IT'S A TRAP! Scandinavian Music Journal

Presenting: Keep Rising

Mon, 02 Jul 2012 12:43:48 -0700

New Swedish hardcore by way of Black Star Foundation featuring members from Meleeh, Gadget and In Ruins Of. Digital files are available now, the 7" version will be ready on July 22.

BSR to do Keep Rising 7"

Mon, 21 May 2012 18:58:10 -0700

Black Star Foundation will be doing a 7" with Gävle hardcore act Keep Rising, a new-ish band featuring members from Meleeh, Gadget and In Ruins.

Pg.lost - Key (teaser)

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 18:48:04 -0700

Check out a quick teaser clip for the upcoming Pg.lost album "Key", due out May 4 via Black Star Foundation.

New Pg.lost in May

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 17:17:42 -0800

Black Star Foundation has announced that Swedish postrockers Pg.lost will be releasing their new album "Key" on May 4. In other news, look for the band to tour Asia (Malaysia, Thailand, Hong Kong, China, Korea, Japan) in March with a European tour to follow in May.

New 7" EP from Atlas Losing Grip

Fri, 11 Nov 2011 16:37:17 -0800

Atlas Losing Grip "S/T" (seven inch vinyl) by Atlas Losing Grip

A new 3-song 7" from Atlas Losing Grip featuring acoustic versions of two tracks off their excellent "State of unrest" album plus one unreleased cut, due out November 25 via Black Star Foundation.

Abandon to perform "The dead end"

Mon, 25 Jul 2011 18:06:52 -0700

Swedish doom act Abandon will reunite for one night only to perform their posthumously-released masterpiece "The dead end" in its 100+ minute entirety with friend Ufuk Demir (of the similarly-minded/also-awesome Walk Through Fire) filling in on lead vocals for passed away vocalist Johan Carlzon. It all goes down August 25 at Pustervik in Göteborg and will correspond with the long-awaited 3xLP release of said album from Black Star Foundation.

New Atlas Losing Grip now streaming

Tue, 10 May 2011 12:26:36 -0700

The new Atlas Losing Grip album "State of unrest" is now available for full streaming + preorder: http://blackstarfoundation.bandcamp.com/album/state-of-unrest
The official release date is May 28 via Black Star Foundation and if the samples I've heard are any indication, this is gonna be a stellar album. Really excited to hear it myself!

Jeudah album now streaming

Tue, 03 May 2011 18:46:58 -0700

Black Star Foundation has posted Jeudah's new album "While we sleep" for full streaming at Bandcamp: http://blackstarfoundation.bandcamp.com/album/while-we-sleep
As mentioned before, Jeudah is the long-distance collaboration project of Jan Jämte (Khoma) and Kristian Karlsson (Pg.lost, ex-Eskju Divine).

Atlas Losing Grip spring tour

Fri, 04 Mar 2011 14:33:20 -0800

Atlas Losing Grip will be heading out on an extended European tour to support the release of their new album, due out in May via Black Star Foundation:

03/30 - Logo, Hamburg (GER)
03/31 - tba, Hannover (GER)
04/01 - Roots Club, Mönchengladbach (GER)
04/02 - Ant Attack Festival, Dillingen/Saar (GER)
04/13 - Wild at Heart, Berlin (GER)
04/14 - Zimmer 04, Regensburg (GER)
04/15 - Backstage, München (GER)
04/16 - Overdrive Festival, Kapfenberg (AUS)
04/17 - Arena, Wien (AUS) w/Millencolin
04/18 - Orto Bar, Ljubljana (SLO)
04/19 - Lazzaretto, Bologna (ITA)
04/20 - Palazzo Granaio, Settimo Milanese (Milano) (ITA)
04/21 - tba
04/22 - tba
04/23 - tba
05/12 - Villa, Rotenburg (GER)
05/13 - Volxbad, Flensburg (GER)
05/14 - tba (GER)
05/15 - Panda Bar, Ulm (GER)
05/16 - Kulturcafe, Mainz (GER)
05/17 - tba (BEL)
05/18 - The Frontline, Ghent (BEL)
05/19 - Sojo, Leuven (BEL)
05/20 - Sputnik Cafe, Münster (GER)
05/21 - Das Zentrum, Menden (GER)
05/22 - tba (GER)

