Swedish drone act Tape on tour in Japan with Tenniscoats:
09/08 - Zaim Cafe, Yokohama
09/09 - Urbanguild, Kyoto
09/10 - Kinshu-Kaikan, Okayama
09/11 - Cafe Taiyo no Tou, Osaka
09/12 - Cafe Taiyo no Tou, Osaka
09/13 - K·D Japon, Nagoya
09/14 - Fukugon-Temple, Hamamatsu
09/15 - 0-Nest, Tokyo
09/16 - Hokusen Gallery Ivory, Sapporo
09/17 - Hokusen Gallery Ivory, Sapporo
A Perfect Friend is a collaboration between singer/songwriter Thomas "Denver" Jonsson and C-J Larsgarden (of Pacta Sunt Servada and various other projects). Their debut album moves within the disarming, harmless confines of what most music critics like to call 'folktronica'. There are scratches, beeps, static and gentle rhythms, accompanied by organ and glockenspiel, reminiscent of a less ethereal Tape or Library Tapes. The duo set themselves apart a bit from the average electroacoustic/folktronica/ambient constellation with the use of Thomas' vocals on some tracks, but in the end there just isn't much about this album which makes it stand out from the pack. Still, it is a fine soundtrack to a hazy afternoon by the water, with the summer sun in your eyes.
- Viktor Ålander
The playlist for my radio show this week:
01. Death By Kite - Scared of heights
02. TALK 1
03. Kompjotr Eplektrika - Crakkin zombees...
04. Monomen - Asian spacestation
05. José González - Hints
06. TALK 2
07. I Am Bones - Backpackers
08. Ellen Beach - The widespread acclaim
09. Moder Jords Massiva - Ingenting
10. TALK 3
11. Iisole - The words
12. Kornstad - Sweden
13. Cortex - Mind of darkness
14. TALK 4
15. Silverbullit - Run
16. [ingenting] - Hollywood dreams
17. In Flames - The jester race
18. TALK 5
19. Nicolai Dunger - Soul rush
20. Existensminimum - Changing lines
21. Echo Is Your Love - Peace song
22. TALK 6
23. Laakso - The death of us
24. Christian Kjellvander - Words in the wires
25. Mustasch - Double nature
26. TALK 7
27. Tellevika + Firefox AK - Eric
28. Tape - A spire
29. C.Aarmé - Golden retriever
30. TALK 8
31. The Bear Quartet - Put me back together
32. Susanne Sundfør - Walls
33. The Hellacopters - Like no other man
34. TALK 9
35. Aerial - You will all die, all things will
Maria Eriksson of The Concretes just released a solo record under the name Santa Maria. The record was produced by Johan Bethling (Tape) and features guest appearances from both Lars Skoglund and Marcus Krunegård of Laakso. Read more: http://www.slottet.eu/santamaria/
Dates for the upcoming Tape, Ass and Tenniscoats (JAP) tour:
09/30 - Kulturnatten, Norrköping (SWE)
10/03 - Ugglan, Stockholm (SWE)
10/04 - Ugglan, Stockholm (SWE)
10/05 - Nefertiti, Gothenburg (SWE)
10/06 - Landmark (Bergen Kunsthall), Bergen (NOR)
10/07 - Spasibar, Oslo (NOR)
10/09 - tba, Malmö (SWE)
10/10 - Huset / Magstraede / Rumraket, Copenhagen (DK)
10/11 - tba, Århus (DK)
10/13 - Vrijhaven, Den Haag (NL)
10/14 - Netwerk, Aalst (BEL)
10/15 - Worm, Rotterdam (NL)
10/16 - Extrapool, Nijmegen (NL)
10/17 - Divan du Monde, Paris (FRA)
10/20 - Cuba, Munster (GER)
10/21 - Ausland, Berlin (GER)
Swedish minimalist duo Tape will be touring Europe in October with Japanese act Tenniscoats and Ass, the solo project of fellow Swede Andreas Söderström. Dates tba.
Updated tourdates for The Concretes:
04/29 - Triptych Festival, The Venue, Edinburgh (SCO) w/Tape
04/30 - Triptych Festival, The Tramway, Glasgow (SCO) w/Belle & Sebastian
05/04 - Horseshoe Tavern, Toronto, ON (CAN)
05/05 - Petit Campus, Montreal, QC (CAN)
05/07 - Club 9:30, Washington, DC
05/08 - Bowery Ballroom, New York, NY
05/10 - Paradise Rock Club, Boston, MA
05/11 - TLA, Philadelphia, PA
05/13 - Martyrs', Chicago, IL
05/14 - The Varsity Theater, Minneapolis, MN
05/17 - Richard's On Richards, Vancouver BC (CAN)
05/18 - Crocodile Cafe, Seattle, WA
05/19 - Doug Fir Lounge, Portland, OR
05/20 - Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA
05/23 - The Troubadour, Los Angeles, CA
05/24 - The Casbah, San Diego, CA
06/16 - Hultsfred Festival, Hultsfred (SWE)
07/14 - Summercase Festival, Madrid (ESP)
07/15 - Summercase Festival, Barcelona (ESP)
Support on all North American gigs will come from New Buffalo.
