01. Annan sort (Britta Persson)
02. Superhjälten (Hajen)
03. Det är jag som bestämmer (Patrik Arve)
04. Dom bästa (Those dancing days)
05. Aldrig hem igen (Nina Ramsby)
06. Helt ny värld (Ebbot Lundberg)
07. Kasta iväg mig (Olle Ljungström)
08. Nu (Britta Persson)
09. Här kommer ambulansen (Nina Ramsby)
10. Snabba som raketer (Mattias Alkberg)
11. Om en skalbagge (Caroline Wennergren)
12. Jag vet (Kristofer Åström)
13. Vilse (Hajen)

Black and white - Linnea Jönsson (Those Dancing Days)
Bad hands - Nina Kinert
Northern lights - Britta Persson & Karl Larsson (Last Days of April)
Kick you out - Nicke Andersson (The Hellacopters) & Howlin' Pelle (The Hives)
Andra relationen - Subbah
Close enough - Choir of Kiemi
We love blood - Henric de la Cour (Strip Music)
Cartoon wolf - David Sandström
I can do it - Therese Johansson (Lowood)
Sillodill - Britta Persson

05/23 - Spaceland, Los Angeles, CA
05/26 - Mercury Lounge, New York, NY
05/28 - Union Hall, Brooklyn, NY

Årabrot (NOR)
Baskery (SWE)
Benny Crespo's Gang (ICE)
Blood Red Throne (NOR)
Bloodgroup (ICE)
Casiokids (NOR)
Dmitry Fyodorov (SWE)
Grande (NOR)
Adam Heldring (SWE)
Jaakko & Jay (FIN)
Kaka (SWE)
Kakkmaddafakka (NOR)
The Latebirds (FIN)
Love:Fi (NOR)
Mixtapes & Cellmates (SWE)
Peter Bjorn and John (SWE)
Kristofer Ragnstam (SWE)
Sprengjuhollin (ICE)
Steed Lord (ICE)
Steso Songs (SWE)
The Shitsez (NOR)
The Tallest Man On Earth (SWE)
Sofia Talvik (SWE)
Those Dancing Days (SWE)
The Tiny (SWE)
Wildbirds & Peacedrums (SWE)

01. Suis La Lune - Förmögenhet
02. TALK 1
03. Dmitry Fyodorov - Leisure
04. M:40 - Konfrontation
05. Cola Freaks - Ingenting set
06. TALK 2
07. Sort Sol - Boy/Girl
08. Montys Loco - Farewell Mr Happy
09. Fy Fan - Arbetslos inte dum i huvdet
10. TALK 3
11. Those Dancing Days - Home sweet home
12. Viktor Sjöberg - Bostadsrätt
13. Frivolvol - And the youth of a nation sang
14. Jesper Norda - Tomorrow you'll be forgiven but tonight you will have your teeth knocked out
15. TALK 4
16. Norma - Waste
17. Häkan Lidbo - Mental hardcore
18. Celestial - Crystal heights
19. TALK 5
20. Mattias Alkberg BD - Här är ditt liv
21. Smalltown - The music
22. Audionom - Han gar och fiskar
23. Nitad - Rädslan
24. TALK 6
25. Broder Daniel - Underground

My show on Sirius Left of Center (channel 26) airs Sundays at 11pm ET with repeats on Monday at the same time, but is pre-empted next week (10/12) by a Beck special.

01. Hello Saferide
02. Glasvegas
03. Laakso
04. The Radio Dept.
05. Those Dancing Days
06. Familjen
07. Håkan Hellström
08. The Embassy
09. Kent
10. Tiger Lou

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/

01. Hello Saferide
02. Vapnet
03. Laakso
04. Those Dancing Days
05. Tiger Lou
06. Juvelen
07. The Tough Alliance
08. Anna Ternheim
09. The Legends
10. Detektivbyrån

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/

10/21 - KCLSU, London
10/22 - The Deaf Institute, Manchester
10/23 - Barfly, Cardiff
11/23 - Thekla, Bristol
11/25 - The Cockpit, Leeds
11/27 - Fuzz Club, Sheffield
11/28 - Library, Lancahster
11/29 - The Other Rooms, Newcastle

08/07 - New Slang, Kingston
08/08 - Underage Festival, London
08/09 - Roadhouse, Manchester
08/10 - Summer Sundae Weekender, Leicester
08/15 - Karrea Club Party, Berlin
08/15 - Pukkelpop Festival, Hasselt
08/16 - Dockville Festival, Hamburg
08/17 - Blue shell, Colognee
10/21 - Kings College, London
10/23 - Cardiff, Barfly

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 Krunegård 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 Özgur 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: Säkert!. 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 Krunegård and the now-traditional encore of The Wannadies' "My hometown" på Svenska ("Min hemstad") were bonus for those who stuck it out.

Timo Räisänen, 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 Kafé 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 Håkan Hellström, 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?

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, Håkan Hellström, 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?), Håkan 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 Räisänen 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 Göteborg you can think of.

