IT'S A TRAP! Scandinavian Music Journal

The return of Exergy Music

Thu, 03 Feb 2011 12:48:44 -0800

Swedish label Exergy Music is back from the dead, the reason being that "many of my old artists have finished new music that is too good for not being released," plus, "I have also bumped into some new artists that i just love." Guess that once you're in, it's hard to walk away forever. Anyhow, their first new release will be Akaba with the song "Fake it", as you can see/hear above. After that, look for new stuff to follow from the likes of Nanook of the North, Molesome and maybe also Vera Vinter. I'd also be way into a new Vijaya record, but I know the chances of that are slim to none.

MyFriends: Boevell, LionLove, Maggie at the Grand Piano, Masquer, We Work in Cubicles, Ydinaseeton Pohjola

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 19:45:58 -0700

Ex-members, sideprojects and other people you may have heard of before. And some other artists thrown in for good measure.

Boevell

SOUNDS LIKE: Linus from Idiot Kid with a new nomenclature doing the solo sadcore thing. Quite nice actually.
HIGHLIGHT: Someday my pain will leave
LINK: http://www.myspace.com/boevell

LionLove

SOUNDS LIKE: Charlotte and Daniel are back! After retiring the Vijaya moniker and starting a family, it's great to hear new music from these guys again.
HIGHLIGHTS: El sueno del dias, Long awaited love
LINK: http://www.myspace.com/lionlovesthlm

Maggie at the Grand Piano

SOUNDS LIKE: Lovely slowcore featuring an ex-member of Cobolt!
HIGHLIGHT: I try hard to make you love me
LINK: http://www.myspace.com/maggieatthegrandpiano

Masquer

SOUNDS LIKE: Idoru + Lowood = Masquer, a perfect amalgamation of the band's two sounds. Be sure to check the blog posts for free downloads.
HIGHLIGHTS: I think I'll lose my mind, Keep hanging on to his words
LINK: http://www.myspace.com/masquerstockholm

We Work in Cubicles

SOUNDS LIKE: Is this We Live in Trenches evil twin? They certainly are as mellow as WLIT are hard. One-take acoustic rock for easy listening.
HIGHLIGHTS: You're the reason, Lose cause
LINK: http://www.myspace.com/weworkincubicles

Ydinaseeton Pohjola

SOUNDS LIKE: Honestly, I'm usually not that crazy about this kind of over-the-top noisecore, but I love the tagline: "When man turns to 35 it's time to play hardcore." I'm feeling it, give me a few years and I'll be living it.
HIGHLIGHT: Grynderi
LINK: http://www.myspace.com/ydinaseetonpohjola

Sun, 27 Jan 2008 12:20:55 -0800

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

01. Elias and the Wizzkids - Young and hairy
02. TALK 1
03. Barra Head - Common ground
04. Familjen - Kom säger dom
05. José González - Killing for love
06. TALK 2
07. Marybell Katastrophy - Red red lips
08. Trentemøller - Moan (Trentemøller remix ft. Ane Trolle)
09. Lykke Li - I'm good, I'm gone
10. TALK 3
11. Dreamboy - Stars
12. Laakso - Worst case scenario
13. Marit Bergman - This is the year
14. TALK 4
15. Abhinanda - Rumble
16. Docenterna - Bensin i blodet
17. The Bombhappies - And at Belle Bed Inn, I found you
18. TALK 5
19. Firefox AK - Winter rose (ft. Tiger Lou)
20. Peloton - Nozal
21. The Bell - Target group
22. TALK 6
23. Moto Boy - Young love
24. Aerial - Kallisti
25. Truckfighters - Atomic
26. TALK 7
27. I'm From Barcelona - Treehouse
28. Pascal - Smärtsillande
29. Hero Dishonest - Fist song
30. Vijaya - Your gun will never set you free
31. TALK 8
32. Matts Katt - About the French
33. C.Aarmé - Dustin
34. Leütenhaven - Abbatoir the ghost
35. TALK 9
36. Lukestar - Shade you hide
37. Christian Kjellvander - Two souls
38. Royal Downfall - A life of constant failure
39. TALK 10
40. Entombed - Lights out

Mon, 10 Dec 2007 17:27:36 -0800

Swedish singer/songwriter Vijaya is retiring her stagename: http://www.vijaya.se/

Sat, 16 Jun 2007 00:00:00 -0700

The playlist for my radio show this week:

01. Pistol Disco - Walking with Jesus
02. TALK 1
03. Heroes & Zeros - Into the light
04. Vijaya - Your gun will never set you free
05. Convoj - My timekeeping heart
06. TALK 2
07. Darkthrone - Too old, too cold
08. A Perfect Friend - Rush hour
09. Death By Kite - Hiroshima
10. TALK 3
11. Fun - I've got a truck
12. Moonbabies - Walking on my feet
13. The Perishers - When I fall
14. TALK 4
15. Regulations - Police siren
16. Viola - Ordinary teenage sensation
17. Björn Kleinhenz - Starlit queen
18. TALK 5
19. Gravy - Glory to our brilliant name
20. Hero Dishonest - Stalin vs Hank Hardy
21. Sophie Zelmani - To know you
22. Ulver - Capitel III: Graablick blev hun vaer
23. TALK 6
24. Håkan Hellström - Ramlar
25. Abhinanda - Highway tonight
26. Single Unit - Passion, pirates & parasites
27. TALK 7
28. Kompjotr Eplektrika - Skulldrummantra
29. The Tiny - Just like you
30. Death Breath - Death breath
31. TALK 8
32. Entombed - Serpent speech
33. The Cardigans - Marvel hill
34. Soviac - I got the ribbah
35. TALK 9
36. The Bear Quartet - Put me back together
37. You Is Stupid - I am history
38. Paris - 60 minutes
39. The Process - Mot Sverige i tiden
40. TALK 10
41. Weeping Willows - I give you the morning

Tue, 05 Sep 2006 00:00:00 -0700

Two songs from Vijaya's excellent self-titled debut album will be featured in the the film "Du och jag" ("You and me"). It opens on October 6 in Sweden and was directed by the team of Martin Jern and Erik Larsson, probably best known for the teen movie "Fjorton suger".

Fri, 19 May 2006 00:00:00 -0700

Check out the video for "Your gun will never set you free" from Vijaya: http://www.blueberries.se/yourgun.htm

Vijaya s/t Exergy Music

Mon, 17 Apr 2006 00:00:00 -0700

After a couple of EPs , it was time for singer-songwriter Vijaya to spread her wings and show what she is able to do on a full-length. The result is an intimate album with minimal, but brilliant instrumentation that is only enhancing her beautiful voice. The palette of emotion is displayed is limited, going from the melancholic to the slightly annoyed. When on her melancholic game, she just creates some amazing melodies and textures, with just her voice and electric guitar. Mostly simply electronics and keyboards are sprinkled throughout the record, as well as reeds, harmonica and a few more, as simple as the arrangements are, they are completely amazing. I really like this, in more ways that I thought I would. This is intelligent, well crafted singer/songwriter music.

Thu, 06 Apr 2006 00:00:00 -0700

We continue our week of daily new music with a song from Vijaya off of her self-titled debut full-length album. Like most everything on the Exergy label, the sound of the melancholy singer/songwriter is greatly enhanced by the talented Mattias Olsson. Not only is he a gifted producer with a great ear for talent, but his instrumental abilities also add quite a bit to his records. And with that, let me turn it over to Jason Christie to speak more specifically about this particular song:

In my book, music equals art when it combines quality with sentiment and attaches balance. Then a strong message is always good. So like yesteryear anti-star who sang war protests, you have a very timely political impetus to Vijaya's "Your gun will never set you free" - a metallic march and bitmap combined with lazy deadpan tracks in the Chrissie Hynde school. Yet, when did Hynde ever sprinkle C86 in there? This is good gear. Stick it in your gun and smoke it.

MP3: Vijaya - Your gun will never set you free

Thu, 06 Apr 2006 00:00:00 -0700

Thu, 09 Feb 2006 00:00:00 -0800

Vijaya has posted the video for the song "Reflections" on her website: http://www.vijaya.se/ (under "Se")
The clip was directed by Ola Fredholm.

Fri, 20 Jan 2006 00:00:00 -0800

See Vijaya play on TV4 Nyhetsmorgon: http://vijaya.se/nyhetsmorgon/
Note the backing band consisting of Roger and Anders from IAT.MP3 act The Grand Opening along with Mattias Olsson and Tobias Ljungqvist from Two Times The Trauma. The two songs performed are "Reflections" and "Great big city".

Tue, 18 Oct 2005 00:00:00 -0700

IAT.MP3 recording artist The Grand Opening (download EP here) reports that they are currently recording their debut album at Roth Händle studio in Stockholm with producer/engineer Mattias Olsson (Pineforest Crunch, Vijaya, Two Times The Trauma). In other news, the band's old CDR releases will be reissued by TGO mainman Roger Olsson's new CDR label Suitcase Music alongside new releases from Yamon Yamon and Will Gambola Sing. And lastly, TGO plans to tour Germany the second half of February 2006. If you are interested in booking them, contact norrlands-booking@gmx.de.

Wed, 28 Sep 2005 00:00:00 -0700

Swedish upstart indie label Sing Your Life! has posted a new EP from Lionlove for free download: http://www.singyourlife.se/
Lionlove in indiepop duo sideproject for Charlotte and Daniel from Vijaya and Spider & I respectively. The eventual live band will feature Anders Ljung and Roger Olsson (The Grand Opening, Vijaya).