Robyn - Fembot
The full version of Robyn's new track "Fembot" is now up on Soundcloud: http://soundcloud.com/robyn/fembot
Artist: Robyn
Viewing posts 136-150 out of 344Robyn talks to Pitchfork
Pitchfork talks to Robyn about her upcoming plans for 2010, which she says should hopefully include a new album in June: http://pitchfork.com/news/38179-robyn-talks-ambitious-2010-plans/
Fever Ray, Annie, more in Pitchfork top 100 tracks of 2009
Pitchfork has started to post their top 100 tracks of 2009 and so far in the bottom 50 we have Scandinavian artist representation from Frida Hyvönen (#77), Röyksopp (feat. Robyn) (#68), The Tough Alliance (#65), Annie (#64) and Fever Ray (#58). See here: http://pitchfork.com/features/staff-lists/7742-the-top-100-tracks-of-2009/
Robyn/Yelle foreign exchange single
Robyn and French act Yelle just released a digital split single on iTunes with each of them covering eachothers songs. Robyn performs "A caus des garcons" as "Because of boys" and Yelle returns the favor with their version of "Who's that girl", or as they sing it, "Qui est cette fille". Listen to the latter here: http://www.myspace.com/iloveyelle
Röyksopp - The girl and the robot (video)
Pitchfork is premiering the new Röyksopp video for "The girl and the robot" featuring Robyn: http://pitchfork.com/tv/#/musicvideo/3446-royksopp-the-girl-and-the-robot-ft-robyn-astralwerks
Melody Club
Goodbye to romance
Epic
For acts like Robyn and Lykke Li, straddling the genres of pop and indie has been the key to critical acclaim and popularity abroad rarely seen by Swedish artists. However, the same balancing act has not worked so well for Melody Club. They're a big name act at home, but are otherwise largely unknown. There are too many guitars for them to catch on with the foreign fans of September or Alcazar, yet they're just not cool enough to attract the indie bloggerati. Sweden may be the go-to place for all your cheesy pop or quirky indie needs, but the focus on those particular genres by most Scandophiles means that some of Sweden's best bands escape their attention.
If you have, by some miracle, heard a Melody Club album before, you'll know exactly what to expect from "Goodbye to romance". Disregarding the current trend to do the opposite, Melody Club have moved away from their original electropop sound and added more guitars and a stronger 1960s influence, but are still unmistakeably Melody Club. The infectious choruses and entertaining lyrics the band are known for are present on every track. After just a few listens, I feel attached to all of them individually and find it difficult to choose a standout. "Oh Candy call me"'s brilliantly catchy riff made it an early favourite, while anthemic recent single "Girls don't always wanna have fun" has been the biggest grower. However, the track that never seems to leave my head is "Where do I belong", a song that would have fit perfectly on my favourite Melody Club album, "Face the music".
While "Goodbye to romance" doesn't quite match up to "Face the music", it's one of my favourite albums of 2009 so far and thoroughly recommended to anyone wishing to broaden their knowledge of the Swedish music scene.
- Jessica Popper
Robyn on the Daily Show
I didn't have time to watch it myself last night, but apparently Robyn played host to Daily Show correspondent Wyatt Cenac for an interview segment: http://pitchfork.com/forkcast/12745-interview-on-the-daily-show/
MP3: Small - Sunshine lover
The Danish act Small has an instantly recognizable and very appealing sound -- every single track is chock full of warm fuzzy synths and vocoder vocals set to mechanical beats and layered with major-key arpeggios. Kinda like a summery version of Kraftwerk, especially on tracks such as "Sunshine lover" which is absolutely blissed out robot-pop. So simple and easy to love, yet the band has not received the attention they deserve. It's a shame too, because I can see this appealing to both fans of The Radio Dept. and Robyn and just about everyone in between. For readers who might feel like I don't post enough straight-up pop, this one's for you.
Small - Sunshine lover
'The Sweptaways show' revealed!
