IT'S A TRAP! Scandinavian Music Journal

Britta Persson to France

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:04:52 -0500

Britta Persson is heading to France in March:

03/20 - Festival Les Femmes s'en M�lent, Paris
03/21 - Festival Les Femmes s'en M�lent, Paris
03/22 - Mars En Braconne Festival, Vindelle

Sju Sv�ra �r - Pappa

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:03:32 -0500

I always make an effort to check out the various Manifest Awards nominees because, inevitably, there's always at least a few quality names that have previously escaped my attention. I don't worry so much about who actually won or who was unfairly passed over, I just want new music. As for the punk category: I'm already a fan of V�nna Inget and happily grabbed a copy of their excellent LP via 1-2-3-4 Go! Records; Obnoxious Youth's stiff thrashy hardcore is not my thing at all, but kudos to them for winning; and I must confess, I don't know Black Feet at all, but that will be remedied eventually. Which leaves Sju Sv�ra �r, a band that I've been aware of for awhile, but never fully investigated until very recently. Shame on me, because they are ruling female-fronted melodic punk, not too dissimilar from the aforementioned V�nna Inget or other acts like Masshysteri and The Vicious. So yeah, right up my alley -- especially when they combine exquisite vocal harmonies with raw grit like on tracks such as "Pappa". I may have neglected to track down a copy of their LP before now, but that will soon be remedied.

New tunes from Fysisk Format

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:20:02 -0500

Fysisk Format has posted the �rabrot cut "300nights", the exclusive b-side from the now OOP "Madonna was a whore" 7", for streaming at SoundCloud.

In other news, they're also streaming a song from Do You Love Melena?, a new band featuring members from Rumble in Rhodos and Pow Pow:

Franky Lee - A man without a heart

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 12:14:59 -0500

Some of Franky Lee's bio material attempts to peg them as an indierock throwback, but there's no comparison to bands such as Tennis Bafra or Culkin. No, Franky Lee is a straight-up turn-of-the-millennium style arena-sized alternative rock act ala Foo Fighters or Jimmy Eat World. Which is by no means a bad thing! The band I'm currently playing with kind of attempts to cop that sound too, for what it's worth, though we probably throw in a few more new-wavey influences. Anyhow, I really do like this sort of stuff despite it being patently uncool in many social circles. It's definitely not punk to aspire to such pop grandeur -- a funny thing to note when you consider Franky Lee's member pedigree (likewise, in my own band's case). I guess there's a freedom in getting old in that those sort of petty things don't seem to matter as much anymore. I'm feeling it, signed: an unapologetic fan of pop convention. Go see Franky Lee when they play Debaser Malm� next week at It's a Trap!'s clubnight.

Sulli - Soft coal

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:10:06 -0500

More melancholic new sounds from The Goner sideproject Sulli.

The Goner - Sun on stone/Illumination

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:47:21 -0500

"Sun on stone" b/w "Illumination", a brand new two-track single from IAT faves The Goner. More of an anxious rock sound than their earlier folk/drone work, but very cool all the same.

I Used To Be A Sparrow - Innocent vigilant ordinary (video)

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:04:33 -0500

Watch I Used to be a Sparrow, the duo of Dick Pettersson (In These Woods) and Italian expat Andrea Caccese (Songs For The Sleepwalkers), cover an old tune by Appleseed Cast. Look for the band's debut album "Luke" to be released in April via Paper Wings Records.

Anja Bigrell - Brun dv�rg

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 13:48:16 -0500

New music from Anja Bigrell, one-half of defunct duo and long-time IAT favorite Montys Loco. Expect a solo album later this year?

Susanne Sundf�r and the silicon veil

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 11:19:26 -0500

New stuff on the way from Susanne Sundf�r? See: http://www.thesiliconeveil.com/
I do believe that a new single called "White foxes" is on the way and will be officially released on February 24.

Luxury to release new single from Alpaca Sports

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 16:04:40 -0500

Speaking of Luxury, the label has announced that they will also be releasing a new 7" single called "Just for fun" from Alpaca Sports on March 22 in association with Dufflecoat Records. Limited to 300 copies and already available for preorder.

Stora Landsv�gen goes Gottsunda

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 13:48:51 -0500

Daniel Westerlund of the excellent avant-folk act The Goner and ex-bandmate Johan Knudsen are composing the music for a new production of the play "Stora Landsv�gen", originally by August Strindberg and rewritten for this occasion by poet/playwright Annika Boholm and directed by Ulf Friberg. The play opens on February 15, more info here: http://www.gottsundateater.com/

A West Side Fabrication Scandinavian Indie Vol 2 Now & Then

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 17:36:12 -0500

Swedish indie label mainstay A West Side Fabrication is putting out a new comp at the end of the month (1/31) featuring a wide selection of tunes from their 25 years as a label plus four brand new ones written especially for this release. Full tracklist:

Oh My! - Fifteen minutes
Heikki - Former hero
Bedroom Eyes - Hand-in-hand grenade
The Drowners - Summer break my fall
Light Parade - Moonlight run
Little Red Snapper - Call me on Tuesday
Olle Nyman - Don't let those bastards reel you in
Oscar & Ronja - Bad manners
Amber Oak - Audrey (radio version)
Wade - Freak or a star
Music of Things - Self destructive
Holiday With Maggie - Make it, don't break it
Mufflon 5 - Waverer
The Concretes - Just locals
Tupelo Honeys - The return of the weeping man (autumn edit)
The Bear Quartet - It only takes a flashlight to create a monster

It's a Trap! Clubnights 2012 update

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 16:09:10 -0500

I am thrilled to announce that in addition to the previously announced It's a Trap! Clubnights gigs with We Are the Storm/Helsinki Poetry (this Friday! holy shit!) and Caotico (April 13!), we will be welcoming Millencolin/The Peepshows indierock sideproject Franky Lee plus Tiger Bell to the stage of Debaser Malm� on February 17. And that's not all: we've also got V�nna Inget, EL-SD and Gamla Pengar coming down on March 16 and you know that one is gonna rule! Wish I could be there personally, but hey, maybe I'll make it over this coming summer.

Various Artists - Metronomicon Audio compilation 5.0 (Metronomicon Audio)

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 11:49:03 -0500

Fifth signature compilation from the very cool Oslo-based label Metronomicon Audio, celebrating their five years of existence and a variety and diversity of styles. The label's ability to act as an umbrella collective works when the sum of so many contrasting creative devices, at times, outweigh some particulars -- but in the spirit of camaraderie, we're not here to pick those out. Experimental yet smart, the label is a solid example of successful DIY'ing in today's world. The comp could probably roughly grouped into categories: quirky-electronic-based tracks (Hans Ice - "Phone home" / satanicpronocultshop - "Tennnojizoo (remix by Kesalan Patharan)", Toshybot - "Super Nintendo Chalmers"); 80s synth-pop tunes in the vibe of Bill Murray on a karaoke dance-floor (Cyranoarmageddon - "50 cent" / Pilemil - "Back to 1010"); nods to Can (Radio 9 - "Damo Suzuki is staying at my house"); literary freak folk star Magnus Moriarty with, "Distant athletic parts of you" and other serious folk-ies (Yoreyolk - "Eggs" / Feather and Folly - "Emma's island"). My two favourite tracks however, are Hanny - "Can't", female fronted rapping/vocals producing some catchy beats. Then Easy & Center of the Universe - "Bosphorus (Coco high energy rewerk)", mixing the "irresistibly funky sound of Skweee with rich Eastern melodies that one would usually hear in styles like Turkish Anatolian pop, Egyptian our music or dance latest dance sound pounding from a Persian bazaar." If that ain't descript enough for you, let's just say it sounds like the parents have finally reigned home and inundated the kids with who's boss. A comp highly recommended for anyone wanting an appealing taster through Oslo's underground.
- Ann Sung-an Lee
Rating: 0

Top 10s for 2011: Jocke D-takt (D-takt & R�punk/Desperat/Thr�shers)

Fri, 23 Dec 2011 11:41:49 -0500

Without any direct ranking, here you finally have my 2011 best list. It was hard to stop writing once I had started. Sorry for that. Hehe. Everybody always do a "best album list" so I have made a little different one. All the best!
/Jocke D-takt

Japan t(our)rip.
Without a doubt the best and most anticipated trip/tour I have ever done. I got to see and meet all of the Japanese punk bands that I have only listened on records and seen on YouTube with crappy sound quality. Then there is the Japanese culture, food and warm-hearted people, I made a lot of new friends for life. But the absolutely best thing about the whole trip was when we visited Kawakami's (Disclose) grave in Kochi, and before that we had coffee with Kawakami's mother in her home. It was totally surreal! I wanna go back as soon as possible.