Atlas Losing Grip to Black Star Foundation

Tue, 22 Feb 2011 15:11:36 -0800

Black Star Foundation has signed the excellent Swedish melodic punk act Atlas Losing Grip and will be releasing the band's new album "State of unrest" on May 28. Listen to some tunes at Bandcamp: http://atlaslosinggrip.bandcamp.com/

Jeudah - The edge of the world

Tue, 04 Jan 2011 15:14:25 -0800

Jeudah, the long-distance collaboration of Jan Jämte (Khoma) and Kristian Karlsson (Pg.lost, ex-Eskju Divine), now have a sample tune online: http://jeudah.bandcamp.com/track/the-edge-of-the-world
Look for the band's debut album "While we sleep" to be released sometime around March/April via Black Star Foundation.

Black Star Foundation confirms two December releases

Fri, 22 Oct 2010 14:02:10 -0700

Black Star Foundation will release both Preacher & the Bear's "Suburban island" and Yersinia's "Efter oss syndafloden" CDs on December 8.

Black Star Foundation signing bonanza

Thu, 09 Sep 2010 13:31:41 -0700

Swedish label Black Star Foundation has signed three new bands: long-running screamo revivalists Suis La Lune, Uppsala crust-metallers Yersinia and indie/folk act Preacher and the Bear. BSR will first reissue Suis La Lune's 10" EP "Heir" and will follow with full-lengths from the other 2 later this year.

Pg.lost In never out Black Star Foundation

Mon, 26 Apr 2010 18:06:50 -0700

Pg.lost have always impressed me -- their first effort, "Yes I am" is as solid and engaging a debut record as I know, followed quickly by the lengthier, though less intricate "It's not me, it's you!", which, despite my criticisms, remains a fantastic foray into the world of postrock. That said, this most recent effort is perhaps their crowning achievement. "Yes I am", while a stunning record, feels more like an EP than an album; "It's not me, it's you!" occasionally used sledgehammers of sound where previously they had weaved elaborate melodic threads; but on "In never out", Pg.lost get it just right -- the building, anthemic qualities of "Yes I am" are paired faultlessly with the heavy, driving relentlessness seen on "It's not me, it's you!". Whatever worries the opening track's minimalist darkness gave me at first were easily dispelled by the detailed and layered, but just as heavy, "Jura", one of the album's finest moments. Now, after almost a week with "In never out", it's hard to imagine the album starting any other way, even if the majority of the record has more in common with the haunting, stratified second track. Even though those initial thrills that course through my brain upon hearing damn fine postrock have subsided somewhat, I'd still recommend "In never out" to friends interested in heavier, more distortion laden postrock just as readily as I would Mono's "One step more and you die" or Explosions in the Sky's "All of a sudden I miss everyone". Pg.lost deserve to have their name and their achievements, especially "In never out", mentioned in the same discussion as artists and albums of the caliber cited above.

Holmes - The strangest calm

Wed, 07 Apr 2010 13:17:03 -0700

There's a new single from Holmes available for free download/streaming: http://holmes.haleri.se/album/the-strangest-calm
Look for the band's new album "Have I told you lately that I loathe you" to be released on June 18 via Black Star Foundation.

Meleeh - Trauma (video)

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 11:25:09 -0800

Swedish hardcore act Meleeh have a new video for the track "Trauma": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tj1Of24HeJk
The band's new album "To live and die alone" comes out on February 24 via Black Star Foundation.

Abandon The dead end Black Star Foundation/Discouraged Records

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 11:29:33 -0800

Abandon have always had an air of grace about them that belies their sludgy roots and perhaps that's down to the integral part that Mehdi Vafaei's pump organ plays in laying the foundation on which the band's music is constructed. Whether it's pushed to the forefront of the music, as in "There is no escape" or "The dead en", or looming with menace behind guitar-driven tracks such as "Lost we are" or "It's all gone", it's difficult to imagine Abandon having an impact as sinister as they do without. That's not to say they would lack appeal without it. The Göteborg doom crew have always done a sterling job in constructing some of the most crushing and heavy gut-churners out there and they know their craft like seasoned professionals. On "The dead end" they once again prove that they can write songs capable of tearing the very souls from those who embark on a listening experience and they achieve that not only by utilizing the sheer power behind their collective instrumentation, but by knowing when to drop an all-out aural depth charge and when to recede back into the darkness to create an eerie, transcendental mood that's almost hypnotic. Vocalist Johan Carlzon sadly passed away before this album met its awaiting public, but some sort of comfort can be taken in knowing that this was, without doubt, the finest performance the man has given in a complete body of work that comprises nothing but exceptional output. The fact that he had, unlike many vocalists, the intelligence to use his talent sparingly, only when the music really required his presence, served to heighten the impact he had on Abandon's music and showcased not only a creative genius but also a certain modesty. A unique and essential memorial.