Swedish ambient artists Tape on tour, including a number of gigs as Andreas Mattson's backing band:
04/15 - Konserthuset/Stenhammarsalen, Gothenburg (SWE) (backing Andreas Mattsson)
04/19 - KB, Malmö (SWE) (backing Andreas Mattsson)
04/20 - Södra Teatern, Stockholm (SWE) w/The Tiny
04/26 - Triptych Festival, Mono, Glasgow (UK) w/Tarwater
04/29 - Triptych Festival, The Venue, Edinburgh, w/The Concretes
04/30 - Triptych Festival, The Lemon Tree, Aberdeen (UK) w/Arab Strap, etc
04/23 - Södra Teatern, Stockholm (SWE) (backing Andreas Mattsson)
05/20 - "Made in Umeå festival", Umeå (SWE)
05/30 - Luminaire, London (UK) w/Volcano!, Greg Davis, Sebastien Roux
06/03 - Venn festival, Bristol (UK)
06/10 - Teatro i, Milano (ITA)
Andreas MattssonThere's been a lot of talk about how former Popsicle front man Andreas Mattsson, who after Popsicle's demise has spent some of his time writing songs for dodgy pop acts, now is going on tour with critically acclaimed 'noise artists' Tape, and how his first solo album starts with a five-minute instrumental piece (how innovative!). Me, I've been a Popsicle fan as long as I can remember (thanks to my sisters), and with last year's compilation "The good side of Popsicle" my interest in them was suddenly rekindled. "The lawlessness..." is obviously a blessing then, especially since it almost sounds like a straightforward follow up to Popsicle's last album (and their masterpiece) "Stand up and testify". Mattsson's voice, (sad) lyrics, and (gorgeous) melodies haven't changed that much at all – and thank god for that!
- Simon Tagestam
Pitchfork reviews Swedish ambient/drone artists Tape: http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/record-reviews/t/tape/rideau.shtml
Dusted reviews Swedish ambient minimalist artists Tape: http://www.dustedmagazine.com/reviews/2651
Check out the video for "Fractured rays" from Swedish drone act Tape: http://www.jossystem.se/hapna/tape_video_high.mov
The clip was directed by Dan Brännvall.
Nominees for this year's Manifest Awards, Sweden's alternative to the Grammy:
Hip-hop/r&b/soul:
Form One - Meet Johnny Rhino
Hearin´Aid - The Boom Lucy
Jaqee – Blaqalious
Looptroop - Fort Europa
Timbuktu – Alla vill till himlen men ingen vill dö
Electronica/post-rock/synth:
Folie – Eyepennies
Midaircondo – Shopping For Images
Ola Bergman – The satellite city
Tape – Rideau
Thermostatic – Joy-Toy
Pop/Rock:
Embassy – Tacking
Jenny Wilson – Love And Youth
Blood Music – Sing a Song Fighter
El Perro Del Mar - Look! It’s El Perro Del Mar!
Lucknow Pact – A Few Drinks- A Few Laughs
Jazz:
E.S.T. - Viaticum
Jeanette Lindström – In The Middle Of This Riddle
MUSICMUSICMUSIC – What´s a good boss anyway?
Bobo Stenson trio – Goodbye
Ulf Wakenius – Notes From The Heart
Singer/songwriter:
Lars Bygdén – Trading Happiness for Songs
Frida Hyvönen – Until Death comes
Hello Saferide – Introducing: Hello Saferide
Christian Kjellvander – Faya
Billie the vision and the Dancers – The world according to Pablo
Dance/techno:
Hundarna från Söder – Troika
DK7 – Disarmed
Skugge & Stavöstrand – Humla
John Dahlbäck – Man From the Fall
Dibaba – Songs For Good Lives
Hardrock/punk:
Randy – Randy the band
Disco Volante – Blood On The Walls
Witchcraft - Firewood
Regulations - s/t
Grand Magus - Wolf’s return
Folk/world-music:
Sofia Karlsson – Svarta Ballader
Harv – Polka Raggioso
Ellika och Solo – Abraka/Tack
Svenska Akademien – Resa sig opp
Simone Moreno – Samba Makossa
Best live act:
David Sandström Overdrive
Frida Hyvönen
Jenny Wilson
Robyn
Timbuktu
Best newcomer:
The Tough Alliance – New school
Timo Räisänen - Lovers are Lonely
Frida Hyvönen – Until Death Comes
Montt Mardié – Drama
Suburban Kids With Biblical Names – #3
Best unsinged act:
She
Insert Coin
Anagoes
Intohimo
Loney, Dear
Winners will be announced on February 9.
Tape reminds me of the Montreal collective Set Fire to Flame (that include some GYBE members) and that, in itself, is a compliment. Combining some post-rock structures and patterns with sound-collage and ambient soundscapes, Tape manage to make cohesive music, despite its complexity. This album is very, very good.
- Simon Thibaudeau
