The final batch of Swedish acts confirmed for the next Eurosonic Festival: Wildbirds & Peacedrums, Familjen, Hyacinth House, Slagsmålsklubben, Kleerup and Robyn. More info: https://www.noorderslag.nl/

Slagsmålsklubben on tour in the UK:

12/06 - Amersham Arms, London
12/07 - The Monto @ Water Rats, London
12/09 - Old Blue Last, London

Slagsmålsklubben's most recent, and generally underwhelming, album "Boss for leader" will get a digital release in the US on August 7 via Caroline Records/EMI.

Slagsmålsklubben
Boss for leader
Djur and Mir/Dolores

This is not the impression I have of those prankters in Slagsmålsklubben. Frej and Co. always equals party-startin' and joyful madness! Or they used to at least. "Boss for leader" shows a much darker and stern side of the lads originally from Norrköping, Östergötland. Although "Hänt" and "Malmö beach night party" resembles somewhat of the 'old' Slagsmålsklubben (with hits like "Övningsköra", "Wellington Sears" and "SMK hittar munspelet", all taken from "Den svenske disco", a great album), "Boss for leader" never really becomes that great album I'd hoped for. And that's a shame, since this was going to be their big introduction to the masses. "Boss for leader" just ain't a fair representation of the band. Not that I think the hardcore fans will ever care, to them (and me) Slagsmålsklubben will always be the band to start up parties and "Övningsköra" will always be the song on max volume on everybodys boombox on every festival you go to.
- Christian Stenbacke

The new single from Slagsmålsklubben will be "Sponsored by destiny" and will include a remix from Tomas Andersson as the b-side. It will be released digitally-only.

This week's top 20 Swedish album chart:

01. The Ark - Prayer for the weekend
02. Sofia Karlsson - Visor från vinden
03. Slagsmålsklubben - Boss for leader
04. Eldkvarn - Svart blogg
05. Jerry Williams - I can jive - Det bästa med Jerry Williams
06. Markoolio - Värsta Plattan
07. Nanne - Jag måste kyssa dig
08. Marie Lindberg - Trying to recall
09. Salem Al Fakir - This is who I am
10. Timbuktu - Oberoendeframkallande
11. Andreas Johnson - The collector
12. Sällskapet - Sällskapet
14. Sophie Zelmani - Memory loves you
15. Svante Thuresson - Svante Thuresson & vänner
16. Mauro Scocco - Ljudet av tiden som går
17. Maia Hirasawa - Though, I'm just me
18. Ingmar Nordströms - Ingmar Nordströms Saxpartyfavoriter
19. Lena Philipsson - Lena 20 år
20. Björn Rosenström - Ett Jubileum som är sådär....10 1/2 år

Salem Al Fakir and Slagsmålsklubben to perform live on the web. Read more: https://www.luger.se/_nyheter.asp?PK_Id=734 (in Swedish)

Swedish lo-fi electro act Slagsmålsklubben has revamped their website now that their new single "Malmö Beach night party" is out and a new album is on the way: https://smk.just.nu/

Dolores has signed bitpop pranksters Slagsmålsklubben. Look for a new album on April 11.

The nominees for the 2007 Manifest Awards, Sweden's alternative to the Grammy:

Hip-hop/R&B/Soul:
Up Hygh! - Venus - The Album (Raw Fusion/Border)
Ison & Fille - Stolthet (Hemmalaget/V2/BAM)
Supersci - Pinetrees On The Pavement (Flyphonic/Lights Out/Border)
Lazee - It Is What It Is (Skrilla Music)
Promoe - The White Mans Burden (Burning Heart/BAM)
Electronica/Post-rock/Synth:
Covenant - Skyshaper (Subspace Communications/Playground Music)
Ebb - Loona (Gaymonkey Records/Border)
FAP - Malekasino Dondolo (Stupid Dream Records/Musicspot)
System - Sample And Hold (Progress Productions/Border)
The Idealist - I Am The Fire (AA/Nosordo/dotshop.se)
Pop/Rock:
The Radio Dept. - Pet grief (Labrador/Border)
Nicolas Makelberge - Dying in Africa (*Rico/Border)
Fibes, Oh Fibes! - Emotional (Pluxemburg/Playground Music)
The Concretes - In Colour (Licking Fingers/Playground Music)
Ebba Forsberg - Ebba Forsberg (EBOTH Production/BAM)
Jazz:
My Engström Renman - Abdominous (Footprint Records/CDA)
Jonas Kullhammar Quartet - Son of a Drummer (Moserobie/BAM)
Oddjob – Luma (Amigo/BAM)
Oskar Schönning - Happy Jazz, Please (Amigo/BAM)
Lennart Åberg with Peter Erskine - Free Spirit (Amigo/BAM)
Singer/Songwriter:
Andreas Mattsson - The Lawlessness Of The Ruling Classes (Hybris/Playground Music)
Britta Persson - Top Quality Bones And A Little Terrorist (Amigo/BAM)
The Lancaster Orchestra - Never Cried Once When I Could Have (Rootsy.nu/Border)
Loney, Dear - Sologne (Dear John Recordings/Dotshop.se)
Nina Ramsby & Martin Hederos - Jazzen (Amigo/BAM)
Dance/House/Techno:
The Knife - Silent Shout (Rabid Records/Border)
Unai - A Love Moderne (Force Tracks/Intergroove)
Dibaba - samlad produktion 2006 (Plong!/Kompakt mfl)
Pluxus - Solid State (Pluxemburg/Playground Music)
The Studio - West Coast (Information/Border)
Hard-rock/Punk:
In Flames - Come Clarity (Nuclear Blast/Sound Pollution)
Fingerspitzengefühl - Happy Doomsday (Kooljunk Communications/CDA)
Asta Kask - En För Alla Ingen För Nån (Burning Heart/BAM)
Wolverine - Still (Candlelight Records/Sound Pollution)
Memfis - The Wind-Up (Dental Records/TMC Nordic)
Folk/World/Reggae
Bosse Skoglund – Groovesopor (Rub-a-dub Records/Border)
Göran Månsson - Mon (Nordic Tunes/CDA)
Bebo Valdés – Bebo (Calle 54/BMG Dist)
Lena Willemark - Älvdalens elektriska (Amigo/BAM)
Ranarim - Morgonstjärna (Drone/CDA)
Best live act:
The Radio Dept.
Mapei
The Knife
The Je Ne Sais Quoi
Slagsmålsklubben
Best newcomer:
Vapnet - Jag Vet Hur Man Väntar (Hybris/Playground)
Britta Persson - Top Quality Bones And A Little Terrorist (Amigo/BAM)
The Kid - La Société Nouvelle (Hybris/Playground)
Loney, Dear - Sologne (Dear John Recordings/Dotshop.se)
Lo-Fi-Fnk - Boylife (La Vida Locash/dotshop.se)
Best unsigned act (Digfi Prize):
The Wonderful Guinea Pigs (Linköping)
Denver Mod (Jönköping)
The Open Up And Bleeds (Stockholm)
Trucker Cleavage (Stockholm)
Ikons (Göteborg)

Live report: David & The Citizens + Laakso @ the Social, London UK 12/11/06

Swedish lo-fi electropop act Slagsmålsklubben is working on wrapping up a new album for release in late March.

Video mix: Superfamily, Bobby Baby, Slagsmålsklubben, Robyn, Turbonegro, more...

The good people at Djur and Mir want me to inform you that their new webstore is open for all your Slagsmålsklubben and 50hertz merch needs: https://www.djurandmir.se/
Listen to samples of both bands on myspace: www.myspace.com/slagsmalsklubben / https://www.myspace.com/50hertz

Longtime IAT favorites Desert Planet will be touring Germany in May and have posted a brand new mp3 to whet your appetite: https://personal.inet.fi/taide/junttila/desert/tourmay06/index.htm
Dates:

05/11 - Grüner Jäger, Hamburg w/Naomi Sample, The Go Go Ghosts
05/13 - Treibsand, Lübeck w/Räuberhöhle
05/14 - Asta-Wohnzimmer, Lüneburg w/Naomi Sample, The Go Go Ghosts
05/17 - Das Bett, Frankfurt/M
05/18 - K-19, Kassel
05/19 - Bastard Club, Berlin w/Slagsmålsklubben, Überraschungsact
05/20 - Popup Musikmesse, Leipzig