And then there was Annika Norlin. Why, why, why did Rockparty place Annika and her friends in Säkert! 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 Säkert! 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, Säkert! 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 Söderberg 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 Håkan Hellström barbecue party in the garden of the house rented by EMI (free beer you know...). He now owes me one.
- Christian Stenbacke

01. Familjen - Huvudet i sanden
02. TALK 1
03. Säkert! - Vi kommer att dö samtidigt
04. Robyn - Cobrastyle
05. Håkan Hellström - Kär i en ängel
06. TALK 2
07. Those Dancing Days - Dischoe
08. Mustasch - I hunt alone
09. Johnossi - Party with my pain
10. The Process - Mot Sverige i tiden
11. TALK 3
12. Raised Fist - Breaking me up
13. Firefox AK - Once I was like you (Markus Guentner remix)
14. Dreamboy - Pay attention
15. TALK 4
16. Miss Li - Miss Li
17. Markus Krunegård - Jag är en vampyr
18. Timo Räisänen - My valentine
19. TALK 5
20. The Hives - You dress up for Armageddon

Reminder: my show on Sirius Left of Center (channel 26) is now on Sundays at 11pm ET with repeats on Monday.

01. Anna Järvinen - Svensktalande Bättre 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 Morén - 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 Hyvönen - See How I Come Into Town
19. Speedmarket Avenue - Sirens
20. Idiot Kid - Wide Awake
21. Nicolai Dunger - God's Waitingroom

Markis Sage
SOUNDS LIKE: The latest skweee act to appear on the scene. Demands you to move.
HIGHLIGHTS: Cop fight, Directors muscles
LINK: http://www.myspace.com/markissage

Nighttime
SOUNDS LIKE: Anthemic melodic rock with a strong melancholic streak. Not too far off from Front's other band Front and the Factory Lies Beneath (see here) 'cept a bit more intimate.
HIGHLIGHTS: Nighttime (Part 1), The best of the worst
LINK: http://www.myspace.com/nighttimedk

Nitad
SOUNDS LIKE: Raging street-punk made even better by their superb sense of design.
HIGHLIGHTS: Ge oss mer, Ge mig ge mig
LINK: http://www.myspace.com/nitadstockholm

Red Moon
SOUNDS LIKE: I mentioned this sister duo awhile ago, but it's worth reminding you because they are still unsigned and totally deserving of your attention.
HIGHLIGHTS: Every track is worth hearing.
LINK: http://www.myspace.com/redmoongbg

White Plimsoles
SOUNDS LIKE: Norrland's answer to Those Dancing Days? The next Sahara Hotnights? Regardless of how you sell it, this band of 16 year-old girls has a wide-open future ahead of them.
HIGHLIGHTS: Only one track up right now, but it's great.
LINK: http://www.myspace.com/musicfordummieslikeyou

]]> Thu, 10 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0500 articles myfriends http://www.itsatrap.com/n/25747-top-10s-for-2007-its-a-trap http://www.itsatrap.com/n/25747-top-10s-for-2007-its-a-trap http://www.itsatrap.com/n/25747-top-10s-for-2007-its-a-trap#comments Another year down, another batch of top 10 lists to add to the already overwhelming commotion. I probably listened to more music than ever in 2007, yet putting together this year's list was painless compared to year's past. The simple reason why: all the best releases were obvious. Yes, there were notable also-rans, but let's leave that to the comments section. For now, let's just stick to top tens.
-Avi Roig, Editor-in-Chief

10. Various Artists - Ny musik för landssorg (Container Recordings)
Exceptionally moving. A high-concept work of art.

09. Repoman - s/t (Monument)
Fierce, unrepentent hardcore. I can only imagine how good this must sound live.

08. Tobias Hellkvist - Transports (self-released)
Beautiful, blissed-out drone. Pure aural sunshine.

07. Familjen - Det snurrar i min skalle (Adrian Recordings/Hybris)
The perfect response for anyone put off by the coldness of The Knife. Familjen is destined for greatness.

06. Maia Hirasawa - Though, I'm just me (Razzia)
Cute without being too cloying, sweet without being too twee. The best indiepop album of the year.

05. Susanne Sundfør - s/t (MBN)
A tremendously talented young lady from Norway who's probably only just getting started.

04. Aerial - The sentinel (Nomethod/Tangled Up!)
I knew this was top 10 material the first time I heard it. Nobody does epic noiserock better.

03. Laakso - Mother, am I good looking? (V2)
The easy consensus pick. Uneven overall, but forgivable when you consider that this record contains more than a handful of the year's best songs.

02. Dead Letters Spell Out Dead Words - Fall, fall, falling (Kalligrammofon)
The yin to Tobias Hellkvist's yang. Where Hellkvist's music makes me want to stand with arms outstretched, ready to embrace the world, Dead Letters makes me want to curl up in a fetal position in a dark corner. I never realized how profoundly moving drone could be until I heard this.

01. Kristofer Åström - RainawayTown (Startracks)
Far and away the album I listened to the most this year and the one I know I'll hold dear for years to come. From tender ballads ("Fallen") to raucous rock'n'roll ("A little out of tune"), this record covers the full spectrum of human experience and puts it into song.

Jonas Appelqvist

10. The Fine Arts Showcase - Sings Rough Bunnies (Adrian Recordings)
A cover album strictly consisting of songs from obscure indie duo Rough Bunnies is commercial suicide. But Gustaf Kjellvander's craftsmanship is so honest and true, it's impossible not to capitulate.

09. Knugen Faller – Lugna favoriter (Cage Match Federation/Ny Våg)
Fans of Buzzcocks, Gorilla Angreb and X should immediately go get a copy of this one!

08. The Lionheart Brothers – Dizzy kiss (Racing Junior/NONS)
Psychedelic rock in the vein of fellow countrymen Euroboys.

07. Moonbabies – At the ballroom (Startracks)
The duo of Ola Frick and Carina Johansson left their more experimental side at home, recorded and released a wonderful pop oriented full-length album and it is infectious.

06. Repoman – s/t (Monument)
The ferocity in Repoman's music is breathtaking. Hardcore resembling Converge is always welcome in my book.

