IT'S A TRAP! Scandinavian Music Journal

2012 Swedish Grammis nominees

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 14:14:04 -0500

The nominees for the 2012 Swedish Grammis have been announced:

Best Album:
Anna Ternheim - The Night Visitor
Deportees - Islands & Shores
Ison & Fille - F�r Evigt
Lykke Li - Wounded Rhymes
Veronica Maggio - Satan I Gatan

Best Artist:
Deportees
Lykke Li
Melissa Horn
Swedish House Mafia
Veronica Maggio

Best Electronic/Dance:
Adrian Lux - Boy / Alive
Avicii - Levels/Fade Into Darkness
Little Dragon - Ritual Union
Rebecca & Fiona - I Love You, Man
Swedish House Mafia - Save The World/Antidote

Best Hip-Hop/Soul:
Adam Tensta - Scared Of The Dark
Alexis Weak - Till Minne Av
Ison & Fille - F�r Evigt
Movits! - Ut Ur Min Skalle
Timbuktu - Sagolandet

Best Hardrock/Metal:
Graveyard - Hisingen Blues
Hammerfall - Infected
In Flames - Sounds Of A Playground Fading
Opeth - Heritage
The Haunted - Unseen

Best Jazz:
Freddie Wadling - With A License To Kill
Georg Riedel, Sarah Riedel & Nicolai Dunger - Cornelis Vs Riedel
Magnus �str�m - Thread Of Life
Nils Landgren - The Moon, The Stars And You
Tonbruket - Dig It To The End

Best Songwriter:
Anna J�rvinen - Anna Sj�lv Tredje
Anna Ternheim - The Night Visitor
Lykke Li, Bj�rn Yttling & Rick Nowels - Wounded Rhymes
Melissa Horn - Innan Jag K�nde Dig
Veronica Maggio/Christian Walz - Satan I Gatan

Best Song:
Avicii - Levels
Den Svenska Bj�rnstammen - Vart Jag Mig I V�rlden V�nder
Eric Amarillo - Om Sanningen Ska Fram (Vill Du Ligga Med Mig?)
Eric Saade - Popular
Petter & September - Baksm�lla
September - Mikrofonk�t
Swedish House Mafia - Save The World
Timbuktu - Resten Av Ditt Liv
Tove Styrke - White Light Moment
Veronica Maggio - Jag Kommer

Best Music Video:
Gustav Johansson - Karl X Johan "Flames (Uncompromised Cut)"
Magnus Renfors - Peter J�back, Filmen Till Albumet "Livet, K�rleken Och D�den - La Vie, L'amour, La Mort"
Max Vitali - Robyn "Call Your Girlfriend"
Slobodan Zivic - Kriget "Submission"
Ted Malmros/Gustaf Von Arbin - Peter Bjorn And John "Gimme Some"

Best Newcomer:
Adrian Lux
Aleks
Den Svenska Bj�rnstammen
Newkid
Rebecca & Fiona

Best Pop:
Ane Brun - It All Starts With One
Anna Ternheim - The Night Visitor
Jonathan Johansson - Klagomuren
Lykke Li - Wounded Rhymes
Veronica Maggio - Satan I Gatan

Best Producer:
Christian Walz
Johan Eckeborn
Masse Salazar
Shellback
Tobias Fr�berg

Best Rock:
Deportees - Islands & Shores
Eldkvarn - De Ber�mdas Aveny
Kebnekajse - Idioten
Me And My Army - Thank God For Sending Demons
Samling - N�r Mullret D�var V�ra �ron Blir Vi R�dda

Best International Success:
Avicii
Little Dragon
Lykke Li
Opeth
Swedish House Mafia

Best Lyrics:
Anna Ternheim - The Night Visitor
Jonathan Johansson - Klagomuren
Mauro Scocco - Musik F�r Nyskilda
Melissa Horn - Innan Jag K�nde Dig
Veronica Maggio/Christian Walz - Satan I Gatan

Best Innovator:
Avicii
Deportees
Erato
Looptroop Rockers
Veronica Maggio

More here: http://www.grammis.se/

Lykke Li, Iceage and The Field in Pfork's top albums list

Fri, 16 Dec 2011 12:55:50 -0500

Not a lot of Scandinavians in Pitchfork's top 50 albums list this year, but we do have Lykke Li at #43, Iceage at #37 and The Field at #26: http://pitchfork.com/features/staff-lists/8727-the-top-50-albums-of-2011/

P3 Guld 2012 nominees

Tue, 06 Dec 2011 14:38:21 -0500

The nominees for Swedish Radio's P3 Guld awards have been announced:

Artist:
Melissa Horn - Innan jag k�nde dig
Kapten R�d - Fl�cken som aldrig g�r bort
Lykke Li - Wounded rhymes
Veronica Maggio - Satan i gatan
Timbuktu - Sagolandet

Group:
Deportees - Islands & shores
In Flames - Sounds of a playground fading
Movits! - Ut ur min skalle
Rebecca & Fiona - I love you, man
Those Dancing Days - Daydreams & nightmares

Newcomer:
Avicii
Newkid
Niki & The Dove
Rebecca & Fiona
Den Svenska Bj�rnstammen

Song:
Call my name - Tove Styrke
Jag kommer - Veronica Maggio
Levels - Avicii
Resten av ditt liv - Timbuktu
Vart jag mig i v�rlden v�nder - Den Svenska Bj�rnstammen

Guldmicken (best live):
Daniel Adams-Ray
Graveyard
Melissa Horn
Kapten R�d
Veronica Maggio

Dance:
Avicii - Samlad produktion
Axel Boman - Samlad produktion
Jonsson/Alter - Mod
L-wiz - Samlad produktion
Rebecca & Fiona - I love you, man

Hip-hop/soul:
Ison & Fille - F�r evigt
Mohammed Ali - Vi
Newkid - Alexander jr Ferrer
Stockholmssyndromet - Underhunder
Timbuktu - Sagolandet

Pop:
JJ - Samlad produktion
Jonathan Johansson - Klagomuren
Anna J�rvinen - Anna sj�lv tredje
The Sound of Arrows - Voyage
Syket - With love

Rock/metal:
Arch Enemy - Khaos legions
Graveyard - Hisingen blues
The Haunted - Unseen
In Flames - Sounds of a playground fading
Opeth - Heritage

More here, including voting info: http://www.sverigesradio.se/p3guld

Final nominees announced for Nordic Music Prize

Thu, 01 Dec 2011 12:47:17 -0500

The final 12 nominees for the 2011 Nordic Music Awards have been decided and they are as follows:

Ane Brun - It all starts with one
Lykke Li - Wounded rhymes
Rubik - Solar
Gus Gus - Arabian horse
Malk De Koijn - Toback to the fromtime
Siinai - Olympic game
Bj�rk - Biophilia
Iceage - New brigade
Mont�e - Renditions of you
Anna J�rvinen - Anna sj�lv tredje
Goran Kajfes - X/Y
The Field - Looping state of mind

Nordic Music Prize 2011 semi-finalists

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 12:09:00 -0500

The semi-finalists for the 2011 Nordic Music Prize have been revealed:

Sweden:
Anna Ternheim - The night visitor
Jonathan Johansson - Klagomuren
Loney Dear - Hall music
The Field - Looping state of mind
Mattias Alkberg - Anarkist
Lykke Li - Wounded rhymes
Anna J�rvinen - Anna sj�lv tredje
Deportees - Islands & shores
Veronica Maggio - Satan i gatan
Goran Kajfes - X/Y

Denmark:
Larsen & Furious Jane - Dolly
Michael M�ller - A Month of Unrequited Love
Oh Land - Oh Land
Mikael Simpson - Noget Laant, Noget Blaat
The Late Great Fitzcarraldos - The Late Great Fitzcarraldos
Malk De Koijn - Toback To The Fromtime
Iceage - New Brigade
Thulebasen - Gate 5
When Saints Go Machine - Konkylie
Hymns From Nineveh - Hymns From Nineveh

Finland:
Von Hertzen Brothers - Stars Aligned
R�yhk� & Mattila - Kaksi lensi tuulen mukaan
22-Pistepirkko - Lime Green Delorean
French Films - Imaginary Future
Siinai - Olympic Games
Rubik - Solar
Regina - Soita mulle
Michael Monroe - Sensory Overdrive
Mirel Wagner - Mirel Wagner
Chisu - Kun valaistun

Iceland:
S�ley - We Sink
Lay Low - Brostinn strengur
Ham - Svik, harmur og dau�i
Sin Fang - Summer Echoes
ADHD - ADHD2
FM Belfast - Don�t Want To Sleep
Gus Gus - Arabian Horse
Mugison - Hagl�l
Bj�rk - Biophilia
Apparat Organ Quartet - P�l�f�n�a

Norway:
Razika - Program �91
Lars Vaular - Du betyr meg
Jonas Alaska - Jonas Alaska
Team Me - To The Treetops!
Ane Brun - It All Starts With One
Stein Torleif Bjella - Vonde Visu
120 Days - 120 Days II
Mont�e - Renditions Of You
John Olav Nilsen og Gjengen - Det n�rmeste du kommer
Martin Hagfors - I like you

This list will eventually be culled down to a final 12 on December 1 before the winner is crowned on February 16.

