Delusions of Adequacy review spacerockers Øresund Space Collective: https://www.adequacy.net/2009/04/%c3%b8resund-space-collective-good-planets-are-hard-to-find/
Also covered, the new Doctors & Dealers record "Lost friends and newfound habits": https://www.adequacy.net/2009/04/doctors-dealers-lost-friends-and-newfound-habits/
Three Scandinavian artists reviewed at The Silent Ballet today:
Jasper TX/Anduin - The bending of light
Svarte Greiner - Man bird dress + Anduin split
Jeniferever - Spring tides
Compute + LiechtensteinBerlin's small scene of twee-lovers came together last Wednesday to enjoy a six-band bill including two upcoming Scandinavian bands. After semi-interesting German opener Skirt and charming British band Horovitz, Swedish electronic artist Compute took the stage. Their minimal setup -- singer/composer Ulrika at drum machine and iPod supported by Liechtenstein's singer Renée at keyboards -- contrasted with the more traditional instrumentation of the other five bands. Compute went on to deliver their version of typical contemporary Swedish-pop where cheap-sounding synthesizers and analogue pre-programmed drums are combined with somewhat hysteric, slightly off-key Knife-ish singing. Somehow, their performance seemed unnecessarily restrained though, as if held back by the typical twee shyness surrounding them on this evening. The second Scandinavian band of the night, indiepop trio Liechtenstein from Göteborg, then topped the bill after the crowd had enjoyed very pleasant sets from Australian indie-darlings The Motifs and The Crayon Fields. Liechtenstein actually seemed to be a much better pick for the night than Compute -- people in the half-full club couldn't help moving and dancing to their mixture of mid-eighties indiepop with a few punk influences thrown in. For me, it was especially the driving bass-playing that made Liechtenstein more than just a simple retro-act. Not that I would mind the retroness of it though, in fact, I am actually glad sometimes that my knowledge of "classic" eighties indiepop is small enough so that I can still enjoy such charming current bands without catching all the obvious references to earlier songs and sounds.
- Arnulf Köhncke
The Silent Ballet reviews the new Shogun Kunitoki record "Vinonaamakasio": https://thesilentballet.com/dnn/Home/tabid/36/ctl/Details/mid/384/ItemID/2327/Default.aspx
Peace In Our TimeThe other day, while walking down the street, I caught myself with one of the songs from Peace In Our Time's debut album "A glimpse of happiness" in my head. Given all the background noise of everyday life here in Berlin, that's quite a compliment to give. Still, I've had a hard time to "connect" with the album's 15 songs. Aesthetically, the acoustic strumming, the vintage drum-computer beats, and the effortless singing by one-man bandleader Johan Regner easily appeal to anyone who likes a modern take on "classic" indiepop. It's the content that made the difference for me, though: While Johan obviously has quite a talent for producing catchy melodies (and seemingly is a very productive songwriter as well), the lyrics are a bit too direct and unimaginative at times. I might sound harsh to criticize someone's lyrics like this but, as always in pop-music, this can only be a matter of personal taste. For me, the record's lyrical deficiencies make it shift from potential hit to background music, which is a shame given all the melodic potential it contains. I'm left hoping that maybe Peace In Our Time's next record will lyrically be on par with this promising tunefullness. But then again, maybe Johan's lyrical style just isn't mine, who knows.
- Arnulf Köhncke
Time Out NY weighs in on Ingebrigt Håker Flaten and Håkon Kornstad's duo performance in Brooklyn last Friday: https://www3.timeoutny.com/newyork/thevolume/2009/04/ingebrigt-haker-flaten-and-hakon-kornstad-at-monkey-town/
WolfbrigadeWolfbrigade continues their d-beat odyssey with a record so intense that it will definitely convince those who still cling to the band's much idolized Wolfpack era to reconsider the result of their transformation. Although, "transformation" might be a strong word for explaining the band's musical reconfiguration which became increasingly apparent in "In darkness you feel no regrets" and "A d-beat odyssey", it is at least useful to understand why some diehard fans were highly disappointed with the post-2000 records of the Wolves. "Comalive", released only a year after the band's somewhat mediocre reunion album "Prey to the world", brilliantly combines the blistering speed and ferocity of the Wolfpack years with the terrific melodic precision of the new era. Contrary to the previous Wolfbrigade outputs which were dominantly composed of mid-tempo d-beat songs ("Progression/Regression" may be considered as an exception to this aspect), "Comalive" is remarkably faster and has a strikingly powerful production. The band retains its characteristic cold, metallic edge and the quality production adds up to the record being the band's strongest release since "Allday hell". From the blazing opener "In adrenaline" to anthemic "Skulls of doom" and rifftastic "Barren dreams", "Comalive" irrefutably proves that Wolfbrigade is still as good as they used to be ten years ago.
- Burak Tansel
Dusted on the international release of Wildbirds & Peacedrums sophomore album "The snake": https://www.dustedmagazine.com/reviews/4927
All About Jazz reviews the Ingebrigt Håker Flaten/Håkon Kornstad show from Brooklyn, NY on Friday: https://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/news.php?id=33846
JJ, the latest single from label Sincerely Yours, makes it into the Pitchfork track reviews: https://pitchfork.com/reviews/tracks/11180-my-life-my-swag/
Champagne RiotSomewhere between the melodic realms of The Radio Dept. and Sambassadeur's "Migration" exists Champagne Riot's contribution to the Scandinavian electropop scene. The production is fantastic, the voice resting perfectly amongst the swells of synthesizers and the hammering of programmed drums, and the songwriting is usually quite solid, producing interesting twists and turns down alleys and avenues not necessarily expected, all without sacrificing the melodic core of the music... Unfortunately, "Paris and I" treads very little new ground. "Before we wave goodbye" wouldn't feel too out of place on "Lesser matters", opener "Scandinavian warfare" echoes the driving, orchestral pop of Sambassadeur's latest effort; in fact there's very little to be found on "Paris and I" that one can confidently label unique. This said, Champagne Riot do not come off as mere imitators and have actually produced a rather entertaining collection of songs. The band's main failing is that they try to burrow into the exact same part of your heart that other acts have already established residence within.
- Lars Garvey Laing-Peterson
Pitchfork has a track review of "Anchor made of gold" by Jenny Wilson: https://pitchfork.com/reviews/tracks/11176-anchors-made-of-sand/
ÖrnsbergMagnus Carlson sure is whoring himself out these days; I don't know how else to explain his various appearances on records such as Trummor & Orgel's "Cannonball sessions" and now this. Whatever happened to less is more? At least Magnus' voice raises the level here as opposed to that other example (let us never speak of it again). His contribution to "Weekend lights" is a highlight on this decent, but ultimately forgettable record. Örnsberg (aka artist Johan Ragnarsson) strikes me as a slightly less-indie The Tough Alliance: similar mid-fi techno, but without the art-school hangups and West Coast vibe. He's got good songwriting instincts and an okay voice, but he lacks character and attitude and that's something TTA has in spades (for better or worse). Too cool, too reserved and just way too Stockholm.
- Avi Roig
PopMatters reviews I Was A King's self-titled international release: https://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/72109-i-was-a-king-i-was-a-king/
Cokemachineglow reviews the new Andreas Tilliander ambient album "Persona" released under his Mokira moniker: https://www.cokemachineglow.com/record_review/4429/mokira-persona-2009