Festival report: Arvika

Strip Music will tour the Ukraine in May: http://www.stripmusic.se/gigs.php

Strip Music on tour in Germany:

03/20 - Underground, Köln
03/21 - Molotow, Hamburg
03/22 - Kato, Berlin
03/23 - Atomic Café, München

Strip Music has created their own homemade video for the song "24hrs" and you can see it here: http://www.stripmusic.se/videos#24alt

Drakkar has signed Strip Music for Germany and will release their album "Hollywood and Wolfman" over there on January 26.

Video mix: Mr. Velcro Fastener, Aerial, South Ambulance, Strip Music, Gabriel Munck, more...

The video for the new Strip Music single "Sugar and lime" is up on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRmrXmWtfII

Swedish synth-rock act Strip Music will release their new album "Hollywood & Wolfman" on October 11. The first single "Sugar and lime" comes out October 4 and can be previewed at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/stripmusic
I dug their debut album, so I'm definitely looking forward to this one. The track "Headlights" is a good'un.

The UK's Blow Up Records is releasing two new 7"s today from hyped Swedish acts CDOASS and Strip Music. The CDOASS record is a double a-side featuring the tracks "Speak to me" and "Chemicals", both of which are sure to prove the hype is not without merit. I should know - I put "Speak to me" on my own "Reader's companion" comp. As for the Strip Music, the record is the band's UK debut single and features the song "24 hrs" b/w "The conversation". Both are limited of course and you can find out more here: http://www.blowup.co.uk/records/

The Kid will finally follow up the "Baton Rogue" single with a new EP called "Pas De Chance", due out May 4 via Luego Fuego. The disc will include five songs plus two remixes, one from Jimmy Monell (The April Tears) and one from Jens Hellqvist (Strip Music).

Here's this week's YLE/Morjen top 10 Nordic video chart:

01. Smak - Nousen (FIN)
02. Feiled - Lost (FIN)
03. Carpark North - Human (DK)
04. Korpiklaani - Hunting song (FIN)
05. Disco Ensemble - We might fall apart (FIN)
06. The 69 Eyes - Lost boys (FIN)
07. Anniina - Who's about to cry (FIN)
08. YOR123 & Skandaali - 99% (FIN)
09. Kent - Max 500 (SWE)
10. Strip Music - 24 hrs (SWE)

Challengers:
11. Jori Hulkkonen - Lo-fiction (FIN)
12. Apocalyptica feat. Lauri Ylönen - Life burns! (FIN)
13. Looptroop - Fort Europa (SWE)

Here's this week's YLE/Morjen top 10 Nordic video chart:

01. Smak - Nousen (FIN)
02. Korpiklaani - Hunting song (FIN)
03. Anniina - Who's about to cry (FIN)
04. YOR123 & Skandaali - 99% (FIN)
05. The 69 Eyes - Lost boys (FIN)
06. Kent - Max 500 (SWE)
07. Håkan Hellström - En midsommarnattsdröm (SWE)
08. Philip og Sandra - Sommerflört (NOR)
09. Nerdee - Ivy (FIN)
10. Disco Ensemble - We might fall apart (FIN)

Challengers:
11. Feiled - Lost (FIN)
12. Carpark North - Human (DK)
13. Strip Music - 24 hrs (SWE)

Here's this week's MTVe UpNorth video chart:

01. Millencolin - Ray
02. Angu - Red Light
03. Kent - Max 500
04. Marie Miller - Playground
05. Moneybrother - They're Building Walls Around Us
06. Carpark North - Human
07. Christian Walz - Never Be Afraid Again
08. Saybia - Bend The Rules
09. Bertine Zetlitz - Ah-ah
10. Darin - Money For Nothing
11. Madrugada - The Kids Are On High Street
12. Melody Club - Boys In The Girl's Room
13. The Ark - Clamour For Glamour
14. Kurt Nilsen - Never Easy
15. Chick Habit - Rule The World
16. Sugarplum Fairy - Far Away From Man
17. Hammerfall - Bloodbound
18. The 69 Eyes - Lost Boys
19. User - Miss Wanted
20. Strip Music - 24 Hrs

Challengers:
01. Radio LXMBRG - It's Cruel Up North
02. Kristin Frogner - Stars Above My Head
03. Nick & Jay - Kan Du Hora Hende Synge
04. Clemens - Dans Me Döden
05. Prominent - Let's Talk It Over

Go here to vote for your favorite.

New mp3 today from Strip Music, the synthpop group that rose from the ashes of Yyvonne. As Nick already stated in his review, the sound is melancholic, yet epic and uplifting- a description I agree with 100%. Unlike many other bands of their ilk (The Killers, The Bravery, etc.), Strip Music never comes off sounding too self-conscious or like they're trying too hard. It doesn't hurt they have a healthy appreciation of Einstürzende Neubauten either (they have a song entitled "Halber Mensch" fer crissakes, ring any bells?). Just like countrymates Silverbullit, they use the sounds that most people associate with the 80s, but you'd be hard-pressed to call the end result "retro". The song I've posted today is one of the record's mellower tunes. I love that the drummer doesn't play anything more than a steady kick thoughout the entire song. And check out those synths - they're so warm and fuzzy they envelope your brain like blanket. Fans of M83 take note and be sure to stick it out for the full outro.

Strip Music
s/t
Playground

Strip Music are a new Swedish synth pop band, who have risen out of the ashes of Yvonne. However, describing them as "pop" is a bit of a misnomer. Although Strip Music use the synth as a device to drop as many hooks as possible within each song, the overall sound of the band races along at a speed and urgency that is perhaps too epic to be merely described as pop music. Songs like album opener "2.75" have vocalist Henric delivering vocals with such intensity that they lay genuine claim to the Joy Division comparisons, creating a sound that is both melancholic and uplifting at the same time. Forming a new band with the synth as the core of your sound is a tricky and obvious thing to do in 2005, what with the recent successes of The Bravery and The Killers. However, somehow Strip Music have managed to carry this off successfully without sounding cheesy, whilst being able to retain a human element to their overall sound.
- Nick Levine