I Break Horses - Winter beats (video)

Tue, 09 Aug 2011 11:46:21 -0400

Pitchfork has the premiere of the new I Break Horses video for "Winter beats": http://pitchfork.com/tv/#/music-videos/1757-i-break-horses/2830-winter-beats/
Also posted over there, a backstage live session with Lykke Li: http://pitchfork.com/tv/sponsors/1755-summer-jammin-with-ice-cream-man-lykke-li/2828-i-follow-rivers/

Lykke Li/First Aid Kit US tour

Mon, 25 Jul 2011 15:16:40 -0400

Lykke Li will be touring the US again in November and is bringing along fellow Swedes First Aid Kit for the ride:

11/07 - Fox Theater, Pomona, CA
11/09 - Fox Theater, Oakland, CA
11/11 - Ogden Theater, Denver, CO
11/13 - First Avenue, Minneapolis, MN
11/14 - Vic Theater, Chicago, IL
11/15 - Sound Academy, Toronto, Ontario
11/17 - Wellmont Theater, Montclair, NJ
11/19 - Orange Peel, Asheville, NC
11/20 - Buckhead Theater, Atlanta, GA
11/21 - Tipitina's, New Orleans, LA

Lykke Li - Sadness is a blessing (video)

Thu, 28 Apr 2011 12:23:12 -0400

Lykke Li's new video for "Sadness is a blessing", featuring fellow Swede Stellan Skarsg�rd (and star of films such as "Anita: Swedish Nymphet" and "Tabu", as the excellent book "Swedish Sensationsfilms" informs me), is now online: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xu-b3u5jDiU

This week's Last.fm chart

Tue, 26 Apr 2011 11:48:33 -0400

Here is the It's a Trap! listening group top 10 artists of the week unique to our group:

01. Jonathan Johansson
02. Anna J�rvinen
03. Jens Lekman
04. Acid House Kings
05. Fredrik
06. Holy Ghost!
07. The Radio Dept.
08. Syket
09. Lykke Li
10. Palpitation

Do you listen to music on your computer or with an iPod? Please join us and make your playlist count! Go here to learn more: http://www.last.fm/help/

Lykke Li confirmed for Lollapalooza

Tue, 26 Apr 2011 11:12:34 -0400

Lykke Li will be playing this year's Lollapalooza festival: http://lineup.lollapalooza.com/

This week's Last.fm chart

Tue, 12 Apr 2011 14:40:41 -0400

Here is the It's a Trap! listening group top 10 artists of the week unique to our group:

01. Bob Hund
02. Anna J�rvinen
03. The Pains of Being Pure at Heart
04. The Concretes
05. Jenny Wilson
06. Kent
07. Peter Bjorn and John
08. The Radio Dept.
09. Glasvegas
10. Lykke Li

Do you listen to music on your computer or with an iPod? Please join us and make your playlist count! Go here to learn more: http://www.last.fm/help/

This week's Last.fm chart

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 15:45:55 -0400

Here is the It's a Trap! listening group top 10 artists of the week unique to our group:

01. Bob Hund
02. Jens Lekman
03. Lykke Li
04. H�kan Hellstr�m
05. Anna J�rvinen
06. Kurt Vile
07. The Bear Quartet
08. The Radio Dept.
09. Austra
10. Rubik

Do you listen to music on your computer or with an iPod? Please join us and make your playlist count! Go here to learn more: http://www.last.fm/help/

This week's Last.fm chart

Tue, 15 Mar 2011 14:03:34 -0400

Here is the It's a Trap! listening group top 10 artists of the week unique to our group:

01. Anna J�rvinen
02. Lykke Li
03. Bob Hund
04. The Bear Quartet
05. Familjen
06. Syket
07. Me and My Army
08. Those Dancing Days
09. H�kan Hellstr�m
10. Iron & Wine

Do you listen to music on your computer or with an iPod? Please join us and make your playlist count! Go here to learn more: http://www.last.fm/help/

Under the Radar reviews Lykke Li

Fri, 11 Mar 2011 13:35:30 -0500

Under the Radar is another one of the few not fawning over the new Lykke Li: http://www.undertheradarmag.com/reviews/wounded_rhymes/

Lykke Li - Wounded rhymes (EMI/LL Recordings)

Fri, 04 Mar 2011 11:29:52 -0500

It's hard to cover this record since Mattias Alkberg already wrote the definitive review, but I'll do my best to sum up my thoughts without adding too much extraneous noise to the discussion. Though I wouldn't consider myself much of a Lykke Li fan, her debut album "Youth novels" had a cute, bright-eyed naivety that was undeniably charming and it wasn't hard to see why so many people made a big fuss over it. Now that she's an established artist, she's trying to position herself as a someone who's far more self-aware and serious and, frankly, I'm having a very hard time meeting her on that level. As much as she may feel authentically world-weary, it comes across as a bit of a put-on -- a different kind of youthful naivety that's far less appealing. My biggest problem with the record however, is that it has no sense of fun. A few solid tunes, sure, but more often than not it's a joyless trudge and, as much as that may reflect her mood while writing it, it doesn't compel repeated listens.
- Avi Roig
Rating: 5

Pitchfork praises Lykke Li

Thu, 03 Mar 2011 12:14:39 -0500

Pitchfork says the new Lykke Li album "Wounded rhymes" is Best New Music: http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/15167-wounded-rhymes/

This week's Last.fm chart

Tue, 01 Mar 2011 17:00:58 -0500

Here is the It's a Trap! listening group top 10 artists of the week unique to our group:

01. Andreas Mattsson
02. H�kan Hellstr�m
03. Kent
04. Syket
05. S�kert!
06. The Radio Dept.
07. The Bear Quartet
08. Bright Eyes
09. Veronica Maggio
10. Lykke Li

Do you listen to music on your computer or with an iPod? Please join us and make your playlist count! Go here to learn more: http://www.last.fm/help/

PopMatters on Those Dancing Days, Lykke Li, Bullet

Tue, 01 Mar 2011 15:30:50 -0500

Lots of Swedish content at PopMatters today including an mp3 from Those Dancing Days and reviews of both Lykke Li and Bullet.

TLOBF sessions: Lykke Li

Mon, 28 Feb 2011 14:17:43 -0500

Check out Lykke Li doing a live studio session for The Line of Best Fit: http://vimeo.com/20245672

Pitchfork interviews Lykke Li

Mon, 28 Feb 2011 12:34:21 -0500

Pitchfork interviews Lykke Li about her new album "Wounded rhymes" and other related topics: http://pitchfork.com/features/interviews/7913-lykke-li/

Wounded rhymes preview

Tue, 22 Feb 2011 12:17:10 -0500

The Hype Machine is streaming the new Lykke Li album "Wounded rhymes" in its entirety: https://hypem.com/#!/artist/Lykke%20Li

Wounded rhymes sampler

Mon, 21 Feb 2011 12:51:56 -0500

There's a sampler of the new Lykke Li album "Wounded rhymes" up on Vimeo: http://vimeo.com/20100255

Lykke Li - Love out of lust

Fri, 18 Feb 2011 14:20:43 -0500

Hear a new track from Lykke Li's forthcoming record "Wounded rhymes": http://soundcloud.com/lykkeli/lykke-li-love-out-of-lust

This week's Last.fm chart

Tue, 15 Feb 2011 12:59:33 -0500

Here is the It's a Trap! listening group top 10 artists of the week unique to our group:

01. Firefox AK
02. The Bear Quartet
03. H�kan Hellstr�m
04. Kent
05. Veronica Maggio
06. Cut Copy
07. Lykke Li
08. S�kert!
09. The Radio Dept.
10. Britta Persson

Do you listen to music on your computer or with an iPod? Please join us and make your playlist count! Go here to learn more: http://www.last.fm/help/

This week's Last.fm chart

Tue, 08 Feb 2011 14:43:01 -0500

Here is the It's a Trap! listening group top 10 artists of the week unique to our group:

01. Jonathan Johansson
02. H�kan Hellstr�m
03. S�kert!
04. The Radio Dept.
05. Palpitation
06. Lykke Li
07. Junip
08. The Soundtrack of Our Lives
09. Iron & Wine
10. The Concretes

Do you listen to music on your computer or with an iPod? Please join us and make your playlist count! Go here to learn more: http://www.last.fm/help/

Lykke Li - I follow rivers (video)

Thu, 27 Jan 2011 12:48:04 -0500

Dazed Digital has the premiere of Lykke Li's new video for "I follow rivers": http://www.dazeddigital.com/music/article/9471/1/lykke-li-i-follow-rivers

Jennie Abrahamson - Hard to come by

Mon, 17 Jan 2011 15:06:57 -0500

Jenny Abrahamson's label How Sweet the Sound was kind enough to send me a copy of her new single "Hard to come by" and it's quite good, so I'm happy to reshare it with you. Definitely taking cues from Bj�rn Yttling's percussion-heavy production style for artists such as Lykke Li, but with more of the melodicism of Asha Ali, it's a nice catchy tune with an insistent refrain and a playful ambience. The official release of said single is February 2, the album follows on April 13.

Klubbland #17: Lykke Li

Fri, 14 Jan 2011 12:14:26 -0500

The latest edition of SVT's Klubbland features 3 live tracks from Lykke Li, including the new tracks "I follow rivers" and "Get some": http://klubbland.se/2011/01/14/17-lykke-li/

This week's Last.fm chart

Tue, 11 Jan 2011 11:58:03 -0500

Here is the It's a Trap! listening group top 10 artists of the week:

01. Belle and Sebastian
02. The National
03. The Radio Dept.
04. Robyn
05. Kanye West
06. Arcade Fire
07. Beach House
08. H�kan Hellstr�m
09. Lykke Li
10. Sufjan Stevens

Do you listen to music on your computer or with an iPod? Please join us and make your playlist count! Go here to learn more: http://www.last.fm/help/

Lykke Li - I follow rivers

Mon, 10 Jan 2011 12:10:16 -0500

Check out a new Lykke Li tune over at Klubb Ace's website: http://klubbace.se/2011/01/lykke-li-i-follow-rivers/
Looks like they've got a new one from Peter Bjorn and John as well: http://klubbace.se/2011/01/peter-bjorn-john-dig-a-little-deeper/

Lykke Li spills album details to Pitchfork

Thu, 18 Nov 2010 13:00:41 -0500

Pitchfork talks to Lykke Li about her new album "Wounded rhymes", now confirmed for a March 1 release via her own (major label imprint) LL Recordings: http://pitchfork.com/news/40697-lykke-li-talks-new-album-iwounded-rhymesi/

Lykke Li posts new video, tourdates

Mon, 15 Nov 2010 14:38:36 -0500

The official video for the new Lykke Li single "Get some" is now online, as are a bunch of new international tourdates for 2011: http://www.myspace.com/lykkeli/blog/540672878

This week's Last.fm chart

Tue, 09 Nov 2010 11:55:59 -0500

Here is the It's a Trap! listening group top 10 artists of the week, unique to our group:

01. H�kan Hellstr�m
03. The Bear Quartet
03. The Radio Dept.
04. S�kert!
03. Familjen
03. Kent
03. The Concretes
03. Lykke Li
03. The Soundtrack of Our Lives
03. Robyn

Do you listen to music on your computer or with an iPod? Please join us and make your playlist count! Go here to learn more: http://www.last.fm/help/

Lykke Li - Get some

Tue, 26 Oct 2010 13:03:26 -0400

The new Lykke Li single "Get some" b/w "Paris blue" is now available as a free download: http://www.lykkeli.com/get_some/
The 7" vinyl version comes out November 1.

