Danish artists Tobias Kippenberger (The Floor Is Made Of Lava), Sebastian Wolff (Kellermensch) and Simon Kvamm (Nephew/De Eneste To) are launching a new record label together called (In Our Name) and will be putting out Jonas Breum's (Coolsville/Breum) solo debut as their inaugural release. Look for the lead single "Fjendemin" to be released on January 30 with the rest of the album to come soon thereafter.
Well, this is disappointing: the website Svensk Musik is shutting down after one year of publishing a diverse array of content, both text and video: http://svenskmusik.org/tema/thank-you/
The nominees for the 2012 Manifest Awards, Sweden's alternative/indie Grammy, have been announced:
Folk/Ballad:
Marin/Marin – Småfolket ()
Merit Hemmingson – EQ ()
Navarra – Nya fönster ()
Siri Karlsson – Gran Fuego ()
Dance:
Skudge – Samlad årsproduktion ()
Jonsson/Alter – Samlad årsproduktion ()
The Field – Looping State of mind ()
Pallers – The Sea Of Memories ()
Punk:
Sju Svåra År – Storma varje hjärta ()
Obnoxious Youth – The Eternal Void ()
Vånna Inget – Allvar ()
Black Feet – Black Feet ()
Hip-Hop:
Mofeta & Jerre – Briljanter & Smaragder ()
Ison & Fille – För evigt ()
Mohammed Ali – Vi ()
Roffe Ruff – Barrabas ()
Experimental:
Hans Appelqvist – Sjunga slutet nu ()
Hanna Hartman – H ^ 2 ()
Ophir – Opus Operatum ()
Midaircondo feat. Michala Østergaard-Nielsen – Reports on the Horizon ()
Hardrock:
In Solitude – The World. The Flesh. The Devil ()
Opeth – Heritage ()
Terra Tenebrosa – The Tunnels ()
The Haunted – Unseen ()
Rhythm:
Syster Sol – Kichinga! ()
Simone Moreno – Planetas ()
Kapten Röd – Fläcken Som Aldrig Går Bort ()
OK Star Orchestra – The Beat and the Melody ()
Pop:
Azure Blue – Rule of thirds ()
Jonathan Johansson – Klagomuren ()
Korallreven – An album by Korallreven ()
Loney Dear – Hall Music ()
Rock:
Pascal/Mattias Alkberg – Allt det här ()
Kajsa Grytt – En kvinna under påverkan ()
Bob Hund - Det överexponerade gömstället ()
Tramp – Indigo ()
Synth:
Henric de la Cour – Henric de la Cour ()
Necro Facility – Wintermute ()
Mr Jones Machine – Monokrom ()
Covenant – Modern Ruin ()
Jazz:
Jonas Holgersson – Snick Snack ()
Parti & Minut – Från klart till halvklart ()
Priming Orchestra – Deep Blue ()
The Splendor – Delphian Palace ()
Best Unsigned:
Death By Armborst
Storskogen
Schizo and the Personalities
Farsta
Singer/Songwriter/Country/Americana:
Brothers of End – Mount Inside ()
Ane Brun – It All Start With One ()
Promise & the Monster – Red Tide ()
Lars Bygdén – Songs I Wrote ()
Best live act:
Kriget ()
This is Head ()
Graveyard ()
Mattias Alkberg ()
Interesting to see and dominating their respective niches. Winners will be announced on February 3 at a ceremony at Nalen in Stockholm. Read more: http://manifestgalan.se/manifestgalan-2012/nominerade/
The next Ja Ja Ja Scandinavian music showcase has been set for January 26 at The Lexington in London and will feature a very strong lineup including Giana Factory, Philco Fiction and Mirel Wagner. Full details: http://www.jajajamusic.com/index.php/2011/12/new-show-ja-ja-ja-w-giana-factory-philco-fiction-mirel-wagner/
The nominees for the 2012 Swedish Grammis have been announced:
Best Album:
Anna Ternheim - The Night Visitor
Deportees - Islands & Shores
Ison & Fille - För 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 - För 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 Öström - Thread Of Life
Nils Landgren - The Moon, The Stars And You
Tonbruket - Dig It To The End
Best Songwriter:
Anna Järvinen - Anna Själv Tredje
Anna Ternheim - The Night Visitor
Lykke Li, Björn Yttling & Rick Nowels - Wounded Rhymes
Melissa Horn - Innan Jag Kände Dig
Veronica Maggio/Christian Walz - Satan I Gatan
Best Song:
Avicii - Levels
Den Svenska Björnstammen - Vart Jag Mig I Världen Vänder
Eric Amarillo - Om Sanningen Ska Fram (Vill Du Ligga Med Mig?)