Yesterday I told you there was a new Sweptaways album on the way, today I give you full details. Once again, the release date is April 15 and here now is the tracklist with full guest + songwriter details:
01. Democracy – The Sweptaways and Sir Eric Beyond [Erik Aalto]
02. Sign your name – The Sweptaways and Nina Ramsby [Terence Trent D'Arby]
03. They don't know about us – The Sweptaways and Anders Wendin aka Moneybrother [Kirsty MacColl]
04. Electric – The Sweptaways [Dag Volle, Martin Sandberg, Herbert Crichlow, Leila K]
05. Time of the season – The Sweptaways and Pelle Almqvist (The Hives) [Rod Argent, originally performed by The Zombies]
06. Happiness will be my revenge – The Sweptaways and Jens Lekman [Jens Lekman]
07. I've got your man – The Sweptaways and Robyn [Marion Hall, Richard Martin, Rickardo Ducent, originally performed by Lady Saw]
08. With every heartbeat – The Sweptaways and Simone Rubi (Rubies) [Robin Carlsson, Andreas Kleerup]
09. Vintersaga – The Sweptaways and Uje Brandelius [Ted Ström]
10. The world's greatest – The Sweptaways [R Kelly]
11. Something special – The Sweptaways and Asha Ali [Dolly Parton]
12. Tjörn – The Sweptaways and Björn Olsson [Björn Olsson]
Expect the first single (tbd) in mid-March.
2009 Manifest Award winners
Here are the winners of the 2009 Manifest Awards, Sweden's alternative Grammy:
Jazz: Bobo Stenson Trio - Cantando (ECM/Naxos)
Punk/Hardcore: Disco Volante - We are forever (Not enough)
Hårdrock/Metal: Grand Magus - Iron Will (Rise above/Border)
Rhythm: Movits - Äppelknyckarjazz (BD Pop/Universal)
Experimental: Anders Dahl - Doorbells (Bombaxbombax)
Hip-hop/RnB/Soul: Chords - Things We Do For Things (Juju/Playground)
Best Live: Robyn (Konichiwa Records)
Folk/Visa: Gunnel Mauritzson Band - Det som sker...(Sandkvie Records/CDA)
Synth: Elegant Machinery - A soft exchange (Out of Line/Sound Pollution)
Singer/Songwriter: First Aid Kit - Drunken Trees (Rabid Records/Border)
Pop: Frida Hyvönen - Silence Is Wild (Licking Fingers/Playground)
Rock: Pascal - Galgberget (Novoton/Bonnier Amigo)
Dance: Style of Eye - Duck cover and hold (Pieces of eight records)
MySpace-prize for best unsigned act: Tim Schmidt
Vice Label Award: Service
Read more here: http://www.manifestgalan.se/125.aspx
New Robyn acoustic EP on the way
Pitchfork reports that Robyn will be releasing a new 3-track acoustic EP in early February: http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/news/148511-robyn-to-drop-acoustic-ep
Manifest nominees are go
The nominees for the Manifest Awards, Sweden's alternative Grammy, have been announced:
Synth:
Thermostatic - Humanizer (Wonderland Records)
Zeigeist - The Jade Motel (Spegel/Imperial Recordings/Playground)
Moonlight Cove - Orphans of the Storm (Kinetophone/Hot Stuff)
Elegant Machinery - A soft exchange (Out of Line/Hot Stuff)
Rhythm:
Movits - Äppelknyckarjazz (BD Pop/Universal)
Erici - Brasilicum (Erici Music/Dead Frog)
Saft Stockholm - Ordet (Saft Productions/Stockholm Electronica)
Kungers - Galaxen (Rätta Visan/Border)
Experimental:
Anders Dahl - Doorbells (Bombaxbombax)
Nina de Heyney, Charlotte Hug & Christian Jormin - Acoustic Electronic (LJ Records)
Pär Thörn - Schöneberg/Stammheim/Gärdet/Rågsved (Treffpunkt)
Anders Hultqvist - Traces (Chamber Sound)
Pop:
Frida Hyvönen - Silence Is Wild (Licking Fingers/Playground)