New Lykke Li single soon

Mon, 11 Oct 2010 14:40:29 -0400

The new Lykke Li single "Get some" will be posted as a free download on October 25 and will also be available on 7" vinyl b/w exclusive track "Paris blue". As for her next full-length, expect something in early 2011.

Lykke Li - Solarium (video + new live dates)

Mon, 13 Sep 2010 12:40:55 -0400

Lykke Li has unveiled a new short film featuring a lot of cavorting around in the desert with mirrors: http://www.lykkeli.com/solarium
I'm sure it's probably supposed to be very deep and meaningful and whatever, but it all seems pretty damn self-indulgent to me -- there goes five minutes of my life I'll never get back. Anyhow, she's also announced a few new live dates where she says she'll be premiering new material:

11/01 - Heimathafen, Berlin
11/02 - La Maroquinerie, Paris
11/04 - Heaven, London
11/08 - Kagelbanan, Stockhol
12/01 - Le Poisson Rouge, New York

Lykke Li - Possibility (video)

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 15:36:10 -0400

Here's Lykke Li's new video for the song "Possibility", her contribution to the "Twilight" soundtrack: http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid340480126?bctid=72096109001

Vinnie Who on Dolores, more

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 17:35:35 -0500

Dolores Recordings will be releasing Vinnie Who's debut single "What you got is mine" on a white vinyl 12". Listen at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/vinniewhoofficial
Other 2010 releases in the works (or maybe already out) from the label include new material from Deportees, H�kan Hellstr�m, The Fume, Eye Travel, Kungen och Silvia (feat. Ebbot Lundberg and Olle Ljungstr�m), Kleerup, Pacific!, Lykke Li and I'm from Barcelona.

New Found Land - We all die (Fixe Records)

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 11:41:30 -0500

It's not the modest aesthetic of "We all die" that bothers me -- in fact, at times it's starkly beautiful -- it's more the anonymous approach that New Found Land employs to achieve it. First, Anna Roxenholt's vocals -- the obvious centerpiece of the album -- are hampered by an Aryan lilt that too closely matches her female superiors. Normally, that would be a compliment, but despite her best imitations, her wintry tones cannot carry the hackneyed minimalia of Karl Krook's guitar. Absent here are the petulant flourishes that buttress Lykke Li's sparser arrangements, or the intimate effervescence of Hello Saferide's empty-room canvas. Second, though "We all die" is focused in its attempt to create a certain atmosphere, I remain unconvinced by their tired glockenspiel-and-acoustics palette, a palette that's beginning to plague the whole of Nordic lo-fi. In fact, "We all die"'s the best moments are the subtle departures from these lo-fi doldrums, like the rollicking "Come to me" and the upbeat end of "All the nights". Ultimately, I could decry the unremarkable filler of Krook's backup vocals, or irrationally complain that a young songstress with the sultry voice of winter has yet to approximate the hallowed of Sweden's indie scene. But after repeated listens, I've found a certain solace in "We all die", an unmistakable beauty that seems to well up from its very core, spilling out onto the austere repetition of "I would, I would, I would" on "In colour", and tempering the melismatic "My love, my love" on "Come to me". Despite the shortcomings, it's these fleeting moments of sublime beauty that assure me: New Found Land has the perfection of their bedroom aesthetic in their sights. I'll ignore the impurities and wait for the follow-up.
- Nathan Keegan
Rating: 6

El Perro Del Mar + Lykke Li - Change of heart (video)

Thu, 14 Jan 2010 17:28:16 -0500

Watch El Perro Del Mar and Lykke Li perform "Change of heart" together: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwWWSYOKzsgthey

Top 10s for 2009: Absolut Noise

Thu, 24 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0500

My top ten (quite aggressive) questions I ask myself now 2009 is coming to its end

01. Am I the only one to find the "hyped" band JJ boring?

02. Since it took me one year or something to actually find some very good things in Kent's previous record "Tillbaka till samtiden", will I like Kent's 2009 record "R�d" next year? Cause, right now, I think it is... well... not that good.

03. Since some friends told me Lykke Li was a nice person, why do I think she takes herself so seriously every time I see her on stage or in interview?

04. C'mon Sweden! Is there really no Swedish label which can sign Dear Euphoria??? Are you deaf or just dumb?

05. Why the G�teborg music scene is still much more interesting than the one in Stockholm?

06. Since I have been ridiculous in my It's a Trap 2007 top 10 where I said that Du Pacque was about to release their debut album and that it was going to be the best one of... 2008, will I pretend in this top 10 that Du Pacque debut record will eventually be out in 2010 and will be a total killer?

07. Is my iTunes right? Did I actually listen to Mattias Alkberg "Nerverna" more than The Bear Quartet "89" ?!!

08. How could I love so much Existensminimum's album "OK boys" this year, when I found his first one so lame?

09. Will there be in 2010 and how will sound the debut albums of Absolut Noise "darling" bands Bad Hands, Bedroom Eyes, Hajen, Holana, Johan Tenbrink, Love is a Burning Thing, The Open Up and Bleeds, Outmen, Poppets, Palpitation, Sibling Sense, Skatan, This is Head, We Are the Storm and You Say France & I Whistle?

10. Will Promise & the Monster release a new album one day?

---------------------------
Absolut Noise is a France-based blog devoted to Swedish music.
http://absolutnoise.blogspot.com/

Lykke Li - Will you still love me tomorrow

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:25:05 -0500

Get a free download of Lykke Li's version of "Will you still love me tomorrow" in exchange for your email address: http://www.lykkeli.com/

New Lykke Li on Twilight soundtrack

Tue, 22 Sep 2009 17:56:02 -0400

Lykke Li has a new song called "Possibility" on the soundtrack to the upcoming Mormon vampire film and Twilight sequel "New Moon", along with a bunch of other indierock usual-suspects. It comes out October 20.

Melody Club - Goodbye to romance (Epic)

Tue, 28 Apr 2009 19:23:34 -0400

For acts like Robyn and Lykke Li, straddling the genres of pop and indie has been the key to critical acclaim and popularity abroad rarely seen by Swedish artists. However, the same balancing act has not worked so well for Melody Club. They're a big name act at home, but are otherwise largely unknown. There are too many guitars for them to catch on with the foreign fans of September or Alcazar, yet they're just not cool enough to attract the indie bloggerati. Sweden may be the go-to place for all your cheesy pop or quirky indie needs, but the focus on those particular genres by most Scandophiles means that some of Sweden's best bands escape their attention.

If you have, by some miracle, heard a Melody Club album before, you'll know exactly what to expect from "Goodbye to romance". Disregarding the current trend to do the opposite, Melody Club have moved away from their original electropop sound and added more guitars and a stronger 1960s influence, but are still unmistakeably Melody Club. The infectious choruses and entertaining lyrics the band are known for are present on every track. After just a few listens, I feel attached to all of them individually and find it difficult to choose a standout. "Oh Candy call me"'s brilliantly catchy riff made it an early favourite, while anthemic recent single "Girls don't always wanna have fun" has been the biggest grower. However, the track that never seems to leave my head is "Where do I belong", a song that would have fit perfectly on my favourite Melody Club album, "Face the music".

While "Goodbye to romance" doesn't quite match up to "Face the music", it's one of my favourite albums of 2009 so far and thoroughly recommended to anyone wishing to broaden their knowledge of the Swedish music scene.
- Jessica Popper
Rating: 8

American Idol does Lykke Li?

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 11:27:40 -0400

So apparently Lykke Li's "I'm good I'm gone" was featured on American Idol last night? Hoookay.... Read more: http://pitchfork.com/news/35162-american-idol-sings-lykke-li/

Fluxblog on R�yskopp, PB&J

Tue, 31 Mar 2009 16:38:04 -0400

Fluxblog goes two for two with new music from R�yskopp (feat. Lykke Li) and Peter Bjorn and John: http://www.fluxblog.org/2009/03/turn-paper-into-rocks-into-plastic

Interview: John Eriksson (Peter Bjorn and John)

Tue, 31 Mar 2009 11:52:34 -0400

The "band with the whistling song" is still here. In fact they have been around for ten years now, and were formed long before "Young folks" was released. After spending time with other projects - Bj�rn Yttling has been producing Lykke Li, and Peter Mor�n recorded his solo album - and after they released "Seaside rock" last September, a more difficult, instrumental record, only available on vinyl and as a digital download, Peter Bjorn and John are back with a "proper" full release. Their new album is called "Living thing" and is being released this week (March 30th/31st). It's a Trap! had a very friendly chat with drummer/percussionist & vocalist John Eriksson.

You guys are celebrating ten years together. Can you share a few of the best moments during this time?

It's really funny to think back ten years ago. Back at the time we used to have other jobs. I remember one time we did these cuttings of all articles that were written about us in the press, in order to give them out to our friends. We stole paper from our jobs, used their copying machines and did it! [Laughs]

Did you ever want to become big?

We just wanted to make fantastic pop music, but of course you want people and your families to listen to it.

Where you studying at the time?

Peter was doing film studies and afterwards was studying in order to become a librarian. Bj�rn was working within schools and was also playing keyboards in other Swedish bands, The Soundtrack of Our Lives and Caesars. I was a classical percussionist. I used to be in a symphonic orchestra and then in a percussion ensemble, full-time for 7-8 years. It happened a lot. Then we did this third record, "Writer's block". We said OK, let's make this record, because the first two did OK in Sweden and Norway, but nothing special. We said, let's give it another try. And then everything happened of course. But one of the best things I remember in these ten years, it was actually when we started working on this fifth record. We did the last gig of our big tour in January 2008 and we were staying in L.A. for four days and started working on this album in a garage. And that was the best feeling, something really special between the three of us. We made five songs each and there was this sense of togetherness and at the same time it felt so good and so new.

In what way is your last album different to the previous ones?