05. My Midnight Creeps – Histamin (Dead Moose/EMI)
In the absence of new material from The Soundtrack of Our Lives, this is where to go. Primal rock at its best suffered a huge loss with the death of guitarist Robert Burås. He will be missed. RIP.

04. Aerial – The sentinel (Nomethod/Tangled Up!)
These guys go from strength to strength. "Black rain from the bombing" gave us a hint on what was coming. This is headstrong indierock that has no intention to rub the right way. Kudos to that!

03. MABD – Ditt hjärta är en stjärna (A West Side Fabrication)
I adored "Tunaskolan" when it came out. This is an even better record. Cynical lyrics, Springsteen-ish vibes and punk rock mixed with Matti Alkberg's unmistakable voice. Magic!

02. Laakso – Mother, am I good looking? (V2)
There's not a chance to defend you from the attack that is this record. And really, why should you? Surrender to Sweden's finest pop combo!

01. Logh – North (Bad Taste Records)
Having released several wonderful records, this is the culmination of their career thus far. Indierock has never sounded this beautiful.

Nancy Baym

10. Pelle Carlberg - In a nutshell (Labrador/Twentyseven Records)
I still feel like he's falling short of his potential, but even a so-so Pelle Carlberg record has enough outstanding moments to carry the day.

09. Vapnet - Något dålight nytt har hänt (Hybris)
Who was it that said they like this band more than ice-cream? Tasty bouncy sweets.

08. Thirdimension - Before the end begins (Hidden Agenda)
A quiet acoustic live performance lets the strength of the songs shine through.

07. Familjen - Det snurrar i min skalle (Adrian Recordings/Hybris)
I am no fan of electronica, but this record's got too much pop sensibility to ignore.

06. Les Issambres - Late fairytales (Fifth Week Records)
This surprise little record out of nowhere enchanted me with its sister/brother vocal arrangements, simple but compelling songs, and non-pretentious flute.

05. Isolation Years - Sign, sign (NONS)
Their most consistent record to date has some great songs, and no duds, but doesn't have the outstanding highlights of some of their previous efforts.

04. Sambassadeur - Migration (Labrador)
The word "lush" is getting tossed about a lot in reference to this record, and indeed, it shimmers and shines. Very nice second record sees them grow in new directions.

03. Club 8 - The boy who couldn't stop dreaming (Labrador)
Soft, seductive, and beautifully performed, the sixth record from Club 8 is easily their best, despite a couple of dull moments.

02. My Midnight Creeps - Histamin (Dead Moose/EMI)
Robert Burås' far-too-early death this year was a heartbreaking loss, but this last offering wonderfully showcases the magnitude of his epic guitar playing genius.

01. The Fine Arts Showcase - Sings Rough Bunnies (Adrian Recordings)
Gustaf Kjellvander transforms lofi seeds of great ideas into ultracatchy pop brilliance. Easily got more playtime out of me than anything else this year.

Lars Garvey Laing-Peterson

10. The Mary Onettes – s/t (Labrador)
80s throwback bands may have finally been forced to take a backseat this year, but The Mary Onettes celebrate that strange and influential era of music in a way that few bands could ever claim to.

09. Seabear – The ghost that carried us away (Morr Music)
Seabear exude a delightful warmth into their compositions: something lost, almost nostalgia inducing, foreign without being unfamiliar, and altogether wonderful.

08. Jens Lekman – Night falls over Kortedala (Service/Secretly Canadian)
Darling of every blogger and hype-generating music website the world over, Jens Lekman did indeed make his mark upon 2007.

07. CS Nielsen – Against the dying of the light (Songcrafter Music)
In September, I wrote that CS Nielsen had crafted one of the greatest albums of the year. I stand by that statement.

06. Anna Järvinen – Jag fick feeling (Häpna)
"Jag fick feeling" will, for the foreseeable future, be one of the first albums I run to as the leaves sicken, bleed out their autumn hues, and gracefully descend to the ground below.

05. Immanu El – They'll come, they come (And the Sound)
As I wrote in my review of this album, Immanu El's "They'll come, they come" is unquestionably a forceful and substantial album; an effort that probes sections of our musical consciousness that have fallen into shadow and been ignored too long.

04. The Chrysler – The Benelux years (Flora & Fauna)
Dropping one spot since the June round up, "The Benelux years" still surprises me with new layers every time I listen to it. The Chrysler are one of the most underrated bands of all time.

03. Kent – Tillbaka till samtiden (SME)
Kent have absolutely nothing to prove anymore - they are arguably one of the best Swedish bands of all time - and yet they continue to prove themselves, over and over and over again. It's frightening.

02. Shout Out Louds – Our ill wills (Bud Fox/Merge)
Another album whose position was solidified earlier in the year, "Our ill wills" is still one of the best sophomore albums I have ever heard.

01. Aerial – The sentinel (Nomethod/Tangled Up!)
I fell in love with this album in January, continued to proclaim its brilliance in June, and, a few hours from December, crown "The sentinel" the best album of 2007. Absolutely brilliant.

Matt Giordano

10. Dead Letters Spell Out Dead Words - Fall, fall, falling (Kalligrammofon)
Beautifully subtle and understated noise.

09. The Chrysler - The Benelux years (Flora & Fauna)
The Chrysler upped the tempo on their third album, and it's easily their best.

08. Christian Kjellvander - I saw her from here/I saw here from her (Startracks)
On his third, and best album, the arrangements have finally acted on the ideas.