Manifest 2010 winners

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 17:11:30 -0800

Here are the winners of the 2010 Manifest Awards, Sweden's alternative Grammy:

Punk/Hardcore: Troublemakers - Made in Sweden (Svindel)
Dance: Samuel L Session - The man with the case (Be As One Imprint)
Jazz: The Opposite - Intertwined (Kopasetic)
Dansband: Blender - Välkommen in (Blender Records)
Rhythm: Jaqee - Kokoo Girl (Rootdown Records)
Composer: Lisa Nordström and Lisen Rylander Löve (Midaircondo)
Lyrics: Ken Ring
Rock: Makeouts - In A Strange Land (Bachelor Records)
Pop: El Perro Del Mar - Love Is Not Pop (Licking Fingers)
Hårdrock/Metal: Abandon - The Dead End (Black Star Foundation)
Synth: Arvid - Andetag (Wonderland Records)
Singer/songwriter: Kristofer Åström And The Rainaways - Sinkadus (Startracks)
Folk/ballad: Tore Berger - I huset långt på landet (Brus & Knaster)
Hip-hop: Mohammed Ali - Processen (Bad Taste Records)
Best poplabel: Information
Best live: Fever Ray (Rabid Records)
Best unsigned: Fulmakten

Manifestgalen 2010 nominees are go

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 12:43:31 -0800

The nominees for the 2010 Manifest Awards, Sweden's alternative Grammy, have been announced:

Punk/Hardcore:
En Svensk Tiger - Versace style (Buzzbox records)
Troublemakers - Made in Sweden (Svindel)
Tysta Mari - Sveriges Casino (11743)
The Clichés - Monkey see, monkey do (Randale)

Dance:
Minilogue - Samlad årsproduktion
Samuel L Session - The man with the case (Be As One Imprint)
The Field - Yesterday and Today (Kompakt)
Tomas Andersson - Stiff Disco (Funk Noir)

Jazz:
Bengt Berger - Beches Brew (Country & Eastern)
Jonas Kullhammar Quartet - The Half Naked Truth 1998-2008 (Moserobie)
The Opposite - Intertwined (Kopasetic)
Plunge With Bobo Stenson - Origo (Kopasetic)

Rhythm:
Calle Real - Me Lo Gané (Timba Records)
Jaqee - Kokoo Girl (Rootdown Records)
Music is the weapon - Music is the weapon (Music is the weapon)
Syster Sol - Dömd att bli bedömd (Swing Kids)

Rock:
Florence Valentin - Spring Ricco (Startracks)
Makeouts - In A Strange Land (Bachelor Records)
Murder by guitar - Murder by guitar (Jeet Kune Records)
Skriet - Skriet (Novoton)

Pop:
Anna Järvinen - Man var bland molnen (Häpna)
El Perro Del Mar - Love Is Not Pop (Licking Fingers)
JJ - JJ n° 2 (Sincerely Yours)
Jonathan Johansson - En hand i himlen (Hybris)

Hårdrock/Metal:
Abandon - The Dead End (Black Star Foundation)
Candlemass - Death Magic Doom (Nuclear Blast)
Katatonia - Night Is The New Day (Peaceville)
Tribulation - The Horror (Pulverised)

Synth:
Arvid - Andetag (Wonderland Records)
Dupont - Entering The Ice Age (Progress Productions)
Emmon - Closet Wanderings (Wonderland Records)
Rupesh Cartel - Anchor Baby (Megahype)

Singer/songwriter:
Ane Brun - Live at Stockholm Concert Hall (Balloon Rangers Recordings)
David Åhlen - We Sprout In Thy Soil (Compunctio)
Jonna Lee - This Is Jonna Lee (Razzia)
Kristofer Åström And The Rainaways - Sinkadus (Startracks)