If "Writer's block" was "Stockholm city in the summer" and if "Seaside rock" is like "going to the north in the autumn to plant potatoes"; "Living thing" is like going even further: to the North Pole with lots of ice and snow. [Laughs]

"Living thing" is slightly darker, even the artwork.

It's true that it's darker, but exactly like the winter, it's quite refreshing and quite mysterious.

Was this a conscious decision?

I think that with every record there are less and less apparent details in the sound. It all becomes very minimalistic and this creates lots of space in the music, there is lots of room for things like echoes etc. Then it becomes a bit more mysterious.

Why did you release a difficult, instrumental album like "Seaside rock"? Is it maybe in protest of "Young folks"?

We've been talking about it. We always wanted to do new music, and next time it might be a thrash metal album, or funk. [Laughs] And therefore it was a good timing to do such an album.

Is it difficult is to get over the massive success of "Young folks"?

No, I don't think so, and it's going to become more and more easy the more records we do. "Young folks" is like the first time you have Italian food. It's good but you want to try more. It's the best thing that can happen to a band like us, to have something that people recognise. Because if we didn't have that, then people would never want to listen to, for example, our instrumental stuff.

What's the idea behind the video of "Lay it down"? It's hilarious.

I actually wrote the script. I was in South America travelling at the time and then I was in Cuba and somewhere I saw a mask. I had decided that in the video there should be Gene Simmons and Bob Dylan masks and all these celebrities, but someone said, you can't use their faces, they're going to sue you, why don't you use your own faces? And then a friend of ours, Sandra Malmgren, did the masks and then we got this high school dance group.

Miami Vice composer Jan Hammer, did a remix of "Nothing to worry about". How did you come up with him?

It felt kind of natural. We listened to a lot of 80's stuff and we were big fans of Miami Vice. It was funny, because he had never done a remix before. But it's fantastic!

You've been touring a lot. What are the differences between doing gigs in Europe and the US, if there are any?

Jet lag and different kind of food. [Laughs] Actually I think that the biggest difference is between capital cities and smaller towns. It's kind of similar, Paris, London and New York. But then, you go out to smaller places, in the US or elsewhere, people are different. Big city people want to come across as cool, whereas people from smaller places are friendlier.

Why would somebody choose to live in Stockholm rather than anywhere else?

It is easy to fall in love with the city. It's so beautiful. There is a lot of nature in the surroundings.

Is there a Swedish artist who is not widely well-known outside Sweden and you think people should check out?

I have to say Holiday For Strings, it's actually a band that I play sometimes with, and it's a good band. [Laughs] Then Jenny Wilson and First Floor Power. I listen to a lot of Fever Ray at this moment too.

Do you guys all listen to the same stuff?

Peter likes older stuff; at the moment actually more soul and funk. Bj�rn had a period of listening to electronic music. I've been into alternative hip-hop, but at the moment I am trying to find obscure music from Hawaii, Tibet or Japan. You want to get surprised.

You dropped the commas from your name. Why?

For us it's more of a graphic thing, it looks better.

Why your names as band name? Is there a 60's reference to, say, Simon & Garfunkel?

Yeah. At the time when we formed the band, everybody was calling themselves "The Black Rockers", "The Spiders" or something. [Laughs] We thought this name could be more interesting and then we can do the music we want to, it's more personal, and in addition the three of us are equal members.

How do you see Peter Bjorn and John in 10 years time? Have you got any particular plans?

I think now after ten years it's a good time to draw a line and then keep on going for another ten years. I think doing ten albums in twenty years would be the perfect way. And maybe then, this art project would be over! [Laughs] And maybe if we run out of money, we only play in Irish Pubs! [Laughs]

Words and picture by Vasilis Panagiotopoulos

Festival report: Eurosonic 2009

Wed, 04 Feb 2009 13:29:18 -0500

Groningen is a small student town in northern Netherlands. Normally it's pretty calm, but at the beginning of every year it becomes home to one of Europe's busiest music industry gatherings. Eurosonic - along with its only for Dutch artists younger brother, Noorderslag - offers the opportunity to see over 200 performing artists in various venues and has a total number of approximately 18,000 visitors of over 30 nationalities. Apart from the night time gigs, a music industry conference takes place during the day and offers professionals plenty of opportunities for networking and shoulder-rubbing.

The Scandinavian presence at Eurosonic is substantial. Actually there's a mini-Nordic invasion taking place! In total, 32 Scandinavian bands were performing this year (11 Swedish, 6 Danish, 6 Norwegian, 4 Finnish, 4 Icelandic and one Faroese). Furthermore, the conference was attended by various Scandinavian music export associations, ministries, festival bookers, record labels, along with several press and media representatives and other curious types like me.

Day One

The evening programme starts at 8pm and the first band I go to see are Danish act Vincent Van Go Go, playing at the Vindicat which normally houses one of Groningen's student societies and their countless piss-ups. I assume the diabolic similarities of the band's name with the famous Dutch painter must have puzzled the organisers. They play a mixture of reggae and afro-beat, combined with electronic elements. It is still the beginning of the evening and the venue is semi-empty, but the people who are here seem to be enjoying themselves with these well-presented Danes.

Immediately after the gig finishes I rush down to De Oosterpoort, the main conference venue, to see the highlight of this year's festival, the European Union's "European Boarder Breakers Awards" (EBBA). The awards show is broadcasted throughout Europe (or at least this is what the organisers told the journalists) and is presented by veteran BBC host Jools Holland, who's in good form tonight. Among the 10 awarded artists, three are Scandinavian. Not bad! The artists in question: Danish soul diva Ida Corr, pop sensation Alphabeat and emerging Swedish indiepop talent Lykke Li. Alphabeat are not here to collect their award, but Lykke Li and Ida Corr are present, modestly-dressed as the occasion requires, and they deliver professional performances. Although award ceremonies can be sometimes quite amusing, the fact that 5 of the 10 awarded artist didn't bother turning up is quite telling of their enormous popularity. I won't mention now the ridiculous amounts of confetti I had to suffer in order to take some decent pictures...

Later on I head to the USVA, a cultural student centre a couple of minutes away to see Marching Band, a Swedish indiepop pair from Link�ping. These guys must have been listening to a lot of The Shins, Belle and Sebastian and Sufjan Stevens. Their upbeat power-pop is equipped with good harmonies and the crowd is very engaged and smiling, despite not knowing the tunes. They clearly steal the tonight's show and on the way to the next gig I just can't stop singing the melody of "Make up artist", their latest single. I hope I get to see them again soon.

Next on my list are Icelandic 'chamber-pop' (is that a genre?) Hjaltal�n, who are playing in the Stadsschouwburg, the Groningen theatre/opera house. Their large lineup which consists of, apart from the usual instruments, a piano, accordion, bassoon, clarinet, cello and a violin is perfectly suited for this type of venue. The crowd is mesmerised by their melodies and their Icelandic chart-topping song "�� komst vi� hjarta� � m�r" (Icelandic for "You touched my heart") is the strongest moment of their set. And the singer is insisting that it doesn't sound that cheesy in Icelandic...

Final band for today are playing in the Magic Mirror, a tent on the main square, they are from Malm�, and are called Billie the Vision & the Dancers. Such an unusual name and such an unusual lot! They're definitely not easy to forget, dressed-up like a travelling gypsy circus, and with a drag queen for a singer. But it's not just the looks; their music is profound and leaves you with a strange and beautiful bittersweet taste. Nice!

Day Two

Back again at the USVA, I am chuffed to see at last the Danes Our Broken Garden who are signed by US label Bella Union (Explosions In The Sky, Fleet Foxes, The Dears). They are slow-tempoed and have a vintage feel, with the soft voice and strong presence of Anna Br�nsted. A lot of interesting elements here: the guitar is channelled through some sort of an analog synth and is making weird noises, they are using an e-bow and an original Fender Rhodes keyboard; but most interestingly they have a Hammond organ on stage, complete with a not-so-portable Leslie rotating speaker. It's very rare and cool to see bands playing with such vintage instruments, when they could always opt for a digital and much more compact and reliable option.

Folksy First Aid Kit are playing next in the Grand Theatre. Although from a Stockholm suburb, these checker-shirted girls play convincing Americana and their harmonies are perfectly in tune. Despite their young age they prove to be very comfortable on stage. It remains to be seen to what extent a stripped-down, back-to-basics show of just voice/keyboard/acoustic guitar can be interesting for a full-length gig. These girls have got huge potential, especially if they were properly backed-up by a full band.

Next stop is the jazz bar De Spieghel. If this is the first time you're reading about The Asteroids Galaxy Tour, I assure you, it's definitely not going to be the last. Even before these Danes released their first single, Apple chose their song to support the iPod Touch campaign. This band has all the elements it takes to make it big, let alone the attitude, a stunning female singer and good tunes. Musically they remind me of Morcheeba, with a couple of afro-reggae elements, along with some saxophone and trumpet support. I am in the first row and dancing non-stop. What a show!

Young shoe-gazing Icelanders For A Minor Reflection are a good follow-up to the poppy Danes. Their Mogwai-influenced postrock is very sincere and energetic. Unfortunately, it's only me who is getting really tired at this stage!

The last band for tonight, again in De Spieghel, are Norwegians Casiokids, and they are having immense fun on stage. They come with lots of synths and funky dance moves and a deal with British label Moshi Moshi in their back pockets. The fact that they sing in Norwegian alienates the crowd a bit at the beginning, but slowly people start engaging with their na�ve electropop. Ones to watch.

I am now knackered and head back to my hotel. Eurosonic was great fun, and although it's an extremely tight schedule involved lots of running between venues and negotiating with Dutch bouncers, it was definitely more than worth the mid-winter hassle. I am already looking forward to next year.