07. Boeoes Kaelstigen - Pan European (Adrian Recordings)
Brilliant electronica from this Swedish duo.

06. Montt Mardié - Clocks/Pretender (Hybris)
This second album sees big band and swing return to the musical landscape.

05. The Fine Arts Showcase - Sings Rough Bunnies (Adrian Recordings)
Gustaf reinterprets the Rough Bunnies to gorgeous results.

04. Juvelen - s/t (Hybris)
Hot and sweaty pop music has returned!

03. The Tough Alliance - A new chance (Sincerely Yours)
Göteborg's best have honed their sound into hedonistic pop bliss.

02. Laakso - Mother, am I good looking? (V2)
Sweden's best band delivered its third album in such a fashion only they could - with "Italy vs. Helsinki".

01. Familjen - Det snurrar i min skalle (Adrian Recordings/Hybris)
Familjen's debut album is the best pure pop full-length I have heard all year.

Nick Levine

10. Ninja – I don't play guitar (Popyhtiö)
Finland's answer to Robyn. At the forefront of Finnish pop music. This record has some serious crossover potential.

09. Billie the Vision & The Dancers – Where the ocean meets my hand (Love Will Pay the Bills)
Not a radical departure from previous releases. But hey, if it ain't broke don't fix it.

08. Familjen - Det snurrar i min skalle (Adrian/Hybris)
Zeitgeist-defining record. Sweden's answer to new rave?

07. Jens Lekman - Night falls over Kortedala (Service/Secretly Canadian)
More upbeat than Jen's previous efforts. Is this mellowing due to his recent engagement?

06. Boat Club – Caught the breeze (Luxury)
Atmospheric shoegaze and Balearic-lite prog pop.

05. Laakso – Mother, am I good looking? (V2)
The most commercially successful release from Laakso thus far.

04. Studio – West Coast (Information)
I'm counting this as it only got a UK release this year. Credit must also be given for some of Studio's superb remixes for the likes of Shout Out Louds and Rubies.

03. Those Dancing Days - s/t (V2)
Undoubtedly the biggest Swedish buzz band of the year. Helped in no small part by It's a Trap.

02. The Tough Alliance – A new chance (Sincerely Yours)
Stunning comeback record, after the experimentation of 2006's "Escaping your ambitions".

01. Shout Out Louds – Our ill wills (Bud Fox/Merge)
This records features the best use of cowbell in 2007.

Christian Stenbacke

10. Kent – Tillbaka till samtiden (SME)
The journey back into the dark electronical realms of the 80's might not have been the perfect career move, but on the other hand, since when has Kent ever cared about such a petty thing?

09. Sällskapet – s/t (Universal)
Cold and dark and damp - Pelle Ossler vs. Joakim Thåström - Life drained from the body, machines in control, the last thing leaving mankind is hope. Are you ready to enter room 212?

08. Kristofer Åström – RainawayTown (Startracks)
There is something special about Kristofer Åström. He has the ability to get to the things that really matter with small words and measures.

07. Bloodlights – s/t (Playground Music)
All things have to come to and end, Glucifer is no more, but the Captain lives on. Bloodlights is cock rock at its best.

06. The Mary Onettes – s/t (Labrador)
It's so obvious and it's so perfect. The Mary Onettes hardly try to hide their Anglophile influences and why should they?

05. Christian Kjellvander – I saw her from her/I saw here from her (Startracks)
Christian Kjellvander is a man of quality; every song sung from his lips is of highest standard.

04. José González – In our nature (Imperial/Mute)
The man is just marvelous; catching every single raw emotion there is with his incredible guitar work and simple, yet direct, voice.

03. The Raveonettes – Lust lust lust (Border Music/Vice)
Finally back to basics; the magic of Sune Wagner and Sharin Foo's voices bound together and the bleak Jesus & Mary Chain meets 50s surf music is a fascinating combination.

02. Logh – North (Bad Taste Records)
Instead of calling it quits, Logh decided to pull it together and release a new album, the best decision ever made.

01. Sound Like Violence – With blood on my hands (Burning Heart)
What is Niccokick compared to this? This is the best album this year by far; the impact of every song is overwhelming.

Simon Tagestam

10. The Hives – The black and white album (Interscope)
Not as good as I wanted it to be, but The Hives manage to deliver a bunch of great songs.

09. Shout Out Louds – Our ill wills (Bud Fox/Merge)
A strong and solid second album from Shout Out Louds.

08. Frida Hyvönen – Pudel (Licking Fingers)
A mini album that has given me very high hopes for Hyvönen's second proper full-length.

07. Anna Järvinen – Jag fick feeling (Häpna)
It took me some time to warm to this Järvinen's solo debut, but now I find it really cosy and pleasant, it's a great album for cold winter nights.

06. Jonas Game – ADHD (Sincerely Yours)
Bad Cash Quartet's drummer managed to make a very personal and intriguing album full of hits.

05. The Tough Alliance – A new chance (Sincerely Yours)
Nice to see TTA back on track after last year's weird ambient album.

04. The Lovekevins – Vs the snow (Songs I Wish I Had Written)
I knew that The LKs were good, but I didn't think they could be this good!

03. Alexis Weak – Välkommen till Gullmarsplan (La Vida Locash)
Ok, it's only a half an hour (free!) mixtape, but I got really addicted to Alexis Weak's personal rapping style in 2007.

02. Säkert! – s/t (Razzia)
It was nice to see the Swedish public embracing Annika Norlin's side project and making her the star she deserves to be.

01. Jens Lekman – Nights falls over Kortedala (Service/Secretly Canadian)
Ah, the King of Sweden! Or, at least he should be. Lekman is the greatest.

