New from Swedish rockers Riddarna; hastily made in true rock'n'roll fuck-all style.

"Helvete" is the first official video from Riddarna's upcoming album "Bakom molnen", due out March 7 via Novoton.

In no particular order, other than maybe the five-ten first:
PJ Harvey – Let England Shake
Terakaft – Aratan N Azawad
Skriet – Det beslutande organet
Bob Hund – Det överexponerade gömstället
Helheim – Heidindomr ok motgangr
Graveyard – Hisingen Blues
Tinariwen – Tassili
Fucked Up – David Comes To Life
Taake – Noregs vapen
Austra – Feel It Break
Autopsy – Macabre Eternal
Portrait - Crime Laesae Majestatis Divinae
Deathspell Omega – Diabolus Absconditus
Knivderby – Dumskallarnas sammansvärjning
Tyler The Creator – Goblin
Veronica Maggio - Satan i gatan
Tsjuder – Legion Helvete
Shabazz Palaces – Black Up
Patrik Backlund – Is An Arsonist
Zomby – Dedication
King Cresote and John Hopkins – Diamond Mine
Jeffrey Lewis – A Turn In The Dream-Songs
In Solitude - The World, The Flesh, The Devil
Kimya Dawson – Thunder Thighs
Roffe Ruff – Barabas
Slöa Knivar – Ingen klass, ingen stil
Tim Hecker – Ravedeath, 1972
Cornershop featuring Bubbley Kaur - Cornershop & The Double 'O' Groove Of
Kajsa Grytt – En kvinna under påverkan
Årabrot – Solar Anus

Records proving the artist have done better but are still to be reckoned with:
British Sea Power – Valhalla Dancehall
The Strokes – Angles
Grace Jones – Hurricane
Off! - First Four Eps
Chad Vangaalen – Diaper Island
Glorior Belli – The Great Southern Darkness
Stephen Malkmus – Mirror Traffic
Thurston Moore – Demolished Thoughts
Kate Bush – 50 Words For Snow

Records that are great but could have done with more time and/or money spent on them:
Vånna Inget - Allvar
Wild Flag – Wild Flag

Great records, though not perfect:
Kurt Vile – Smoke Rings On My Halo
Josh T. Pearson – Last Of The Country Gentlemen
The Rapture – In The Grace Of Your Love
Panda Bear – Tomboy
The Culture In Memoriam – Rest In Pieces
Anna Järvinen – Anna själv, tredje
Tomas Hulenvik - The World Is Ours
Riddarna – Riddarna

Records I love but can't have an objective view on:
Magnus Ekelund & Stålet – Svart Flagg
Birgit Bidder – The Life Home

Song of the year:
Pascal - De är farliga

This years "How come I haven't even heard of them before?":
The Gits

Hopes for next year:
Raketen
The New Man
Nord & Syd
Robert Hurula
Conny Nimmersjö
Kranium
Könsförrädare
Norra Kust

Get a record deal, release an album, goddamn!:
Hospitalet

Oh, and some great shows, mostly at Föreningsgatan 7 (Luleå), by:
Könsförrädare
Terveet Kädet
Slöa Knivar
Hamngatan
Kranium
Dispose
Salenko
22 Pistepirkko

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Mattias Alkberg had a busy year in 2011 -- not only was his latest solo album and book "Anarkist", one of the best received Swedish albums of the year, he also did a split with Pascal and probably a whole bunch of other stuff that I can only guess about. As for what 2012 holds, wait and see...
http://www.mabd.se/

- The words "self-destructiiiiive" shouted all over and over again by Paper at the end of their song "Don't go out with him". The perfect soundtrack of the current worldwide economic crisis.

- When the guitars of Riddarna eventually start at 0'54 in their song "Glömma allt". Best rock n' roll band in Sweden (also because they are the only ones who make proper rock'n'roll in Sweden!)

