The nominees for Swedish Radio's P3 Guld awards have been announced:
Artist: Melissa Horn - Innan jag kände dig Kapten Röd - Fläcken som aldrig går 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 Björnstammen
Song:
Call my name - Tove Styrke
Jag kommer - Veronica Maggio
Levels - Avicii
Resten av ditt liv - Timbuktu
Vart jag mig i världen vänder - Den Svenska Björnstammen
Guldmicken (best live): Daniel Adams-Ray Graveyard Melissa Horn Kapten Röd 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 - För evigt Mohammed Ali - Vi Newkid - Alexander jr Ferrer Stockholmssyndromet - Underhunder Timbuktu - Sagolandet
Pop: JJ - Samlad produktion Jonathan Johansson - Klagomuren Anna Järvinen - Anna själv 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
If there's one word that describes Sweden's Maschine Krank it's "odd". On top of that "odd" there's a heady dose of punk-pop with the slightest tinge of metal in places. If you can imagine a mix of Daisy Chainsaw, Sleepytime Gorilla Museum, Katzenjammer, Atari Teenage Riot, System Of A Down and Primus you get pretty close to what the Malmö quintet have created in their latest release. That's an eclectic list of bands there, but Maschine Krank nod toward all of them -- and more -- here. It's difficult to honestly say that "Mine fires" is a great album; rather it's an enjoyable album that one only fully appreciates after quite a few listens (although there's an immediate satisfaction to be had on the first go). Where they fall down a little is in their limited use of the elements that really work best; maybe it's from fear of overuse, but if the band has erred on the side of caution they've slipped up this time around. Get dug into those heavy, caustic moments that make "Don't look now" so damn killer and embrace the off-kilter synth moments that give "Sometimes I do good things for you" that unique character. More of that on top of their quirky foundations and there's something big to talk about here. If they jump in with both feet next time rather than simply tread on water they could be on to a serious winner. On a sidenote, "Get yourself an air limit!" is where they have it totally nailed. - John Norby
Rock'n'roll, dogs, boardgames... the only thing missing from this video clip is beer. Once again, use promo code ITSATRAP when purchasing what looks to be the season's best new boardgame.
Norwegian noise maestro Lasse Marhaug has started a new zine called "Personal best" which will debut this month, the inaugural issue featuring interviews with a number of scene luminaries such as Gold Soundz, Keränen, Zweizz, Ronnie Sundin and much more. The goal is to publish two issues per year in A4 format with full-color covers -- samples and more info here: http://www.marhaugforlag.no/personalbest1.html
The talent present on Snævar Njáll Albertsson's debut full-length is undeniable. In the same creative neighborhood as the criminally underappreciated Alcoholic Faith Mission, Albertsson, an Icelander now living in Denmark, crafts lush pop soundscapes awash with his cleverly worded, sharp observations of contemporary life. The album is a distinct pleasure, perhaps the best of its kind to come out this year, but as with every album that is deemed "clever," Albertsson's "Mount Modern" has the tendency to occasionally be too clever for its own good: the instrumentation occasionally feeling a little too cute, the rich arrangements leaving the shadowy side of the street in order to frolic in the sun, and the lyrics can, with repeated listening, lose some of their initial charm. That said, I'll take an album that is sporadically too smart, too layered, too happy, and too charming over the limp, anemic indie pop offerings that get hyped every other week. And when Dad Rocks! gets it right, he really gets it right -- like you want to make a mixtape for a friend with tracks off "Mount Modern" right. "Take care", one of the many highlights, balances itself perfectly between detached cynicism and intimate despair, both in its musical and lyrical approach: "And they watch the military fireworks and talk about traveling light, and there's a global spread of wasted lives which we'll later take care of with knives.""Mount Modern" is a soundtrack for those who find beauty in the winds tearing the last of the autumn leaves from the trees, who appreciate the descent into winter because they are hopeful for the spring. - Lars Garvey Laing-Peterson
New from Swedish hip-hop act Mohammed Ali featuring a cameo from Ison & Fille, consolidating the best Sweden has to offer in the genre in one track. Look for Mohammed Ali's new EP "Vi & resten" to be released on November 18 via .
, the label run by Jonas Svensson of Pogrom as mentioned yesterday, has announced three new releases. First are two modular synth LPs on the subabel: "Tyglad best" from Henrik N Björkk (MZ.412, Nordvargr, etc.) and Joel Brindefalk's "The cripple"; the third is the Enhänta Bödlar 7" "Tot is tot". Samples and more details here: http://www.borft.com/
Can't say that I'm familiar with any of the artists besides Björkk, but anything Börft-related comes highly recommended to anyone into dark/experimental synth music.
"The first gray slushy snow has fallen over Pajala and the rest of Torne valley, the intoxicating dance of the summer is long gone and while the fingers slowly brace the pile of bills and debt collection on the table the eyes are melancholically fixed on the desolated world outside the kitchen window. A longing away. A new start. Gene Kelly. Leslie Caron. Paris."
A couple weeks ago I mentioned that had been putting out a number of solid releases lately, but then I neglected to follow up with anything to back up such claims. To remedy that, here's the latest single "Tornionlaakso" from Pajala Truck Co., a great pop band with two singers from way far up north near the Sweden/Finnish border. It's a great song with a great emphatic delivery and, like the quote above says, great music for welcoming fall. Reminds me a bit of Marit Bergman too, in that they in no way shy away from grandiose classic pop gestures and that's something I can always appreciate. Can't say I know much about the band beyond this song, but I'll certainly be doing my best to alleviate my ignorance as the day goes on.
Maschine Krank
Dad Rocks!