Hello Saferide - More modern short stories from... (Razzia/Bonnier Amigo)
Joel Alme - A Master Of Ceremonies (Sincerely Yours/Border)
Nordpolen - På Nordpolen (Sincerely Yours/Border)
Rock:
The Hellacopters - Head Off (Wild Kingdom/Sound Pollution)
Pascal - Galgberget (Novoton/Bonnier Amigo)
Fatboy - In My Bones (Fat State Production/Playground)
Manikins - Crocodiles (P.Trash Records)
Dance:
Pär Grindvik - Samlad årsproduktion (Stockholm LTD)
Anders Ilar - Sworn (Level Records 11)
Style of Eye - Duck cover and hold (Pieces of eight records)
Zoo Brazil - No Place Like Home (Gung Ho! Recordings)
Jazz:
Bobo Stenson Trio - Cantando (ECM/Naxos)
Nina Ramsby & Ludwig Berghe Trio - Du har blivit stor nu [En kamp!] (Moserobie/Bonnier Amigo)
e.s.t. - Leucocyte (ACT/Bonnier Amigo)
The Splendor - Sound of Splendor (HOOB/Border)
Punk/Hardcore:
Disco Volante - "We are forever" (Not enough)
Disfear - "Live the storm" (Relapse/Border)
Nitad - "Ibland kan man inte hindra sig själv" (Kranium)
Meanwhile - "Reality or nothing" (Feral Ward)
Hårdrock/Metal:
Burst - Lazarus Bird (Relapse/Border)
Dismember - Dismember (Regain/Sound Pollution)
Grand Magus - Iron Will (Rise above/Border)
Opeth - Watershed (Roadrunner/Bonnier Amigo)
Hip-hop/R'n'B/Soul:
Chords - Things We Do For Things (Juju/Playground)
Afasi & Filthy – Fläcken (P.o.p.e./Playground)
Masse - Gott & Blandat Vol. 2
Allyawan - Blu Duk Mixtape Vol. 2
Folk/Ballad:
Gunnel Mauritzson Band - Det som sker...(Sandkvie Records/CDA)
Maria Hörnelius, Bernt Andersson & Kjell Jansson - En sång för Kent (Eld Records/Border)
Jonas Knutsson & Johan Norberg - Skaren - Norrland III (Act/BAM)
Bjernulf/Björklund/Lindh – Pål Olles väg (Courage)
Singer/Songwriter:
Melpo Mene - Bring the Lions Out (Imperial Recordings/Playground)
Hyacinth House - Black Crows Country (True Music Production/Glitterhouse)
First Aid Kit - Drunken Trees (Rabid Records/Border)
Olle Nyman - Venture (A West Side Fabrication/Border)
Live:
Detektivbyrån (Danarkia)
The Hellacopters (Psychout Records)
Lykke Li (LL Recordings)
Robyn (Konichiwa Records)
Myspace prize for best unsigned act:
Montauk
Hero in action
Miranda Gjerstad
Sci-Fi Hands
John F Karlsson
Dyno
Tim Schmidt
Nottee
The Bellevues
Diskoteket
Go here for more: http://www.manifestgalan.se/
Och de vinnarna är...
Here are the winners of this year's Swedish Grammy/Grammis:
Best album: Anna Ternheim - Leaving On A Mayday
Best dance/hip-hop/soul: Afasi & Filthy - Fläcken
Best folk/visa: Abalone Dots - Traveler
Best group: The Soundtrack Of Our Lives - Communion
Best hardrock: In Flames - A Sense Of Purpose
Best jazz: E.S.T. - Leucocyte
Best female artist: Anna Ternheim - Leaving On A Mayday
Best live act: Robyn
Best song: E.M.D. - Jennie, Let Me Love You
Best male artist: Håkan Hellström - För Sent För Edelweiss
Best newcomer: Kleerup - Kleerup
Best composer: Kleerup - Kleerup
Best producer: Kleerup - Kleerup
Best lyrics: Annika Norlin - More Modern Short Stories From Hello Saferide
MTV prize for best video: They Live By Night - Catching Up (Dir. Senay/ Kolacz)
Best electronic producer: Eric Prydz
Universal has signed Swedish pop-metal act Dead By April and will be sending them into the studio with producer Henrik Edenhed (Robyn, Lambretta) to record their debut album. Hear demo tracks at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/dbaswe