- Anytime Mattias Alkberg's voice gets high pitched in his brilliant record "Anarkist". How this guy manages to reinvent himself every year remains a mystery to me.

- When Nina Kinert claps her hand before to start "Play the world" live. Because seing Nina live made me rediscover her 2010 record "Red leader dream" wich grew on me more in 2011 than in 2010.

- The Iranian "whooo whoooo whooo" at 2'08 in the totally addictive Compadre's "Golden Trumpet". My favourite Swedish song of the year.

- The violins of The Culture in Memoriam's "Run Emelie". One of the few moment this year when a song surprised me.

- The ending of Du Pacque's debut album "Erotique Du Pacque" and its line "my eyes are perfectly still." My favourite ending of a record this year.

- Katharina Nuttall singing "Let me see you stripped down to the bone" in her cover of Depeche Mode's "Stripped". It gives me the creeps.

- Listening to the band No Sleep and realize that it is a new project from Samuraj Cities. Most underappreciated Swedish band.

- Patrik Backlund's chorus in his song "Seesaw", "I see everything." My Swedish pop idol.

- The sound of Billie's voice (i.e. Promise and the Monster). She is a witch.

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Absolut Noise is a France-based audioblog dedicated to Swedish music. It was launched in February 2006.
http://www.absolutnoise.com/

Songs (SWE):
Rytmen i natten - Riddarna
80 vårar - Mattias Alkberg
När nätterna når hamn - Jörgen Kjellgren
Du och Jag - Alf
Stanna klocka stanna - Bob Hund
Next to You - Dante
Museum - Thus: Owls
Redan glömda - Jonathan Johansson
New directions - Jens Lekman
Fish band - Syket

Albums:
The Head And The Heart - The Head And The Heart
Active Child - You are all I see
Big Deal - Lights Out
Bon Iver - Bon Iver, Bon Iver
J Mascis - Several shades of why
Ryan Adams - Ashes and fire
Lanterns On The Lake - Gracious tide take me home
Unknown Mortal Orchestra - Unknown Mortal Orchestra
120 Days - II
John Maus - We must become the pitiless censors of ourselves

Songs:
Big Pink - Stay gold
Friends - I'm his girl
Bon Iver - I can't make you love me / Nick of time
Burial / Four Tet / Thom Yorke - Mirror
Tame Impala - Remember Me
Is Tropical - Zombie
M83 - Wait
Modeselktor / Thom Yorke - Shipwreck
Bombay Bicycle Club - Lights out, words gone
The Joy Formidable - Austere

Videos:

Fish band - Syket

Hej då - Riddarna

Stockholm - Jonathan Johansson

Släpp taget - Alexis Weak

Tody Motmot - Elias Krantz

Looking forward to:

Album releases from: Riddarna, Sailor & I, Existensminimum, Kent.
Like to hear new tunes from: Sonjagon, Ruset, Pascal, Framtiden, Korea Campfire, Dungen, TSOOL, Karl X Johan, Ít's a Bird it's a Plane, Suburban Kids With Biblical Names, Anna von Hausswolff and Dr Alban

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http://www.kvalitat.com/

1. Skriet - Det beslutande organet
I thought I'd separate my own releases (Novoton) from the list this year but Skriet's second album "Det beslutande organet" ("The governing body") hit me like a ton of bricks (and all the critics as well). It is easily the I album I have listened to and enjoyed the most this year so it has to be number one. A self-recorded beauty with traces of Joy Division, Einstürzende Neubauten and Talk Talk. What's not to like?
http://open.spotify.com/album/3H2WwXXWkvM5AYe4BFdkoo

2. Mattias Alkberg - Anarkist One of Sweden's most skillfull songwriters, authors and singers, with more than 20 years in action (both solo and with The Bear Quartet), returns with an excellent album and poetry book. It got me going anyway!
http://open.spotify.com/album/682R2oGfkyHy1elSmNmf26