]]> Fri, 14 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0500 articles top10s http://www.itsatrap.com/n/20584 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/20584 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/20584#comments Restocks coming in later this week, available to order now: Those Dancing Days, "Upp till kamp!" and Paris. Also look for brand new stuff such as E.S.T./Esbjorn Svensson Trio's latest record "Live in Hamburg", the all-star tribute to Cornelis Vreeswijk's masterwork "Poem, ballader och lite blues", the Brödera Lindgren "Vuxen barnmusik!" (Children's music for adults), the "Alvin Eldpojken" album (actual children's music) and a new 2CD classic Swedish prog collection from MNW. I'll be making them available as soon as they arrive, so check back!]]> Wed, 12 Dec 2007 11:25:29 -0500 news sitenews http://www.itsatrap.com/n/20426 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/20426 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/20426#comments The nominees for the Swedish Radio P3 Guld awards have been announced:

Pop:
Anna Järvinen - Jag fick feeling
Friday Bridge - Intricacy
Jens Lekman - Night falls over Kortedala
Sambassadeur - Migration
Taken By Trees - Open Field

Dance:
Aril Brikha - Ex machina
Axwell - collected work
Minilogue - collected work
The Field - From here we go sublime
Tiger Stripes - collected work

Rock/metal:
Arch Enemy - Rise Of The Tyrant
Dark Tranquility - Fiction
Kongh - Counting heartbeats
Marduk - Rom 5:12
Mustasch - Latest version of the truth

Hiphop/soul:
Petter - God damn it
Ken - Äntligen hemma
Adam Tensta - It's a Tensta Thing
Million stylez - From A Far
Basutbudet - Svensk bas

Newcomer:
Adam Tensta
Maia Hirasawa
Million Stylez
Neverstore
Those Dancing Days

Female artist:
Laleh - Prinsessor
Maia Hirasawa - Though, I'm Just Me
Miss Li - God Put A Rainbow In The Sky
September - Dancing Shoes
Säkert! - Säkert!

Male artist:
Danny - Heart. Beats.
Jens Lekman - Night falls over Kortedala
Lars Winnerbäck - Daugava
Mange Schmidt - Känslan kommer tillbaks
Salem Al Fakir - This Is Who I Am

Group:
Kent - Tillbaka till samtiden
Mando Diao - Never Seen The Light Of Day
Sahara Hotnights - What If Leaving Is A Loving Thing
Shout Out Louds - Our Ill Wills
The Ark - Prayer For The Weekend

Song:
Kleerup with Robyn - With Every Heartbeat
Mange Schmidt feat. Petter - Giftig
Oh Laura - Release Me
Sahara Hotnights - Cheek To Cheek
Säkert! - Vi kommer att dö samtidigt

Guldmicken (live):
Laakso
Mustasch
Salem Al Fakir
Säkert!
Timo Räisänen

More info: http://www.sr.se/cgi-bin/p3/nyhetssidor/index.asp?programID=3014]]> Mon, 03 Dec 2007 11:22:11 -0500 news general awards http://www.itsatrap.com/n/20227 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/20227 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/20227#comments Swedish acts confirmed for EuroSonic: I'm from Barcelona (official opening act for EuroSonic 2008), Detektivbyrån, Those Dancing Days, Promise and the Monster, Lykke Li, Cult of Luna, Miss Li, Little Dragon, Moonbabies, Taxi Taxi, Friska Viljor, Burst and Andi Almqvist. The festival, one of Europe's preeminent platforms for new music, will feature a special focus on Sweden and takes place in Groningen, the Netherlands, on January 10-12. More info: http://www.noorderslag.nl/]]> Fri, 16 Nov 2007 12:04:53 -0500 news live industry http://www.itsatrap.com/n/19936 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/19936 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/19936#comments New fall dates for Peter Bjorn and John:

11/02 - Academy 2, Manchester w/Maps, Christian Silva
11/03 - Anson Rooms, Bristol w/Maps, Christian Silva
11/04 - The Forum, London w/Maps, Those Dancing Days
11/23 - Warehouse LIve, Houston, TX w/The Besnard Lakes
11/24 - Paladium Ballroom, Dallas, TX w/The Besnard Lakes
11/25 - Cains Ballroom, Tulsa, OK w/The Besnard Lakes
11/26 - The Madrid Theatre, Kansas City, MO w/The Besnard Lakes
11/27 - The Vogue, Indianapolis, IN w/The Besnard Lakes
11/29 - Beachland Ballroom, Cleveland, OH w/The Besnard Lakes
11/30 - Headliners Music Hall, Louisville, KY w/The Besnard Lakes
12/02 - Bogarts, Cincinnati, OH w/The Besnard Lakes
12/03 - Mr. Smalls Theatre, Millvale, PA w/The Besnard Lakes
]]> Thu, 25 Oct 2007 11:06:28 -0400 news live http://www.itsatrap.com/n/19925 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/19925 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/19925#comments Those Dancing Days were Spin's band of the day yesterday: http://www.spin.com/features/band_of_the_day/2007/10/071023_thosedancingdays]]> Wed, 24 Oct 2007 12:23:17 -0400 news general http://www.itsatrap.com/n/19678 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/19678 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/19678#comments The new video for "1000 words" from Those Dancing Days is now available for streaming: http://del.interoute.com/?id=cf1c12ee-6e85-48a7-a11d-5b88b1564f86&delivery=stream]]> Mon, 08 Oct 2007 13:59:50 -0400 news multimedia http://www.itsatrap.com/n/25970-those-dancing-days-s-t-ep-v2 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/25970-those-dancing-days-s-t-ep-v2 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/25970-those-dancing-days-s-t-ep-v2#comments Those Dancing Days have quickly risen to the hype of bloggers everywhere, and it's not really a surprise, as their style of Nordic soul inspired indie-pop hits many a listeners' ear like sugar on the lips. Being an average age of 17 or so, it must be taking these young ladies by storm, as they're even up for "Best Swedish Artist" at the MTV Europe awards. However, their debut does sound like that - a bunch of 17 year olds making their first recordings. Although the ideas are there, as are the knack for hooks, nothing is as strong as it should be for a band to really have a massive impact. The single "Hitten" and title-track are the two stand-outs on the EP, but the rest seem a bit unconfident. While it's no doubt the band has talent, I hope to see them give it at least another two or three years to hone their craft, and just then, they could be one of Sweden's top acts.
- Matt Giordano
Rating: 6

