PopMatters reviews Kimono

Better late than never, PopMatters reviews Icelandic act Kimono and their excellent album "Easy music for difficult people": http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/138744-kimono-easy-music-for-difficult-people/

Top tens for 2010: It's a Trap!

Sirius playlist week #41

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

01. The Scrags - In the devil's hands
02. TALK 1
03. Boeoes Kaelstigen - Desolate view
04. Johnossi - Roscoe
05. Kimono - Tomorrow
06. TALK 2
07. Fun - Here comes the ugly man
08. Kite - Hexx
09. Mother of the Forest - Bränna broar
10. Mother of the Forest - Vid berget
11. TALK 3
12. Non Tiq - QUiet
13. Dead Letters Spell Out Dead Words - I could have sworn I heard them SING
14. Enslaved - Raidho
15. TALK 4
16. Säkert! - Riot
17. Kristofer Åström - Devil
18. Sweatmaster - Calling Satan, let me in
19. Mercyful Fate - Black funeral
20. TALK 5
21. Lighthouse Project - Lust for lie

Reminder: my show airs every week on Sundays and Mondays at 11pm ET on Sirius XMU. That's channel 26 on Sirius, 43 on XM and 831 for DirecTV subscribers.

Sirius playlist week #39

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

01. Simian Ghost - Beat on the brat
02. TALK 1
03. End of All - Folkhemmet
04. In These Woods - Bear
05. The Bells - Outside
06. Britta Persson - Some girls some boys
07. TALK 2
08. Kråkesølv - Nordavind mot varme kinn
09. Tomas Halberstad - The pendulum swings again
10. WhoMadeWho - Left hand of the boxser
11. TALK 3
12. Säkert! - Köttet är svagt
13. Next Life - Battle tactics
14. Kaka - Candyman
15. The Fine Arts Showcase - Spanish kerosene
16. TALK 4
17. Kimono - Black
18. Axe - Up against common sense
19. NNDC - Mouthful of diamonds
20. Slöa Knivar - Anticimex
21. Enforcer - Take me to hell
22. TALK 5
23. Ikons - Imperiet

Reminder: my show airs every week on Sundays and Mondays at 11pm ET on Sirius XMU. That's channel 26 on Sirius, 43 on XM and 831 for DirecTV subscribers.

MP3: Kimono - Vienna

I don't get the chance to enthuse about much Icelandic music because, from my standpoint, most of the stuff that escapes those shores tends to be in the cinematic/ambient/postrock vein ala Sigur Rós or whatever, and while I've got nothing against it, it just doesn't do much for me. There are exceptions (there are always exceptions), but they are rare. Unfortunately for an act like Kimono, the press sheet for the US release of their latest album "Easy music for difficult people" touts them as a mathrock band which is a huge disservice because, in fact, they have far more in common with DC post-hardcore or other like-minded acts such as Barra Head. They certainly have the chops to be a math band if they chose that route, as you will hear in "Vienna"'s solo section, but never do they overwhelm with technicality. The emphasis is always on melodies and mood and while, yes, the rhythm section does take its twists and turns (further spotlighted by the thankfully sparse recording), non-musicians will not care. All in all, a quite nice and understated record that's been getting lots of regular play over here. More like this, please!

Kimono - Vienna

Sirius playlist week #37

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

01. Night Minutes - Sweetheart of the funeral
02. TALK 1
03. Korova Station - Come on come on
04. Okkultokrati - Stench of life
05. Johan G Winther - Chasing kingdoms
06. Kimono - Vienna
07. TALK 2
08. SONMOI - The man with no flesh
09. Phonophani - Neverdal
10. Kausal - The conquistador
11. TALK 3
12. Vowels - oiaå
13. The Bear Quartet - We're not gonna make it
14. Säkert! - Rotary
15. Slöa Knivar - Stay dirty
16. TALK 4
17. Slöa Knivar - Hjärtat
18. Menfolk - Skeletons
19. Asha Ali - Hurricane
20. Tiger Tape - She is fiction
21. TALK 5

Reminder: my show airs every week on Sundays and Mondays at 11pm ET on Sirius XMU. That's channel 26 on Sirius, 43 on XM and 831 for DirecTV subscribers.

Icelandic act Kimono will be touring the UK and Europe in February and March to support the release of their sophomore album "Arctic death ship", due out February 10 on Icelandic label Smekkleysa aka Bad Taste (not the Swedish one).

Updated tourdates for Björn Kleinhenz:

12/05 - Blue Shell, Cologne w/Kimono, Mercer
12/06 - Gleis 22, Münster w/Nice Man & The Bad Boys, Daniel Benjamin
12/07 - Merlin, Recklinghausen
12/08 - Juz, Leer
12/09 - Jfz der Club, Haldensleben w/Chikan
12/10 - Projekt 7, Magdeburg w/Tiger Lou
12/11 - UT Connewitz, Leipzig w/Nice Man & The Bad Boys, Daniel Benjamin
12/12 - NBI, Berlin w/Rainer Maria
12/13 - Gasthaus Vorstadt, Wien
12/15 - Südstadt, München
12/16 - Salon Elitaer, Kassel w/Nice Man & The Bad Boys, Daniel Benjamin
12/17 - tba
12/18 - Kuppel, Basel w/Whysome
12/19 - Club Carambolage, Karlsruhe

The lineup for the Iceland Airwaves festival in October has been announced: http://www.icelandairwaves.com/news.asp?newsID=59&pageID=14
Scandinavian artists include The (International) Noise Conspiracy, Annie and José González along with local Icelandic acts Nine Elevens, Ampop, Apparat Organ Quartet, Bang Gang, Brain Police, Deep Jimi, Dr. Discoshrimp, Dikta, Eberg, Forgotten Lores, Gus Gus, Hairdoctor, Hjálmar, Jagúar, Jan Mayen, Leaves, Kimono, Mínus, Rass, Sign, Ske, Vinyl and Without Gravity.