3. Cat's Eyes - Cat's eyes
Cat's Eyes, Faris Badwan's (Horrors front man) collaborative project with Canadian opera singer and multi-instrumentalist Rachel Zeffira. Reverb drenched and enjoyably sinister, richly atmospheric and soft-focused pop music. For me, miles better and more exciting than his "real" band. "Face in the crowd" is one of my favorite songs this year.
http://open.spotify.com/album/6IsCfeYFiuk5MhdV69Tvgt

5. The Black Angels - Phosgene nightmare
Last year brought The Black Angels (with "Phosphene dream") back to great form and with the release of "Phosgene nightmare" (Limited Edition B-sides on White Vinyl) I was in heaven. I almost like this six track EP more than last year's proper album, and I loved that one.
http://open.spotify.com/album/72OunaSe9dTLfngPgVYSRB

6. The Vaccines - What did you expect from The Vaccines?
Every now and then a band comes that pick the cherry from all musical ages and make a great new album. Mixing everything from The Ramones to The Jesus and Mary Chain in three chords explosions they found a way into my heart.
http://open.spotify.com/album/6eWtdQm0hSlTgpkbw4LaBG

7. Timber Timbre - Creep on, creepin' on
Taylor Kirk has got loads of style and his croon empower the darkly atmospheric doo-wop and blues he create. All drenched with a style all its own. Quite haunting.
http://open.spotify.com/album/3MwhPlrS5HltOuXvEeWhuB

8. 16 Horsepower - Your, truly
This compilation got me back with 16 Horsepower and who can not love David Eugene Edwards' voice and music?
A nice trip down memory lane.
http://open.spotify.com/album/0fjdUv9iNvpvVkmFGlvRD9

9. Low - C'mon
Recorded in a old church "C'mon" is filled with athmosphere but direct as well. More uniform, in good way. Quite slow as usual but much more soulfull.
http://open.spotify.com/album/3FXselB2qG505kmuB5wL2n

10. Novoton releases 2011
By looking at the list it seems I have only listened to mellow and soft music this year, but that's not the case at all in fact. 2011 have been one of the best years for Novoton ever with five album releases (all with great reviews). It has been a magnificent year indeed. Besides Skriet, we have released albums by Riddarna, Katharina Nuttall, Paper and a split album with Pascal/Mattias Alkberg. You can listen to it all in the Spotify playlist below. It also looks like 2012 will be hectic for Novoton as well. Riddarna and Antennas have already recorded new albums for release next year and both Paper and Black Belt plan to have new albums out as well.
http://open.spotify.com/user/novoton/playlist/35RLkNoAJKiQrwZSrS82uI

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Daggan Stamenkovic runs the Swedish label Novoton.
http://www.novoton.se/

New from Riddarna.

Swedish rockers Riddarna have a new video for the track "Hej då".

A new video from Riddarna. Direct link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2w-292IskXs

Amanda Bergman
She used to be called "Hajen", then she changed her name. Now she is called "Idiot Wind". She might change again, who cares: she remains the most interesting voice in Sweden.

Du Pacque
I admit I cannot be objective anymore: it's been more than four years since I spread the word around: "the Du Pacque debut album" will be huuuuuge (see my 2009 top ten list for It's a Trap... and even the 2008 one!)

Faråker
When they will not be totally unknown anymore, everybody will love them.

Love is a Burning Thing
The only Swedish band that can make me tolerate the 1980s influence. And their song "Dancer on a chair" is one of the best song to play before to party.

Hjärtat
Did you know the Pixies' sons live in Sweden?

Riddarna
The translation of "rock n' roll" in Swedish? "Riddarna"! I bet their debut will be one of the best Swedish record in 2011.

Ruset
A new electro act. Weird, unexpected, amazing. No one else sounds like Ruset.

Sibling Sense
There are several "grunge" new bands in Sweden. This one is the best.

Tennis Bafra
Half-wankers, half-Kurt Cobain.