Winter in the north.
Cold, dark and quiet, perhaps The best combination. The nature gives me an inner peace that nothing nor no one else can.

My beloved girlfriend.
It's easy to take things for granted and some days it feels like that's what I do with my relationship. Unbelievable that my girlfriend is still with me after 12 years we've been together, despite my constant absences. She should get a gold medal for that.

Rehearse in active bands every week.
Since the beginning of 2000 I have only been playing in bands which have members scattered all over Sweden and some parts of Norway, so we have never been able to get together as often as I might have liked. At the beginning of this year I finally found like-minded people who wanted to play rough punk in my hometown.

Food.
I've never had any real interest in cooking before, but this year I discovered the joy and pleasure in food. There is nothing better than when you manage to combine the right ingredients and spices for a perfect spicy dish. Mmmmm yummy yummy.

Documentaries and free net-plays.
There has been a lot of good documentaries and great series throughout the year. I am really grateful for all the websites that upload all this for free. Like "An Idiot Abroad" season one was scandalously funny.

Human goodness.
It is not common, but it still exists. This I witnessed as my private psychologist offered me free therapy for three semesters. Without any ulterior motives or commitments, we meet every two weeks.

Books and paper zines.
As soon as I find rest or have some spare time, I try to read as much as I can. It's so hard to remember what books and zines I read the first quarter, so I may have to recommend the book I read most recently that I thought was good; "Blod eld d�d" (Blood fire death), a Swedish metal history. I hope it will be translated into English so that more people may have access to it. When it comes to zines I got, just the other day, a relatively new fanzine called "Kissan P�iv�t" that was one of the better I've read in a long time.

Car bingo.
It is many years since I started playing car bingo now, but I still find it as exciting. I still haven't won a penny yet but I'm not bitter because I know that the jackpot will come next year. It must!

D-takt & R�punk, five years giving the middle finger.
D&R celebrate five year anniversary this December, damn what time flies by. I want to thank all the bands I have released, labels/distros I worked with and last but not least all you others who have supported and helped me along the way. Without you I would never have survived these five years. I am so grateful, thank you all. I hope for another five years of mangel.

---------------------------
http://dbeatrawpunk.blogspot.com/
http://desperathardcore.wordpress.com/
http://thrashers.bandcamp.com/

Atlas Losing Grip on tour again (+ No Fun At All!)

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 12:28:45 -0500

Swedish skatepunks Atlas Losing Grip will be heading back out on the road in the new year and will be doing a few shows with a reunited No Fun At All along the way:

01/11 - Hurricanes Pub, Tours (FRA)
01/12 - Heretic, Bordeaux (FRA)
01/13 - Sala Mogambo, Donostia-San Sebasti�n (ESP)
01/14 - La Antigua, Ovideo (ESP)
01/15 - Sala A Reserva, Carballo (ESP)
01/16 - tba, Porto (PT)
01/17 - Sala Supersonic, Cadiz (ESP)
01/18 - Santiago Alquimista, Lisbon (PT) w/No Fun At All
01/19 - Sala Live, Madrid (ESP) w/No Fun At All
01/20 - Sala rock City, Valencia (ESP) w/No Fun At All
01/21 - Estraperlo Club, Badalone (ESP) w/No Fun At All
01/22 - Sala Moscou, Torello (ESP), w/No Fun At All
01/23 - Connexion Cafe, Tolouse (FRA)
01/24 - La Fourmi, Limoges (FRA)
01/25 - Les Combustibles, Paris (FRA)
02/03 - Alter Stadtbahnhof, Schweinfurt (GER) w/ZSK
02/04 - Matrix, Bochum (GER) w/ZSK
02/10 - Faust, Hannover (GER) w/ZSK
02/11 - Batschkapp, Frankfurt Am Main (GER) w/ZSK

Top 10s for 2011: It's a Trap!

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0500

The prospect of whittling down my list of 2011 favorites to a standard top 10 or even 20 just didn't seem quite so appropriate this year so I've opted instead to break up my selections into a few compartmentalized and highly subjective niches. When I reflect back on the year just passed, this is the method that makes the most sense to me, and besides, music is not a contest and many of these records simply cannot withstand side-by-side scrutiny. Hopefully you'll agree, but if not, there's always the comments section.

BEST ROCK/POP

For lack of a better signifier, here are a few of my favorite releases that don't fit neatly into a clever subgenre.

Peter Bjorn and John - Gimme some
I feel bad for everyone who can't move beyond "Young folks". PB&J has always been and continues to be a fantastic powerpop band and their latest album might just be their best.

Penny Century - Friends and family
A grower, not a shower. I found myself returning to this record time and time again, discovering new things to appreciate almost every time. A deeply nuanced work masquerading as sweet indiepop.

Cut City - Where's the harm in dreams disarmed?
A fitting swan song that their final release should be a perfect encapsulation of modern goth/pop/postpunk.

Kaka - The two
Brilliant, addictive and secretly subversive once you start digging into the lyrics.

BEST SCENE: Black Hole Crew/Nekromantik Norway

Excellence in consistency, consisently excellent. While no one release blew me away quite like Okkultokrati's "No light for mass" or Haust's debut LP "Ride the relapse", the Oslo horde has been regularly churning out some of the finest punk/metal/hardcore in the world today.

Key selections:
Dark Times - s/t CS
�rabrot - Solar anus
�rabrot/Okkultokrati - split 12"
Okkultokrati - Ingen veit alt 7"
Okkultokrati/Haust - Black Hole X-mas 7"
Problems - 2011 CS

ALSO SEE: Hubro & HOOB Records

Allow me to step outside my confort zone a moment to also recommend to you the not-exactly jazz labels Hubro and HOOB Records, based in Norway and Sweden respectively. Both are delivering an amazing array of excellent genre-breaking music and, while I may not be intimately familiar with the circles they travel in, I can confidently say that almost every single release they've put out is well worth investigating.

Key selections:
The Splendour - Delphian palace
Thus:Owls - Harbours
Splashgirl - Pressure
Huntsville - For flowers, cars and merry wars
1982 - Pintura

BEST INSTRUMENTAL/SOUNDTRACK

Matti Bye & Mattias Olsson - Elephant and castle
Wheezing vintage organs and the clatter of clever percussion combine to create one of the most satisfying and creepy albums of the year.

BEST METAL

Execration - Odes of the occult
Much in the same way that Obliteration's "Nekropsalms" stood head and shoulders above the rest back in 2009, Execration's "Odes of the occult" expands on the same template established by their countrymates and adds a hefty does of epic doom to their filthy death metal, thus easily enabling them to (ahem) obliterate the competition.

ALSO SEE:
D�dsvarg - Livet �r en d�dsorsak
Mr. Death - Descending through ashes
Rising - To solemn ash

BEST EPs

2011 was an amazing year for EPs and many of these titles I have listed make up my absolute favorite releases of the year.

Grande Roses - Hide
Hands down, the best rock record of the year. Vital and passionate in an era when so many feign indifference or hide behind irony, no one else comes close.

Kite - IV
Even if you think that they'll never write another song as good as "Ways to dance", or even if you think they already did, Kite has never had a 100% fully satisfying release until this. Five songs, all synthpop anthems.

The Psyke Project - Ebola
As said before, forget the other half of this split -- it doesn't exist as far as I'm concerned. The Psyke Project is brutality personified; every time you think they couldn't get any heavier, they do.

In These Woods - s/t
Technically a late 2010 release, but who is really paying attention to anything new in late December? Classic Swedish indie guitar-rock is saved from extinction yet again.

Alouatta - DIY
Melodic mid-tempo punk played by dudes who are old enough to know better, but also old enough to do it just right.

