IT'S A TRAP! Scandinavian Music Journal

Atlas to release EL-SD 7"

Wed, 10 Aug 2011 11:24:56 -0700

Premium Swedish noiserockers EL-SD have officially joined forces with Atlas Records (Traktor) for the release of an upcoming 4-song 7" EP. No exact release date has been set yet, but they say to expect it around October and, if the rough mix samples I've heard so far are any indication, it will seriously rule all.

Traktor - Omega

Wed, 06 Apr 2011 17:55:46 -0700

Swedish noiserockers Traktor have a new tune up at SoundCloud off their forthcoming split 10" with Antigua & Barbuda: http://soundcloud.com/traktorbiz/traktor-omega

Traktor to release split 10"

Mon, 14 Mar 2011 18:39:13 -0700

Swedish noiserockers Traktor will be putting out a split 10" with Antigua & Barbuda in April via Atlas Records: http://atlasrec.wordpress.com/atl002/
They'll be touring together as well -- details at the aforementioned link.

Traktor album in November

Thu, 16 Sep 2010 16:56:31 -0700

Swedish noiserockers Traktor will release their new full-length "Early adopter" on November 1. 12" LP only plus download.

It's a Trap! Clubnights are back!

Mon, 16 Aug 2010 13:37:25 -0700

It's a Trap! Clubnights at Debaser Malmö are coming back this fall and our first one on Friday, October 8 is gonna be a big one! Three great Swedish acts (Bad Hands + Alarma Man + Traktor) plus special guest DJs (tba) equals good times. Keep an eye out for more details to be announced soon!

Traktor cancel fall tour

Mon, 02 Aug 2010 11:50:37 -0700

Traktor have cancelled the European tour they had scheduled for October.

MP3: Traktor - Where water goes

Thu, 06 May 2010 12:07:11 -0700

Traktor are one of the proud few Swedish noiserock bands left carrying the torch in 2010 and "Where water goes" is their new single, the first from their forthcoming album due out this fall (via I Made This, I believe). As is so often par for the course, expect lots of subtely discordant melodies, sharp rhythmic turns, shouted vocals and, in Traktor's particular instance, a heavy reliance on single-note guitar lines. When they do break out the chords, it's well-employed for emphasis; otherwise the track is surprisingly spacious. It's that level of intricacy and attention to detail that makes this a decent listen, otherwise it's kind of lacking in dynamics and is most certainly way too long. Not sure the video adds much either, but it's worth a gander.

Direct link to the video: http://vimeo.com/11522336

Sirius playlist week #18

Mon, 03 May 2010 11:49:34 -0700

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

01. Kråkesølv - Skredder
02. TALK 1
03. Lama - Curses and broken glass
04. Underachiever - No rain (arson)
05. Originalljudet - The oral solution (with pear)
06. Lögnhalsmottagningen - Lumpettrick
07. TALK 2
08. Masshysteri - Låt dom hata oss
09. Den Svenska Tystnaden - Reaktor
10. Simian Ghost - Star receiver
11. Kobert - Recipe
12. TALK 3
13. Traktor - Where water goes
14. Disco Ensemble - Protector
15. Hooded Menace - Night of the deathcult
16. TALK 4
17. Menfolk - From the horse's mouth
18. Mattias Alkberg - Nerverna
19. Khoma - Osiris
20. TALK 5
21. Baby Alice - Piña colada boy

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.

EL-SD get new guitarist

Thu, 29 Apr 2010 12:36:37 -0700

Swedish noiserockers EL-SD have recruited Fredrik Degerman aka Degis of The Sound O.E as their new guitarist. He will make his live debut with the band on May 5 at Lilla Hotellbaren in Stockholm where they will be playing with like-minded fellows Traktor.

