Tsukimono will soon have a release on the 3" CDR label Müssiggänger. It will be called "Études" and has been described to me as "invisible music" featuring "highpitched ghosts and sounddust." Also on the way from Tsukimono is an album entitled "Née" to be released soon on Kalligrammofon and another full-length entitled "Time canvas" to be released via Swedish avant label Kning Disc in the fall. Listen to a sample of the former here: http://www.myspace.com/tsukimonoswe
Lastly, Tsukimono will also be doing a prepared guitar-duet record with Mattias Nihlén from Testbild!. I'm not sure when/where that one will be released, but I'll keep you posted.

Friendly Noise reports that they will be releasing Testbild!'s third album "Imagine a house" later on this month. More details to come.

Tsukimono, the solo project of Johan Gustavsson from Scraps of Tape, will have his "What note, who's note" EP reissed on Ukraine label Arterija as part of their colour series. The disc was originally released as a limited CDR on HEYYOUFUCKINGMAN! and this new version of the disc will feature all new artwork and an additional bonus track called "Svartare av kärlek". In other news, Johan's other project Conduo Orchestra (feat. Kristofer from Ljudbilden & Piloten) will contribute the track "Cicada" to a book/compilation entitled "Hockey rawk" being curated by Swedish artists Peter Larsson and Lars Nilsson. Other artists on the comp will include Testbild!, Vldgmn, Bare Knees, Nim, Cake On Cake and more.

Swedish electronic artist Tsukimono (aka Johan Gustavsson, also in Scraps of Tape) has a new track including on the "Tribute to John Peel" mp3 comp session five: http://www.tributetojohnpeel.org/
He also has a new release Kning Disk Gallery Edition entitled "Two hearts beats slower than one, two heartbeats slower than one" which will be released this weekend at the iDEAL Festival in Göteborg. As mentioned before, Gallery Edition releases are 3" CDRs, typically recorded live at the scene and burned/distributed on the spot. Very limited, of course. Johan will also be performing at the fest as part of the Viktor Sjöberg New Jazz Ensemble which also features members of acts such as IAT.MP3 artists Sonores (look to the right) and Gbg-experimental artists Testbild!, Ljudbilden & Piloten, The Roaring, Conduo Orchestra and more.

Swedish label Friendly Noise has announced two new releases for February 1. First up is a comp entitled "Are You Scared To Get Happy?" which features music from the play of the same name and includes acts such as The Radio Dept., Erik De Vahl, Testbild!, Majessic Dreams, Action Biker and more. The second disc is the album "You in honey" from Swedish indiepop act Most Valuable Players. Full tracklist and details: http://www.friendlynoise.se/news.html

Radio Khartoum has announced that they will be releasing a new CD from Danish electronic act The Cat Box Quartet on June 27. The label will also release a new split 7" featuring Sweden's Testbild! and Anthony Rochester (Tasmania) on July 11. For samples and more info, go here: http://www.radiokhartoum.com/

The nominees for the Swedish radio P3 Gold awards have been announced:

Best female artist:
Ayesha - Jade Fever
Anna Ternheim - Somebody Outside
Stina Nordenstam - The World Is Saved
Marit Bergman - Baby Dry Your Eye
Lena Philipsson - Det gör ont en stund på natten men inget på dan

Best male artists:
Promoe - The Long Distance Runner
Christian Walz - Paint By Numbers
Lars Winnerbäck - Vatten under broarna
Alf - Augustibrev
Jens Lekman - When I Said I Wanted To Be Your Dog

Best group:
Teddybears STHLM - Fresh
The Soundtrack Of Our Lives - Origin Vol 1
The Hives - Tyrannosaurus Hives
Silverbullit - Arclight
Sahara Hotnights - Kiss & Tell

Best newcomer:
Raymond & Maria
Tough Alliance
Fibes, Oh Fibes!
Anna Ternheim
Jens Lekman

Best song:
Call on me - Eric Prydz
Mr Cool - Snook
Det gör ont - Lena Philipsson
Hey Boy - Teddybears STHLM feat. Swing Fly
Ingen vill veta var du köpt din tröja - Raymond & Maria

Guldmicken (best live):
Marit Bergman
Svenska Akademien
The Soundtrack Of Our Lives
Infinite Mass
In Flames

Best rock/metal:
Nasum - Shift
The Hives - Tyrannosaurus Hives
In Flames - Soundtrack To Your Escape
The Haunted - rEVOLVEr
Cult of Luna - Salvation

Best hip-hop/soul:
Embee - Tellings From Solitaria
Ison & Fille - Ison & Fille
Promoe - The Long Distance Runner
Natalie Gardiner - Natalie Gardiner
Ayesha - Jade Fever

Best dance:
Hird - Moving On
Cari Lekebusch - The Architect
Andreas Tilliander - World Industries
Eric Prydz - Samlad produktion 2004
Stonebridge - Can't Get Enough

Best pop:
Mattias Alkberg BD - Tunaskolan
Stina Nordenstam - The World Is Saved
Testbild! - The Inexplicable Feeling Of September
Hans Appelqvist - Bremort
Jens Lekman - When I Said I Wanted To Be Your Dog