Folk/ballad:
Taken By Trees - East of Eden (Rough Trade)
Miriam Aida - Letras au Brasil (Ajabu)
Tore Berger - I huset långt på landet (Brus & Knaster)
Esbjörn Hazelius - Blunda och du ska få se (Amigo)

Hip-hop:
Mohammed Ali - Processen (Bad Taste Records)
Organismen - Om Gud vill och vädret tillåter (Organismen)
Promoe - Kråksången (Pope Records)
Stor - Nya skolans ledare (Redline Records)

Best live:
Frida Hyvönen (Licking Fingers)
Jenny Wilson (Gold Medal Recordings)
Fever Ray (Rabid Records)
Florence Valentin (Startracks)

Best unsigned:
Den Svenska Björnstammen
Extended Heads
Fulmakten
Nora

Go here for more: http://www.manifestgalan.se/122.aspx

New Meleeh in February

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 13:43:51 -0800

Swedish hardcore act Meleeh report that their new album "To live and die alone" is done and on track for a February release via Black Star Foundation and will be available on both CD and vinyl.

Pg.lost It's not me, it's you! Black Star Foundation

Mon, 22 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Pg.lost's newest recording, "It's not me, it's you!", is almost double the length of their previous effort "Yes I am". The opener alone is nearly the duration of the previous record's first two tracks, though this space is well used: a slow, almost discordant swell bursts into a mass of distortion, a wave which breaks and allows for the tinkling of soft piano notes in its recession. The last few moments of "The day shift" are amazing: a lush, thick mingling of instruments in the final throes of a beautifully composed song, finally breaking down to the near inharmonious strains from which it began. Darker than "Yes I am", "It's not me, it's you!" takes a few more steps away from the 'big names' (if there can be such a thing in such a niche movement) of the post-rock genre. "Jonathan", my personal favorite, revels in deconstructing the rock guitar riff and Bloc Party-esque drum line, washing over these elements with beautiful delay-heavy guitar. "Maquina" is gorgeous and schizophrenic -- suddenly, though not jarringly, shifting from a soft, Explosions in the Sky-like vein into a violent accumulation of heavy guitars and drums -- further establishing the originality of Sweden's Pg.lost. While "It's not me, it's you!" is a fantastic record, something doesn't work quite as powerfully as it did on "Yes I am". At times, it feels as though they are trying to attempt to do with thick brush strokes what they were doing with finer detail on their previous outing. However, espite its faults, it is more than deserving of a place in your record collection.

Pg.lost Yes I am Black Star Foundation

Tue, 17 Jul 2007 00:00:00 -0700

I am surprised that the postrock genre continually finds new champions and has not yet stagnated around its established forerunners. Scandinavia has provided many of the groups that have proved themselves able to compete in this niche genre, pushing and expanding its limits and scope, and Sweden's Pg.lost are definitely amongst my favorite of this new wave of postrock acts. While comparable in many ways to Explosions in the Sky, specifically in their buoyant musical outlook and the sense of optimism and hope that pervades "Yes I am", Pg.lost don't flinch away from distorted onslaughts similar to that of Mogwai or Mono. While I personally loathe having to compare an upcoming band to their better known contemporaries since it seems to suggest a lack of originality or an inability for a band to find their own voice, this is far from the case. While the tone and style are akin to what other bands have done, Pg.lost have no difficulty filtering these influence through their own unique approach, creating some of the best music I've heard this year. "Yes I am" is stunningly forceful and compelling given its brevity. I'm confident future recordings will establish Pg.lost as amongst the best of their field, and can only hope it is not too long until I'm proven right.

The Book Of Daniel Songs for the Locust King Black Star Foundation

Mon, 08 Jan 2007 00:00:00 -0800

Building upon last year's free downloadable EP, The Book Of Daniel have created quite a solid full-length album as their debut. That being said, if one is familiar with the EP, then you may be a bit disappointed to learn that four of the albums' ten tracks are repeated. What is most amazing about this album is that it sounds like the band has honed its craft for years and the mature vocals just exemplify this even more. The hooks prevalent in "The camels parade" and "Deadringer deadringer" lure the listener to chime in and sing along, especially with the group vocals on the latter track. This whole album is formal, steadily beautiful and just so confident, it's somewhat alarming to review. "Songs for the Locust King" is just fantastic; one of the more fully-realised debut albums I have heard in a long time.