Festival report: Hultsfred 08 (pt. I)

MP3: Firefox AK - Once I was like you

Assuming my trip goes as-planned, I arrive in Stockholm this afternoon and hope to have a few hours to wander around before heading to Kafé 44 to see Firefox AK, something I am incredibly stoked about. You see, I've met Mme. Andrea Kellerman before, but I've never seen her perform live and I'm really, really excited to see her in a small venue pre-Hultsfred. Actually, in all honesty, I'm really only going to Stockholm to see Bess Kellerman (look for her cameo in the video for today's mp3 selection), but I figure that if Andrea and husband Rasmus (aka Tiger Lou) are there too, it's a bonus. So yeah, good times await! See you there?

Firefox AK - Once I was like you

Here's the playlist for this week's radio show (Hultsfred special):

01. Familjen - Huvudet i sanden
02. TALK 1
03. Säkert! - Vi kommer att dö samtidigt
04. Robyn - Cobrastyle
05. Håkan Hellström - Kär i en ängel
06. TALK 2
07. Those Dancing Days - Dischoe
08. Mustasch - I hunt alone
09. Johnossi - Party with my pain
10. The Process - Mot Sverige i tiden
11. TALK 3
12. Raised Fist - Breaking me up
13. Firefox AK - Once I was like you (Markus Guentner remix)
14. Dreamboy - Pay attention
15. TALK 4
16. Miss Li - Miss Li
17. Markus Krunegård - Jag är en vampyr
18. Timo Räisänen - My valentine
19. TALK 5
20. The Hives - You dress up for Armageddon

Reminder: my show on Sirius Left of Center (channel 26) is now on Sundays at 11pm ET with repeats on Monday.

Firefox AK and Tellevika have once again collaborated on new material and you can hear the result at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/tellevika
Sounds amazing, as always.

Check out Firefox AK's brand new video for her latest single "Once I was like you": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sx4adyUVhZI

Here's the playlist for this past weekend's radio show:

01. Pluxus - Bootstrap
02. TALK 1
03. Marit Bergman - Straight into my lovers arms
04. Grande Roses - Dead town
05. Mikko Singh - Rauha
06. TALK 2
07. Namur - Draw us near
08. Lapko - Sawyer the brother
09. Paper - To her
10. TALK 3
11. Johnossi - Train song
12. Markus Krunegård - Rocken spelar ingen roll längre
13. Printer - You need to
14. TALK 4
15. Firefox AK - Once I was like you (Boeoes Kaelstigen remix)
16. Aerial - Time is on fire
17. Sahara Hotnights - Visit to Vienna
18. TALK 5
19. Siena Root - Time will tell
20. Kristofer Åström - I collect knives
21. Anna Ternheim - Better be
22. TALK 6
23. Anna Leong - Guollotine
24. Folie - Krogg
25. Hearts of Black Science - Empty city lights
26. TALK 7
27. Inuit - En förlorad generation
28. The Psyke Project - Dark halls red floors
29. Memento Mori - Epilog
30. TALK 8
31. The Bear Quartet - Lights out, sound off
32. Fun - I know Ted Kennedy
33. Johan Heltne - Hjärta. Instinkt. Principer.
34. TALK 9
35. Lama - Bussi
36. Niccokick - Love & neon lights
37. Little Jimmy Reeves - Drowsy dogs
38. C.Aarmé - Visions
39. TALK 10
40. No Privacy - Blood over Denmark

Reminder: my show on Sirius Blog Radio runs Saturdays at 12 noon and midnight ET on channel 26 (Left of Center).

Boeoes Kaelstigen are offering up their remix of the new Firefox AK single "Once I was like you" as a free download: http://boeoeskaelstigen.co.uk/?p=56
Well worth checking out if you ask me.

MP3: Sophie Rimheden - Happy

The tracks on the new Sophie Rimheden album with all the guest spots from Sweden's current crop of "hot" rappers (Adam Tensta, Form One, Aaron Phiri, etc.) only serve to distract from the better tracks on the album that are all her own. Actually, that's not 100% true as the lead single "Go away" is dece, but I really do like her own solo tracks best. Case in point: "Happy". Fun like a carnival, sharp like cheddar and, uh, infectious like a cold. Or something like that. Anyhow, it does what it needs to do which is attempt to reinforce Rimheden's place as Sweden's reigning electropop queen. A couple years ago she had that honor down solid, these days competition is fierce - Firefox AK and Karin Ström ain't no slouches. Watch your back!

Sophie Rimheden - Happy

All the tracks from the new Firefox AK single "Once I was like you" (together w/Laid + remixes, see here for details) are now streaming on myspace: http://www.myspace.com/firefoxak
Very recommended!

