Artist: Samuraj Cities
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It's amazing how little has changed between the demo version of Samuraj Cities' "All along the shoreline" (posted here in September '05) and the newer album version (posted today). The guitars still sound just as cheap and brittle as they always did, only now they're able to pile even more of 'em on top of eachother. That harsh, direct-to-tape tone is an integral part of what makes Samuraj Cities who they are and they wouldn't be nearly as good without the lo-fi DIY aesthetic. It's hard not to listen to this and think of that other "Shoreline" song from Broder Daniel - both involve heavy themes of isolation and finding your way in the world, though BD is far more agonizing and pessimistic compared to SC's philosophical ruminations. Or to take it further: Samuraj Cities ponders the possibilities of sailing up the coast while Broder Daniel is landlocked and raging at the sea. Is that relevant? I dunno, I just like to picture BD frontman Henrik Berggren on the beach in his beret, shaking his fist in the air.
Samuraj Cities - All along the shoreline
The video for the latest Samuraj Cities single "All along the shoreline" is now online: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IW8QJMpJwZM
Samuraj Cities will support I'm From Barcelona on the following dates:
03/24 - Botanique, Brussels (BEL)
03/25 - Melkweg Max, Amsterdam (NL)
03/26 - La Cigal, Paris (FRA)
03/27 - Koko, London (UK)
Samuraj Cities next single "All along the shoreline" will be released on March 28. The band just wrapped up a video last night so it should be online before too long.
There's now a website for Ireland's Absolut Swedish arts & music festival which will be taking place February 28 through March 4: http://www.swedishfestival.ie/
As mentioned before, artists confirmed include Hello Saferide, Samuraj Cities, Juvelen, I'm From Barcelona and more.
Samuraj Cities have a bunch of high quality live footage on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=samurajcities
8
As its title and cover (with one of the two band members holding flowers and the other a gun) imply, this is an album of immaculately synthesized contradictions. The feel is slow and moody, but it's got an electrobeat you can dance to (heck, it's hard not to dance to it). It's heavily distorted, dark and fuzzy, but full of crystal clear, bright, new-wave synth riffs. It's warm and emotional, cold and calculated. It's like looking out the dirty window of a train at night, encased in metal, moving quickly through scenes of human experience, empathic and removed. But most of all, it's a really cool record with subversively catchy melodies that demand repeated listening. Shoulda been on my 2006 Top 10.
- Nancy Baym
Imperial Recordings (José González, Samuraj Cities, etc.) has signed Promise and the Monster and will release an album in September. Listen to a preview here: http://www.myspace.com/promiseandthemonster
In related news, Hello Saferide will be playing the Absolut Swedish Music Festival at The Village in Dublin on March 3 along with Moneybrother and Taxi, Taxi!. Other artists set to appear at the festival include Zeigeist, Samuraj Cities, Consequences, Juvelen, I'm From Barcelona and Salem Al Fakir.
Just got copies of Samuraj Cities yesterday as well as restocks of both EST and Peter Bjorn and John, so head to the store to hook yourself up. I'm still working on getting more copies of Hello Saferide's "Would you let me..." EP, but it's slow going. Soon, I hope.
I wasn't the only one impressed with the Samuraj Cities demo (see my original post here). Imperial Recordings (José González, Eskju Divine) wasted no time and quickly swept them up for their roster. The music is still quirky and lofi and imbued with that fantastic, dark sense of melody that made me appreciate the band in the first place. "Saturday night is never fair to everyone" doesn't quite reach the same level of despair as say, Broder Daniel, but it comes close. The vocals are more weary than anguished - just like as with yesterday's song from The Alpine, the song's protagonist is sick and tired of the same old shit. The approach is completely different, but the sentiment is the same.
Samuraj Cities - Saturday night is never fair to everyone
The video for the new Samuraj Cities single "Thxa1000000" is now online: http://www.zoo.se/thanxa1.000.000.mov
Speaking of Imperial, the label is also offering up the new Samuraj Cities single "Thxa1000000" as a free download: http://www.myspace.com/imperialrecordingsstockholm
Imperial Recordings has confirmed that Samuraj Cities' debut album "Cheap deluxe" will be released on November 1.
The first single from the forthcoming Samuraj Cities album will be called "thxa1000000". It will be released on both CD and 12" vinyl.
Samuraj Cities