IT'S A TRAP! Scandinavian Music Journal

Stum signs to Megahype, cover Kings of Leon

Mon, 11 Apr 2011 14:50:55 -0700

Megahype has signed Swedish electropop duo Stum (ex-Industrijugend) and will be releasing their debut EP "Extra play" on May 27. Hear the lead single, a cover of Kings of Leon's "Sex on fire", at the band's website: http://www.stum.se/

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

Lowe Tenant remixed Megahype

Thu, 27 Sep 2007 00:00:00 -0700

What is a good remix? The one that reduces the song to four-on-the-floor beats and the occasional voice sample? The one that expands on the original, or moves it into a completely new direction? The one that just dresses the original song up in some new clothes, but leaves it easily recognised? For Lowe, the last one seems to be the answer. Every remix on this double album can quite easily be traced back to the original. The problem is that Lowe's Depeche Mode/New Order mimicries weren't that great to begin with. No matter what electro-pop costume the songs are dressed in, melodies falters. The singer sounds tedious and generic instead of depressingly heartfelt. When even the likes of Håkan Lidbo can't make a song interesting, something is clearly wrong! The final track, a Lowe remix of Elegant Machinery's classic "Save me" drives the point home perfectly. Lowe may know their way around the studio and can present crystal clear productions... But it's the original melody, the original vocals that give the emotional connection. That worm their way into the skull. That makes me remember what an amazing band Elegant Machinery was. How the Swedish synth-pop scene has lost its way. And I'm sure that wasn't the intention behind this redundant, oversized, repetitive collection.