Apparently oslo is current leading the way as an international capital of musical tastemaking: http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/the-real-tastemakers-why-were-all-listening-to-atlanta-and-oslo-7658169.html
Remember that Håkon Kornstad clip I showed you from the "oslo Jazzed Out" documentary? Here's more: http://www.youtube.com/user/uvisninew#p/c/6702D3C8469F61F9/0/quw-xdXjHL4
I haven't had the time to watch much of it yet, but if it's anything like the earlier clip, it's essential viewing.
Layla Gibson wisely recommends Dark Times in her monthly MRR column: http://darktimesoslo.tumblr.com/post/17831049858
I'd love to show you the new Gunnhild Sundli video that just came out today, but it's blocked here in the US so here instead is a great live recording of her playing by:Larm this past weekend.
"300 Acting Spaces" is the name of a new experimental music/multimedia project based out of oslo and spearheaded by artist/professor Alex Gunia. In addition to providing an intimate performance venue for many of Norway's leading artists in the genre including Lasse Marhaug, Maja Ratkje, Supersilent and more, the venture also aims to link up with similar venues worldwide, both conceptually and online. And for those purely interested in the music, all shows will be streamed live and immediately archived for public listening via SoundCloud. Read more: http://300as.com/
I Break Horses will be spending a lot of time on the road in coming months:
02/03 - Molotow, Hamburg (GER)
02/04 - Grammatikof, Duisburg (GER)
02/05 - Gleis 22, Münster (GER)
02/06 - Comet (Karrera Klub), Berlin (GER)
02/10 - Paradiso, Amsterdam (NL)
02/11 - La Flèche d'Or, Paris (FRA)
02/12 - Rotonde, Brussels (BEL)
2/16-18 - By:Larm Festival, oslo (NOR)
04/22 - Fillmore, San Francisco, CA *
04/25 - Roseland, Portland, OR *
04/26 - Neptune, Seattle, WA *
04/27 - Vogue, Vancouver, BC *
04/29 - In the Venue, Salt Lake City, UT *
04/30 - Ogden, Denver, CO *
05/01 - Granada, Lawrence, KS *
05/02 - Pageant, St Louis, MO *
05/04 - Vic, Chicago, IL *
05/05 - Majestic, Detroit, MI *
05/06 - Sound Academy, Toronto, ON *
05/07 - Town Ballroom, Buffalo, NY *
05/09 - House Of Blues, Boston, MA *
05/10 - Terminal 5, New York, NY *
05/11 - Union Transfer, Philadelphia, PA *
05/12 - 9:30 Club, Washington, DC *
05/14 - Buckhead Theater, Atlanta, GA *
05/15 - Marathon Music Works, Nashville, TN *
05/17 - House of Blues, Houston, TX *
05/18 - Stubb's, Austin, TX *
05/19 - Granada, Dallas, TX *
05/21 - Crescent, Phoenix, AZ
05/22 - Casbah, San Diego CA
05/23 - Echo, Los Angeles, CA
05/25 - Sasquatch Festival, The Gorge, WA
05/29 - Lincoln Hall, Chicago, LA
05/30 - Mercury Lounge, New York, NY
* supporting M83.
Norwegian indierockers The Megaphonic Thrift will be spending a lot of time on the road over the next few months:
01/31 - Lexington, London (UK)
02/01 - Old Blue Last, London (UK)
02/03 - Logen, Bergen (NOR)
02/04 - Flytten, Haugesund (NOR)
02/09 - Trashpop, Kristiansand (NOR)
02/10 - Glassmagasinet, Horten (NOR)
02/11 - John Dee, oslo (NOR)
02/18 - Klubben, Trondheim (NOR)
02/22 - Bingon, Lillehammer (NOR)
02/24 - Parkbiografen, Skien (NOR)
02/25 - Kroa (Viko), Bø (NOR)
03/06 - Gless 22, Munster (GER)
03/07 - Gebaude 9, Køln (GER)
03/08 - Botanique, Brussel (BEL)
03/09 - Prince Albert, Brighton (UK)
03/11 - Ruby Lounge, Manchester (UK)
03/12 - Brudenell Social Club, Leeds (UK)
03/13 - Rainbow, Birmingham (UK)
03/16 - Le Divan Du Monde, Paris, Frankrike
03/17 - Manufaktur, Schorndorf (GER)
03/20 - Atomic Cafe, Munchen (GER)
03/21 - B72, Wien (AUS)
03/22 - Eldorado, Zurich (CH)
03/24 - Mattatio Culture Club, Carpi (ITA)
03/26 - Beatpol, Dresden (GER)
03/27 - Privat Club, Berlin (GER)
03/28 - Molotow, Hamburg (GER)
03/29 - Loppen, København (DK)
A new tune from Norwegian artist Simen Tangen off his upcoming record "Fall/1998". There's a release party at Blå in oslo on Friday, February 3.
Check out a sample clip from the upcoming film "oslo Jazzed Out" featuring saxophonist Håkon Kornstad performing "Symphonies in my head". Other performers to be featured in the production include Bugge Wesseltoft, Nils Peter Molvaer and Tord Gustavsen, among others.