Words and pictures by Vasilis Panagiotopoulos

This week's top 20 Swedish album chart

Fri, 30 Jan 2009 13:45:38 -0500

This week's top 20 Swedish album chart:

01. Laleh - Me and Simon
02. Scotts - P� v�rt s�tt
03. Anna Ternheim - Leaving on a mayday
04. Irya's Playground - Irya's playground
05. Magnus Carlsson - Re:collection 93-08
06. Timo R�is�nen - ...And then there was Timo
07. Frida Hyv�nen - Silence is wild
08. Kent - Kent box 1991-2008
09. Takida - Bury the lies
10. ABBA - The albums (9CD box set)
11. The Soundtrack of Our Lives - Communion
12. Veronica Maggio - Och vinnaren �r...
13. Per Gessle - Party crasher
14. Lykke Li - Youth novels
15. Mojje - Popcornfrisyr
16. Ulf Lundell - Omaha
17. Jill Johnson - Baby blue paper
18. Sofia Jannok - �ssog�ttis / By the embers
19. Titiyo - Hidden
20. Christian Walz - The corner

Scandinavian acts at Coachella

Fri, 30 Jan 2009 12:37:04 -0500

Peter Bjorn and John, Lykke Li, Ida Maria and Turbonegro are confirmed for Coachella.

Stereogum premieres new Lykke Li video

Tue, 27 Jan 2009 12:45:28 -0500

Stereogum has the premiere of the new Lykke Li video for "Tonight": http://stereogum.com/archives/video/new-lykke-li-video-tonight-stereogum-premiere_048231.html

Interview: Lykke Li

Tue, 20 Jan 2009 18:59:50 -0500

Emerging Swedish pop starlet Lykke Li is among the 10 artists who won the European Unions' "European Boarder Breakers Awards" which rewards debut artists and groups who have successfully crossed their national borders. The award ceremony took place in Groningen (NL) on January 15, on the opening night of Eurosonic, one of the biggest European music industry gatherings. It's a Trap! met her a few minutes before the ceremony and took the opportunity to ask her some questions.

It's been a year since your album was released in Sweden, what have been the highlights for you?

I think there have been so many highlights. Releasing the album on my own label has been a highlight; and all the sold-out tours have been a highlight; and as well meeting Q-Tip and performing with him was amazing.

After all these gigs on both sides of the Atlantic, where did you enjoy playing the most?

I enjoy playing everywhere. If it's a good audience, if it's a good vibe, I really enjoy it. I couldn't choose one place, because they've all been kind of amazing. Paris has been good; and New York is always amazing for me; and Austria was amazing too.

Is there a place where you haven't played and you would like to?

I would like to go to Japan.

You've lived in various countries...

Not so many that people think, but yeah.

Which of these countries/places has had the biggest impact on you?

I think Stockholm has the most impact on me as a person.

What do family values mean to you, being from Sweden and having lived in countries with a much more traditional family structures like Portugal?

My family is very different from other families because we are very non-traditional. I've never celebrated big holidays. There aren't any of those things. There's no guilt involved either. I mean if you can't make it to Christmas, it's fine. Family are the people that will be there for you no matter what.

Some say that you've become a bit of a style icon. Why do you think people in Sweden are so style-conscious?

I think Sweden has always been so updated with culture and that's probably one of the reasons why we are almost as updated as if you go to Paris, or New York or London, it's the same kind of ideas. I think it is what you are shown in early age and people have got a sense of style everywhere; so very high aesthetics and design and everything. And I think that Ingmar Bergman movies, they set the standard.

Swedish music has been very popular abroad. What do you think sets the Swedish music scene apart from the rest of Scandinavia?

I can't say exactly. That's for other people to say, but I think it is coincidence vs. a lot of talent. And then maybe somebody gets successful and inspires other people.

Maybe because of the success of bands like ABBA?

No. I've never listened to ABBA in my whole life. I don't think it's because of ABBA.

Are there any other Swedish artists you admire and respect?

I like Wildbirds & Peacedrums, El Perro Del Mar and The Knife.

How did the collaboration with R�yksopp emerge?

I did that song so long ago, last May probably. And I guess they heard a demo and then they asked me. That was before everything. I just thought I'd give it a chance and then I recorded 2 songs for them.

How come did you choose to cover/remix Kings Of Leon?

They asked me as well because they released it on their EP. I like some of their songs; especially the song that I chose ["Knocked up"] is a song that I really liked.

What do you think European music has to offer, especially in comparison to the US?

I think European music has this quality that is raw and unpolished and real. Not overproduced.

What does it mean winning this award to you, especially since you didn't win the Swedish Grammys? Is it a bit of a vindication?

It's probably bad to say this, but I don't really care about awards so much.

You are in the beginning of a very promising career. At the end of it, would you like to be remembered for its singles or its albums?

For the albums.

What's your music background? Do you play any instruments?

I play the piano.

How did you meet Bj�rn Yttling and Lasse M�rt�n and how did your collaboration emerge?

I got Bj�rn's number from a friend and then I called them up. We got on really well and then we started working together.

What about the follow-up to "Youth novels"?

I am still on tour. I am going back to the US in two weeks, and I have quite a lot of touring left to do.

Have you had some ideas already?

I've been on tour non- stop. But I have some ideas, yeah.

Words and picture by Vasilis Panagiotopoulos

SR P3 Guld 2009

Mon, 19 Jan 2009 12:14:24 -0500

Here are the winners of this year's Swedish Radio (SR) P3 Guld Awards:

Guldmicken (best live act): H�kan Hellstr�m
Best hip-hop/soul: Afasi & Filthy
Best dance: Style of Eye
Best newcomer: Lykke Li
Best song: Markus Kruneg�rd � Jag �r en vampyr
Best pop: El Perro del Mar
Best group: Johnossi
Best rock/metal: In Flames
Best artist: H�kan Hellstr�m

Manifest nominees are go

Mon, 12 Jan 2009 15:39:27 -0500

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

Synth:
Thermostatic - Humanizer (Wonderland Records)
Zeigeist - The Jade Motel (Spegel/Imperial Recordings/Playground)
Moonlight Cove - Orphans of the Storm (Kinetophone/Hot Stuff)
Elegant Machinery - A soft exchange (Out of Line/Hot Stuff)
Rhythm:
Movits - �ppelknyckarjazz (BD Pop/Universal)
Erici - Brasilicum (Erici Music/Dead Frog)
Saft Stockholm - Ordet (Saft Productions/Stockholm Electronica)
Kungers - Galaxen (R�tta Visan/Border)
Experimental:
Anders Dahl - Doorbells (Bombaxbombax)
Nina de Heyney, Charlotte Hug & Christian Jormin - Acoustic Electronic (LJ Records)
P�r Th�rn - Sch�neberg/Stammheim/G�rdet/R�gsved (Treffpunkt)
Anders Hultqvist - Traces (Chamber Sound)
Pop:
Frida Hyv�nen - Silence Is Wild (Licking Fingers/Playground)
Hello Saferide - More modern short stories from... (Razzia/Bonnier Amigo)
Joel Alme - A Master Of Ceremonies (Sincerely Yours/Border)
Nordpolen - P� Nordpolen (Sincerely Yours/Border)
Rock:
The Hellacopters - Head Off (Wild Kingdom/Sound Pollution)
Pascal - Galgberget (Novoton/Bonnier Amigo)
Fatboy - In My Bones (Fat State Production/Playground)
Manikins - Crocodiles (P.Trash Records)
Dance:
P�r Grindvik - Samlad �rsproduktion (Stockholm LTD)
Anders Ilar - Sworn (Level Records 11)
Style of Eye - Duck cover and hold (Pieces of eight records)
Zoo Brazil - No Place Like Home (Gung Ho! Recordings)
Jazz:
Bobo Stenson Trio - Cantando (ECM/Naxos)
Nina Ramsby & Ludwig Berghe Trio - Du har blivit stor nu [En kamp!] (Moserobie/Bonnier Amigo)
e.s.t. - Leucocyte (ACT/Bonnier Amigo)
The Splendor - Sound of Splendor (HOOB/Border)
Punk/Hardcore:
Disco Volante - "We are forever" (Not enough)
Disfear - "Live the storm" (Relapse/Border)
Nitad - "Ibland kan man inte hindra sig sj�lv" (Kranium)
Meanwhile - "Reality or nothing" (Feral Ward)
H�rdrock/Metal:
Burst - Lazarus Bird (Relapse/Border)
Dismember - Dismember (Regain/Sound Pollution)
Grand Magus - Iron Will (Rise above/Border)
Opeth - Watershed (Roadrunner/Bonnier Amigo)
Hip-hop/R'n'B/Soul:
Chords - Things We Do For Things (Juju/Playground)
Afasi & Filthy � Fl�cken (P.o.p.e./Playground)
Masse - Gott & Blandat Vol. 2
Allyawan - Blu Duk Mixtape Vol. 2
Folk/Ballad:
Gunnel Mauritzson Band - Det som sker...(Sandkvie Records/CDA)
Maria H�rnelius, Bernt Andersson & Kjell Jansson - En s�ng f�r Kent (Eld Records/Border)
Jonas Knutsson & Johan Norberg - Skaren - Norrland III (Act/BAM)
Bjernulf/Bj�rklund/Lindh � P�l Olles v�g (Courage)
Singer/Songwriter:
Melpo Mene - Bring the Lions Out (Imperial Recordings/Playground)
Hyacinth House - Black Crows Country (True Music Production/Glitterhouse)
First Aid Kit - Drunken Trees (Rabid Records/Border)
Olle Nyman - Venture (A West Side Fabrication/Border)
Live:
Detektivbyr�n (Danarkia)
The Hellacopters (Psychout Records)
Lykke Li (LL Recordings)
Robyn (Konichiwa Records)
Myspace prize for best unsigned act:
Montauk
Hero in action
Miranda Gjerstad
Sci-Fi Hands
John F Karlsson
Dyno
Tim Schmidt
Nottee
The Bellevues
Diskoteket

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

Scandinavian artists in Pitchfork's top 50 albums of 2008

Fri, 19 Dec 2008 11:41:22 -0500

Scandinavian artists in Pitchfork's top 50 albums of 2008 list: The Tallest Man on Earth (#47), Lykke Li (#45), Air France (#14) and Lindstr�m (#12). Read more: http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/feature/148001-the-50-best-albums-of-2008

Top 10s for 2008: Absolut Noise

Thu, 18 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Here is my "top ten list" of my "favourite Swedish music moments in 2008". 14, not ten.
No order. Music is not a competition.