Traktor on tour

Wed, 28 Apr 2010 11:22:52 -0700

Upcoming tourdates for Traktor:

05/05 - Fritz's Corner @ Lilla Hotellbaren, Stockholm (SWE)
05/07 - Raw, Eskilstuna (SWE)
05/13 - Dog's Home, Tampere (FIN)
05/14 - Semifinal, Helsinki (FIN)
05/15 - Sosis, Turku (FIN)
05/18 - Café Mic, Vänersborg (SWE)
05/19 - Cairo, Würzburg (GER)
05/20 - KTS, Freiburg (GER)
05/21 - Schokoladen, Berlin (GER)
05/22 - Zoro, Leipzig (GER)
05/24 - Venster, Vienna (AUS)
05/25 - Alte Welt, Linz (AUS)
05/26 - Papperla, Bolzano (ITA)
05/27 - PMK, Innsbruck (AUS)
05/28 - Cobra, Solingen (GER)
05/29 - Sächsischer Bahnhof, Gera (GER)

Traktor - Where water goes

Tue, 27 Apr 2010 11:56:39 -0700

Traktor's new single "Where water goes" is now up at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/traktorbiz

New Traktor single, tour

Mon, 12 Apr 2010 20:55:07 -0700

Swedish noiserockers Traktor will be releasing the new 7" single "Where water goes" on May 5, just before they hit the road for a 2-week tour. Dates at myspace, hopefully the a-side soon too: http://www.myspace.com/traktorbiz

Axe, EL-SD & Karpis Live @ Snövit, Stockholm, 10/24/09

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 17:32:19 -0700

There's a nice noise-hardcore-scene vibe going around Stockholm with some amazing bands gigging in basements and bars and such, under the radar of -- or underestimated by -- the established clubs; these bands are getting their gigs by themselves and getting together a group of friends in a hole in the ground serving beer. Anyone paying attention will recognize that most members tonite are the usual suspects and this one featured, among others, members of Traktor, Emerson Fittipaldi, Seven Feet Four and Bruce Banner, on stage and in the audience.

Axe kicked off the night with some ferocious hardcore-noise-punk in the vein of Brick and that old hardcore band from Sigtuna that I can't remember the name of right now. They were really cool. They've got hooks! Check out their myspace and you'll see what I mean (the song "Firmafest" is an amazing stand-out!). They also are not afraid to go mid-tempo for some noise-intensity. The live-experience was great, yet lacking some volume and conviction, but hopefully they'll iron this out. If they do, this band will be a force to be reckoned with.

EL-SD were a bit more heady, recalling early Unwound, Sonic Youth, even early Quagmire (!) as well as sporting "Yank crime"-era Drive Like Jehu song lengths. I was blissing out ofc, with the amazing gzzz-ing and no-wave picking guitars of David Fried right in front of me and bumping into Frippe going crazy wielding the bass. Good shit, this.

Karpis went metal on me, taking noise-rock down drop-tuning with growling even. They were bringing it, but I was kind of done unfortunately, trying to flirt, drink beer and stuff instead. I'll catch more of your set next time guys, promise!

So, fellow travelers, when in Stockholm, I humbly suggest you forgo established venues, constantly applying the one-size-fits-all-indie-dancefloor after every damn concert, for the basement jovial hardcore-scene-experience. Get your promille up and cheer for your new-found favourite underground band! You can even pogo a bit if u'd like.

Traktor and Heroes & Zeros to tour Northern Europe in March

Tue, 27 Jan 2009 16:32:32 -0800

Traktor (SWE) and Heroes & Zeros (NOR) will be teaming up for some European tourdates:

03/09 - MTC, Köln (GER)
03/10 - AKW, Würzburg (GER)
03/11 - Ampere, München (GER)
03/12 - Chelsea, Wien (AUS)
03/13 - Magnet, Berlin (GER)
03/14 - Grüner Jäger, Hamburg (GER)

Wed, 29 Oct 2008 17:42:10 -0700

Upcoming livedates for Swedish noiserockers Traktor:

11/29 - Showdown @ Henriksberg, Göteborg (SWE)
12/04 - 13 Eins, Ansbach (GER)
12/05 - Juz, Weiden (GER)
12/06 - Juze Treff 9, Heidenheim (GER)
12/07 - Stadtwerkstatt, Linz (AUS)
12/08 - Rotes Gugl, Leitersdorf (AUS)
12/10 - Verso, Luxemburg (LUX)
12/11 - Sonic Ballroom, Köln (GER)
12/12 - Lokal, Berlin (GER)
12/13 - Club Adorno @ Laden, Copenhagen (DK)

Fri, 11 Jul 2008 16:08:55 -0700

Swedish noiserock act Traktor report that their album "Sequence the sequence" will get a vinyl release via Apocaplexy Records in the near future. The new edition will feature slightly revised artwork and will be pressed on green and red transparent vinyl.

