IT'S A TRAP! Scandinavian Music Journal

PopMatters reviews Kimono

Fri, 15 Apr 2011 15:34:59 -0700

Better late than never, PopMatters reviews Icelandic act Kimono and their excellent album "Easy music for difficult people": http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/138744-kimono-easy-music-for-difficult-people/

Top tens for 2010: It's a Trap!

Fri, 17 Dec 2010 13:17:20 -0800

Not everything in the picture above is officially a 2010 release, but they are all various things I picked up this past year and would recommend you do the same, should the opportunity present itself. Bonus points to anyone who can name every record pictured! Anyhow, as I was saying, there was quite a lot of really good music released in 2010, but at the same time, very few crossed the line into greatness. This year, only three albums made the cut.

Dear Euphoria - This night will flee (Given Productions/Herbivor Music)

A deep and richly satisfying listening experience that speaks of love and emptiness and the vast space between, with each repitition revealing new insight. Beautifully haunting.

Masshysteri - s/t (Ny Våg/Feral Ward)

The perfect pop-punk album. RIP.

Okkultokrati - No light for mass (Fysisk Format/Lilla Himmel/Odio Sonoro/Ormeyngel Records)

Apocalyptic visions set to a soundtrack of the rawest metal/punk sludge. A zeitgeist-defining album of unmatched ugliness.

Best Song:

Susanne Sundfør - The brothel
I still get goosebumps every time.

Best Demo:

Underachiever - This is where I lost the ability to love
Faster Katt - Demo 2010

The notion of a demo is almost completely lost in this digital age, but there are still those who carry the torch, preferring to test the waters with honest, rough-edged recordings before commiting to any sort of "official" release. In 2010 I listened to way more, way better demo/self-released material this year than any big-name releases, so this list could be a lot longer, but these two stuck with me the longest.

Other Records Worth Mentioning

Like I said at the top, there really were a lot of really good albums this year. Here's a few more that might not rate as high as the three above, but are all well worth your time:

The Bear Quartet - Monty Python (Adrian Recordings)
BQ's endless restlessness and constant desire to innovate remains one of their greatest assets, but it also means that they sometimes miss the mark. Still, the band remains one of Sweden's all-time greats, if not the greatest.

Darkthrone - Circle the wagons (Peaceville)
The opposite of BQ in that the band is continually regressing, but very similar in the approach that they continually churn an almost overwhelming amount of quality material.

Enforcer - Diamonds (Earache/Heavy Artillery)
Too goofy to be truly great, but guaranteed to stay in steady rotation for years to come.

Johan Helte - Sara, (Raffaella)
On the cusp of greatness. Ask me again about this record in six months.

Kimono - Easy music for difficult people (Kimi Records)
My sleeper pick of the year. It's hard to cite exactly what's so gripping about this record, I just know that I keep listening to it regularly.

Monzano - By this time last year everything will seem younger (Spoon Train Audio/How is Annie Records)
Another one on the cusp. Not sure anymore if I permanently burned myself out on these literary indie gents from Norway or if it's one that'll come back to me after some time apart.

Britta Persson - Current affair medium rare (Selective Notes)
More than a few exceptional moments (see "Toast to M" for example), but not enough cohesion.

Robyn - Body talk (Konichiwa Records)
There's a reason this is on everyone's list.

Säkert! - Facit (Razzia Records)
A good album that simply hasn't connected with me as much as I had hoped.

The Tallest Man on Earth - The wild hunt (Dead Oceans)
Another one that made a lot of year-end lists for good reason.

Tiger Tape - I woke up in Hökarängen (Cosy/Lo And Behold)
My favorite indiepop album of 2010.

Plus a few more names: Ikons, Haust, Slöa Knivar, Lapko, Fun, Meleeh, Moto Boy... and let us not forget all of the amazing reissues from The Crypt such as Pan-Thy-Monium, Crypt of Kerberus, Uncanny, Furbowl and so on. So yeah, lots of good music. No complaints!

Sirius playlist week #41

Mon, 11 Oct 2010 12:10:30 -0700

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

01. The Scrags - In the devil's hands
02. TALK 1
03. Boeoes Kaelstigen - Desolate view
04. Johnossi - Roscoe
05. Kimono - Tomorrow
06. TALK 2
07. Fun - Here comes the ugly man
08. Kite - Hexx
09. Mother of the Forest - Bränna broar
10. Mother of the Forest - Vid berget
11. TALK 3
12. Non Tiq - QUiet
13. Dead Letters Spell Out Dead Words - I could have sworn I heard them SING
14. Enslaved - Raidho
15. TALK 4
16. Säkert! - Riot
17. Kristofer Åström - Devil
18. Sweatmaster - Calling Satan, let me in
19. Mercyful Fate - Black funeral
20. TALK 5
21. Lighthouse Project - Lust for lie

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.