The "whhooooopp" in Samuraj Cities' song "Washed up"

The chorus of the demo version of Holana's song "Dance man, you're a modern man"

The piano part of Anna Ternheim's "What have I done" acoustic version

The drums with a sound of coconut in Convoj song "Knives and riptides"

The Division of Laura Lee line "it makes sense to die young, back where I come from, violence is timeless" in their song "Violence is timeless"

Du Pacque's line "my eyes are perfectly still" repeated all over again in their song "The great reveal"

When Hajen starts to sing in her song "Sharks"

The drums in Johnossi's "Party with my pain"

The robotic voice of Lykke Li at the very beginning of "I'm good, I'm gone"

Nina Kinert singing "and the mother of his child, oh, I had to" in her song "I shot my man"

The beginning of Paddington DC's record "Love is leukemia", the song "White cells" and its "resistor... transistor"...

Palpitation's voice in "Can I blame you"

The scream at 1'05 in Paper's "Hit the floor"

When Sonjagon's voice goes in the clouds at 4'30 in their song "Buckybell w.t.a.i"

---------------------------
Absolut Noise is a French blog on Swedish music.
absolutnoise.blogspot.com

Alphabeat, Ida Corr and Lykke Li = Border Breakers

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 14:26:08 -0500

Scandinavian artists Alphabeat (DK), Ida Corr (DK) and Lykke Li (SWE) are three of the winner's of the 2009 Border Breakers award to be handing out at Eurosonic next month. Read more: http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/08/1991&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

Thu, 11 Dec 2008 11:41:08 -0500

Pitchfork has a big guestlist feature with best-of lists from artists such as Luomo, Lindstr�m, Lykke Li, Air France, Sune Rose Wagner, Paavoharju and Love Is All: http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/feature/147687-guest-list-best-of-2008

Tue, 09 Dec 2008 13:54:11 -0500

Motel De Moka include Paavoharju, Tape and Lykke Li in their best-of-2008 list: http://www.moteldemoka.com/2008/12/08/mokas-top-10-albums-2008/

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 11:42:53 -0500

Air France, Bj�rk, Efterklang, Lykke Li, Sigur R�s and The Tough Alliance all made Pitchfork's top 40 videos of 2008 list: http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/feature/147701-top-40-music-videos-of-2008

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 12:57:08 -0500

Lykke Li, Air France and Paavoharju have made Gorilla vs Bear's top 20 albums of 2008 list: http://gorillavsbear.blogspot.com/2008/12/gorilla-vs-bears-albums-of-2008.html

Mon, 24 Nov 2008 19:18:06 -0500

Scandinavian artists in Paste Magazine's top 50 albums of 2008 include Lykke Li, I'm From Barcelona, The Tallest Man On Earth, Mugison, Ida Maria and Sigur R�s. Read more: http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2008/11/signs-of-life-2008-best-music.html

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 11:07:56 -0500

Gbg-based indie/jazz duo Wildbirds & Peacedrums are doing a batch of West Coast dates in December:

12/05 - Transmission, Vancouver BC
12/07 - Neumos, Seattle, WA
12/09 - Doug Fir Lounge, Portland, OR
12/11 - Bottom of the Hill, San Francisco, CA
12/12 - Spaceland, Los Angeles, CA w/Radars to the Sky

They'll also be back in February as support for Lykke Li:

02/02 - Webster Hall, New York, NY
02/03 - Music Hall, Brooklyn, NY
02/04 - Club Soda, Montreal, PQ
02/06 - Phoenix, Toronto, ON
02/07 - Metro, Chicago, IL
02/08 - Varsity, Minneapolis, MN
02/11 - Commodore, Vancouver, BC
02/12 - Hawthorne, Portland, OR
02/13 - Showbox, Seattle, WA
02/15 - Fillmore, San Francisco, CA
02/17 - Glass House, Pomona, CA

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 14:45:36 -0500

Lykke Li is coming back to North America in late January:

01/31 - Sixth And I, Washington, Washington DC
02/02 - Webster Hall, New York
02/04 - Club Soda, Montreal, Quebec
02/06 - Phoenix, Toronto, Ontario
02/07 - Metro, Chicago, IL
02/08 - Varsity, Minneapolis, MN
02/11 - Commodore, Vancouver BC
02/12 - Hawthorne, Portland, OR
02/13 - Showbox, Seattle, WA
02/15 - Fillmore, San Francisco, CA
02/17 - Glass House, Pomona, CA
02/18 - Granada, Dallas, TX
02/19 - Antone's, Austin, TX

Wed, 29 Oct 2008 17:32:17 -0400

Pitchfork reports that Lykke Li will be making a guest appearance on a new web-only TV program produced by Josh Schwartz called "Rockville, CA": http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/news/146962--lykke-li-passion-pit-frightened-rabbit-to-appear-on-new-show-from-gossip-girl-oc-creator
It's fairly safe to say that I am not in that program's target demographic, though I appreciate new ways to introduce music to new audiences.

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 11:38:01 -0400

Aftonbladet is saying that Lykke Li is collaborating with Kanye West on an upcoming record: http://www.aftonbladet.se/nojesliv/musik/article3530815.ab (in Swedish)

Tue, 07 Oct 2008 12:52:08 -0400

New tourdates for Lykke Li:

11/24 - Button Factory, Dublin (IRL)
11/25 - Arches, Glasgow (SCO)
11/27 - Academy 3, Manchester (UK)
11/28 - Koko, London (UK)
11/29 - Gloria, Cologne (GER)
12/01 - Maria, Berlin (GER)
12/02 - Ubel und Gefaehrlich, Hamburg (GER)
12/05 - Doornrosjie, Nijmegen (HOL)
12/06 - Paradiso, Amsterdam (HOL)
12/09 - Le Trabendo, Paris (FRA)
12/10 - Vega, Copenhagen (DK)
12/11 - John Dee, Oslo (NOR)
12/12 - K�gelbanan, Stockholm (SWE)

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 12:22:55 -0400

Lykke Li is going to Australia for some festival dates around New Year's: http://www.myspace.com/lykkeli

Mon, 08 Sep 2008 14:49:40 -0400

Want to win a copy of the new Lykke Li album "Youth novels"? Leave a comment on this post and I'll pick a winner by random in a day or two.

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 13:17:26 -0400

Rolling Stone has selected Lykke Li as one of six artists who are redefining rock in 2008: http://www.rollingstone.com/news/coverstory/22683004/page/6

Fri, 22 Aug 2008 11:39:35 -0400

Pitchfork does the guest list thing with Lykke Li: http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/feature/144742-guest-list-lykke-li

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 12:40:13 -0400

PopMatters on Icelandic artist Mugison: http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/61316/mugison-mugiboogie/
Also reviewed, Lykke Li's "Little bit EP": http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/62211/lykke-li-little-bit-ep

Mon, 11 Aug 2008 15:07:54 -0400

Paper Thin Walls talks with Lykke Li and goes over every song on her album "Youth novels": http://www.paperthinwalls.com/listeningparty/index?id=89

Fri, 08 Aug 2008 11:29:09 -0400

Lykke Li is in a bit of hot water for supposedly saying she hates Sweden: http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=45075548&blogID=422283374
The Aftonbladet article in question: http://www.aftonbladet.se/nojesliv/musik/article3055497.ab

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 13:16:11 -0400

The video for the latest Lykke Li single "Breaking it up" is on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXmQiGHbz5o

Tue, 29 Jul 2008 11:55:19 -0400

Check out a new Takeaway Show episode featuring Lykke Li and El Perro Del Mar: http://www.blogotheque.net/Lykke-Li-et-El-Perro-Del-Mar

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 10:53:33 -0400

Lykke Li's show at Hotel Caf� in LA on August 25 is sold out, but don't despair - she'll be back in November for a show on the 3rd at the El Rey.

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 14:40:59 -0400

New UK dates for Lykke Li:

09/29 - The Plug, Sheffield
10/01 - Scala, London
10/02 - Concorde 2, Brighton
10/05 - Glee Club, Birmingham
10/06 - Thekla, Bristol
10/08 - Academy 2, Liverpool
10/09 - Cabaret Voltaire, Edinburgh
10/10 - The Duchess, York

Kleerup - s/t (EMI)

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Pop music can be about a lot more than shifting hundreds of a thousands of records and continuously rotating overly-glitzy music videos, and Andreas Kleerup's self-titled debut is verification of this idea. Holding more in common with The Knife's songwriting approach than that of Max Martin, and reveling in similar production tricks to that of Justice, Kleerup's compositions seem almost "accidentally" radio friendly; too much effort has been put into these tracks for them to be dismissed as pop fluff, and yet too much pop sensibility has gone into their writing for the songs to feel pretentiously avant-garde -- the album's strengths exist somewhere in between these two judgments. While the record is rather star-studded with tracks featuring numerous well-known artists: Robyn, Lykke Li, Neneh Cherry, and Marit Bergman, to name a few, Kleerup's own tracks stand up well on their own. "Thank you for nothing" runs cleverly between Europop-like catchiness and the allure of well-produced remixes of bands like Phoenix, and opener "Hero" is an engaging first look at the album, evoking a strange mix between Vangelis and R�yksopp. "With every heartbeat", the Robyn-featured single, is my favorite track, though the Marit Bergman led "3am" and Lykke Li's "Until we bleed" are not far behind. Overall, "Kleerup" is a skillfully produced pop record that's as much fun as it is expertly written and executed -- a pleasant departure from the soulless gloss of so many other pop albums.
- Lars Garvey Laing-Peterson
Rating: 8

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 11:54:23 -0400

New North American dates for Lykke Li:

08/25 - Hotel Cafe, Los Angeles, CA
08/28 - Le Poisson Rouge, New York, NY
08/28 - Richards on Richards, Vancouver, BC
10/19 - Black Cat, Washington, Washington DC
10/23 - Paradise, Boston, MA
10/24 - Mod Club, Toronto, ONT
10/25 - Empty Bottle, Chicago, IL
10/28 - Richards on Richards, Vancouver, BC
10/29 - Neumo's, Seattle, WA
10/30 - Doug Fir, Portland, OR
11/01 - Independent, San Francisco, CA

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 12:19:16 -0400

Here is the It's a Trap! Last.fm listening group top 10 albums of the week:

01. MGMT � Oracular Spectacular
02. Fleet Foxes � Fleet Foxes
03. Sigur R�s � Me� su� � eyrum vi� spilum endalaust
04. Feist � The Reminder
05. Band of Horses � Cease to Begin
06. Cut Copy � In Ghost Colours
07. Hot Chip � Made In The Dark
08. Familjen � Det snurrar i min skalle
09. H�kan Hellstr�m � F�r Sent F�r Edelweiss
10. Lykke Li � Youth Novels

Do you listen to music on your computer or with an iPod? Please join us and make your playlist count! Go here to learn more: http://www.last.fm/help/

Festival report: Hultsfred 08 (pt. II)

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Gah! It's all such a blur, I barely know where to begin. One thing to mention though -- my Hultsfredfestivalen experience as an American who loves Swedish/Scandinavian music is far, far different than that of the natives. All those bands you Swedes are bored to death of are the ones I'm most excited to see. As for all the foreigners from the UK or the US, I could care less.