Terrible Feelings
My favourite young Swedish punk band. They remind me The Distillers.

We Are the Storm
Usually, a new band does not feature that many members (six!). Usually, a new band does not find their proper sound that fast. Usually, a new band does not make two huge hits ("Danmark" and "I woke up to the bells") before it releases its debut album. Eventually, Broder Daniel have found their dauphins.

You & Me George
A romantic band with romantic songs. They are brand new, but I'm pretty sure they are gonna become a really really great band.

You Say France & I Whistle
Pop hits makers.

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Absolut Noise is a France-based blog devoted to Swedish music.
http://absolutnoise.blogspot.com/

1. Pascal - Orkanen närmar sig
Pascal is getting better all time and their third album is all I hoped it would be. Cave rock at it's best!
http://www.kyssmig.com/

2. The Black Angels - Phosphene Dream
I loved their first album and was quite disappointed with their second so i am very glad to hear they are back in great form.
http://www.theblackangels.com/

3. Wolf People - Tidings
I got all these singles/EPs and have loved them to bits but it's great to have them collected in one place. Don't miss out on this. Also check out "Steeple", their proper debut album.
http://www.wolfpeople.co.uk/

4. This Is Head - 0001
A more or less perfect debut album. Great stuff.
http://www.thisishead.com/

5. Archie Bronson Outfit - Coconut
Fine mix of psychedelic garage rock, swaggering grooves, stabbing riffs, and gouging pop hooks.
http://www.archiebronsonoutfit.com/

6. Clinic - Bubblegum
I've been a Clinic fan since day one and i really like this softer and poppier sound.
http://www.clinicvoot.org/

7. Riddarna - Släpp allt, glöm allt!
Riddarna (The Knights) are a trio from Gotland/Gothenburg in Sweden and they are best described like Dungen's obnoxious country cousins born and bred on stoner-rock. In other words, loudmouth rock'n'roll in Swedish that sounds quite unique. Great debut EP.
http://www.riddarna.com/blog/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1-vu-l9aaE

8. The Bear Quartet - Monthy Python
Not being a big BQ fan from the beginning I was surprised how great their album "89" was and now when they follow it up with this it is even better.
http://www.thebearquartet.com/

9. Mattias Alkberg - Nerverna
A quite dark and beautiful album.
http://www.mabd.se/

10. 2011 (Paper and Katharina Nuttall)
As always, stuff I have listened to and enjoyed immensly won't be released until next year. Paper will release a fantastic second album called "Mischmash" and Katharina Nuttall will release her third called "Turn me on". Both fantastic in their own ways. Also, Riddarna will release their debut album and Pascal a new EP. How could I not long for next year.
http://www.myspace.com/paperstockholm
http://www.katharinanuttall.com/

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Daggan runs Novoton Records who will be doing a bunch of stuff in 2011 as outlined in #10 above.
http://www.novoton.se/

01. www.kvalität.com is online

02. Songs:
Uphill – Korea Campfire
Marken låg stilla – Dungen
Meet a bear – Britta Persson
Måne över Fårösund – Pascal
Whan we go to war – Tobias Fröberg
Play the world – Nina Kinert
David – The Radio Dept.

03. Albums:
0001 – This is Head
Singing from the grave – Anna von Hausswolff
Shallow grave – The Tallest Man on Earth
Clinging to a scheme – The Radio Dept.
Bigfield – Harald Björk
Glöm allt, Släpp allt EP - Riddarna

04. Videos:

05. Newcomers of the year:
Ruset – www.myspace.com/ruset
Hjärtat - www.myspace.com/makemefeelnothing
Riddarna - www.myspace.com/riddarna

06. Kvalität hope 2011 will bring:
Albums from Sonjagon, Ruset, Sibling Sense, Hjärtat, Existensminimum, Pascal and Dr. Alban.

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Kvalität is a live music video site based in Sweden.
http://www.kvalitat.com/