FOREIGN JUNK

Not appropriate to waste words on these here, in this forum, but these records are all excellent and well worth checking out:
Austra - Feel it break
Charles Bradley - No time for dreaming
The Devil's Blood - The thousandfold epicentre
Royal Headache - s/t

Clubnights 2012

Tue, 20 Dec 2011 17:31:25 -0500

We're still over a week away from the new year, but that's not gonna stop us from unveiling the first confirmations of our 2012 It's a Trap! Clubnights! Up first on January 20, we've got Uppsala's We are the Storm plus from Denmark, the confusingly-named Helsinki Poetry. Dates in February and March are still pending, but April is already on lock with Caotico set to grace the stage! Expect more details soon!

Wasted reissue on the way

Tue, 20 Dec 2011 14:26:34 -0500

Combat Rock Industry reports that they will be doing a number of reissues/represses in 2012 starting with Wasted's long OOP album "Down & out", originally released in cooperation with the now-defunct German label Scene Police some 10 years ago. No official release date yet, but the band will be heading out on the road for some domestic shows this season and a European tour in May.

Top 10s for 2011: Thomas Ekelund (Soma Sema/Trepaneringsritualen)

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 12:16:45 -0500

A selection of records from 2011, in no particular order

Ke/hil - Hellstation LP
Technically this was released at the tail end of 2010, but I didn't get to hear it until this year. If this was a ordered list, this one would definitely be No. 1. It perfectly captures a sense of isolation and bleakness that cuts right into my heart.

Genocide Organ - Under-Kontrakt LP
I've never been a huge fan of G.O. but this album made me re-evaluate large parts of their back catalogue completely. I still say they are over-rated, but there are definite gems in the discography and this one is one of them.

Brighter Death Now - Very Little Fun 4LP
Over four slabs of vinyl there's bound to be subpar material, so I wouldn't consider this one an essential buy, but there is however plenty of really great material on there. The packaging could've been more elaborate though. It isn't really the box set it was claimed to be.

Current 93 - HoneySuckle �ons LP
Certainly not one of the greatest C93 albums, but it's a pleasant listen and the artwork is the best Tibet's done in a long while. No standout tracks, but I hold it in higher regard than last years "Baalstorm, Sing Omega".

Kinit Her - Gratitudes CD
This one is weird. I tried to include a track on a mix tape for a friend, but on their own none of the tracks were any good. Listening from start to finish though, it's a monumental album encompassing everything from early music via black metal to straight up neofolk. I am very much looking forward to the LP on Release The Bats.

Ectoplasm Girls - T X N LP
Seems like this has been in the works forever, and now it's finally out. They've gotten quite a bit of attention and it's all well deserved. Twisted, dark and ritual industrial music. They always make me think of the weirder Psychic TV material, though I am not sure it's really an apt description.

Maska Genetik - Strada LP
It would seem that Maska Genetik is a dead project (these songs were recorded between 2002 and 2005), which is a damned shame. Aside from Haus Arafna/November N�velet, Maska is my favorite Galakthorr� band. Creeping, oozing analog angst pop at it's best.

Haus Arafna - New York Rhapsody LP
Last years You was a bit of a let down, and I wouldn't call "New York Rhapsody" a crowning achievement either. But I do in fact prefer this, mostly instrumental, album over the predecessor. If I understand it correctly it was a commissioned work for some fashion show and I can totally see some featureless skeleton walking down the run way to this.

Sutekh Hexen - Luciform LP
Sutekh Hexen blasted into the world from nowhere last year and they are yet to let me down. A full on relentless black metal/noise hybrid that is not to be missed!

The Moon Lay Hidden Beneath A Cloud
I was never a huge The Moon Lay Hidden Beneath A Cloud fan back in the day, I had one album and it had a handful of great songs on it, but suffered greatly by being something like 70 minutes long. Now, thanks to iTunes I can pick and choose and once you weed out the filler material they are a sensational band.

� � �

Dead Letters Spell Out Dead Words was finally put to rest on the 26th of February 2011 at a very emotional show at Fylkingen in Stockholm. Now all focus is on various collaborative efforts -- following up the debut Soma Sema 7" with an album, recording a mini LP with IRNI -- and Trepaneringsritualen (10" on Release The Bats, 7" on Fang Bomb, tapes on J�rtecken, Waves of Decay and Lustvessel + a reissue of the "Veil The World" tape and possibly a US tour in Fall 2012) and hopefully further opportunities to act as backing band for Deutsch Nepal across the world.

---------------------------
http://www.soma-sema.se/
http://www.de-za-kh-a-da-sh-ba-a-ha-v.se/

Next Life - Artificial divinity (Fysisk Format)

Tue, 13 Dec 2011 11:52:59 -0500

Meshuggah djentiness + Genghis Tron Commodore-64iness � vox = Next Life.
The above equation is all you need in order to understand what "Artificial divinity" sounds like. For the purposes of review, however, I suppose I should give you an idea of its listenability. Well, it's alright; there's a bit of piddling about with sounds on a couple of tracks here, the results of which touch on a dark ambient sentiment more than any hint of conventional metal. Not that conventional really applies anywhere on "Artificial divinity", mind. Those tracks works very well as they stand on the album. The big let down on something that would be an otherwise killer album, though, is that the other tracks -- the metal stuff -- could really do with vocals of some sort. This style of metal just doesn't lend itself that well to instrumentalism, despite what the Norwegian trio might think. It has to be said, though, that even though Steve Wiebe doesn't really look like he's into metal, if he is, he's probably into this sort of stuff. Twelve songs in just over 20 minutes. Mental bunch of bastards!
- John Norby
Rating: 6

Top 10s for 2011: Kvalit�t

Tue, 13 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0500

Albums (SWE):
Anna J�rvinen - Anna sj�lv tredje
Det Vackra Livet - Det vackra livet
Skriet - Det beslutande organet
Mattias Alkberg - Anarkist
Deportees - Islands & shores
Thus:Owls - Harbours
Jonathan Johansson - Klagomuren
We Are The Storm - To The North-Pole
Bob Hund - Det �verexponderande g�mst�llet
Riddarna - Riddarna
Pascal/Mattias Alkberg - Allt det h�r
Syket - With love

Songs (SWE):
Rytmen i natten - Riddarna
80 v�rar - Mattias Alkberg
N�r n�tterna n�r hamn - J�rgen Kjellgren
Du och Jag - Alf
Stanna klocka stanna - Bob Hund
Next to You - Dante
Museum - Thus: Owls
Redan gl�mda - 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 d� - Riddarna

Stockholm - Jonathan Johansson

Sl�pp 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, �t'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/

New website for Fysisk Format

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 12:38:17 -0500

Fysisk Format, the stellar in-house label of Oslo's likewise excellent Tiger Records Shop, has a nice new website: http://www.fysiskformat.no/
They are also taking a poll as to everyone's favorite release which will also enter you in a raffle to win 5 free albums of your choosing: http://fysiskformat.tigernet.no/wp_ff/poll/

Top 10s for 2011: Lars (Okkultokrati/Problems/White Juice/Ormeyngel)

Thu, 08 Dec 2011 11:50:09 -0500

Top 10 releases of 2011:

Cold Cave - Cherish the Light Years
The Men - Leave Home
Dark Times - 7"
*AR - Wolf Notes
Next Life - Artificial Divinity
Grouper - AIA: Dream Loss/Alien Observer
Iceage - New Brigade
Retox - Ugly Animals
GDP - Useless Eaters
Total Control - Henge Beat

---------------------------
Lars plays in the bands Okkultokrati, Problems and White Juice and also runs the label Ormeyngel. His actual #1 favorite album of the year is pictured above.
http://okkultokrati.blogspot.com/
http://ormeyngel.bandcamp.com/

EL-SD - A contract

Wed, 07 Dec 2011 12:45:12 -0500

A second track off of EL-SD's excellent new 7" EP "Repeating patterns".

Top 10s for 2011: Larzon (Millencolin/De:Nihil Records/Kvoteringen)

Wed, 07 Dec 2011 10:48:44 -0500

Here we go.

