I don't think it's been officially announced yet, but Laakso has signed with V2 after two albums on Adrian Recordings.

Splendid reviews Laakso: http://www.splendidmagazine.com/review.html?reviewid=1106565760831696

Top 10s for 2004: Jason Christie

Laakso will be heading into the studio in January to record a new album.

Lost at Sea reviews Laakso and The Je Ne Sais Quoi:

Laakso - I miss you, I'm pregnant
Je Ne Sais Quoi - We make beginnings

Top 10s for 2004: Magnus Bjerkert (David & the Citizens)

Laakso on tour in Germany:

11/18 - Glocksee, Hannover (GER)
11/19 - Schilleroper, Hamburg (GER)
11/20 - Bastion, Bochum (GER)
11/21 - tbc (GER)
11/22 - Rosenkeller, Jena (GER)
11/24 - Moritzbastei, Leipzig (GER)
11/25 - Tanzklub Volkspark, Halle (GER)
11/26 - Clubmetropolitan, Traunstein (GER)
11/27 - tbc (GER)
11/28 - Rakete, Nürnberg (GER)
11/30 - Waldschloss, Potsdam (GER)
12/01 - Magnet, Berlin (GER)
12/02 - MS Stubnitz, Rostock (GER)
12/03 - Klex, Greifswald (GER)

The "Independent Sweden" compilation from US/Spanish label Fork Series is finally done, almost a year after it was first announced. Here's the tracklist:

01. David & The Citizens - "New Direction"
02. Niccokick - "Wasted Love"
03. Björn Kleinhenz - "Let's Try"
04. Thomas Denver Jonsson & The September Sunrise - "24 Seven"
05. Ane Brun - "Humming One Of Your Songs"
06. Adria - "Your Shift" *
07. Studio - "Down By The River"
08. Now - "Chin Up" *
09. Kid Commando - "Urban Bushman"
10. CDOASS - "Autovision"
11. Menteroja - "Ho Chi Minh Style"
12. Dr Higgins - "Jag Dansade Ett Liv" *
13. Laakso - "Fight The Fight
14. Celestine - "Beneath Your Sight…" *
15. Sandy Mouche - "Carkeys" *
16. Homeland - "Flood" *
17. Boy Omega - "I Might Not Be Real" *
18. Lemko Hall - "Those Are The Sundogs"
19. The Flu - "Little Friend" *
20. Det Gamla Landet - "Tolv Under" *

* Previously unreleased

Two Swedish reviews at Delusions of Adequacy today with both Laakso and Jens Lekman: http://www.adequacy.net/

Tons of Scandinavian stuff at High Bias this week:

Kings of Convenience: http://highbias.com/reviews/20040926_short1.html#KingsofConvenience
Laakso: http://highbias.com/reviews/20040926_short1.html#Laakso
Singapore Sling: http://highbias.com/reviews/20040926_short2.html#SingaporeSling
Carpathian Forest and Green Carnation on DVD: http://highbias.com/reviews/20040926_DVD.html
The Soundtrack of Our Lives at the Austin City Limits Music Festival: http://highbias.com/reviews/20040926_live.html (scroll to 9/18)

Here's the full tracklist for that "La la love you Pixies!" tribute comp coming out on Düsseldorf Recordings on October 13:

01. Doktor Kosmos - Distance Equals Rate Times Time
02. Mattias Alkberg BD - Here Comes Your Man
03. Hell On Wheels - Holiday Song
04. Quit Your Dayjob - Broken Face
05. Radius - Bird Dream Of The Olympus Mons (US/Zmrzlina side project)
06. Hamell On Trial - Monkey Gone To Heaven (US)
07. Laakso - Bone Machine
08. Nathan Larson - Velouria (ex-Shudder to Think)
09. It's a Trick, It's a Trick - The Happening (members from First Floor Power/Pluxus)
10. Hello Goodbye - Gigantic
11. David Fridlund & Sara Culler - Wave of Mutilation
12. Doktor Kosmos - Distance Equals Rate Times Time

Check out some pics from when Laakso played in the UK a few months back: http://www.laakso.nu/london.htm
The band is currently taking it easy and working on new material.

