IT'S A TRAP! Scandinavian Music Journal

Penny Century wrapping up new album, touring the UK

Mon, 24 May 2010 12:37:23 -0700

Penny Century, one of my favorite Swedish indiepop acts, reports that their new album is almost done and is tentatively set for a late summer release with a single on the way shortly. As with the band's "Valencia EP", it was recorded at Studio Cobra with Konie. The band is also heading back to the UK next month:

06/05 - The Hope, Brighton
06/06 - The Dublin Castle, London
06/07 - The Magnet, Liverpool
06/08 - The Keys, Middlesbrough
06/09 - Trillians, Newcastle

There's a Razzia going on vol. 2

Tue, 15 Sep 2009 16:56:32 -0700

Razzia Records will be releasing volume two of their "There's a Razzia going on" compilation series on October 7 and here's the tracklist:

01. Hello Saferide - I fold
02. Joel Alme - You remember the goodtimes but the goodtimes don't remember you
03. David Sandström Overdrive - Song is holy
04. Theodor Jensen - BAPADA
05. I Are Droid - With lowered arms
06. Konie - I'm just another boy
07. Dundertåget - Låt mej va
08. Jonna Lee - Violent Playground
09. They live by night - Ctr+Alt+Del My Heart (Fredrick Carlsson Remix)
10. Säkert! - Min hemstad (Wannadies cover)
11. Maia Hirasawa - Because of you

Wed, 04 Jun 2008 12:01:59 -0700

Recent Razzia Records signees I Are Droid will release their debut album "I are debut" on June 11. Stream the whole thing at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/iaredroid
The band features ex-Lowrider frontman Peder Bergstrand plus Konie Ehrencrona (bass/synth, Konie, Don't Be A Stranger), Jens Lagergren (bass, Thunder Express, Hello Saferide) and Fredrik Bergström (drums).

Mon, 26 May 2008 14:15:37 -0700

Razzia Records is putting out a compilation on June 18 entitled "There's a Razzia thing going on" which feature various highlights of their excellent catalog. Here's the tracklist:

01. Hello Saferide - I was definitely made for these times
02. Adiam Dymott - Memory loss
03. Konie - My Life Is Shit But I Am Funky (remix)
04. I Are Droid - Blood & Ether
05. Firefox AK vs Laid - Once I was like you
06. Maia Hirasawa - Melody
07. Tripoli - Walk on
08. Säkert! - Det var tre månader sedan idag
09. They Live By Night - Meaningless repair
10. Timo Räisänen - Spill your beans
11. Svenska Kürkan - Besatt
12. The Plan - Stay Awhile
13. Jonna Lee - I wrote this song
14. Mange Schmidt feat. Thomas Rusiak & Eye N I - Håll käften del 2
15. Thunder Express - Switch
16. Tellevika feat. Firefox AK - Eric
17. Ebbot Lundberg & Mattias Bärjed - Coming down cold

Wed, 12 Sep 2007 00:00:00 -0700

Swedish post-punks Paper will be going into Cobra Studios in October with producer Konie to record their debut full-length. Expect an early 2008 release.

Fri, 20 Jul 2007 00:00:00 -0700

The new Bombhappies album "Ok ok ok ok ok ok ok" is done and will be ready for release in September/October. As mentioned before, it was recorded by Konie at Studio Cobra.

Konie The club is open Razzia Records

Wed, 25 Apr 2007 00:00:00 -0700

Konie is experimental electronica from Stockholm (see sample on March 27th, 2007) with a big difference: all samples are from taperecorder tapeloops. At most times, the album just blends it all together as one endless buffet - the selections are bad for you, yet they can become highly addictive - but then you catch a snippet here and there that sounds appealing. Take for example the intro for the album that welcomes you warmly to the 'club', while "History/Science" tackles quirky subject matter. However, the track that sticks out the most it "My life is shit but I am funky", reminiscent of Blair's "Have fun go mad". It's songs like these that make me wish there'd be more singles. There are upwards of 20 different instruments used in the total of 16 songs featuring 15 contributing artists. With that much choice, I'm sure you'll find a favourite track.