1. Olivia, my second child was born in June.
2. Soundwave Festival in Australia with Millencolin. Sick line-up and loads of fun.
3. All 6 records we've managed to release this year on my label De:Nihil Records.

#4-10 in no particular order.

� Skizophrenia "This Fucking Skizophrenia! Still A Raped Ass" 7"
� Graveyard "Hisingen Blues" LP
· Fucked Up "David Comes To Life" 2xLP
· Craft "Void" 2xLP
· Tom Waits "Bad As Me" LP
· Night Birds "The Other Side Of Darkness" LP
· Mad Men "Suspiria" 7"

Working on now and 2012.

Got a couple of cool releases coming up on De:Nihil Records such as this awesome project involving The Skull Defekts, Bo Cavefors & P�r Str�mberg.
We're also co-releasing Uppsala based oldschool hardcore kids Agent Attitude.

Millencolin are celebrating 20yrs as a band 2012!
We've got a few great surprises on the way there. We'll record some new stuff Dec/Jan for different releases plus more stuff coming up.

With Kvoteringen we'll record new mangel attacks very soon I hope and we've got some liveshows planned as well.

---------------------------
http://www.millencolin.com/
http://denihilrecords.blogspot.com/
http://kvoteringen.blogspot.com/

Iberia - A finale

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 15:01:12 -0500

Iberia = Alexander Palmest�l from Pool/Pistol Disco + Maja Mathe Milner of Makthaverskan. Nice!

Top 10s for 2011: Daggan Stamenkovic (Novoton)

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 00:44:33 -0500

Here goes!
Probably forgot a bunch but whatever.

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, Einst�rzende 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

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

Ja Ja Ja talks to Ormeyngel

Fri, 02 Dec 2011 17:13:16 -0500

Ja Ja Ja interviews Lars of Okkultokrati/Problems about his (excellent) record label Ormeyngel, the Oslo scene, Black Flag and more: http://www.jajajamusic.com/index.php/2011/12/best-nordic-record-labels-2-ormeyngel-no/

Huntsville - For flowers, cars and merry wars (Hubro)

Thu, 01 Dec 2011 12:33:04 -0500

This experimental Norwegian trio have taken a decent stab at the drone genre, generally opting for an askew folk/jazz aesthetic rather than the subsonic metal rumblings that often accompany the style. Its opening title track gives the impression that this could be a contemporary soundtrack to "The wicker man", which is down to the unison of Kongsberg-native Hanne Hukkelberg's eerie vocals and the uneasy nature of the music itself. The second of the recording's two major pieces, "Ear/eye connector", really needs to pull something strong out of the bag and, while it's a great background piece when played at subdued volume, it's something of a disappointment when given one's full attention. It makes a fundamental mistake in the grand scheme of music -- that of the false build up that leads nowhere. For a good deal of its almost 13 minute running time the implementation of drum and sample patterns gives the impression that we're leading into one hell of a driving beat; the pulsating feedback would remain the same but with a beat over it that would just kill. Sadly, it's not the case, which renders the track a good background listener rather than a great piece of sonic genius. It's actually something that could be said of this release as a whole, with "For the working class" seeming like a pointless entry and closer "Star spangled pillow" failing to intrigue on a concentrated listen. If it's a backgrounder you're after, though, this will do the trick. Definitely!
- John Norby
Rating: 7

EL-SD - A will (video)

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 11:46:08 -0500

New from Kvalit�t, a clip from the very-excellent EL-SD. Also: note that the bassist is wearing a t-shirt from similarly quality act The Nature.

Liam Murray & Johan Gustavsson - Skuggorna

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 15:32:02 -0500

Johan Gustavsson & Liam Murray - Skuggorna by liamurray

Liam Murray is a poet from Malm� working on his debut album which will feature him reading his words over background music provided by an array of Swedish artists. First up, a cut with friend-of-the-site Johan Gustavsson aka Jonas G Winther of Scraps of Tape/Tsukimono/Thee Gutted String. Other contributors include Lotta Wengl�n and Polar City, plus a few who apparently have yet to be asked. Wait and see!

New instrumental album from Susanne Sundf�r

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 14:01:00 -0500

Can't believe I didn't hear a peep about this before it was released but I'm very curious to hear it: http://www.discogs.com/Susanne-Sundf%C3%B8r-A-Night-At-Salle-Pleyel/release/3239612
"A night at Salle Pleyel" is a new all-instrumental synth album from Norwegian artist Susanne Sundf�r commissioned for the Oslo Jazzfestival and featuring fellow keyboardists �dne Meisfjord (120 Days), �ystein Moen (Jaga Jazzist/Puma), Morten Qvenild (Susanna & The Magical Orchestra/In the Country) and Christian Wallumr�d. More info: http://www.oslojazz.no/programENG.php?subaction=showfull&id=1184742916&archive=&start_from=&ucat=32&artistid=71&eng=1
A few short snippets available here: http://entertainment.telegraph.co.uk/a-night-at-salle-pleyel.html

EL-SD - A will

Fri, 18 Nov 2011 13:43:19 -0500

Falling way behind on all the music I want to post, but a promise is a promise and I'd be seriously remiss if I didn't talk up the new EL-SD because they are absolutely one of my favorite bands right now. I kid you not, I've been jamming their demo tracks on the regular for over a year now and it's well past due I had something to share so, at long last, here is the lead track from the band's new 7" EP "Repeating patterns", due out November 30 via Atlas Rec/Peace Attack. So if you're like me and you dig so-called "angular" guitar rock with discordant leads and a sharp-edged rhythm section, you'll definitely dig this. And if you're in Stockholm, you should check out the record release show at Walla Scen in �rsta on December 3 with Estroboscorpio. I know I'd be there if I could.

Atlas Losing Grip - November tourshow (video)

Fri, 18 Nov 2011 12:52:30 -0500

Atlas Losing Grip, having fun on tour. Really well done actually -- great footage and even better editing.

Chillihounds - Shake your skull (Transubstans Records)

Fri, 18 Nov 2011 12:42:33 -0500

One huge pet peeve I've had for years is bad band fonts. You'd think we've passed the era when people realised that distorted grunge fonts, or using the airbrush on photoshop to fuck up your logo looks god-fucking-awful. To top it off, bands pair it with a pixelated rock icon, skulls or flames or whatnot. Done in the right way, it's not bad, but more often then not, it reveals a band's minimal sense of creativity -- like they're just as maladjusted as the next office cretin when it comes to determining a "rock-look". Now that I've got that outta my system, onto the next order of business: what the fuck is wrong with this band's name? If they're attempting to use the word, "chilli" to suggest "hot, fiery, red" or whatever stereotypical rock-associated adjectives that went through their beer-fizzled brains, coupled with "hounds" it makes absolutely no sense. They might as well be thinking "Chillidogs".

I envision only two scenarios in which I'd affirm this band; a) if I were sitting in some backyard blues bar in the middle of Memphis -- wait-a-minnit, I forget that'd be demographically impossible seeing as these guys sing as white as turkeys -- ok, ok so in the middle of bumfuck Texas, and I was really, REALLY drunk on Bourbon and on a date with a super hot cowboy. If Chillihounds were the house band, I probably wouldn't mind. The second would be if Kenny Powers were their frontman, and they dressed like Hedwig and the Angry Inch.

Unfortunately there's zero irony and zero invention. It's winter up in those northern parts, and picturing a surplus of dudes jamming and "kicking ass" kinda makes me wanna cry. It's as if they've lifted as many AC/DC, Kiss or Thin Lizzy riffs as possible and plastered it with your typical slick-back testosterone-fueled Swedishness. Even their song titles bleed of unoriginality. As much as I hate standing in the way of good ol' fashioned fun and laudable classic rock-throwbacks (AC/DC cover band Big Balls for example, rules) -- their sound emanates of beer bongs, ordering cowboy hats on eBay and fucking young girls that've stepped outta Paradise Hotel. Just as I think I might tip over in the way of nodding to a song, tracks like, "Back in the game" make me wallow in misery. I read somewhere that they're attempting to be "classic rock for a new generation." Please. It's harry as hell.
- Ann Sung-an Lee
Rating: 2

RIP Mother of the Forest

Thu, 17 Nov 2011 15:15:05 -0500

Mother of the Forest is dead, long live Ankarkronan: http://motheroftheforest.blogspot.com/2011/11/mother-of-forest-are-fucking-dead.html

Sulli - All time is light

Thu, 17 Nov 2011 13:52:54 -0500

A new song from Sulli, the singer/songwriter duo of vocalist Shpresa Lleshaj and Daniel Westerlund (The Goner).