Sirius playlist week #39

Mon, 27 Sep 2010 12:31:05 -0700

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

01. Simian Ghost - Beat on the brat
02. TALK 1
03. End of All - Folkhemmet
04. In These Woods - Bear
05. The Bells - Outside
06. Britta Persson - Some girls some boys
07. TALK 2
08. Kråkesølv - Nordavind mot varme kinn
09. Tomas Halberstad - The pendulum swings again
10. WhoMadeWho - Left hand of the boxser
11. TALK 3
12. Säkert! - Köttet är svagt
13. Next Life - Battle tactics
14. Kaka - Candyman
15. The Fine Arts Showcase - Spanish kerosene
16. TALK 4
17. Kimono - Black
18. Axe - Up against common sense
19. NNDC - Mouthful of diamonds
20. Slöa Knivar - Anticimex
21. Enforcer - Take me to hell
22. TALK 5
23. Ikons - Imperiet

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: Kimono - Vienna

Tue, 21 Sep 2010 14:43:55 -0700

I don't get the chance to enthuse about much Icelandic music because, from my standpoint, most of the stuff that escapes those shores tends to be in the cinematic/ambient/postrock vein ala Sigur Rós or whatever, and while I've got nothing against it, it just doesn't do much for me. There are exceptions (there are always exceptions), but they are rare. Unfortunately for an act like Kimono, the press sheet for the US release of their latest album "Easy music for difficult people" touts them as a mathrock band which is a huge disservice because, in fact, they have far more in common with DC post-hardcore or other like-minded acts such as Barra Head. They certainly have the chops to be a math band if they chose that route, as you will hear in "Vienna"'s solo section, but never do they overwhelm with technicality. The emphasis is always on melodies and mood and while, yes, the rhythm section does take its twists and turns (further spotlighted by the thankfully sparse recording), non-musicians will not care. All in all, a quite nice and understated record that's been getting lots of regular play over here. More like this, please!

Sirius playlist week #37

Mon, 13 Sep 2010 11:23:53 -0700

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

01. Night Minutes - Sweetheart of the funeral
02. TALK 1
03. Korova Station - Come on come on
04. Okkultokrati - Stench of life
05. Johan G Winther - Chasing kingdoms
06. Kimono - Vienna
07. TALK 2
08. SONMOI - The man with no flesh
09. Phonophani - Neverdal
10. Kausal - The conquistador
11. TALK 3
12. Vowels - oiaå
13. The Bear Quartet - We're not gonna make it
14. Säkert! - Rotary
15. Slöa Knivar - Stay dirty
16. TALK 4
17. Slöa Knivar - Hjärtat
18. Menfolk - Skeletons
19. Asha Ali - Hurricane
20. Tiger Tape - She is fiction
21. TALK 5

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.

Wed, 18 Jan 2006 00:00:00 -0800

Icelandic act Kimono will be touring the UK and Europe in February and March to support the release of their sophomore album "Arctic death ship", due out February 10 on Icelandic label Smekkleysa aka Bad Taste (not the Swedish one).

Mon, 28 Nov 2005 00:00:00 -0800

Updated tourdates for Björn Kleinhenz:

12/05 - Blue Shell, Cologne w/Kimono, Mercer
12/06 - Gleis 22, Münster w/Nice Man & The Bad Boys, Daniel Benjamin
12/07 - Merlin, Recklinghausen
12/08 - Juz, Leer
12/09 - Jfz der Club, Haldensleben w/Chikan
12/10 - Projekt 7, Magdeburg w/Tiger Lou
12/11 - UT Connewitz, Leipzig w/Nice Man & The Bad Boys, Daniel Benjamin
12/12 - NBI, Berlin w/Rainer Maria
12/13 - Gasthaus Vorstadt, Wien
12/15 - Südstadt, München
12/16 - Salon Elitaer, Kassel w/Nice Man & The Bad Boys, Daniel Benjamin
12/17 - tba
12/18 - Kuppel, Basel w/Whysome
12/19 - Club Carambolage, Karlsruhe

Thu, 16 Jun 2005 00:00:00 -0700

The lineup for the Iceland Airwaves festival in October has been announced: http://www.icelandairwaves.com/news.asp?newsID=59&pageID=14
Scandinavian artists include The (International) Noise Conspiracy, Annie and José González along with local Icelandic acts Nine Elevens, Ampop, Apparat Organ Quartet, Bang Gang, Brain Police, Deep Jimi, Dr. Discoshrimp, Dikta, Eberg, Forgotten Lores, Gus Gus, Hairdoctor, Hjálmar, Jagúar, Jan Mayen, Leaves, Kimono, Mínus, Rass, Sign, Ske, Vinyl and Without Gravity.