Mon, 10 Mar 2008 12:42:07 -0700

Swedish indie label and The Swedish Model collective member I Made This has a new website: http://www.imadethis.se/
They'll be releasing the new album "Sequence the sequence" from Swedish noiserockers Traktor on April 9. Hear samples at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/traktorbiz
Otherwise, keep an eye for news on new signings coming soon.

MP3: Lukestar - White shade

Wed, 17 Oct 2007 12:08:26 -0700

I received a 4-track CDR from Lukestar way back in April. There wasn't much info included in the package, just that the band was currently on the prowl for a record deal and that the tracks were recorded by Carl Vikman in Sweden. No song titles, no band bio, nothin'. I has seen Lukestar's name in passing, but didn't really know much about them 'cept that they were loosely associated with the Norwegian hardcore scene, or at least that seemed the be the circle they travelled in. However, upon listening, I was taken aback - what's up with this squeaky, androgynous voice? Is this supposed to be emopop? And that drumming... my god! That's what makes the band. The first chorus comes in and teases you with a gigantic hook, only to give way to another, more drawn-out verse with an even more amazing drum break. Then the second chorus, bigger than the last and straight into a triumphant bridge of dueling guitars lines over even busier drums. It's within the realm of noiserock, but not really all that noisy. Melody still rules. One more short, final chorus and, all of a sudden, it's over. The first time I heard it, I was left scratching my head. Not only did it totally defy expectations (those vocals!), but it wasn't quite like anything I'd heard before. Definitely comparable to a lot of the bands Carl Vikman has worked with before - Seven Feet Four, Trapdoor Fucking Exit, Traktor and so on - but with its own unique flavor. Way more pop to be sure, though still rooted in hardcore. Think back to before emo became a bad word. It took me a bit to process, but repeated listens eventually embedded "White shade" firmly into my brain. There's something really intriguing about the way it teases you with the main chorus hook and then moves on. It's such a fantastic part, but it passes by so quickly! In many ways, its stinginess is its strength - I get blindsided and am left wanting more. You might not get it immediately the first time through, but it'll get you.

Too bad Lukestar's album won't be out until 2008 - I was really looking forward to hearing more. As-is, the four tracks I do have remain some of the best stuff I've heard this year.

Tue, 19 Jun 2007 00:00:00 -0700

Swedish noiserockers Traktor have finished recording their 2nd album and are currently seeking a label to release it: http://www.traktorbiz.com/
Click the jukebox in the corner for samples.

Tue, 13 Mar 2007 00:00:00 -0700

New European dates for Swedish hardcore act Traktor:

04/18 - Beteigeuze, Ulm (GER)
04/19 - Sunny Red, München (GER)
04/20 - United Club, Torino (ITA)
04/21 - Papperlapp, Bolzano (ITA)
04/22 - The Cage Club, Livorno (ITA)
04/23 - Csa Capolinea, Faenza (ITA)
04/24 - Keller 264, Freiburg (GER)
04/25 - Hirscheneck, Basel (CH)
04/26 - ISC, Bern (CH) w/ Alarma Man
04/27 - Espace B, Paris (FRA)
04/28 - WBC, La Rochelle (FRA)

Bassist Fredrik will be forced to sit this one out as his girlfriend will soon give birth to their child. Robert Lindblom will fill in. In other news, the video for "Vultures" is now online: http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=2013558241

MP3: The Sound O.E - New bankruptcy

Mon, 15 Jan 2007 00:00:00 -0800

One of the big things that got me deeper into Swedish/Scandinavian rock way back when was explosive, guitar-heavy indierock. Fireside, Starmarket, Him Kerosene, KVLR - these are the bands that caught my interest and had me pouring through liner notes looking for more names to track down. Sadly, that scene is nowhere near as strong these days though there are a few who keep the fire burning: The End Will Be Kicks, Seven Feet Four, Aerial Convoj plus young upstarts like Traktor and today's post subjects The Sound O.E. The band has been lurking in the shadows for a couple years now, but it wasn't until very recently that they seemed to rise above and the new three-song EP "Me and Laureline" proves it. The screechy sprechstimme delivery of the verses might be a bit much for some, but remember that what they're doing is essentially sloganeering - the words are meant to be heard loud and clear. It's call & response; a call to action. When the harmonies of the chorus come in, the intentions are indisputable. The Sound O.E know exactly what they're doing. I think the arrangement could still be tightened up a bit, but I like what they're doing and definitely look forward to hearing more.