Okkultokrati go south

Thu, 17 Nov 2011 13:09:03 -0500

Okkultokrati are heading south for a series of Spanish/Iberian dates this coming weekend:

11/20 - �Concierto Secreto!, Benicarl� (Castell�n)
11/21 - AVV Arrebato, Zaragoza (ESP)
11/23 - Sentinel, Erandio (Bilbao)
11/24 - Ibu Hots, Gasteiz (ESP)
11/25 - CSA Antiguos Almacenes de La Mina, La Gandara/Udias (ESP)
11/26 - Monkey Club, Gijon (ESP)
11/27 - Palavea Squat, A Coru�a (ESP)
11/28 - La Faena II, Madrid (ESP)

Black Hole X-mas

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 14:03:49 -0500

It's official: the upcoming Okkultokrati record due out in late November will be an extra-special Christmas-themed split 7" with Haust called "Black Hole X-mas". Haust contribute a new recording of the modern evergreen "No Christmas" which originally premiered during last year's Alternativ Julekalendar and Okkultokrati respond in kind with "All I want for Christmas is glue". Official release is November 25 via Fysisk Format. If you're looking for the perfect stocking stuffer for your favorite misanthrope, this is it!

Powersolo - Teach you fun (video)

Wed, 09 Nov 2011 18:37:08 -0500

A new video from Powersolo is pretty much always guaranteed to be entertaining and "Teach you fun" is no exception.

Zybersect now streaming

Tue, 08 Nov 2011 18:12:53 -0500

The new Owl Vision album "Zybersect" is now streaming in its entirety via SoundCloud: http://soundcloud.com/owlvision/sets/zybersect/
It's a fun record recommended for anyone who might be into the idea of goth-tinged house.

Verfver CS preview

Tue, 01 Nov 2011 19:24:11 -0400

Preview a snippet of the upcoming Verfver tape, coming out this December via Native Parts Records. Pssst... Verfver = Johan G Winther of Tsukimono/Scraps of Tape.

Core Values #1: Ugly Fucking Norway

Tue, 01 Nov 2011 15:06:13 -0400

Invisible Oranges is hosting a mixtape of Norwegian metal and hardcore consisting primarily of tunes culled from the catalog of the mighty Black Hole Crew, aka Haust/Okkultokrati/Dark Times/�rabrot/etc.: http://www.invisibleoranges.com/2011/11/mixtape-core-values-1/
Obviously regular IAT! readers should already be well aware of these bands because they are the shit, but if not- this is a decent place to start.

Problems 2011

Mon, 31 Oct 2011 14:42:21 -0400

Problems - 2011 by Ormeyngel Records

Problems have a new cassette out on Ormeyngel Records, the label of Norway's Black Hole Crew: http://okkultokrati.blogspot.com/2011/10/problems-2011-tape-out-now.html
And speaking of said crew, look for a new record from Okkultokrati to be released via Fysisk Format in late November.

Johan G Winther to release lathe-cut EP via Brian Records

Fri, 28 Oct 2011 18:22:43 -0400

My friend Johan G Winther (Tsukimono, Scraps of Tape) will be releasing a super-limited 8" lathe-cut EP via Brian Records with unique artwork for each and every copy supplied by the small circle of folks who manage to purchase a copy (of which I hope to be a part of). Read more about the project here: http://timecanvas.wordpress.com/2011/10/27/upcoming-releases/

Pusrad confirm debut EP

Fri, 28 Oct 2011 18:16:01 -0400

Smarttrams E.P. 7" raw mix by Pusrad

Swedish hardcore act Pusrad (ex-Raped Teenagers) have been picked up by Just4Fun Records for the release of the band's 7-song debut 7", due out in December.

Brighter Death Now - Collector of remains

Fri, 28 Oct 2011 16:37:12 -0400

On the other hand, if chain-rattling industrial-noise really is your thing you can't really go wrong with Brighter Death Now for unsettling, but eminently listenable, aural chaos. I'm still waiting for my copy of the new 4xLP boxset "Very little fun" to show up, but luckily there are mp3s floating around to satiate me in the meantime.

Serenades on tour

Thu, 27 Oct 2011 22:35:21 -0400

Serenades, y'know -- the duo of Adam Olenius (Shout Out Louds) and Markus Kruneg�rd (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)

Spoon Train allstars present Sunturns, the Christmas band

Thu, 27 Oct 2011 18:41:40 -0400

Members of the Norwegian indie acts Mylittlepony, The Little Hands of Asphalt, Monzano and Einar Stray are joining forces to record a Christmas album as the band Sunturns. Said album, which is simply titled "Christmas", will include new tunes, covers of songs from the various member's individual catalogs, as well as covers of Low's "Just like Christmas" and Swearing At Motorists' "Losing mine" and will be released on November 25 via Spoon Train Audio.

Kord - I, sexuality

Mon, 24 Oct 2011 20:08:24 -0400

Preview a cut from the new 3-way split "Svensk bonnasynth" featuring Kord, Adolph Filter and Monster Apparat, out soon via Enfant Terrible. I listened to a promo copy earlier today and it's a lot of fun -- more here: http://www.enfant-terrible.nl/ET006.html

The Culture In Memoriam - Sisters

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 12:50:49 -0400

A West Side Fabrication continues to quietly release plenty of great music, regardless of whether or not anyone is paying attention, and they've been on a bit of a roll as of late. One such example would be "Sisters", a beautiful slice of pastoral pop from The Culture In Memoriam that brings to mind similar rustic works from the likes of ex-labelmates The Bear Quartet, Neil Young and so on. Usually I'm not so big on the gentle falsetto as it's often way too much of an affect for my tastes, but there are always exceptions to be made and TCIM fit the rule. The song gets better and better as it goes along too, adding more and more subtle layers of sound and orchestration. And the b-side "Vanilla wreck"? I think I might like that one even more.

Interview: Henric de la Cour

Wed, 05 Oct 2011 10:00:00 -0400

From his start with cult favorite mid-90s indie/goth act Yvonne through his time with the bigger, brassier Strip Music, Henric de la Cour has long been a compelling fixture in the Swedish music, both for his distinctive voice and physical presence. Now, after 17 years in music, Mr. de la Cour is back as a solo artist with his self-titled debut album on the way via Progress Productions (due out October 19). It's a Trap! seized the opportunity to learn more about how he got to where he is today.

Why go solo? What made you decide to go it alone as opposed to starting a new band?

I've always thought that being in a band is much cooler than being a solo act. But after having been in two six-piece bands, who made four and two records respectively, it was time to do something less complicated, just me and my producer in our own studio, just recording music. No politics. Just good fun and good music. But sure, I can miss being in a band, especially the first couple of months, it's like being in love.

You've long been associated with making music that doesn't shy away from grand gestures, yet your solo album finds you paring the instrumentation down more than ever before. Was that a conscious decision? What led you away from guitars?

With Strip Music our motto was "more is more". We never held anything back, the bigger sounds the better we thought. This time I wanted to make something more bare, more electronic, but still dark as fucking midnight. I gave the guitars a smaller part to play this time mostly because neither me and Rikard (Rikard Lindh, also ex-Yvonne), who produced, can really play that well. But there is of course some guitars on the album.

The various live videos I've seen on YouTube show you and your band adopting an almost-black metal look with corpse paint makeup -- what made you decide to go that route? How important of a role does the theatrical/visual element play in your musical vision?

I think that the visual element is very important, especially when it comes to more electronic music performed live. When it came to the make-up I thought that "yeah, maybe this could look cool with the right light setting" and just went for it. I borrowed ideas from the black metal scene and sad clowns. Looks better on photos as well. The live concept I am aiming for is of course KISS Love Gun Tour of '77.

