Markus Krunegård prepares new album

It's hard to get excited since his last few releases have been pretty weak, but ex-Laakso frontman Markus Krunegård will be releasing a new album on March 28. He will premiere his new single "Everybody hurts" at P3 Guld on January 21.

Serenades on tour

Serenades, y'know -- the duo of Adam Olenius (Shout Out Louds) and Markus Krunegård (Laakso), will be heading abroad for the first time in November:

11/22 - Electricity Showrooms, London (UK)
11/23 - Slaughtered Lamb, London (UK)
11/24 - Comet Club, Berlin (GER)
11/26 - ON3 Festival at BR Funkhaus, Munich (GER)

Serenades - Birds (video)

PSL has the premiere of Serenades' new video "Birds": http://psl.svt.se/psl/2011/05/24/extra-extra-videopremiar-serenades-birds/
Remember, Serenades = Markus Krunegård (Laakso) + Adam Olenius (Shout Out Louds).

Serenades = Krunegård + Olenius

It has been revealed that the new Swedish duo Serenades, as posted here and elsewhere, is Markus Krunegård (Laakso) and Adam Olenius (Shout Out Louds). Their debut EP "Birds" will be out on April 18 via Stranded Records with a live debut set to take place May 26 at Södra Teatern in Stockholm.

Sahara Hotnights - Oh's (teaser)

A quick teaser of the new Sahara Hotnights single "Oh's", produced by Jari Haapalainen (The Bear Quartet, Laakso, etc.).

This week's Last.fm chart

Here is the It's a Trap! listening group top 10 artists of the week, unique to our group:

01. Håkan Hellström
02. Säkert!
03. The Radio Dept.
04. Hello Saferide
05. Familjen
06. Jens Lekman
07. Robyn
08. Laakso
09. Kent
10. Masshysteri

Do you listen to music on your computer or with an iPod? Please join us and make your playlist count! Go here to learn more: http://www.last.fm/help/

Presenting: Nord & Syd

Check out Nord & Syd, a new band from prolific Swedish indiepop artist Martin Abrahamsson (Vapnet, Siberia, Kommun) alongside David Nygård (Laakso), Julia Hanberg (Penny Century), Kalle Danielsson (Holy Madre) and Joel Linderberg (Ironville): http://www.nord-och-syd.blogspot.com/

Robert Svensson - You're a wasteland, honey
(Nomethod)

I could easily sum this review up in one sentence: Robert Svensson has crafted the best record of 2010.

As I sneak up on thirty, I worry, much more so than in my younger years, that whatever visceral, overpowering connection I once had with music is slipping -- the records that were going to tear right into me have already done so; everything else is going to be an echo of those experiences. "You're a wasteland, honey", however, tore right into me. Listening to the record, I couldn't help but remember falling in love with Bruce Springsteen's "Born to run" in the mid-'90s while my peers at British boarding school were enraptured by Brit Pop, though this parallels my experience with Robert Svensson's most recent offering, it doesn't mock the occasion.

While I enjoyed Svensson's "Beat EP", I worried that it signaled his future trajectory, with bands such as Bloc Party already demonstrating how the allure of electronic music can unravel even the most talented of musicians. "You're a wasteland, honey", thankfully, is the fitting follow up to Svensson's fantastic debut, "Young punks are on the never-never". Everything I enjoyed about that first record is improved upon with "...wasteland". It's been a while since the release of a record that after the fifth or sixth listen I am not just skipping to my favorite tracks, often leaving more than half of the album behind; there is nothing to leave behind here. The record is effortlessly brilliant throughout, demonstrating how Svensson's many strengths and talents have developed since his gorgeous "Young punks..". Hands down, this is the record of the year, and the first in a while, perhaps since Laakso's "My gods" or Shout Out Louds' "Our ill wills", that has made such a profound impact on me.
- Lars Garvey Laing-Peterson

This week's Last.fm chart

Here is the It's a Trap! listening group top 10 artists of the week, unique to our group:

01. Kent
02. CEO
03. Robyn
04. Bob Hund
05. Familjen
06. Håkan Hellström
07. The Radio Dept.
08. Laakso
09. Shout Out Louds
10. The National

Do you listen to music on your computer or with an iPod? Please join us and make your playlist count! Go here to learn more: http://www.last.fm/help/

Juni Järvi - (I love it when you call me) Baby (feat. Annika Norlin)

Listen to a YouTube preview of the brand new Juni Järvi single "(I love it when you call me) Baby", featuring guest vocals from Annika Norlin (Hello Saferide, Säkert!): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPyiuXpN_hE
The official release date for said track is May 26 and it will be followed by the album "The gospel" in early September which will feature guest appearances from Markus Krunegård (Laakso) and others.