour itinerary:

05/13 - Luzern Switzerland, Schüür-Bar
05/14 - Lausanne Switzerland, Bleu Lézard
05/15 - Bern Switzerland, ISC w/Isolation Years
05/16 - Winterthur Switzerland, Gaswerk w/Pinkostar and Valium Speed