There appears to be a bit of a recent resurgence in goth and other dark music these days and it even seems to be creeping a bit into the mainstream. Would you agree?

I don't really care. I don't listen to music that way.

So how do you listen to music then? Do you keep up with new releases at all? Any recent favorites that may surprise us?

I'm terrible at finding new music, it is always by chance I run into something I like, perhaps a friend shows me something new, or that I happen to be in a record shop and the staff put something on. I'm just not that interested in the hunt for new music, or old music for that matter. But WU LIF's "Go tell fire to the mountain" floored me. Other recent stuff I've liked is I Break Horses debut album and Agent Side Grinder, both Swedish acts.

Lastly, what does Henric de la Cour do for fun these days?

Getting lost in the annals of horror.

Google+ integration

Mon, 26 Sep 2011 13:35:23 -0400

I've yet to really play around with Google's social media platform Google+, but I did go ahead and add their +1 buttons to the site and they seem to be working. However, if you do happen see any funky behavior, please let me know!

Adrian Recordings on SoundCloud

Fri, 23 Sep 2011 12:14:01 -0400

Adrian Recordings has uploaded a ton of music to SoundCloud for free streaming, including full albums from Dmitry Fyodorov, Boeoes Kaelstigen, Andreas Tilliander, The Bear Quartet and lots more: http://soundcloud.com/adrianrec/sets

Mother of the Forest - Destroyer

Mon, 19 Sep 2011 11:35:13 -0400

More new music from Mother of the Forest from the upcoming record "Young punk", showing off more of his new direction and released in anticipation of his upcoming gig at V�r Del Av Stan in Skellefte�, Sweden on October 7-8.

Boys of Scandinavia - Don't wish upon a star

Wed, 14 Sep 2011 13:38:15 -0400

More pop from the archives. One thing I neglected to mention in that last post is how Spotify has affected by current listening habits. While I'm still spending way too much time listening to all the new releases that come my way, I'm mostly exploring the vast acres of music I could never get access to previously. There's still huge gaps in availability (no Bob Seger WTF? and howabout some more Finnish folk?), but there's more than enough good stuff to keep me satisfied for a long, long time. For instance, yesterday I spent a lot of time exploring the HOOB Records catalog, something I would have never enjoyed without shelling out top dollar for import CDs (I highly recommend "Vesper" by New Tango Orquestra). My cup runneth over; it's easy to become overwhelmed. But let us not forget the obscure hits of years past: Boys of Scandinavia do goth/wave-y/funky synth-pop like no other. Will they ever release a new record?

Ungdomskulen - Facemask

Tue, 13 Sep 2011 17:09:16 -0400

Norwegian indie/funk act Ungdomskulen have a new single out now called "Facemask", the first taste of their forthcoming album and the follow-up to their "Gimme ten" experiment of 1-minute songs: http://open.spotify.com/album/2X4GktkIR4QC0BjDZyfRvi
Like Rubik, another band with more ideas than songwriting skills, I can't get into this at all.

Livstid preorder

Tue, 13 Sep 2011 16:50:06 -0400

Fysisk Format has confirmed that they will be releasing the self-titled debut full-length from Norwegian d-beat hardcore act Livstid on October 21 and it's now available for preorder right here: http://www.tigernet.no/shop//search.php?search=livstid

Riff Knives - Single (video)

Tue, 13 Sep 2011 16:43:44 -0400

Swedish thrash-funkers Riff Knives now have a video for the tune "Single" which is just about as silly as I anticipated it would be. Bringin' back the slap bass in 2011!

Katzenjammer - I will dance (when I walk away) (acoustic live video)

Fri, 09 Sep 2011 15:37:09 -0400

Watch Katzenjammer perform a fun acoustic version of their latest single "I will dance (when I walk away)".

Are Mokkelbost talks Killl

Thu, 08 Sep 2011 20:19:17 -0400

Are Mokkelbost talks about the new Killl DVD+CD, due out soon via Fysisk Format: http://www.killl.org/Interview.html

It's a Trap! Clubnights update

Tue, 06 Sep 2011 12:36:48 -0400

It's a Trap! Clubnight update! First, We are the Storm's gig on September 24 has been cancelled, but don't worry -- bigger, better things will be happening for the band to come. Details shortly! Secondly, Like Rats From A Sinking Ship have been forced to cancel our October show, but again, there's no need to worry! Excellent Swedish noiserockers Tennis Bafra will be taking their place! Third, we'll be hosting Deathcrush from Norway in November along with Danish duo Fossils as support! Awesome! Be there!

Livstid - Du e feig

Fri, 02 Sep 2011 17:46:07 -0400

The first taste of Norwegian crusties Livstid's debut album, due out October 21 via Fysisk Format.

The Je Ne Sais Quoi get back

Tue, 30 Aug 2011 18:46:09 -0400

Swedish funk-punks The Je Ne Sais Quoi will reportedly be back with a new EP soon: http://www.tjnsq.net/?p=289

Favorite Flava - Waterfall

Tue, 30 Aug 2011 14:47:01 -0400

A new single from Swedish indie/soul/funk act Favorite Flava. I don't like it at all, but you can download the tune and the b-side "Torture" for free right here: http://www.soularp.com/audio/favorite_flava_waterfall_single.zip

Fun to return to the Baltics

Mon, 29 Aug 2011 18:57:36 -0400

Finnish noiserockers Fun will once again head to the Baltics for a few live dates in October:

10/14 - Fontaine Palace, Liepaja (LV)
10/15 - Green Club, Vilnius (LT)
10/16 - Kodu Baar, Tallinn (EE)

�rabrot - Odine

Fri, 26 Aug 2011 12:13:00 -0400

"Odine", the second and supposedly final single from �rabrot's new album "Solar anus", due out Septmeber 9 via Fysisk Format. If you like your music heavy and mean, you need this.

Punk of Country - My happy days (video)

Tue, 23 Aug 2011 12:46:25 -0400

Shame this clip didn't find its way online until now, but better late than never! 80s indierock nostalgia circa 2004 courtesy of now-defunct Swedish act Punk of Country.

Night Minutes - Grateful depression (self-released)

Tue, 23 Aug 2011 11:55:15 -0400

As with any recent addition to a niche subgenre, newcomers to the '60s girl group/surf rock-inspired scene are going to be compared to the movement's forerunners and inspirations. Night Minutes' debut full-length is sure to receive at least a handful of comparisons to fellow Scandinavians The Raveonettes (It's a Trap! already got that ball rolling a year ago with a review of the song "Sweetheart at the funeral" from their self-titled EP), and while these comparisons can be useful to establish an idea of the band's sound, with smaller subgenres these parallels can prove limiting -- if I'm already into The Raveonettes and Glasvegas, I may feel that I've reached my saturation point for jangly, Jesus and Mary Chain-esque indie pop and not even bother to read past the first mention of Phil Spector. Night Minutes certainly share characteristics with groups like The Raveonettes and Glasvegas, especially in the latter two's darker moments, but it is where the overlap ends that the band comes into its own. As a few critics noted with Weekend's debut "Sports", there are numerous places on "Grateful depression" where '60s pop and post-punk coalesce, somewhat unsurprising given the years band member Max J Hansson spent with prior act Cut City, and with the prominent use of electronic drums and synths one can find echoes of New Order throughout the album. And there is an edginess to "Grateful depression" that is often lacking on their contemporaries' records, moments like the end of "Purely hated" where the distorted pop shifts into a near-breakdown -- with acts like The Raveonettes, overproduction often undercuts the impact of their heavier moments, reducing walls of distortion to torrents of white noise. While only an eight-track record, "Grateful depression" is surprisingly hard to grow weary of, and spared of weak songs it can be enjoyed in its entirety. Summer might be drawing to a close, but there's enough sun and shadow to make this offering more than just a summer record.
- Lars Garvey Laing-Peterson
Rating: 9

Susanne Sundf�r on tour

Mon, 22 Aug 2011 19:37:24 -0400

New European dates for Susanne Sundf�r:

09/24 - Uebel & Gef�hrlich, Hamburg (GER)
09/25 - Roter Salon, Berlin (GER)
09/26 - Brotfabrik, Frankfurt am Main (GER)
09/28 - ONO, Bern (CH)
11/11 - Stadtgarten, K�ln (GER)
11/14 - Atomic Cafe, M�nchen (GER)
11/15 - Theaterhaus, Stuttgart (GER)
11/16 - Faust, Hannover (GER)
11/18 - Le Botanique, Saint-josse-ten-noode (BEL)
11/22 - Just Because, Lausanne (CH)
11/23 - La Fl�che d'or, Paris (FRA)
11/25 - Roepaen, Ottersum (NL)
11/26 - Rotown, Rotterdam (NL)

Johan Heltne for free

Thu, 18 Aug 2011 17:08:19 -0400

Swedish artist Johan Heltne has made his most recent album, the very excellent "Sara,", available as a free download: http://johanheltne.se/download/
VERY highly recommended! This is one of my absolute favorites from last year.