Vote here: http://www.sr.se/p3/p3guld/

The latest news from my Oakland neighbors and fellow Scandinavian music aficionados over at Radio Khartoum:

So, who knows that Friendly Noise (Stockholm label) took their name from a description on the RK site? Prompting RK to name the Friendly Goods department as a return jab? Yeah, yeah, all these incestuous goings on are appalling. But it gets worse. One of FN's bosses was responsible for hooking Swedish artist Testbild! up with Radio Khartoum back in the Before FN era. And now FN have gotten their claws into Testbild! (and his second album, specifically). But we've got our RKFG mitts all over FN in return. Offering Testbild!'s new album on FN in the FG shop. And we imported a stash of Differnet's debut album (FN's other release) for FG while we were at it, because it's just such a jewel of a record (and never got proper distribution on these shores). Disgusting, isn't it?

For ordering info and samples, go here: http://www.radiokhartoum.com/friendly.html

Digfi has published an interview with Malmö-based electronic artist Testbild!: http://www.digfi.com/default.aspx?id=6201 (in Swedish)
The new album "The Inexplicable Feeling of September" and 2001's "The Double Life of Testbild!" were put out by my neighbors across town at Radio Khartoum and you can get more info and samples here: http://www.radiokhartoum.com/

Read my reviews of the new albums from Ulver and Björn Olsson over at indieworkshop.com. Look for the links on the right, under 'Featured Reviews'.

TV4 Gothenburg has put up an acoustic set from The Soundtrack of Our Lives back on their website. Check it. (thanks to tsool.tk)

The movie Jungle Book 2 comes out in February featuring a track called "Jag vill va som du" from Dungen. A double A-side single with that song plus "Har du vart i Stockholm" comes out February 10.

Energy Rekords has signed EBM/Electro act 8kHz Mono. You can sample them on the "Virtual Energy vol.4" comp.

Even more award nominees! This time, the Manifest awards, Sweden's alternative to the (Swedish) Grammy:

Pop/Rock
The Bear Quartet - Ny våg (A West Side Fabrication/MNW)
David & The Citizens - For All Happy Endings (Adrian Recordings/Border)
Doktor Kosmos - Reportage! (NONS/MNW)
Marit Bergman - 3.00 A.M. Serenades (Sugartoy/Border)
Embassy - Futile Crimes (Service/Border)

Hardcore/Punk
In Flames - Reroute to remain (Nuclear Blast/MNW)
Thåström - Mannen som blev en gris (Mistlur/MNW)
Spiritual Beggars - On fire (Music For Nations/Zomba)
Totalt Jävla Mörker - Det ofrivilliga lidandets maskineri (Distortion/Border)
Vomitory - Blood rapture (Metal Blade/Border)

Hip Hop/R&B/Soul
Loop Troop - The Struggle Continues (David Vs Goliath/Burning Heart)
Timbuktu - Wåtts Dö Madderfakking Diil? (Juju/Playground)
Heli - Öronknark (Streetzone/Border)
Masayah - Masayah (Swing-A-Ling/MNW)
Ison & Fille - Vår sida av stan (Hemmalaget/V2)

Postrock/Electronica
Hans Appelqvist - Tonefilm (Komplott)
Mokira - Plee (Mille Plateaux/Border)
Nova Express - One (Rocket Number Nine)
Pallin - Far From Yokohama (URU)
Testbild! - The Double Life Of Testbild! (Radio Khartoum)

Dance
Adam Beyer - Ignition Key (Truesoul)
The Mighty Quark - Silverdale (Play)
Eerik & Arvid - Shimmer (Raw Fusion)
Koop - Waltz for Koop (Superstudio/Diesel/Sony)
Sunday Brunch - No resistance (SVEK/Goldhead/Next Stop)

Folk/Worldmusic
Ellika Frisell & Solo Cissokho - Tretakt Takissaba (Xource/MNW)
Golbang - Saali nó (Stran)
Harv - Töst (Drone/CDA)
Olle Lindvall (Drone/CDA)
Sumer - Iraq (Sw/Eden/Border)

Lyrics
Mattias Alkberg (Bear Quartet)
Timbuktu
Uje Brandelius (Doktor Kosmos)
Ison & Fille
Petter Herbertsson (Testbild!)

Live Artist
Doktor Kosmos
Jmyhaze Beatbox
Spotrunnaz
In Flames
Ellika Frisell and Solo Cissokho

Best Newcomer
Totalt Jävla Mörker
Hans Appelqvist
Marit Bergman
Sunday Brunch
Embassy

Winners will be announced at the ceremony on January 31 at the Kulturhuset in Stockholm. The Teenage Idols, Ison & Fille, Totalt Jävla Mörker, and Jmy Haze Beatbox will perform.

The good people over at Chalksounds have finally gotten their online store up and running. The featured album for sale is "On Planted Streets" from KVLR, one of my faves. Highly recommended. Besides their own label's goodies, you can also order records from bands such as Fireside and Isolation Years. Again, both highly recommended.

Grave will be playing this year's coming March Metal Meltdown V to take place in Irvington, New Jersey on March 7-8. The new album "Back From The Grave" comes out January 28th on Century Media.