Podcast: The new black (is the old black)

New mp3 today from Tape from their third album "Rideau", out next week on Häpna. As Jens Lekman says in his recent interview with PopMatters, "the most exciting stuff is happening on the Häpna label" and I'm inclined to agree. Surely you've heard some of the hype on now-departed organ/drum duo Sagor & Swing, but there's much more to be discovered. I find myself listening to a lot of droning ambient music these days now that I'm working from home and can listen to my choice of music without fear of annoying coworkers. However, I still have to worry about annoying my wife, so compromises must be made! This is the stuff that we can wholeheartedly agree on: it's inobstrusive enough that you can work without distractions, but not so much so that you can't enjoy it. And we all know that noise/drone is the new black, right? Get with it! I especially love this track for the buzz of the shakers - it reminds me of cicadas and summertime.

MP3: Tape - Exuma

New mp3 today from Tape from their third album "Rideau", out next week on Häpna. As Jens Lekman says in his recent interview with PopMatters, "the most exciting stuff is happening on the Häpna label" and I'm inclined to agree. Surely you've heard some of the hype on now-departed organ/drum duo Sagor & Swing, but there's much more to be discovered. I find myself listening to a lot of droning ambient music these days now that I'm working from home and can listen to my choice of music without fear of annoying coworkers. However, I still have to worry about annoying my wife, so compromises must be made! This is the stuff that we can wholeheartedly agree on: it's inobstrusive enough that you can work without distractions, but not so much so that you can't enjoy it. And we all know that noise/drone is the new black, right? Get with it! I especially love this track for the buzz of the shakers - it reminds me of cicadas and summertime.

Tape - Exuma

Scandinavian acts confirmed for this year's Sonar Festival: DJ99/Guttorm Andeasen (NOR), Pellarin & Mylleager (DK), The Beautiful People (NOR), Tape (SWE), Djsos Krost (DK), Efterklang (DK) and Pharfar & Ned Flanders (DK). Full list here: http://ilx.p3r.net/thread.php?msgid=5640226

In October Västerås, Sweden will play host to the 2004 'New Perspectives' Festival which will feature all sorts of avant-rock, free-jazz and improvisation. Artists scheduled to appear so far include Merzbow, Thurston Moore & Jim O' Rourke (Sonic Youth), Blonde Redhead, Tape, Hans Appelqvist, Henrik Rylander (ex-Union Carbide Productions), Ebbot Lundberg (Soundtrack Of Our Lives), Jean-Louis Huhta (Lucky People Center), Johan Skugge and Kent Tankred. Read more: http://www.nyaperspektiv.se/

Häpna will be releasing two new CDs in April, one from Patrik Torsson called "Kolväteserenader" about life on board an oil tanker, and the new one from Sagor & Swing. As mentioned before, the label is holding a festival at Fylkingen in Stockholm on April 23-24 with David Grubbs, Marcus Schmickler, Mats Gustafsson, Tape, Andreas Tilliander, Hans Appelqvist and Sagor & Swing.

Häpna Records, the home of artists Sagor & Swing, Tape and Hans Appelqvist, will be holding a festival in Stockholm on April 23-24. Confirmed to play so far are David Grubbs, Marcus Schmickler (Pluramon), Andreas Tilliander and Mats Gustafsson.

Here's the nominees for the Swedish Manifest awards:

Pop/Rock:
Hell on Wheels - Oh my God What have I done
Radio Dept. - Lesser matters
Concretes - Concretes
Franke - Optimismens hån
The Knife - Deep cuts

Hardrock/Punk:
Arch Enemy - Anthems of rebellion
Burst - Prey on life
Cult of Luna - The beyond
Katationa - Viva emptiness
Nasum - Helvete

Hip hop/R&B/Soul:
Chords - The garden around the mansion
Speech Defect - Freshcoast gettin' rowdy
Soul Supreme - The Saturday nite agenda
Advance Patrol - Utskrivna
Kaah - Jideblasko international

Postrock/electronica:
Namur - Conquer me
Sagor & Swing - Allt hänger samman
Sophie Rimheden - Hi-fi
Slagsmålsklubben - Den svenske disco
Tape - Milieu

Dance/house/techno:
Hundarna från Söder - Hundarna från Söder
Forss - Soulhack
Plej - Electronic music from the Swedish leftcoast
Stateless - Art of no state
Steve Angello - ...presents tracks

Folk/World music:
Lisa Rydberg - Östbjörka
Frifot - Sluring
Anders Nygårds & Magnus Stinnerbom - Dalahyl
Anders Norrudde, Leo Svensson and Göran Fredriksson - Med hull och hår
Cerro Esperanza Band - Nubes del alma

Singer/Songwriter:
Ane Brun - Spending time with Morgan
Ulf Stureson - Allt jag ville säga
Christian Kjellvander - Introducing the past
Johan Borgert - Johan Borgert
José Gonzàlez - Veneer

Best live artist:
Looptroop
Moneybrother
Randy
Timbuktu med Damn
Killers

Best newcomer:
Miss Universum
José Gonzàlez
Shout Out Louds
Radio Dept.
Paris

Winners are chosen by the SOM (Svenska Oberoende Musikproducenter) (Swedish Independent Musicproducers) and will be announced at an awards ceremony on January 29 at Debaser in Stockholm.