09/13 - Metro w/Danielson
09/14 - Wichita 7th Birthday Party (venue tbc)
09/15 - Monto Water Rats Theatre]]> Mon, 03 Sep 2007 00:00:00 -0400 news http://www.itsatrap.com/n/27633-those-dancing-days-hitten http://www.itsatrap.com/n/27633-those-dancing-days-hitten http://www.itsatrap.com/n/27633-those-dancing-days-hitten#comments It's hard to be critical of Those Dancing Days without coming off like an asshole. They sound pretty much like you'd expect a band of teen girls playing indiepop would. There's really no need to go deeper because I think that's all most people will need to know. So if that's the kind of thing that appeals to you, read no further - download the song and enjoy. Otherwise, let me be an asshole. "Hittan" is about a full minute longer than it needs to be. The performance, especially the vocals, lacks spunk. Not that I expected Huggy Bear or anything, but I think they could let loose more and show off some of that youthful energy. Beyond that, it's fine. TDD are competent, but not yet confident.]]>
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Mon, 03 Sep 2007 00:00:00 -0400 mp3s http://www.itsatrap.com/n/413 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/413 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/413#comments This week's radio show is all women:

01. Hello Saferide - I was definitely made for these times
02. TALK 1
03. Susanne Sundfør - I resign
04. Sahara Hotnights - Drive dead slow
05. Margaret Berger - Seek I'll hide
06. TALK 2
07. Marit Bergman - I will always be your soldier
08. El Perro Del Mar - Party
09. Octavia Sperati - As fire swept clean the earth
10. TALK 3
11. Robyn - Cobrastyle
12. Montys Loco - Man overboard
13. Honey Is Cool - Summer of men
14. TALK 4
15. Those Dancing Days - Hitten (demo version)
16. Christel Alsos - Come on
17. Red Moon - Landslide
18. TALK 5
19. Sophie Zelmani - To know you
20. Sanna Kurki-Suonio - Minne
21. Susanna and the Magical Orchestra - Enjoy the silence
22. TALK 6
23. Otur - Overture
24. Midaircondo - Perfect spot
25. Doughnuts - Drowning
26. TALK 7
27. Fe-mail - Jacob's leketøy
28. September - Satellites
29. Gåte - Sjå attende
30. TALK 8
31. Maia Hirasawa - Mattis & Maia (ft. Miss Li)
32. Stina Nordenstam - Parliament square (The Knife remix)
33. Munck//Johnson - Slavesong
34. Bertine Zetlitz - 500
35. TALK 9
36. Säkert! - Sanningsdan
37. Asha Ali - A promise broken
38. The Cardigans - I need some fine wine and you, you need to be nicer
39. TALK 10
40. Anja Garbarek - The last trick

In case you missed it, the music summer camp for girls that Marit Bergman helped found is called Popkollo and you can find out more information here: http://www.popkollo.se/
Non-Swedish speakers, check the 'English' link on the bottom left for more details.]]> Sat, 18 Aug 2007 00:00:00 -0400 news http://www.itsatrap.com/n/25709-festival-report-emmaboda http://www.itsatrap.com/n/25709-festival-report-emmaboda http://www.itsatrap.com/n/25709-festival-report-emmaboda#comments The big question surrounding this year's festival was whether indie (as we know it) is dead. Festival organiser, Håkan Karlsson, claimed so and that due to this, 2007 would be the last year of 'Indieboda.'

What has always attracted me to Swedish indie music (and Emmaboda in the past) is that British indie is long dead, due to the commercialisation and commodification of guitar bands during the time of post-Britpop, resulting in the rise of 'Stadium Indie,' whereby the definition of indie as we know it (outsider music?) was all but destroyed.

Since my first visit to the Emmaboda Festival in 2005, I have discovered a lot of fantastic tiny Swedish indie bands. The lineup for 2007 was mostly bereft of the big guns, most likely due to Luger deciding to book them for the new Way Out West festival instead. Then again, Emmaboda has always been about discovery anyway, so it didn't matter.

The opening party in the bar area saw Billie the Vision & The Dancers play something of a homecoming show, first having played the sparsely attended Frukost series of gigs two years previously. Giving an airing to their song about the very gig in question, "Absolutely salutely", didn't do them any disservice. The other notable highlight of the Förfest opening party was Effete, a female led synth troup from Växjö. They are a post-modern pop dream, wearing matching jackets from H&M (you can't make this up), and singing songs about inadequate men. If this were 1992, they would be sitting atop the chart of MTV's European Top 20.