New �rabrot 7" on the way

Thu, 18 Aug 2011 14:59:58 -0400

�rabrot will be releasing the new 7" "Madonna was a whore" b/w "300 nights" this week via Norway Rat Records as a precursor to their next album "Solar anus", which is due out September 9 via Fysisk Format.

New Susanne Sundf�r EP, tourdates

Mon, 15 Aug 2011 18:36:26 -0400

There's a new Susanne Sundf�r EP featuring remixes of her song "Turkish delight" as done by fellow Norwegians Tommy Tee, LidoLido and Souldrop. Not sure if there will be a physical edition, but the digital files can be acquired via iTunes. In other news, she'll be doing a few Northern Europe dates in late September:

09/25 - Roter Salon, Berlin (GER)
09/26 - Brotfabrik, Frankfurt (GER)
09/28 - Ono, Bern (CH)

Atlas to release EL-SD 7"

Wed, 10 Aug 2011 11:24:56 -0400

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.

Mother of the Forest - We met at a rave b/w I'm a mess

Tue, 09 Aug 2011 19:46:07 -0400

Download the new Mother of the Forest single "We met at a rave", the first sample off his upcoming album which will be out in 2012: http://periferinac.tumblr.com/post/8687855030/prf-026-mother-of-the-forest-we-met-at-a-rave

Deathchain - Death gods (Pulverised Records)

Wed, 03 Aug 2011 12:19:42 -0400

The first thing I'll say about this album is that it's a grower. First impressions are that it's yet another run-of-the-mill technical death metal blastfest, but after a few listens "Death gods" begins to redeem itself. There's nothing entirely new going on here at all, rather it's a collection of tunes that border on the oldschool Swedish sound and style and that manage to better the output of a great deal of the Swedish bands who have been embracing the revival over the last few years. That's not to say that Deathchain are jumping on the funeral cart -- they've been in the business of doing their own thing for the last decade and they've been damn good at it too. The bottom line on describing "Death gods" is that it will appeal to anyone hoping to find something a little more high-end in the current HM-2 explosion. The production does a good job of extracting maximum heaviness from all involved and, in the oversaturation within this genre right now, this can often be a deciding factor in purchase decisions. A bit more listener perseverance than usual required for this one but that's what elevates it from a 2 to a 7.
- John Norby
Rating: 7

RIP Harald Johnsen (Tord Gustavsen Trio)

Mon, 01 Aug 2011 14:47:35 -0400

Norwegian jazz bassist Harald Johnsen of the Tord Gustavsen Trio (among many other fine acts) has passed away after a long illness. There will be a funeral in Oslo on Wednesday at Paulus Kirke.

Scraps of Tape - Flera meter kort

Mon, 01 Aug 2011 11:41:22 -0400

At long last available for public consumption, the new Scraps of Tape single "Flera meter kort" featuring guest vocals from Mattias Alkberg of The Bear Quartet/MABD. Said tune will be released on a digital 3-song EP and 4-song 7" on August 15 and can be preordered here: http://tenderversion.com/store2008/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=59
Otherwise, look for the band's new full-length album "Resident flux" to be released in late October with many, many more fine guest vocal contributions from a plethora of artists.

The Radio Dept. return to the US in November

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 15:31:39 -0400

The Radio Dept. are coming back to North America in November for a few weeks of live dates:

11/03 - Fitzgerald's (Upstairs Room), Houston, TX
11/04 - Club Dada, Dallas, TX
11/05 - Fun Fun Fun Fest, Austin, TX
11/07 - Club Congress, Tucson, AZ
11/08 - El Rey Theatre, Los Angeles, CA
11/09 - Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA
11/11 - Doug Fir Lounge, Portland, OR
11/12 - Neumos, Seattle, WA
11/15 - Varsity Theatre, Minneapolis, MN
11/16 - Lincoln Hall, Chicago, IL
11/17 - The Mod Club, Toronto, ONT
11/18 - Corona Theatre, Montreal, QC
11/19 - Paradise, Boston, MA
11/20 - Bowery Ballroom, New York, NY
11/21 - First Unitarian Church, Philadelphia, PA
11/22 - Black Cat, Washington, DC

Pinkunoizu sign with UK label Full Time Hobby

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 11:54:37 -0400

Danish act Pinkunoizu, one of the last bands to be released via now-defunct Danish indie label Morningside Records, has signed with UK-based label Full Time Hobby who will be releasing the band's new EP "Peep" this coming September and eventually a full-length album sometime thereafter. Check out a preview tune from the band's website: http://www.pinkunoizu.com/

Spotify in the US: first impressions

Wed, 20 Jul 2011 13:54:24 -0400

First of all, it sounds good and works more or less as-advertised aside from a few small hiccups. The ads are minimally intrusive and I can easily see how nice it would be on a mobile device, though I'm not a gadget guy by any stretch of the imagination. On the other hand, I find it incredibly annoying that I can't search by label. Unless there's something I'm missing? It's also annoying that a Sweden-based music service would be so lacking so much classic Swedish music (examples abound, but Ebba Gr�n is notably absent for one, along with much of Popsicle's discography), but of course that's the fault of short-sighted major labels, not the service itself. Overall I'd say the experience is good though, despite my complaints. The Bear Quartet's entire catalog is available along with most everything else from every other decent current Swedish indie label. Can't beat that. Will I shell out for the premium service? Eh, doubtful but we'll see.

Hunt - Ashes of a secret heart (self-released)

Tue, 19 Jul 2011 13:57:56 -0400

This debut EP by Susanna Brandin (aka Winter Took His Life) is essentially an extension of the Swede's solo output, but with a full band behind her, a move that has allowed Brandin's expression to breathe and expand beyond the confines of her work as Winter Took His Life. While "Ashes of a secret heart" adheres to Brandin's fundamental sound -- that of melancholy -- the addition of a postrock overtone and a sublime production courtesy of Jonas Odhner serves to elevate the music and bring out the true potential of Brandin's talent. She has already proven herself as a solo artist and anyone who liked her material back then will undoubtedly fall in love with the atmosphere created on "Ashes of a sacred heart". With the right moves, this G�teborg six piece could find themselves becoming part of the global musical picture in the near future.
- John Norby
Rating: 8

�rabrot - Madonna was a whore

Mon, 18 Jul 2011 19:03:04 -0400

Norwegian sludge-rock masters �rabrot have confirmed that their new Steve Albini-recorded album "Solar anus" is done and will be released on September 9 via Fysisk Format. "Madonna was a whore" is the first sample.

Champagne Riot, the greatest there never was?

Wed, 29 Jun 2011 15:25:31 -0400

Not sure if this means Champagne Riot are done, but it's worth checking out for some insight into the trials and tribulations of being a blog-hyped band and what that really means: http://champagneriot2.blogspot.com/2011/06/read-through-for-your-download.html

This is Music Inc. - Saturday night on the dole

Mon, 27 Jun 2011 13:29:39 -0400

The mysterious and reclusive Norwegian act This is Music Inc. is supposedly the "megalomaniac" solo project �rabrot's ex-bassist Jon �vstedal, though my understanding is that many other folks contribute to the recording. Anyhow, "Saturday night on the dole" is the first single off their forthcoming album "Krasnapolis", their first new release in many years I believe, which is due out July 1 via Fysisk Format.