Here's this week's radio show playlist:

01. Desert Planet - Riot sector 68
02. TALK 1
03. Grande - We did it all
04. Sara Berg - Crawl back from under
05. Dialog Cet - Buckfighter
06. TALK 2
07. Doktor Kosmos - Doktor Kosmos släpper en skiva
08. Halph - Weight
09. Bright Oak - The undertow
10. TALK 3
11. Juvelen - They don't love you
12. Frivolvol - Take it from the beginning
13. Little Jimmy Reeves - Sidetracked
14. TALK 4
15. Keith Canisius - Omorose
16. The Kid - Mayhem troopers
17. Lognhalsmottagningen - Bodybuilder
18. Markus Krunegård - Rocken spelar ingen roll längre
19. TALK 5
20. Firefox AK - Techno tears
21. Biker Boy - April song (Mr Bananas remix)
22. Thomas Denver Jonsson - Saved by the bell
23. TALK 6
24. Nina Kinert - Pets & friends
25. Familjen - Hög luft
26. Brainbombs - Down in the gutter
27. TALK 7
28. Anders Persson och Carl Smith - Morgonsol i April
29. Abduktio - Uutisia rintamalta
30. Nordvargr - Rektal B
31. Karin Holmberg + hab - Who we are
32. TALK 8
33. Lapko - Killer whales
34. Madrugada - Lift me
35. Kristofer Åström & Hidden Truck - What I came here for
36. TALK 9
37. Sambassadeur - Subtle changes
38. Dreamboy - What have I done
39. The Tough Alliance - Lucky
40. TALK 10
41. Logh - Saturday nightmares

The new Firefox AK single "Once I was like you" comes out on May 7 and will include a new version written together with Swedish techno duo Laid (aka Zoo Brazil) as well as b-side remixes from Boeoes Kaelstigen, Kwato and Marcus Guentner. Hear the original album version at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/firefoxak

Podcast: Q108

Firefox AK
If I were a melody
Razzia Records

The recent hyper-popularity of bands like Justice and MGMT has proven that electronica is now a serious player in the music industry, not only with the indie crowd, but the major label industry as well. Firefox AK has been in the game a few years, garnering attention throughout Scandinavia, the British Isles, and Europe, obviously not to the extent of Swedish comrades such as The Knife, but making an impact nonetheless. The follow up to "Madame, madame", "If I were a melody" again proves that Andrea Kellerman has a unique knack for electronic music: bridging the gap between the dancefloor bound compositions and the more contemplative creations by acts such as The Radio Dept. and Junior Boys (whose Matt Didemus mixed "If I were a melody"). "The river" is one of the finest tracks Firefox AK has ever produced, and first single "Winter rose", with husband and consistent collaborator Rasmus Kellerman (better known as Tiger Lou), demonstrates the range of this album, focusing the synth-driven craftsmanship into a more popular vein. An extremely consistent artist, you probably didn't need too much reassurance that Firefox AK's newest effort was worth a small investment - but, in case you did: "If I were a melody" is a fine album.
- Lars Garvey Laing-Peterson

Here's the playlist for this week's radio show:

01. Frivolvol - Out come the knives
02. TALK 1
03. Lapko - Dead disco
04. Gentle Touch - Once you used to
05. Pellarin - Whistle like you're 56
06. TALK 2
07. Björn Kleinhenz - Light of love
08. Pascal - Smärtsillande
09. Ljudbilden & Piloten - Weddings
10. TALK 3
11. Margaret Berger - Samantha
12. Doughnuts - Become one
13. Kusowsky - Jonny
14. NEI - The devil
15. TALK 4
16. Happiness - Loot at that rabbit go!
17. Firefox AK - Pushing
18. Fattaru - Hörde jag skål
19. TALK 5
20. Britta Persson - Cliffhanger
21. Grizzly Twister - Black box
22. The Social Services - Baltic Sea
23. TALK 6
24. Montys Loco - Criminal
25. Fontän - Alla kan se dig
26. Animal Alpha - Pin you all
27. TALK 7
28. Astrid Swan - Spartan picnic
29. Barra Head - Undermine
30. Fun - 2:22men
31. TALK 8
32. Ted Gärdestad - Oh, vilken härlig dag
33. Christian Kjellvander - Poppies and peonies
34. Echo Is Your Love - Lion tamer vs tigers
35. TALK 9
36. I Am Bones - Home is the one corner of hell that didn't catch fire
37. Miss Li - I'm sorry, he's mine
38. The Deer Tracks - YesThisIsMyBrokenShield
39. TALK 10
40. Entombed - Damn deal done

Here's the playlist for this week's radio show:

01. Figurines - The wonder
02. TALK 1
03. CS Nielsen - Happy
04. Superfamily - Teens of the 70s
05. Winter Took His Life - Oh
06. TALK 2
07. Frivolvol - Out come the knives
08. Bogus Blimp - Untitled jazz no. 1
09. Firefox AK - Pushing
10. TALK 3
11. Disfear - Get it off
12. Biker Boy - March song (Kalle J remix)
13. Eskju Divine - Darkness all around
14. TALK 4
15. Dogday - New romance
16. Mew - Am I wry? No
17. Det Är Jag Som Är Döden - Hello!
18. TALK 5
19. Familjen - Huvudet i sanden
20. Darkthrone - Skald av Satans sol
21. Caesars Palace - (I'm gonna) Kick you out
22. TALK 6
23. Lack - Behead
24. Bertine Zetlitz - Fake your beauty
25. Hebosagil - Old prophet
26. TIAC - OTW
27. TALK 7
28. Marybell Katastrophy - Hip
29. Strip Music - Never die
30. The Social Services - Electric brae
31. TALK 8
32. At the Gates - All life ends (live)
33. Fireside - Jupiter
34. Ulver - Funebre
35. Paper - They're gonna keep me
36. TALK 9
37. Convoj - Cultural legacy
38. Maia Hirasawa - Still June
39. Silverbullit - Run
40. TALK 10
41. Massgrav - Vuxenliv