Day one of the festival saw the ridiculous spandex pomp of Black Belt, swiftly followed by current sensation Miss Li, performing her showboating musical persona which climaxed with the fruity vocal stylings of "Oh boy". Over on the Angent stage, I'm From Barcelona pulled out their sub-Flaming Lips/Super Furry Animals schtick. Their live show was entertaining as always, but this doesn't really distract from the fact that they only have two or three standout songs. Find of the day was You/Me, a little known electronic duo and perfect for the asymmetrically cropped fashionista crowd. Record labels start queuing here.

On day two, Those Dancing Days opened the proceedings with their organic and charming 'apple pie pop.' The band has oodles of potential, but I hope that the hype surrounding the band gives them an opportunity to hone their live show first. Later on, Ida Maria did her rock chick thang and got away without looking too clichéd. She has bags of charisma and could well follow in the lineage of strong front women alongside Chrissie Hynde and Shirley Manson. Kristian Antilla and Timo Räisänen were the designated pinups for the girls on day two. I actually didn't recognise Timo with his shirt on, but true to form, he ripped it off later in the set. The Håkan Hellström-inspired sound of Antilla drew some of the craziest dance moves of the day, which were only heightened when Antilla dived into the crowd at the end of the set.

Day three saw Rough Bunnies providing the most charming set of the festival. Dedicated to their Italian fans, the band's performance was almost half stand up comedy, half music. O'holics were a competent psychedelic rock band, but veered into clichéd territory when the kaftan-adorned member of the band crouched down to play a sitar. Shout Out Louds drew the biggest crowd of the day, but their set was unfortunately dogged with sound problems. However, this didn't stop the band performing a magnificent version of "Impossible". It's dance style build up was given greater significance due to the resilient way the band determinedly carried on despite technical problems.

All in all, the festival was a great success, with the smaller artists contributing to the festival's discovery heritage which in itself acted as a testament to the tastemaker abilities of the organisers. One wonders what format the festival will take next year. Roll on 2008.

About the writers:

Nick Levine is sweating in the humid London heat.]]> Mon, 06 Aug 2007 00:00:00 -0400 articles fest http://www.itsatrap.com/n/606 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/606 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/606#comments Norwegian indiepop singer/songwriter Ida Maria will tour the UK in mid-September. Dates include September 13 at Another Music = Another Kitchen w/Those Dancing Days.]]> Mon, 30 Jul 2007 00:00:00 -0400 news http://www.itsatrap.com/n/936 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/936 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/936#comments Those Dancing Days' proper debut EP "Hitten" has been confirmed for release on August 29.]]> Fri, 22 Jun 2007 00:00:00 -0400 news http://www.itsatrap.com/n/1207 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/1207 http://www.itsatrap.com/n/1207#comments Here's a video of hype act Those Dancing Days from a test show recorded for a new SVT program: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LHwWy7d2Ok
I'll admit that there's potential, but I am still not sold.]]> Mon, 04 Jun 2007 00:00:00 -0400 news http://www.itsatrap.com/n/25695-listmania-2007-so-far http://www.itsatrap.com/n/25695-listmania-2007-so-far http://www.itsatrap.com/n/25695-listmania-2007-so-far#comments An ever-increasing glut of new releases and an always-shrinking attention span means that it's harder than ever to keep track of all the music that is able to withstand the test of time. We can help! Yes, it's time once again for the feature that everyone loves to hate - the top 10 list. Okay, top 3s. We're only halfway through 2007, after all. So what has the collective contributing force of It's A Trap! been listening to the most these past six months? Read on!
- Avi Roig, Editor-in-Chief

Jonas Appelqvist:

1. Logh – North (Bad Taste Records)
   An album that crawls under your skin to move you in every way imaginable. Atmospheric, dark and gloomy, yet filled with hope and warmth. Pure magic.
2. Säkert! - s/t (Razzia)
   Annika Norlin together with peeps from Isolation Years. Immediate success of course. And in dialect, which is a huge plus!
3. Laakso – Mother, am I good looking? (V2)
   Needless to say, everything Markus Krunegård touches turns to gold (remember Hets from last year's top ten-list?). Indiepop at its best.

Nancy Baym:

1. Isolation Years - Sign sign (NONS)
   Lacks the high points of their previous records, but it's their most consistent and it spent most of January on repeat.
2. The Fine Arts Showcase - Sing Rough Bunnies (Adrian Recordings)
   Just released and maybe I'll tire of it, but not yet. 30 minutes of delicious pop ditties sung by a man who really knows how to sing. Very tasty, but leaves me hungry for more.
3. My Midnight Creeps - Histamin (MMC Records/EMI)
   Big loud swamp rock with massive guitars. Excellent music for falling on your knees and pumping fists in the air and some walls of sound that epitomize all that rock and roll should be.

Jason Christie:

1. Familjen - Det snurrar i min skalle (Adrian Recordings/Hybris)
   It is zeitgeist. Everything about this is fresh. Not-a-jot of cynicism. Sweden's best act now.
2. Sahara Hotnights - What if leaving is a loving thing (Stand By Your Band)
   Thankfully carving out a breezier side on the new disc. This year's surprise.
3. Laakso - Mämmilä rock (PEC FI)
   Laakso are HUGE. Apparently took 45 years to make using a process more secretive than Iran's muclear program and as mental as the 'Sinner or a winner' bloke on Piccadilly Circus.

