Top tens for 2010: All Scandinavian
The 2010 Music Alliance Pact flashback
Every month throughout 2010 I've had the pleasure of being able to represent Denmark in the awesome blog network Music Alliance Pact (MAP), now featuring 36 blogs from 36 countries around the globe who have joined forced to bring people a free taste of what's going on musically in their respective nations on the 15 of every month.
It's the gift that keeps on giving, and for this year-end retrospect I thought I'd share the 12 Danish artists and tracks that have appeared as part of MAP this year. Keeping in line with the MAP spirit you can download all tracks separately or all in a single zip-file by following the link at the bottom.
JANUARY
Who: Cours Lapin (MySpace)
Song: Cache cache (mp3)
Cours Lapin is what happens when four movie score composers (Louise Alenius, Asger Baden, Peder and Jonas Struck) get together to do pop. Their name is French (translated as "bunny run"), their lyrics are in French (of course) and the French chanson is at the root of their mellow, melancholic pop that makes me think of black and white movies (and yes, they're French).
SEE THE FULL JANUARY MAP POST
FEBRUARY
Who: Before The Show (MySpace)
Song: Gabriel (mp3)
Before The Show was originally a solo project by multi-instrumentalist Laurids Smedegaard, who often worked on his own songs just hours before he went on stage with any one of the numerous other bands he's involved in (hence the band name). Now a quintet, Before The Show are working on getting their debut released and until that happens we can all enjoy this excellent taste of what's to come.
SEE THE FULL FEBRUARY MAP POST
MARCH
Who: The Bronson Brothers (MySpace)
Song: Ancient land (mp3)
Pop, decadence, France and the 1960s are keywords when it comes to Clyde and Ted Bronson's musical universe. The excellent "Ancient Land" is taken from the duo's freshly-released debut album "The melody Bronson", the title a nod to the 1971 concept album "Histoire de Melody Nelson" by Serge Gainsbourg, who is also found among The Bronson Brothers' influences.
SEE THE FULL MARCH MAP POST
APRIL
Who: Let Me Play Your Guitar (MySpace)
Song: Beauty (mp3)
At the turn of the last decade, Let Me Play Your Guitar self-released their debut EP "Doing rainbows" (get it on Bandcamp) with five 1960s-tinged folk-pop songs. Fronted by brothers Emil and Jeppe Davidsen, LMPYG excites with sweeping yet mellow and intimate pop arrangements from an enchanted land bordering Fleet Foxes and Simon & Garfunkel - one excellent example being the MAP exclusive "Beauty".
SEE THE FULL APRIL MAP POST
MAY
Who: The Wong Boys (www)
Song: Git ur Wong on (mp3)
At the start of the year, Frank Ziyanak (The Wong Boys, Death To Frank Ziyanak and much more) launched a new website making a solid portion of his impressive musical output -- remixes, full albums, demos and rarities -- available for download on a "pay your respect" basis. Among the rarities is this remake of The Wong Boys' club-banging smash-hit "Git ur fuk on", aimed at the Asian market as "Git ur Wong on".
SEE THE FULL MAY MAP POST
JUNE
Who: Kellermensch (MySpace)
Song: Black dress (live) (mp3)
Kellermensch (who incidentally also were this blog's very first MAP contribution) released their awesome debut album last year, which -- apart from much praise -- earned them invitations to do both an XFM and a BBC Radio 1 Live Session. End July a revamped version of the debut including four brand new songs will be released in the UK. First -- and great -- single, "Army ants", is out now, but here's a live version of "Black dress", recorded November 21, 2009, giving you a sweet taste of the band's supreme performances.
SEE THE FULL JUNE MAP POST
JULY
Who: Waking Life (MySpace)
Song: Chirango (mp3)
With The Flaming Lips and The Shins among their influences, Copenhagen based six-piece Waking Life work in uplifting, danceable ways. Here's first single "Chirango" - from their forthcoming debut album "Fiction" -- an upbeat indierock song with ukulele, bells, trombone and whatnot that would make you all smiles if it hadn't been for the rather serious lyrics.
SEE THE FULL JULY MAP POST
AUGUST
Who: King's Light Infantry (MySpace)
Song: Home (mp3)
Back in April, King's Light Infantry released their debut EP, "Crops", from which this track is taken. The quintet work in guitar-driven indie-rock where the ever-famous Scandinavian melancholy, pop hooks and the strong, emotional vocal of lead singer/guitarist Mathias Slot play leading roles. Right now they're recording their first full-length record, slated for release sometime next year.
SEE THE FULL AUGUST MAP POST
SEPTEMBER
Who: Plök (MySpace)
Song: Kleenex exposition (mp3)
Following three EPs, Danish math-rock (or, as they call it, mathbeat synthpunk) quartet Plök finally have a full-length debut out titled "Sing us yr guillotine gospel". Through 12 mind-bending trips to places at least one step beyond, they stick it to the Man and the numbed masses. Exclusively for the Music Alliance Pact here's the awesome "Kleenex exposition".
SEE THE FULL SEPTEMBER MAP POST
OCTOBER
Who: The Malpractice (MySpace)
Song: Boss stallion (mp3)
October 25 will see the release of The Malpractice aka Johannes Gammelby's (I Am Bones, Beta Satan) solo debut "Tectonics" on Crunchy Frog, an 11-song strong album of alternative rock aiming at minds, (pop)hearts and feet. Here's the great "Boss stallion" and if you dig it, make sure to check out the other album single "Oh, the irony" streaming on MySpace.
SEE THE FULL OCTOBER MAP POST
NOVEMBER
Who: The Kites (MySpace)
Song: Summer missus (mp3)
Exactly one year ago I featured quartet The Kites and their very infectious pop-rock in the Music Alliance Pact. A month later they released the great four-track EP, "The Kites are on", and recently they followed up with this bittersweet gem, co-produced by neo-disco prodigy Vinnie Who aka Niels Bagge. Both the EP and "Summer missus" are available for free at their website -- so go download it.
SEE THE FULL NOVEMBER MAP POST
DECEMBER
Who: Sleep Party People (MySpace)
Song: A dark god heart (mp3)
In late November, Danish label released the sixth in their renowned series of compilations titled "The Vuf compilation #6 - Back to nature", sporting 12 tracks by established and upcoming Danish and Swedish artists, half working in alternative pop/rock and half in electronica. Among them is critically acclaimed one-man dreampop act Sleep Party People aka Brian Batz, whose hauntingly beautiful B-side "A dark god heart" is the final Danish MAP track of 2010. If you crave more, the compilation is available for free download here.
SEE THE FULL DECEMBER MAP POST