The Hives will premiere their brand new single at the P3 Gold Awards on January 23 at Storan in Göteborg. Other acts set to play include Nicolai Dunger, Lisa Miskovsky, Patrik Isaksson, Elin Sigvardsson, Timbuktu, Broder Daniel and Soundtrack Of Our Lives. As for the awards themselves, here's the nominees:

Guldmicken (best live act):
José González
Moneybrother
Randy
Robyn
Timbuktu

Best song:
The Cardigans - "For What It's Worth"
Per Gessle - "Här Kommer Alla Känslorna (På En Och Samma Gång)"
Lisa Miskovsky - "Lady Stardust"
Timbuktu - "The Botten Is Nådd"
Broder Daniel - "When We Were Winning"

Best group:
Alcazar - "Alcazarised"
Bad Cash Quartet - "Midnight Prayer"
Broder Daniel - "Cruel Town"
The Cardigans - "Long Gone Before Daylight"
The Knife - "Deep Cuts"

Best male artist:
Per Gessle - "Mazarin"
José González - "Veneer"
Moneybrother - "Blood Panic"
Timbuktu - "The Botten Is Nådd"
Lars Winnerbäck - "Söndermarken"

Best female artist:
Lisa Miskovsky - "Fallingwater"
Miss Universum - "Selfelected"
Pauline - "Candy Rain"
Sophie Rimheden - "Hi-Fi"
Elin Sigvardsson - "Saturday Light Naïve"

Best newcomer:
José González
Miss Universum
Moneybrother
Pauline
Radio Dept.

Best rock:
Arch Enemy - "Anthems of Rebellion"
Cult Of Luna - "The Beyond"
Mörk Gryning - "Pieces of Primal Expressionism"
Nasum - "Helvete"
Satirnine - "Void of Value"

Best dance:
Jesper Dahlbäck - total production 2003
Eric Prydz - total production 2003
Forss - "Soulhack"
Hundarna från Söder - "Hundarna Från Söder"
Plej - "Electronic Music From The Swedish Leftcoast"

Best pop:
Franke - "Optimismens Hån"
The Knife - "Deep Cuts"
Radio Dept. - "Lesser Matters"
Sophie Rimheden - "Hi-Fi"
Tape - "Milieu"

Best hip-hop/soul:
Advance Patrol - "Utskrivna"
Fattaru - "Jordnära"
Ken - "Det Bortglömda"
Latin Kings - "Omerta"
Timbuktu - "The Botten Is Nådd"

For more info, go to P3 Gold's website.

Sondre Lerche has posted a bunch of photos along with a new entry in his tour diary from his current jaunt together with Ed Hartcourt.

The Confusions' updated tour schedule:

07/01 - TBA, London
07/02 - Underworld, London w/Non Of The Above, Girlinky & Lux
07/05 - Gatufesten, Sundsvall
07/17-19 - Trästocksfestivalen, Skellefteå

Puffball, Sahara Hotnights, and Division of Laura Lee are among the bands now confirmed for the Kerrang! 'Snickers Game On' festival at the Millenium Dome in London on June 21-22. More info: www.snickersgameon.co.uk

Logh reports that are taking a bit of a break this summer as they've just finished a large batch of touring. "[We] are tired and need some rest, since it has been kind of a hectic year," they say, but they will still be doing a couple festival gigs in the near future. Check their page for the latest. For the fall, they've already got a Scandinavian tour lined up in September and a European jaunt tentative for October/November. And that's not even the last of it - they also have the vinyl release of "The Raging Sun" set for September along with two new 7" releases set to drop before the end of the year. That doesn't sound like taking it easy to me!

Via the Cardigans Country site, comes this link for a stream of yesterday's Pinkpop performance. They've also got a couple new articles posted online over there, so check 'em out if you're curious.

Delusions of Adequacy lauds The Virtues in their review of the album "Ruminate".

Melody Club, Kashmir, Ralph Meyers and the Jack Herren band, Cato Salsa Experience, Gluecifer, Delaware, and The Jessica Fletchers are just a few of the bands that have been confirmed for Norway's Working Class Music Festival in Drammen on June 6-7. Go here for the full scoop.

Norweigan pop-singer Lene Marlin's forthcoming album has been delayed indefinitely due to an ongoing contractual dispute with her manager. Read more. The new record was produced by Glen Ballard (Alanis Morisette) and is the follow-up to 1999's hugely successful "Playing My Game".

Pitchforkmedia.com review the new album from Swedish experimental artists Tape.

Nicolai Dunger will play at Torgrocken in Sundsvall, Sweden on July 17.

Aftonbladet reports that Kent will be heading over to Japan from October 8-19.

The rumors have been flying for a long time (I first saw word last October), but we can now finally confirm that The (International) Noise Conspiracy is indeed working with producer extraordinaire Rick Rubin on their next album. "We are writing songs, then it will be intriguing to see what [he] can do with them," says vocalist Dennis Lyxzen. They'll be heading to LA in August to work on it.

Ex-Aqua singer Lene Nystrøm will be releasing her first solo single "It's Your Duty" in September, with the full-length album "Surprise" to follow in September or October.