Lars Garvey Laing-Peterson:

1. Aerial – The sentinel (Nomethod)
   Released on the last day of the first month of 2007, and still, four months later, amongst my favorite records of the year. Aerial's dark symphony of guitars, the waves of sound breaking over the guiding hands of the drums and bass, both maintaining some form of structural integrity in the midst of the beautiful chaos, and yet still prone to their own skillful flourishes, finds me just as wonderfully lost in the dense layers of their compositions today as I was in the early days of this year.
2. Shout Out Louds – Our ill wills (Bud Fox/Merge)
   Instead of building on the playful, sometimes brash narratives of "Howl howl gaff gaff", the newest effort from Shout Out Louds displays a far more complicated, mature, and powerful sound. It is rare that musicians evolve so noticeably in a record's time, and arguably even more surprising that a group's sophomore album so excels their debut, but "Our ill wills" proves that while it may be a rare accomplishment, it is one that can be achieved.
3. The Chrysler – The Benelux years (Flora & Fauna)
   While not everyone's cup of tea, The Chrysler are, at least in my humble opinion, one the greatest indie bands around. "The Benelux years" outshines their previous efforts, which is no easy feat, and has already cemented itself as a record that will continue to grow on me as the months and years slip by.

Matt Giordano:

1. Laakso - Mother, am I good looking? (V2)
   This should be Laakso's international breakthrough. We'll just see if someone is brave enough to work with it.
2. Vapnet - Något dåligt nytt har hänt (Hybris)
   This band just keeps delivering the goods, and it keeps getting better.
3. Montt Mardié - Clocks/Pretender (Hybris)
   David Pagmar's second album is his vision finally coming into fruition.

Hanzan:

1. Säkert! - s/t (Razzia)
   I never got Hello Saferide. Sure, it was charming, but never blew me away. Säkert! however has made me laugh, cry, blush. It's made me angry, happy, nostalgic, sometimes all this during the same listen. Brilliant.
2. Eldkvarn - Svart blogg (EMI)
   The alcohol-drenched romantism of "Fulla för kärlekens skull" alone could almost have earned Eldkvarn a place on this list. Thankfully the rest of "Svart blogg" is amazing too. Cathartically personal, "Svart blogg" is one album I didn't think I'd love. But clearly do.
3. Familjen - Det snurrar i min skalle (Adrian Recordings/Hybris)
   Shamelessly playful electropop that should be the soundtrack to everyones summer (and autumn and winter). Familjen holds the Scanian flag high, presenting some of the best Swedish electronic pop in a long time.

Nick Levine:

1. Robyn/Kleerup - With every hearteat (Meatboys mix)
   Massive track added onto the UK release of Robyn's album. However, the Meatboys mix is far superior to the original.
2. Those Dancing Days - demo
   The Swedish buzz band of the year so far. Definitely one to watch out for in 2008.
3. Kalle J - Vingslag 7" (Unga Hjärtan)
   I don't know much about Kalle J, but this song incorporates oodles of feel good vibes and is shaping up to be one of my anthems of the summer.

Kevin Renick:

1. Kate Havnevik - Melankton (Continentica)
   One hell of a swirling, self-assured, orchestrally dramatic singer/songwriter debut, this outing by Norway's latest female wunderkind is a gem, and "New day" is among the best songs of the year.
2. Rumskib - s/t (Darla)
   As a fan of ethereal shoegaze when it's got real heart and style, I was mesmerized by the work of this Danish duo. Dreamy, melodic and beautifully produced songs featuring the voice of Tine Louise Kortermand.
3. Dungen - Tio bitar (Subliminal Sounds/Kemado Records)
   Another dose of immacutely rendered, fuzzed-out prog from the dazzling mind and chops of Sweden's Gustav Ejstes. Remarkably free of fat and not cowering in the shadow of its highly acclaimed predecessor.

Avi Roig:

1. Aerial - The sentinel (Nomethod)
   #1 with a bullet. An album I loved wholeheartedly from the very first moment I heard it.
2. Kristofer Åström - RainawayTown (Startracks)
   Older, wiser and with a new backing band to match. This is a record that will sound just as good 10 years from now.
3. Maia Hirasawa - Though, I'm just me (Razzia)
   A toss-up between this and Säkert!. Behind the indiepop hits (Maia's "And I found this boy" vs Annika's "Vi kommer att dö samtidigt") hides two deeply touching records, Maia edges out slightly ahead due to my sadly lacking Swedish skills.

Christian Stenbacke:

1. Sounds Like Violence – With blood on my hands (Burning Heart/Deep Elm)
   Andreas Söderlund is nothing more than pure genious. No matter if he plays with his collegues in Niccokick, produces Hello Safreride or goes back to the basics with neo-hardcore band Sounds Like Violence, everyting reeks with his presence. "With blood on my hands" is the most definite angst-ridden, panic-strucken, anxiety-filled record you'll come a cross this year.
2. Shout Out Louds – Our ill wills (Bud Fox/Merge)
   Shout Out Louds may have gone The Cure, but I don't really care. Great music is always great music, no matter what, right? Beacuse "Our Ill Wills" is certrainly great music. I doubt that you'll ever hear a more well-crafted popsong than "Impossible" for a long time to come.
3. Isolation Years – Sign sign (NONS)
   It was a very close call between Isolation Years and Kristofer Åström, both artists have put out two insanely good records this first half of 2007. The choice finally fell upon "Sign sign", a record filled with the sweet and emotional, almost charitable, popmusic that has become the distinguishing mark of the lads from Norrland, Sweden.

Simon Tagestam:

1. Säkert! - s/t (Razzia)
   Ace melodies and lyrics make this the best album of 2007, yet.
2. The Tough Alliance - New chance (Sincerely Yours)
   What a comeback!
3. Lovekevins - Vs the snow (Songs I Wish I Had Written)
   Clever indie pop with a lot of warmth and humour. A personal favourite.