Eric Saade - Popular
Petter & September - Baksmälla
September - Mikrofonkåt
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 Jöback, Filmen Till Albumet "Livet, Kärleken Och Döden - 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 Björnstammen
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 Fröberg
Best Rock:
Deportees - Islands & Shores
Eldkvarn - De Berömdas Aveny
Kebnekajse - Idioten
Me And My Army - Thank God For Sending Demons
Samling - När Mullret Dövar Våra Öron Blir Vi Rädda
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 För Nyskilda
Melissa Horn - Innan Jag Kände Dig
Veronica Maggio/Christian Walz - Satan I Gatan
Best Innovator:
Avicii
Deportees
Erato
Looptroop Rockers
Veronica Maggio
More here: http://www.grammis.se/
Días Nórdicos 2011, the Nordic art and music festival in Spain this past September/October, was apparently a resounding success and now the event is looking to expand for their next edition in 2012 with more disciplines, more venues, more partners and eventually, more cities. Read the official report with highlights from 2011 as well as goals for 2012 right here: http://www.diasnordicos.com/dossier
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
More here, including voting info: http://www.sverigesradio.se/p3guld
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 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
Björk - Biophilia
Iceage - New brigade
Montée - Renditions of you
Anna Järvinen - Anna själv tredje
Goran Kajfes - X/Y
The Field - Looping state of mind
Read more: http://nordicmusicprize.com/eng/pages/1-nordic_music_prize_2011
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 Järvinen - Anna själv tredje
Deportees - Islands & shores
Veronica Maggio - Satan i gatan
Goran Kajfes - X/Y
Denmark:
Larsen & Furious Jane - Dolly
Michael Møller - 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
Röyhkä & 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:
Sóley - We Sink
Lay Low - Brostinn strengur
Ham - Svik, harmur og dauði
Sin Fang - Summer Echoes
ADHD - ADHD2
FM Belfast - Don’t Want To Sleep
Gus Gus - Arabian Horse
Mugison - Haglél
Björk - Biophilia
Apparat Organ Quartet - Pólýfónía
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
Montée - Renditions Of You
John Olav Nilsen og Gjengen - Det nærmeste 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.
The first round of nominees for this year's Emma Awards, the Finnish Grammy, have been announced: http://www.emmagaala.fi/fi/etusivu
The 12 nominees for the 2nd annual Nordic Music Prize will be announced on December 1 with the winner being crowned on February 16 at Kulturkirken Jakob in Oslo during by:Larm.
Svensk Musik regularly retweets my content (which is totally fine, don't get me wrong), but somehow didn't manage to add me to their newly-added Music Directory? See here: http://svenskmusik.org/music-directory/
Great service, by the way. Glad to see all that info in one easily-accessible place.
The first official confirmations for SXSW are out and Scandinavian artists on the list include Agent Fresco, Delay Trees, I Got You On Tape, Marit Larsen, Niki & The Dove, 120 Days, Team Me and Thulebasen. Read more: http://sxsw.com/node/9610
Ja Ja Ja is running a series of label profiles, starting with out of Iceland: http://www.jajajamusic.com/index.php/2011/10/best-nordic-record-labels-1-kimi-records-is/