German label Sounds of Subterrania is putting out a 12" EP from Swedish postpunk act Holiday Fun Club featuring a cover of the Grauzone song "Eisbär" along with two new tracks. 300 copies, white vinyl.

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

01. Timo Räisänen - Sixteen
02. TALK 1
03. Dreamboy - What have I done
04. Echo Is Your Love - Three ropes
05. The Raveonettes - Dead sound
06. TALK 2
07. Connny Nimmersjö - Dum i huvudet
08. Holiday Fun Club - Hamburg in the night
09. Elin Ruth Sigvardsson - Antidote
10. TALK 3
11. Christian Kjellvander - Two souls
12. Heroes & Zeros - The foolproof
13. Gåte - Sjå attende
14. TALK 4
15. Repoman - Chemically obsessed
16. The Soundtrack of Our Lives - Instant Repeater '99
17. Petter - Logiskt (ft. Säkert)
18. TALK 5
19. Dieter Schöön - Warm hearts
20. Springfactory - Stingy Friday afternoon
21. Sivert Høyem - Don't pass me by
22. TALK 6
23. Sweatmaster - Song with no words
24. Enslaved - Enemy I
25. The Concretes - Kids
26. TALK 7
27. Broder Daniel - Cruel town
28. September - Cry for you
29. Britta Persson - Cliffhanger
30. TALK 8
31. TLS - A song left for you
32. The End Will Be Kicks - Ass of a friend
33. Immanu El - Kosmonaut
34. TALK 9
35. Fare You Well - Deceiving eyes
36. Weeping Willows - So it's over
37. Firefox AK - Winter rose (ft. Tiger Lou)
38. TALK 10
39. Scraps of Tape - Death as it should be

Holiday Fun Club
s/t
Sounds of Subterrania

I remember the day post-punk clicked for me. For the majority of my teenage years I was unable to truly understand its tortuous analyses of self or others, nor the frantic, paranoid pace of these observances. Then it clicked. First Joy Division, then the dam broke, and my life has been far richer for it.

Holiday Fun Club not only sound like an authentic 80s post-punk band (with the obvious exception of certain bits of production, but for the most part the drums, stringy guitars, and bass are spot on), but feel like one, too. I criticized Kamera earlier this year for only mastering the sound of the 80s, but not the soul of the music they replicate. This is not the case for Holiday Fun Club. There is that strange detachment that Gang of Four effortlessly implemented, the empty longing that was distinctly a product of that era of music, complete with the oddities (namely amazingly discordant saxophone solos) that endear bands like Orange Juice to their fans. "Hamburg in the night" is an absolute delight - two minutes of dissonance and rapidity, all leaning on the self-destructive side, and barely able to hold itself together. "Holding my breath" takes a far darker, less focused approach, but succeeds just as well. "Save us" has a touch of New Order's more optimistic craftsmanship and has become my morning song over the past few weeks. There are flaws, just as with so many seminal albums from that time, but these add to the album's genuine sense of belonging in the great catalog of 80s post-punk. Definitely one of my favorite surprises of the year.
- Lars Garvey Laing-Peterson

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

01. Soviac - I got the ribbah
02. TALK 1
03. Downstairs - Peephole city
04. Moonbabies - At the ballroom
05. Tar... Feathers - You are lucky to have nothing
06. TALK 2
07. Truckfighters - Atomic
08. Jonas Kullhammar Quartet - Corny waltz
09. Mixtapes & Cellmates - Quiet
10. TALK 3
11. Norma - The dark
12. Karin Ström - Klaustrofobi
13. Vapnet - Tjernobyl
14. TALK 4
15. Montt Mardié - The windmill turns all the same
16. Motorpsycho - Hyena
17. Musti Laiton - Tämän iltainen
18. Holiday Fun Club - Hamburg in the night
19. TALK 5
20. Rigas - It's a shame
21. Repoman - Jawbone night
22. Iisole - The words
23. TALK 6
24. The Fine Arts Showcase - Modern love
25. Kasper Bjørke - Back & spine (Fidel Astro remix)
26. Promoe - Headache
27. TALK 7
28. Viola - Imaginary times
29. New Decade - While tonight still is
30. Promise and the Monster - Sheets
31. Trapdoor Fucking Exit - Choking on teeth
32. TALK 8
33. Totalitär - Nej vi ska inte ha nåt
34. Him Kerosene - Whatever get you by
35. The Social Services - Up in arms
36. Jens Lekman - The opposite of hallelujah
37. Boeoes Kaelstigen - Flir
38. TALK 9
39. Maia Hirasawa - And I found this boy

MP3: Holiday Fun Club - Hamburg in the night

Holiday Fun Club have got to be one of the most authentic sounding postpunk revival acts. Not the best, mind you, just the ones that sound the most like they recently awoke from a 25-year hibernation. Besides getting the guitar tones right on, they've also got that tightly wound, anxious feeling that's crucial for the genre. There's a paranoia that pervades everything, even a song about something as benign as going out for drinks in Hamburg. The skronky sax sure helps, too. Aside from a few subtle electronic flourishes in the background, if someone told me this came out in '81, I'd believe 'em. As a new release, that makes it good, not great. I appreciate the craftmanship and attention to detail, but why bother? Retro new wave is an oxymoron. Let's move forward!

Holiday Fun Club - Hamburg in the night