MP3: Konie - My life is shit but I am funky

Tue, 27 Mar 2007 00:00:00 -0700

I'm going to contradict something I said yesterday. Sometimes it is important to read about music before listening and as such, I don't think I would've paid nearly as much attention to Konie's new album "The club is open" if I had not taken a look at the liner notes first. I have an audio engineering background, so I am always curious about the technical process behind the music and Konie lays out many of the details. The thing that caught my eye however is that all of the loops are real, honest-to-goodness tape loops. As in reel-to-reel, sliced with a razor and spliced together - there's even a deck pictured on the cover. Considering how stupid easy it is to replicate digitally (don't forget the saturation plug-in!), I think it's admirable to stick with the imperfect, old-fashioned method. It shows a high level of craftmanship and determination. There's also a certain character to it that's hard to fake.
Of course, it wouldn't make a lick of difference if the finished product wasn't worth listening to. The technical aspects of the recording made me listen in closer detail, but I wouldn't be talking about it if the end result was shit. This is organic dance music, pieced together by hand, not computers. That's the way I like it.

Wed, 25 Oct 2006 00:00:00 -0700

The tracklist for Razzia's "Oh no, it's Christmas" compilation has been finalized:

01. Konie - "Oh yeah, it's Christmas"
02. Hello Saferide - "iPod X-mas"
03. Kristofer Åström - "I saw mommy kissing Santa Claus"
04. Laakso - "Merry Christmas"
05. The Thousand Dollar Playboys - "A very sepcial Christmas"
06. The Soundtrack of Our Lives - "Jingle Hell (stuck in the chimney)"
07. Dreamboy - "Christmas kisses"
08. South Ambulance - "Hangin' in a tie"
09. Firefox AK & Tiger Lou - "Christmas eve"
10. Friska Viljor - "Oh no, this is what I feared all along"
11. Maia Hirasawa - "You were all there"
12. Suburban Kids With Biblical Names - "Jullåten 2004"
13. The Tiny - "No money (for X-mas)"
14. Grande Roses - "To bring back Christmas this year"
15. The Perishers - "Blue Christmas"
16. They Live By Night - "Lucia (I deserve some candles in my hair)"
17. Dogday - "Santa will never get here"
18. The Consequences - "Some kind of magic"
19. Indiekören - "Last Christmas"

Thu, 12 Oct 2006 00:00:00 -0700

Y'know that upcoming Christmas comp that Razzia is putting together? I've got a preview of the tracklist:

Firefox AK & Tiger Lou - Christmas Eve
Friska Viljor - Oh no! This is what I feared all along
Hello Saferide - iPod X-mas
South Ambulance - Hangin' in a tie
Suburban Kids With Biblical Names - Jullåten 2004
Laakso - Merry Christmas
The Tiny - No money (for X-mas)
Maia Hirasawa - You were all there
The Perishers - Blue Christmas
The Soundtrack of our lives - Jingle Hell (stuck in the chimney)
Consequences - Some kind of magic
Grande Roses - To bring X-mas back this year
Konie - Oh, yeah...it's christmas!
Dogday - Santa will never get there
Indiekören - Last Christmas
They Live By Night - Lucia (I deserve candles in my hair)
Dreamboy - Christmas kisses
Kristofer Åström - I saw mummy kissing Santa Claus

As you can see, some of these tracks are old and previously released (TSOOL for instance), but most are new and exclusive to this release. The exact order is still TBD and a few more tracks are due for submission, but I'll definitely be carrying it in the webstore when it's released on November 15.

Wed, 06 Sep 2006 00:00:00 -0700

Sweden's The Bombhappies will be entering Cobra Studios with producer Konie in late November to record a new album. In the meantime, check out a few new demo tracks at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/bombhappies

Fri, 21 Apr 2006 00:00:00 -0700

New releases on the way from Razzia:

04/05 - David Lindh - Dare (If I fall in love) (CDS)
05/10 - Konie - Are you ok? (CDS)
05/17 - Firefox AK - Love to run (EP)
06/14 - Hello Saferide - Would you let me play this EP ten times a day (EP)
06/14 - Mange Schmidt - Glassigt (CDS)
06/?? - Timo Räisänen - Let's Kill Ourselves A Son (CDS)