White Juice preview

Mon, 27 Jun 2011 12:27:43 -0400

Upstart Norwegian mysterious guy hardcore act White Juice are streaming their new cassette release at Bandcamp: http://whitejuice.bandcamp.com/
Features members of Haust, Okkultokrati and Blackest Woods, so you know it's raging.

Arrow Meet Francis - Hurricane (video)

Wed, 22 Jun 2011 11:59:31 -0400

The official debut single from Arrow Meet Francis, aka Dick Pettersson of In These Woods.

It's a Trap! Clubnights fall update

Wed, 22 Jun 2011 11:46:41 -0400

It's a Trap! Clubnights for the fall season are starting to be confirmed and we've already got We Are the Storm coming on September 24 and then Kriget + Like Rats from a Sinking Ship on October 1. November is almost confirmed as well with a killer Norwegian act and I'll be sure to fill you in as soon as it's ready for public dissemination. Also, more crucially imminent: Into the Woods, the new band of Sara Wilson (First Floor Power, Kitchen and the Plastic Spoons), has been added to the bill on July 16 with Kajsa Grytt! If you find yourself near Malm� on any of those dates, you know where to go!

Pettersson & Fredriksson say name your price!

Tue, 21 Jun 2011 19:44:48 -0400

The excellent Swedish folk duo Pettersson & Fredriksson are giving away their album "Sotali" as a pay-what-you-want deal: http://petfred.bandcamp.com/album/sotali
At the very least you should check out the album stream because it really is quite good!

Mother of the Forest - We met at a rave

Tue, 21 Jun 2011 19:19:51 -0400

Mother of the Forest unveils a new sound. Less dark, more urgent, more vocal. From the upcoming album "Young punk", to be released... eventually.

Champagne Riot - Alcohol kisses (demo)

Tue, 14 Jun 2011 14:27:04 -0400

A new demo tune from Champagne Riot, demonstrating a bit more of a Hi-NRG electropop sound than usual.

Larsen & Furious Jane confirm new album, single

Fri, 10 Jun 2011 12:01:35 -0400

Danish indie act Larsen & Furious Jane have confirmed that their new album will be called "Dolly" and will be released via the band's own Momowave label now that Morningside Records is defunct. There's no official release date yet, but the lead single "Out of pocket" can be previewed here: http://www.momowave.org/

Sulli - Lost gallows

Tue, 07 Jun 2011 19:49:15 -0400

New music from a singer/songwriter duo featuring Daniel Westerlund of The Goner. Direct link: http://soundcloud.com/sulliband/lost-gallows

With No and Legs (ex-Attrap) confirm debut album

Tue, 07 Jun 2011 14:08:09 -0400

Danish act With No Arms and Legs, featuring 3/4ths of the now-defunct Attrap (whose remaining quarter is now Hymns from Nineveh), have confirmed that they will be releasing their self-titled debut on June 20 via It Was Gnarled. Listen/learn more at Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/withnoarmsandlegs

KILLL DVD finally coming in September

Fri, 03 Jun 2011 14:01:56 -0400

The long-awaited KILLL live DVD is now confirmed for release on September 16 via Fysisk Format and in addition to live footage from 2005-2009, the 8-panel digipack package will also include a CD and two posters.

Festival report: SPOT Festival 2011

Tue, 31 May 2011 13:20:54 -0400

This year's SPOT Festival (May 27-28, 2011 in Aarhus, Denmark) was another successful industry showcase for Danish and Scandinavian music.

After a sun-baked SPOT last year, skies were gloomy for the 17th annual SPOT festival, but a splattering of rain didn't dampen the mood of the international delegates and local crowds. This is primarily an indoor festival anyway, spread across a handful of Aarhus' cultural venues and some additional tented stages.

(Speaking of Aarhus' skies, on the Saturday a rainbow-inspired installation by the artist Olafur Eliasson, whose works play with the idea of manufacturing the weather, opened on the roof of the Aros contemporary gallery. The permanent work is called "Your Rainbow Panorama", and from now on anyone who comes here for the SPOT Festival can also walk inside it to experience colourful 360 degree views of Aarhus below. For more info on that, see www.aros.dk)

Among the most talked about new bands at SPOT this year was Just A Number 05272011, with a sound garnering comparisons to Fever Ray and The Knife. The band played their first ever public gig here, having previously only been heard online.

Ahead of the show the act was shrouded in mystery, with some people believing Just A Number to be a male solo artist from the Isle of Man, as mischievously implied on their SoundCloud site. Some journalists told me they had sought interview, and been turned down.

The show didn't feature any Knife-style masks or disguises though, and revealed them to be a mixed-gender band, fronted by a female singer. I'm told by someone who works with them that they are Danes, despite one of the two festival programs listing them as Swedes. They played a great, innovative set, realising dance music through live instrumentation. If you want to check them out, here's a link: http://soundcloud.com/just-a-number-05272011

Female performers seemed to dominate this year's most packed-out SPOT shows, in the shape of acts like Denmark's Our Broken Garden a vehicle for the beautifully spooky vocals of Anna Bronsted. She and her band played an intimate show in the city's cathedral the night before the festival, and on the Friday night were the final act to play the main Musikhuset venue.

Two very different sirens of Danish pop/rock, Fallulah and Oh Land, each drew big crowds and kept them dancing. Oh Land's strength and vigour as a live performer allowed her show to transcend its wilfully dippy lyrics about dream and rainbows.

Less full, but brilliant, was a show by Norwegian indie rockers Harrys Gym. Fun fact: singer Anne Lise Fr�kedal is apparently the sister of The Megaphonic Thrift's bassist Linn Fr�kedal.

Sweden's Jenny Wilson is a woman who has transformed her music and herself since her time fronting the band First Floor Power, finding inspiration in R&B and funk. She played her SPOT show on Friday night in the main Musikhuset, with the Tensta Gospel Choir. Nina Kinert, a cult Swedish indie star in her own right, added flute and saxophone. Wilson seemed to be on a Grace Jones tip in a daring black cat suit and 'statement' hat, and fans were out in force to cheer her on.

SPOT wasn't all about the girls, though. Vinnie Who returned for a show that was packed out in seconds, and the festival would have felt incomplete without Treefight For Sunlight, Danes who now have an increasingly international fanbase thanks to support from the label Bella Union.

It was also a special festival for Alcoholic Faith Mission, who were upgraded this year to playing the main Store Sal hall of the Musikhuset venue, and whose pre-stage jitters (their manager says they were very nervous) were rewarded by a standing ovation at the end of their set.

For those who came looking for Icelandic sounds, there were shows by Dad Rocks!, the solo project of expat Sn�var Nj�ll Albertsson from Mimas; 'Icelandic Elvis' Mugison; and the bands Ham and Dikta. Dikta's single "Thank you" recently became the most-played song in the history of Icelandic radio, for what that's worth.

Acts who seemed to win new fans included chirpy Danish sisters Pil and Liv and, gaining a lot of attention, the rather lovely and eccentric Danish band Raised Among Wolves.

To check out the full list of musicians who played SPOT this year and hear their music, visit www.spotfestival.dk

- Sophy Grimshaw

�rabrot/Okkultokrati split on the way

Tue, 31 May 2011 11:58:08 -0400

�rabrot and Okkultokrati, two of Norway's heaviest and darkest acts, will be teaming up for a split 12" to be released on July 1 via Fysisk Format. Full details here: http://okkultokrati.blogspot.com/2011/05/okkultokratiarabrot-split-12.html
If you happen to be near Oslo, there will be a record release show at Bl� on June 25 which also happens to be the releasefest for Next Life's new LP as well.

Thee Gutted String - A ring of bone

Thu, 26 May 2011 13:27:09 -0400

Thee Gutted String, the singer/songwriter guise of Johan G. Winther/Tsukimono, has a new 3-song EP up at Bandcamp: http://theeguttedstring.bandcamp.com/album/a-ring-of-bone
Recommended, as always.

Hope I Die Virgin album sampler

Wed, 25 May 2011 17:36:17 -0400

Preview a few tracks from the new Hope I Die Virgin album "Is forever no way", due out May 27 via Fysisk Format: http://soundcloud.com/tigerfysisiskformat/sets/hope-i-die-virgin-is-forever