It has finally been revealed that the upcoming Bear Quartet tribute album from A Tenderversion Recording/A Westside Fabrication will be called "Money Talks" and will be released on September 22. Once again, here's the tracklist:

01. Laakso - Blizzard
02. The Concretes - Just Locals
03. Junip - Carsick
04. Håkan Mild - Hunchback
05. Andreas Mattson - Machine Gun
06. The World - Euthanasia
07. Seven Shells - Old Friends
08. Erik Devahl - Straw
09. Kåre Vernby & Dibaba - If You Have A Heart
10. Boy Omega - Last Ball
11. Reverend Big O - I'm Slow
12. Kristofer Åström - Twinreceiver
13. Monastir - Ghosts For Laundry
14. Bad Cash Quartet - Put Me Back Together
15. They Stole A Million - Speedy
16. Audrey - Helpless

A Tenderversion Recording is the name of a new label run by Martin Lundmark. in collaboration with Per Tannergård and José González. Their first release will be a five-track EP from Audrey, who they describe as Cat Power and Björk. Look for it in July. But what I'm more excited about is the upcoming Bear Quartet tribute they are doing as a co-release A Westside Fabrication. At long last, here's the full tracklist:

01. Laakso - Blizzard
02. The Concretes - Just Locals
03. Junip - Carsick
04. Håkan Mild - Hunchback
05. Andreas Mattson - Machine Gun
06. The World - Euthanasia
07. Seven Shells - Old Friends
08. Erik Devahl - Straw
09. Kåre Vernby & Dibaba - If You Have A Heart
10. Boy Omega - Last Ball
11. Reverend Big O - I'm Slow
12. Kristofer Åström - Twinreceiver
13. Monastir - Ghosts For Laundry
14. Bad Cash Quartet - Put Me Back Together
15. They Stole A Million - Speedy
16. Audrey - Helpless

It should be amazing, I'm sure. As for later on, they'll release the debut album "Read between the lines at all times" from postrock/minimalist/nolse act Scraps of Tape in August and records from Once We Were and September Malevolence in the fall. More details when I get them.

Now that summer has pretty much arrived, here's the Swedish student radio top 40 for the year by way of Dagensskiva:

01. (2, 10) Promoe "These Walls Don't Lie"
02. (1, 8) Morrissey "Irish Blood English Heart"
03. (2, 10) Tiger Lou "Oh Horatio"
04. (1, 7) Marit Bergman Feat. Cecilia Nordlund "Adios Amigos"
05. (3, 8) Teddybears Feat. Mad Cobra "Cobrastyle"
06. (3, 7) The White Stripes "There's No Home For You Here"
07. (1, 8) Phoenix "Everything Is Everything"
08. (1, 9) The Von Bondies "C'mon C'mon"
09. (1, 8) Graham Coxon "Freakin' Out"
10. (5, 7) Infinite Mass "No.1 Swartskalle"
11. (2, 7) Jens Lekman "You Are The Light"
12. (2, 7) Franz Ferdinand "Matinee"
13. (3, 5) Strip Music "Desperation"
14. (1, 5) Belle & Sebastian "I'm A Cuckoo"
15. (1, 4) Broder Daniel "Shoreline"
16. (4, 7) The Tough Alliance "Make It Happen"
17. (5, 7) Jens Lekman "Rocky Dennis In Heaven EP"
18. (4, 5) David & The Citizens "Graycoated Morning"
19. (7, 8) Syd Matters "Black & White Eyes"
20. (2, 4) Marit Bergman "I Will Always Be Your Soldier"
21. (1, 4) Beastie Boys "Ch-Check It Out"
22. (5, 6) Laakso "Aussie Girl"
23. (2, 4) The Von Bondies "Tell Me What You See"
24. (3, 4) Shout Out Louds "Please Please Please"
25. (5, 5) PJ Harvey "The Letter"
26. (4, 6) Raymond & Maria "Ingen Vill Veta Var Du Köpt Din Tröja"
27. (6, 6) Damien Rice "Volcano"
28. (3, 3) The Embassy "Wearing Our Pop Art Hearts On Our Sleeves EP"
29. (5, 4) Sahara Hotnights "Hot Night Crash"
30. (8, 5) Pitch Black "It's All Real"
31. (4, 5) Her Space Holiday "My Girlfriend's Boyfriend"
32. (5, 3) The Latin Kings "T.L.K."
33. (7, 4) The Legends "Call It Ours"
34. (10, 7) Swan Lee "I Don't Mind"
35. (5, 3) The Streets "Fit But You Know It"
36. (9, 5) Faithless "Mass Destruction"
37. (3, 3) David & The Citizens + Mattias Alkberg "Big Chill"
38. (9, 4) Basement Jaxx "Plug It In"
39. (11, 5) Graham Coxon "Bittersweet Bundle Of Misery"
40. (9, 3) Franz Ferdinand "Take Me Out"

Note: (highest chart placement, total weeks on chart)