Our train arrived Thursday afternoon and were whisked away to the Rockparty HQ for a quick seminar and a whirlwind tour of the Swedish Rock Arkiv (something I would love to revisit when I have more time). Unfortunately, these meetings meant missing the first acts of the festival: Anti-Flag, Markus Kruneg�rd and Parken. Once we finally made it to the festival grounds, I decided to take it easy and start off slow by catching up with old friends such as the dudes from Dagensskiva before watching my first band of the day, Shiloh. And what a great start that was! Pure over-the-top melodrama in fine Svenska tradition. Not many bands can pull that off convincingly, but Shiloh has the exact attitude to make it work. Kudos!

After retreating back to the backstage bar area, we were treated to an encore performance by the adorable Little Marbles, which was cute (are they old enough to be back here, I wondered), but otherwise unexceptional. I'm not sure if they're a band better suited to their peers or what, but it's not for me.

There's a ton of other worthwhile acts I probably should've checked out after that, but again I opted for socialization over the foreign imports and mediocre hip-hop (ie, Adam Tensta and Lazee). No, I decided to wait it out for Familjen at 1:30am and I'm glad I did because it was worth it. Now that was a proper finish for day 1: bright lights and dancing until the sun started to rise in the wee hours. I couldn't quite muster the stamina to catch �zgur Can at quarter-till 3, but I assume it was great. Uh, maybe next time?

Day 2 started off fairly similar to the first. Early (relatively) seminars at Rockparty HQ followed by a tardy festival arrival. Sorry to Palpitation, Raised Fist and The Process; you were on my to-see list, but it wasn't meant to be. Instead, my first act of the day was Billie the Vision and the Dancers. I can't say that I'm that big of a fan to be honest, but they are awfully charming in-person and the packed Teater crowd was loving every minute. Undeniably fun, I must admit. Up next: S�kert!. The band opened the big stage Hawaii and attempted to recreate a living room atmosphere on stage, but it ended up kind of pathetic compared to The Hives' massive neon backdrop which would fill the stage later that evening. Still, the band gave it their all and sounded great. A guest spot from Markus Kruneg�rd and the now-traditional encore of The Wannadies' "My hometown" p� Svenska ("Min hemstad") were bonus for those who stuck it out.

Timo R�is�nen, on the other hand, had no trouble getting the crowd riled up with a powerhouse lineup that included two drummers. I forget that he used to be a lead guitarist before striking out on his own, so his heroics were all the more surprising and impressive. Maybe not quite my favorite act of the fest, but a strong contender. (also worth noting, this quip which I only caught half of at the time)

A short beer-break later and it was time for the aforementioned Hives to take the stage and show everyone what it takes to a headliner act. Having seen them wow a festival audience before, their usual shtick was comforting and familiar and entertaining as always, so it wasn't until they covered "(Gotta get some action) Now!" by The Hellacopters that my excitement level was peaked. I expected complacent consistency, but that was something special.

Looptroop Rockers were next on my list and they brought a set full of hits, but had a hard time holding my attention. Instead, I found that Afasi & Filthy put on a much better show later that evening at the Teater stage. They weren't an act I expected to catch, so file that one under pleasant surprises. I'm very glad I let my friends drag me along to see them.

Unfortunately, I didn't have time to catch more than three songs from Witchcraft, but what little I did see was awesome. It also marked the first (and last) time I smelled dope at the fest, something that seemed very appropriate considering their heavy stonerrock sound. No, three songs were all I had time for as my presence was required at Pampas for Mustasch, an absolute must-see band I've wanted to catch for a long, long time. People tell me it wasn't their best performance, but whatever it was, I was plenty satisfied. Nice Hasselhoff altar dudes!

Day 3 was far more relaxed than the previous two. No rushing off to seminars, just an easy morning catching up on email and the like before strolling over around mid-afternoo to catch Ane Brun who, I must say, sounded marvelous. I can imagine that she'd be absolutely stunning in a proper theater-type venue, but the Pampas stage was still a nice start for my 3rd and final day of the fest. What a great backing band too! I slipped away after a bit to see a few songs from Herbrightskies, but quickly discovered that was a terrible idea, so it was back to the backstage bar until The Deer Tracks took over Stora Dans. Now this was what I wanted to see: a small band with no expectations who ended up totally flooring me. The core duo of David and Elin was augmented by a small ensemble and the fullness of their sound was amazing. Really looking forward to their new album when it finally comes out now - this is a band to watch out for.

Heeding the advice of IAT contributor Nancy, I made my way across the festival grounds to Atlantis for Miss Li who proved to be every bit as charming as I had hoped. It's worth noting that she held on to her sizable audience even after the football game started also! Firefox AK fared reasonably well too, despite said game. The band might tell you different considering the various technical problems they encountered, but I found the show to be great -- even better than the intimate gig I attended at Kaf� 44 earlier in the week. Everything came together in just the right way as far as I was concerned.

After watching lots of dudes get very upset due to Team Sverige's loss (I watched the viewers more than the game), I caught a bit of Those Dancing Days, a band with far more moxie than actual talent for the time being. I don't wish them ill, I just hope they are able to persevere long enough to get good because I think they have the potential. Following that, I took a break and eventually wandered over to catch Denmark's The Blue Foundation, but after waiting 30 minutes with no show, I gave up. You blew it guys.

Otherwise, forget Lykke Li -- she'll tour the US again -- next on my agenda was H�kan Hellstr�m, the one artist I absolutely knew I had see! I made sure I placed myself among the throng for the full fan experience and was rewarded justly. The man is a great entertainer with a great band and he put on a fantastic show. As I said on my blog report, the encore probably should've ended with "Kom igen Lena", but I still walked away more than happy. That was the Swedish festival experience I came for and I didn't dare taint it with any more bands so with that I said goodnight! Back to the bar for final farewells and well-wishing. Until next year?

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 17:05:48 -0400

Watch Lykke Li cover A Tribe Called Quest live in London: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqh-8H6fhAg

Festival report: Hultsfred 08 (pt. I)

Fri, 20 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Man oh man, Hultsfred 2008 sure was one of the busiest occasions so far; never a dull moment. When not trying to attend all the concerts I had circled in my notebook, there where interviews to be done and other important people to talk to, including the Boss himself, Avi Roig, and Craig Bonell from Swedesplease.net - both flown in as honoree guests by STIM, our version of a composer's union over here. To be honest I didn't know what to expect of this year's version of Hultsfredsfestivalen; as a direct result of last years' lousy run Rockparty had much to prove, some people had even started talking about the outcome of this years' festival as a matter of survival (or non survival) of the entire festival itself. And the outcome? Well, I don't know. Ticket sales were not extremely good (except for the one-day tickets / Thursday, when a certain Rage Against The Machine hit the stage), but Rockparty still managed to sell more tickets than last year. With Linkin Park, one of the headliners, cancelling in the last minute (for the second time around) I assume Rockparty made a buck or two there too, hopefully this adds up to the return of the festival in 2009. We'll just have to wait and see.

On to the shows. Having nagged about how much to do and how little time to do it in, I still managed to catch a whole bunch of bands. One of the downsides of having a fascination close to obsession for music, and thus going to nearly every concert and festival available for many years now, is that it's hard to fully enjoy an artist or a band when having already seen the act far too many times. Sure, The Hives, H�kan Hellstr�m, Mustasch and Kristian Anttila are all good bands/artists, but none of their shows were anything out of the ordinary. The Hives were just as crazy and powerful as always (but honestly, what is there for Pelle Almqvist to say or do that Howlin' Pelle hasn't already said and done?), H�kan was emotional as always and the charismatic Ralf Gyllenhammar of Mustasch played his robust clown card (although you need to be a native to fully understand all of his blabbering) perfectly. The same goes for Ane Brun and Tingsek. I still enjoyed their concerts, but I didn't expect anything else and therefore, was hardly surprised. What did surprise me was the massive crowds that turned up to support both Timo R�is�nen and the up-and-coming rockers in Takida. I knew Takida had a big following (you tend to have that when just about every song has a chorus fit for everyone to sing along to) but Timo seemed hardly taken by surprise - instead he put on a show worthy any successful indie/pop artist from G�teborg you can think of.

And then there was Annika Norlin. Why, why, why did Rockparty place Annika and her friends in S�kert! on the main stage in mid-daylight? Never mind the daylight come to think of it, but the stage was far too big and the crowd far too small for S�kert! to be able to really get in under your skin. 'Cuz she's got the songs, Annika Norlin is without doubt one of the best Swedish songwriters there is at the moment, but Annika Norlin is not a stage persona. It's a shame, with a more enthusiastic Annika, and a smaller and more intimate venue, S�kert! will surely blow your mind. Speaking of blowing your mind, you didn't miss Johnossi, did you? Because if you did, you missed one of the coolest and greatest live bands there is. Having their second record out, "All they ever wanted", John and Ossi is once again ready to explode from within as soon as they hit the stage. Having seen the lads a couple of times before, with the latest occasion just a month ago, they did alright. With alright I mean they rocked the arse of all other bands that night, you should see them when they really hit the spot - unbelievable.

