The Finnish MIC has posted some details regarding the upcoming "Etoiles Polares Finland" festival for Finnish music happening in Ghent, Belgium on December 12-15: http://www.fimic.fi/fimic/fimic.nsf/mainframe?readform&5BF5340AF384CC7DC225738E003F3954
Acts confirmed include Kimmo Pohjonen, Cleaning Women, Circle, Kuusumun Profeetta, Magyar Posse, Aavikko, Shogun Kunitoki, Jimi Tenor and Pan Sonic.

My playlist for this week's radio show on Sirius:

01. Bogus Blimp - By five o'clock tea
02. TALK 1
03. Sivert Høyem - Smalltown supersound
04. Pluxus - Kinoton
05. Brick - No names
06. TALK 2
07. Hebosagil - Let us go
08. Dialog Cet - Crocodile hunt
09. Hurdy Gurdy - Ynglingen
10. Anja Garbarek - The last trick
11. TALK 3
12. E.S.T. - When god created the coffee break
13. Miss Li - I'm sorry, he's mine
14. Afenginn - Ralli i d-mol
15. Magyar Posse - Whirlpool of terror and tension
16. TALK 4
17. Susanne Sundfør - I resign
18. Sällskapet - Nordlicht
19. Nisse Hellberg - Kärlekens express
20. TALK 5
21. The Spacious Mind - Rider of the woodlands
22. TALK 6
23. Him Kerosene - Ladybugs
24. Svenson - Don't get lost
25. Namur - Marching
26. TALK 7
27. Tellevika + Firefox AK - Eric
28. Carpet People - A girl without a skin
29. Anna Ternheim - Lovers dream (feat. Fyfe Dangerfield)
30. Knife and Ape - No arms no legs
31. TALK 8
32. Brighter Death Now - American tale

Finnish instrumental act Magyar Posse has posted some mp3s from the act that preceded them, The Alibi of Carlos: http://magyarposse.com/index.php?a=disco&b=music

Finnish post-rockers Magyar Posse are planning some sort of 10-year anniversary special this coming May.

The folks at The Silent Ballet webzine once again bestow their 'best instrumental album' pick on a Scandinavian artist for 2006, this time selecting Magyar Posse and their latest album "Random avenger": http://www.thesilentballet.com/tsbt/2006/3.html
In case you forgot, last year's pick was Norway's Samuel Jackson Five.

Magyar Posse
Random avenger
Verdura Records

This CD has gotten regular spins on my car stereo ever since I got it. I love great instrumental pop, especially of the cinematic flavor, and that's exactly what this Finnish group serves up in grand style on their third full-length album. The seven tracks here show the band's obvious love of film composers like Ennio Morricone, John Barry and others, down to the use of evocative, wordless vocals on tunes like "Whirlpool of terror and tension" and "Popzag", which ebb and flow but generally create a mood and then work it thoroughly, with subtle variations. The mournful strings on "Black procession" and the delicate acoustic guitar on "One by one" places this stuff closer to real film music than the post rock it'll likely get categorized as, but fans of the style really should seek this out. What I like best about Magyar Posse is the way their music can perfectly mimic the tensions and mood swings of an average day; I found this stuff uncannily appropriate for a day of frantic errand running and zipping through town in my car. Jani Viitanen has produced the whole thing with warmth and sparkle, and even though a lot of other platters in this vein have been released lately, "Random avenger" is among the cream of the crop.
- Kevin Renick

Post-rock aficionados The Silent Ballet have a new comp for free download: http://www.thesilentballet.com/comp/fall06.html
I'm not sure how many of the tracks from Scandinavians, but I know Magyar Posse is for sure.

Check out the video for "" from Finland's Magyar Posse: http://www.laspalmas.nu/

MP3: Magyar Posse - Popzag

First, the good news: Magyar Posse's latest album "Random avenger" is unmistakbly a Magyar Posse album. Their sound is so incredibly distinctive and well... Finnish. I don't know how else to describe it. When I talk about Finnish post-rock (which doesn't happen nearly as often as it should), this is what I'm referencing. I'm sure that band has competition beyond the very-awesome Plain Fade, but I have yet to hear it. Anyhow, I was kind of disappointed by the band's last record, 2004's sophomore slump "Kings of time", so I was really hoping to be wowed by this new one. The bad news: it didn't happen. Don't get me wrong, "Random avenger" is a good record, one that any band should be proud of, but it lacks the power of their debut "We will carry you over the mountains" - the yardstick to which they will forevermore be compared. I'm know I'm probably being unduly harsh, but I want Magyar Posse to blow me away. I think they're more than capable of it, too. They get so damn close and that makes it all the more frustrating. Okay, let's end with a bit more good news: one large improvement this new record has over "Kings of time" is that they've gotten much better with incorporating violin and wordless vocals into the instrumentation. Listen to the song I've posted today and you'll see what I mean.

Magyar Posse - Popzag

Magyar Posse's new website is finally up: http://www.magyarposse.com/

Speaking of Magyar Posse, Indieworkshop has a review of their new album "Random avenger" today: http://www.indieworkshop.com/music.php?id=2553

MP3: Plain Fade - Itä-Aure

Summer has arrived with full force here in the Pacific Northwest. Yesterday the temperature topped out around 90°F (32°C) and today it's supposed to get even hotter. Mercy! I dunno about you, but my brain ceases to function at that heat level, so I'm taking it easy today by posting a track from the latest "Reader's companion" CD. Plain Fade's album "Lies, sanctions and cruise missiles" was such an impressive monster of a debut that I knew immediately that I wanted them on my next comp. There was never any question about it and in fact the whole project was slightly delayed as I was waiting for their contribution to come in. It was never an option to forge ahead without them. So here's their track for download today, recorded last summer during the band's so-called "summer cottage sessions" from last year. If this is a taste of what to expect from their next record, I can't wait to hear it. Magyar Posse, your position as Finland's leading post-rock act has been usurped!

Plain Fade - Itä-Aure

Finnish post-rockers Magyar Posse have posted another track from their new album "Random avenger": http://www.magyarposse.com/musat/mp_random%20avenger_sudden_death.mp3
Read an extensive review of the record here: http://www.decoymusic.com/vb/showthread.php?t=12412
I've only had time to spin it twice so far, so my own personal assessment will have to wait.

The release of Magyar Posse's new album "Random avenger" has been delayed two weeks due to a pressing plant fuckup. The new release date is May 17.

Finland's leading post-rock act Magyar Posse has posted a new song for download: http://www.magyarposse.com/
The band's new album "Random avenger" will be out late April/early May.