IT'S A TRAP! Scandinavian Music Journal

Monument - Jennifer

Tue, 25 Jan 2011 13:25:27 -0800

Yet another Swedish band with the name Monument? And with a similar goth/post-punk sound to boot. Not that I'm complaining since it's definitely a scene I'm into, but I must admit a slight preference for the more romantic sound of the OGs over the newbs' colder vibes. Still good though, no denying, but maybe they should start thinking about new names. Anyhow, check out the band's debut 7" "Teeth & tails", out now via their own Peter Out Records and keep an eye out for another to be released soon once they finish mixing.

MP3: Ikons - The hawk

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 14:41:02 -0800

After banging my head against CSS coding problems for five or so hours yesterday, I need to hear something that adequately reflects the state of my brain. Something noisy and repetitive. Bonus that it fills the gap between this week's other postings of Monument and Du Pacque. That something: Ikons. Monotonik beats meet loud guitars under a black shroud of destructive noise. "The hawk" is way more Kraut than goth, but they have those tendencies, let me assure you. Keep on droning, let me forget my problems, clear my mind; melt away the cobwebs, the fuzz. Block/black out the world around me.

MP3: Monument - Monday

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 13:02:03 -0800

This is the sort of release that feels tailor-made for me: obscure Swedish postpunk act records a single demo that gets lost to the ages, only to be resurrected a dozen or so years later by a likewise obscure label for a limited vinyl release. I had never heard of the band Monument before Diskret Förlag unearthed their lone 4-song EP, but why would I? They didn't do much except make great music in the wrong place at the wrong time, a fatal and inescapable error only apparent in retrospect. It's a shame too, because I think they'd fit quite nicely alongside the current pseudo-goth/synth revival (Zola Jesus, Cold Cave, etc.), though their sound is a bit more streamlined/less overtly indie. So yeah, if you dig on classic dark rock ala Cure or Depeche Mode or are one of those few people like myself who count themselves as fans of Bay Laurel (some strong similarities there in terms of pacing and vocal timbre, though Monument lacks their heaviness), then you'll be way into this. Or if you're like me and you love digging up unknown Swedish postpunk gems, you need this too.

Sirius playlist week #6

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 15:30:28 -0800

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

01. TALK 1
02. Monument - Feel failure
03. Regulations - To be me
04. Du - Bring down a house
05. Tyrant - Go ahead raise the dead
06. TALK 2
07. Tobias Fröberg - When we go to war
08. Next Life - Anti matter
09. Lo-Fi-Fnk - Marchin' in
10. Boy Omega - Just a boy
11. TALK 3
12. The Bear Quartet - I was a weapon
13. I'm from Barcelona/David Ljung - Silence
14. Thee Gutted String - I've been to town
15. TALK 4
16. Paper - Before that day
17. The Goner - Bright and colossal (risen mind)
18. At the Gates - Suicide nation
19. TALK 5
20. Madrugada - Look away Lucifer

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.

Diskret Förlag to release 7" from Monument

Fri, 06 Mar 2009 17:32:50 -0800

How many bands are there called Monument? I'm not sure, but the Swedish new-wave/synth version of that band will be releasing a 7" on Diskret Förlag (Hanna Hirsch) called "Feel failure" in May.