Tue, 10 Oct 2006 00:00:00 -0700

Traktor's new website is online and you can preview their entire new "Vulture" EP there by clicking on the jukebox: http://www.traktorbiz.com/
I realize it's not for everyone, but I really like their discordant rock style. Reminds me a bit of mid-90s Gravity/Ebullition style hardcore.

Tue, 08 Aug 2006 00:00:00 -0700

UK label Big Scary Monsters will attempt to follow in my illustrious footsteps by releasing a comp of Swedish music entitled "Svenskt" on October 16. The lineup looks pretty damn good actually - names confirmed include Alarma Man, Audrey, David and the Citizens, Last Days of April, Logh, Molia Falls, Moonbabies, The Sound OE and, Traktor, pretty much all bands I would heartily endorse. Check out the comp's own myspace page for more: http://www.myspace.com/svenskt

Wed, 21 Jun 2006 00:00:00 -0700

Swedish noiserockers Traktor have posted two new songs on myspace: http://www.myspace.com/traktorbiz
"Well worn eyes" will be released on the "Vultures" 7" to be released by Cut 'n Paste soon and "I have but one heart" is set to appear on the band's next full-length. Some upcoming tourdates:

06/23 - MFT Festival @ Juz Gfrath, Solingen (GER)
06/24 - Musikbrauerei, Rathenow (GER)
06/25 - Magnet Club, Berlin (GER)

Wed, 25 Jan 2006 00:00:00 -0800

Swedish noiserock act Traktor has given their website a new look: http://www.traktorbiz.com/
The band's new album "Lights" came out on January 20 via German label My Favourite Toy.

Fri, 02 Dec 2005 00:00:00 -0800

Traktor's debut album "Lights" has been confirmed for a January 21 release to be followed by a European tour. Go here for tentative dates: http://www.traktorbiz.com/live.htm

Mon, 12 Jul 2004 00:00:00 -0700

This week's reviews from Sellfish:

Lake of Tears - Greatest tears
Traktor - s/t

Fri, 09 Jul 2004 00:00:00 -0700

Swedish emo-hardcore acts Traktor and The Sound o.e are touring Germany and Austria together:

09/02 - tbc, Düsseldorf (GER)
09/03 - Em Kotten, Solingen (GER)
09/04 - Druckluft Open., Oberhausen (GER)
09/05 - tbc, Nürnberg (GER)
09/06 - PMK, Innsbruck (AUS)
09/07 - tbc, Klagenfurt (AUS)
09/08 - tbc, Linz (AUS)
09/09 - Subway to Peters, Chemnitz (GER)
09/10 - Klaushaus, Gera (GER)
09/11 - Carpe diem, Tangermünde (GER)
09/12 - Kastanie, Berlin (GER)

Mon, 15 Sep 2003 00:00:00 -0700

Via Voidfaith comes word that Eye Will Drown and Rättviseakademin will be putting out a compilation together on November 1 called "Reagera - agera" as a protest against globalization. Featured on the comp will be these eighteen Swedish bands: Akkurat (Lidköping), Asphalt (Göteborg), Anti Control Action Band (Lidköping), Amalthea (Gislaved), C.Aarmé (Göteborg), Den Siste Baronen (Lidköping), Dustscape (Luleå), Feeble (Falun), Mist orchestra (Göteborg), Sheltek (Karlstad), St Laura (Stockholm), Target Point (Karlstad), Traktor, (Eskilstuna), The Sound o.e (Eskilstuna), The Fallout Boys (Luleå), The Lolita Stasi Collective (Göteborg), The Eitsoul Ashes (Falköping), and The Grizzly Twister (Gävle). Look for artwork and more info to be posted on the newly designed Eye Will Drown website soon.