Various ArtistsFifth signature compilation from the very cool Oslo-based label , celebrating their five years of existence and a variety and diversity of styles. The label's ability to act as an umbrella collective works when the sum of so many contrasting creative devices, at times, outweigh some particulars -- but in the spirit of camaraderie, we're not here to pick those out. Experimental yet smart, the label is a solid example of successful DIY'ing in today's world. The comp could probably roughly grouped into categories: quirky-electronic-based tracks (Hans Ice - "Phone home" / satanicpronocultshop - "Tennnojizoo (remix by Kesalan Patharan)", Toshybot - "Super Nintendo Chalmers"); 80s synth-pop tunes in the vibe of Bill Murray on a karaoke dance-floor (Cyranoarmageddon - "50 cent" / Pilemil - "Back to 1010"); nods to Can (Radio 9 - "Damo Suzuki is staying at my house"); literary freak folk star Magnus Moriarty with, "Distant athletic parts of you" and other serious folk-ies (Yoreyolk - "Eggs" / Feather and Folly - "Emma's island"). My two favourite tracks however, are Hanny - "Can't", female fronted rapping/vocals producing some catchy beats. Then Easy & Center of the Universe - "Bosphorus (Coco high energy rewerk)", mixing the "irresistibly funky sound of Skweee with rich Eastern melodies that one would usually hear in styles like Turkish Anatolian pop, Egyptian our music or dance latest dance sound pounding from a Persian bazaar." If that ain't descript enough for you, let's just say it sounds like the parents have finally reigned home and inundated the kids with who's boss. A comp highly recommended for anyone wanting an appealing taster through Oslo's underground.
- Ann Sung-an Lee
Norwegian sludgerockers Årabrot will be hitting the road once more in February:
02/13 - Sonic Ballroom, Cologne (GER)
02/14 - Zorro, Leipzig (GER)
02/15 - Scheune, Dresden (GER)
02/16 - Hirscheneck, Basel (CH)
02/17 - Kapu, Linz (AUS)
02/18 - Sentrum Scene, oslo (NOR) w/Mayhem
02/20 - Glockenbachwerkstatt, Munich (GER)
02/22 - Stag and Hounds, Bristol (UK)
02/24 - The Unicorn, London (UK)
02/25 - Islington Mill, Manchester (UK)
02/26 - Bannermans, Edinburgh (UK)
02/27 - 13th Note, Glasgow (UK)
02/28 - Royal Park Cellars, Leeds (UK)
The nominees for the 2011 Spellemannprisen, the Norwegian Grammy, have been announced and here are a few hightlighted categories:
Female artist:
Ane Brun - "It All Starts With One"
Hilde Marie Kjersem - "Let's Let Go"
Marit Larsen - "Spark"
Siri Nilsen - "Alle Snakker Sant"
Male Artist:
Bernhoft - "Solidarity Breaks"
Jonas Alaska - "Jonas Alaska"
Odd Nordstoga - "Bestevenn"
Sivert Høyem - "Long Slow Distance"
Pop Group:
Eva & The Heartmaker - "Dominoes"
Katzenjammer - "A Kiss Before You Go"
Montée - "Rendition Of You"
Real Ones - "First Night On Earth"
Team Me - "To The Treetops!"
Rock:
Honningbarna - "La Alarmane Gå"
John Olav Nilsen & Gjengen - "Det Nærmeste Du Kommer"
Kaizers Orchestra - "Violeta Violeta Vol. 1"
oslo Ess - "Uleste Bøker Og Utgåtte Sko"
Rumble In Rhodos - "Signs Of Fervent Devotion"
Metal:
Insense - "Burn In Beautiful Fire"
Shining - "Live Blackjazz"
Taake - "Noregs Vaapen"
Vreid - "V"
Årabrot - "Solar Anus"
Electronica:
Biosphere - "N-Plants"
Bugge Wesseltoft & Henrik Schwarz - "Wesseltoft Schwarz Duo"
Casiokids - "Aabenbaringen Over Aaskammen"
Hip-hop:
Joddski - "Bensin På Bålet"
Lars Vaular - "Du Betyr Meg"
Son Of Light - "War Of The Worlds"
Folk/Traditional:
Hekla Stålstrenga - "Makramé"
Juusk - "Juusk"
Ragnhild Furebotten - "Never On A Sunday"
Øystein Sandbukt - "Normør"
Jazz:
Helge Lien Trio - "Natsukashii"
Håkon Kornstad - "Symphonies In My Head"
Mats Eilertsen - "Skydive"
Nils Petter Molvær - "Baboon Moon"
Ola Kvernberg - "Liarbird"
Open Class:
Bárut - Inga Juuso - "Balggis"
Biret Ristin Sara - "Áidnen"
Fargespill - "Fargespill"
Skáidi - "Headland - Skáidegeahci"
Susanne Lundeng - "Mot"
Lyrics:
Jonas Alaska - "Jonas Alaska"
Lars Vaular - "Du Betyr Meg"
Maria Mena - "Viktoria"
Martin Hagfors - "I Like You"
Odd Nordstoga - "Bestevenn"
Composer:
Ane Brun - "It All Starts With One"
Hilde Marie Kjersem - "Let's Let Go"
Marit Larsen - "Spark"
Rolf Wallin/Lundeng/Torjesen/Bodø Symfonietta/Eggen - "Wire And String"
Synne Skouen - "Call-Notes"
Newcomer/Gramostipend:
Honningbarna - "La Alarmane Gå"
Jonas Alaska - "Jonas Alaska"
Ragnhild Hemsing - "Yr"
Razika - "Program 91"
Team Me - "To The Treetops!"
Read more: http://www.spellemann.no/index.php?option=com_winner&Itemid=29&year=2011
, the stellar in-house label of oslo's likewise excellent Tiger Records Shop, has a nice new website: http://www.fysiskformat.no/
They are also taking a poll as to everyone's favorite release which will also enter you in a raffle to win 5 free albums of your choosing: http://fysiskformat.tigernet.no/wp_ff/poll/