I did get to see a couple of first timers as well. Crushing hardcore from Raised Fist, electrifying... whatever you call it from the Finnish Disco Ensemble and soothing singer/songwriter from the young sisters S�derberg in First Aid Kit. And Those Dancing Days of course, finally I got a chance to see for myself what the buzz was all about. Nothing, it turned out. Been a long time since I've been to a concert that dull, but they're still young, so hopefully they'll come around. They reminded me about the short performance I watched with Little Marbles when they played a short set backstage. Young skitty girls with horrendous clothing and skitty little melodies, I just don't get it. So, trying to summarize Hultsfred 2008 I must say that I'm satisfied, even though I missed a few acts that I really wanted to see (Lykke Li, A Beautiful Friend, Robyn and Firefox AK, to name a few) and that Petter Seander, bass player in the Kristian Anttila band, didn't keep his promise to take me to that H�kan Hellstr�m barbecue party in the garden of the house rented by EMI (free beer you know...). He now owes me one.
- Christian Stenbacke

Mon, 09 Jun 2008 11:18:14 -0400

Here is the It's a Trap! Last.fm listening group top 10 artists of the week:

01. Death Cab for Cutie
02. Radiohead
02. Sigur R�s
04. The Radio Dept.
05. Jens Lekman
06. H�kan Hellstr�m
07. MGMT
08. Coldplay
08. Lykke Li
10. Jos� Gonz�lez

Do you listen to music on your computer or with an iPod? Please join us and make your playlist count! Go here to learn more: http://www.last.fm/help/

Tue, 03 Jun 2008 11:17:53 -0400

Pitchfork reviews Lykke Li's "Youth novels": http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/49939-youth-novels

Mon, 02 Jun 2008 15:51:52 -0400

The London Observer talks to Lykke Li: http://music.guardian.co.uk/pop/story/0,,2283217,00.html

Sun, 01 Jun 2008 15:53:34 -0400

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

01. L�gnhalsmottagningen - Bodybuilder
02. TALK 1
03. Svart - Carl du lever i en dr�m
04. Majessic Dreams - Beautiful days
05. Antennas - Lies (Oscar Tillman remix)
06. TALK 2
07. The Sound O.E - Universal tourist
08. Kaipa - Nattdjurstid
09. Murmansk - Pale
10. TALK 3
11. On Volcano - Ride the wolf
12. Markus Kruneg�rd - Samma n�tter v�nter alla
13. Ondo - Mahavishnu
14. TALK 4
15. Popsicle - Hey princess
16. CMX - Tulikive�
17. Str�m i P2/H�kan Lidbo - Str�mavbrott (Boeoes Kaelstigen Etsi remix)
18. TALK 5
19. The Goner - Kill them all save Simon Joyner
20. Cult of Luna - Eternal kingdom
21. Montys Loco - Ages ago
22. TALK 6
23. Mattias Alkberg BD - Allting �r dr�mt
24. Masshysteri - Monoton tid
25. Ljudbilden & Piloten - You know you're doing OK
26. Abduktio - Thermador
27. TALK 7
28. Hebosagil - Big sun
29. Anna Ternheim - To be gone
30. Kusowsky - Tjuvar
31. Fredrik - 1986
32. TALK 8
33. Johan Heltne - 16 Avenue de l'Opera
34. Cortex - Arkham
35. Kleerup - Until we bleed (ft. Lykke Li)
36. TALK 9
37. Coldworker - Citizens of the cyclopean maze

Heads-up: my show is moving to a new time next week! Starting on Sunday, June 8 my show will be on at 11pm Eastern / 8pm Pacific with a repeat on Monday at the exact same time. I'm also paring down to an hour of programming a week, so expect all-killer/no-filler from here on out! Also, seeing as how I'm leaving for Sweden on June 9, this week's coming show will be a Hultsfred Festival special so mark your calenders, update your alarm clocks or do whatever it is you need to do to remind yourself to listen in!

Fri, 30 May 2008 15:12:12 -0400

Lykke Li's single "I'm good, I'm gone" gets a UK release next week on June 2 and will feature b-side remixes from Metronomy and Black Kids. The full-length album "Youth novels" follows on June 9.

Thu, 22 May 2008 15:26:54 -0400

Lykke Li and El Perro Del Mar are playing the UK together in June:

06/02 - Night & Day, Manchester
06/03 - Hi-Fi Club, Leeds
06/06 - Albert, Brighton
06/07 - Stealth, Nottingham
06/08 - King Tuts, Glasgow
06/10 - Jericho Tavern, Oxford
06/11 - ICA, London
06/12 - Sugar Club, Dublin

Kleerup - Until we bleed

Wed, 21 May 2008 11:41:11 -0400

I know a lot of folks are eager to kickstart the Kleerup backlash in earnest, so to them let me say this: sorry, but his new album really isn't all that bad. For one, he's got a lot of starpower in his favor; Robyn, Marit Bergman, Lykke Li (today's mp3), Titiyo, Lisa Milberg (The Concretes) and Neneh Cherry all lend their voices to tracks. On the other hand, those tracks are the only standouts as Kleerup's instrumentals are unanimously forgettable. So when I say that the album isn't all that bad, it really isn't all that great either. "Until we bleed" is sublime, smoky and sad-sack, easily the album highlight. I'm not even that much of a Lykke Li fan, but her fragile delivery here suits the dark, bubbly sound to a tee. It's all about vibe and the string samples in the refrain accentuate her vulnerability, giving the track a subdued but seductive coating. Compared to "With every heartbeat" (ft. Robyn), my pick for the 2nd best track (and one I assume everyone's already heard more than enough times by now), it's far less immediate, but far more rewarding overall. The formula is almost exactly the same almost to the point of self-plagiarization, except that Robyn can't help but make everything she sings into an anthem. When Kleerup attempts to do the same with Marit Bergman and Titiyo, the results are decent enough, but nowhere near as exciting. It's not the vocalists' fault - they do their job adequately enough, the tracks just don't accentuate their strengths. In a word: tepid. Not hot, not cold, not even worth discussing. Grab this one and blast it, forget the rest.

Mon, 19 May 2008 19:00:17 -0400

The London Times spotlights Lykke Li: http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/article3939298.ece
Also check the extra feature at the bottom for a weird sidebar about other Swedish pop worth checking out. C'mon, who really thinks that The Concretes have kept silent since Victoria Bergsman left?

Mon, 19 May 2008 11:48:53 -0400

Here is the It's a Trap! Last.fm listening group top 10 artists of the week:

01. Death Cab for Cutie
02. Radiohead
03. Jens Lekman
04. H�kan Hellstr�m
05. Lykke Li
06. The Radio Dept.
07. Coldplay
08. Vampire Weekend
09. Feist
10. Sufjan Stevens

Do you listen to music on your computer or with an iPod? Please join us and make your playlist count! Go here to learn more: http://www.last.fm/help/

Wed, 14 May 2008 14:35:59 -0400

The long-awaited Licking Fingers Swedish music comp "Thank You For The Music" will finally be out on May 28 and the label will celebrate with a party that evening at Pet Sounds Bar in Stockholm. Here's the tracklist, as best I can tell:

01. Anna J�rvinen - Svensktalande B�ttre Folk
02. Jens Lekman - The Opposite Of Hallelujah
03. Lykke Li - Everbody But Me
04. Those Dancing Days - Dischoe
05. Friska Viljor - Old Man
06. Shout Out Louds - South America
07. The Concretes - The Sentence
08. First Floor Power - The Jacket
09. Pacific! - Runaway To Elswhere
10. Kleerup/Lisa Milberg - Music For Girl
11. The Radio Dept. - Freddy And The Trojan Horse
12. Studio - No Company
13. Peter Mor�n - Social Competence
14. Loney, Dear - Your Time Will Come
15. Wildbirds And Peacedrums - Liar Lion
16. El Perro Del Mar - Glory To The World
17. The Tiny - Too Heavy A Burden
18. Frida Hyv�nen - See How I Come Into Town
19. Speedmarket Avenue - Sirens
20. Idiot Kid - Wide Awake
21. Nicolai Dunger - God's Waitingroom

Mon, 12 May 2008 11:11:18 -0400

Here is the It's a Trap! Last.fm listening group top 10 artists of the week:

01. Death Cab for Cutie
02. Radiohead
03. H�kan Hellstr�m
04. Lykke Li
05. The Radio Dept.
06. Nine Inch Nails
07. Kent
08. Belle and Sebastian
09. Shout Out Louds
10. Feist

Do you listen to music on your computer or with an iPod? Please join us and make your playlist count! Go here to learn more: http://www.last.fm/help/

Mon, 05 May 2008 19:04:47 -0400

Time Out NY previews the El Perro Del Mar/Lykke Li/Anna Ternheim US tour: http://www.timeout.com/newyork/articles/music/29016/el-perro-del-mar-lykke-li-anna-ternheim

Mon, 05 May 2008 15:52:20 -0400

More live music at PSL with, uh, Lykke Lisa Lovisa Corneliusson: http://blogg.svt.se/psl/2008/05/05/musik-med-lykke-lisa-lovisa-corneliusson/

Mon, 05 May 2008 12:14:19 -0400

Here is the It's a Trap! Last.fm listening group top 10 tracks of the week:

01. Coldplay - Violet Hill
02. The Radio Dept. - Freddie and the trojan horse
03. H�kan Hellstr�m - f�r en l�ng l�ng tid
04. The Last Shadow Puppets - The Age Of The Understatement
05. Lykke Li - Little Bit
06. M83 - Kim & Jessie
07. H�kan Hellstr�m - S�ng I Buss P� Villov�gar 2007
08. H�kan Hellstr�m - F�r sent f�r Edelweiss
09. H�kan Hellstr�m - Tro Och Tvivel
10. Markus Kruneg�rd - Jag �r En Vampyr

Do you listen to music on your computer or with an iPod? Please join us and make your playlist count! Go here to learn more: http://www.last.fm/help/

Thu, 01 May 2008 15:35:48 -0400

Clickmusic interviews Swedish artist du jour Lykke Li: http://www.clickmusic.com/articles/7938/Interview-Lykke-Li.html

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 18:45:27 -0400

El Perro Del Mar and Lykke Li will play the UK in June:

06/02 - Night and Day, Manchester
06/03 - Hi-Fi Club, Leeds
06/06 - Prince Albert, Brighton
06/07 - Stealth, Nottingham
06/08 - King Tut's, Glasgow
06/10 - Jericho Tavern, Oxford
06/11 - ICA, London