Firefox AK
If I were a melody
Razzia Records

The recent hyper-popularity of bands like Justice and MGMT has proven that electronica is now a serious player in the music industry, not only with the indie crowd, but the major label industry as well. Firefox AK has been in the game a few years, garnering attention throughout Scandinavia, the British Isles, and Europe, obviously not to the extent of Swedish comrades such as The Knife, but making an impact nonetheless. The follow up to "Madame, madame", "If I were a melody" again proves that Andrea Kellerman has a unique knack for electronic music: bridging the gap between the dancefloor bound compositions and the more contemplative creations by acts such as The Radio Dept. and Junior Boys (whose Matt Didemus mixed "If I were a melody"). "The river" is one of the finest tracks Firefox AK has ever produced, and first single "Winter rose", with husband and consistent collaborator Rasmus Kellerman (better known as Tiger Lou), demonstrates the range of this album, focusing the synth-driven craftsmanship into a more popular vein. An extremely consistent artist, you probably didn't need too much reassurance that Firefox AK's newest effort was worth a small investment - but, in case you did: "If I were a melody" is a fine album.
- Lars Garvey Laing-Peterson

The people behind Swedish Radio's electronic music program Ström (Andreas Tilliander, Håkan Lidbo and DJ Anna Gavanas), are releasing a new concept compilation on March 26 entitled "Musik för främmande civilisationer" (Music for foreign civilizations). Just like the excellent "Ny musik för landssorg" (New music for national grief) collection, the disc will feature an all-star cast of artists (Olof Dreijer of The Knife, Henrik Rylander, to name a few besides the curators) contributing music centered around a singular theme. Read more and see a list of participating artists here: http://www.zeromagazine.nu/nyhet.asp?id=1497 (in Swedish)

The video for that Deus song that Karin Andersson Dreijer from The Knife sings on can now be found on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9OILKwaFNA

Karin Dreijer Andersson (The Knife) and John Eriksson (Peter Bjorn and John) will be contributing b-side remixes to the new First Floor Power single "It's an interview". As mentioned last week, the group just signed to Danish label Crunchy Frog who will be releasing their new album "Don't back down!" on May 5.

Looks like my suspicions about the return of Zeigeist were correct - the Swedish pop/electro/art-rock group who first rose to prominence by including the track "Tar heart" in an early leak of The Knife's "Silent shout" is back and now signed to Imperial Recordings in cooperation with previous label Spegel. Look for the single "Bunny/Humanitarianism" on April 2 with the album "The Jade Motel" to follow on April 30.

Soundvenue reports that Karin Dreijer Andersson from The Knife is contributing guest vocals to Deus album. Read more: http://www.soundvenue.com/news.asp?id=6821 (in Danish)

Rabid Records, the label run by The Knife, will be releasing the debut EP "Drunken trees" from Stockholm-based sister duo First Aid Kit on April 9. Listen at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/thisisfirstaidkit

This week's It's a Trap! Last.fm listening group top 10 artists of the week:

01. Radiohead
02. Feist
03. Jens Lekman
04. Bloc Party
05. Shout Out Louds
06. The Knife
07. Band of Horses
08. Death Cab for Cutie
09. Stars
10. Sigur Rós

Do you listen to music on your computer or with an iPod? Join us! Go here to learn more: http://www.last.fm/help/

The playlist for this week's radio show, an all-winter theme:

01. Ricochets - Cold outside
02. TALK 1
03. Shining - Winterreise
04. Britta Persson - Winter tour
05. Svenson - In the snow
06. Weeping Willows - Christmas in prison
07. TALK 2
08. The Tiny - No money (for X-mas)
09. Kompjotr Eplektrika - Blikktztunddonner
10. The Knife - Reindeer
11. TALK 3
12. Hello Saferide - iPod X-mas
13. January Jaunt - Stuck in glaziers
14. Darkthrone - Too old, too cold
15. TALK 4
16. Sällskapet - Nordlicht
17. E.S.T. - Strange place for snow
18. Sort Mel - Det grønne flesket
19. Notre Dame - A scrooge tale
20. TALK 5
21. Kristofer Åström & Hidden Truck - Winter moment
22. Syster Lycklig - Bilden till snöstorm
23. The Book of Daniel - 3rd of December
24. TALK 6
25. Samuraj Cities - Cold feet
26. Amandine - Silver bells
27. Logcabin - View of frost
28. Silverbullit - Winter coat
29. TALK 7
30. In Flames - December flower
31. Viktor Sjöberg - On a winters day
32. The Bear Quartet - Blizzard
33. TALK 8
34. Brick - Gray day
35. Laakso - Merry Christmas
36. Strayfolk - Another year before the mast
37. TALK 9

Don't forget to vote for Sirius Blog Radio at the Plug Awards! Vote here: http://www.plugawards.com/general_vote.php
We are nominated under the category "Media (Obsessive) > Specialty Show Of The Year (Commercial Radio)".

Top 10s for 2007: It's a Trap!

This week's It's A Trap! Last.fm listening group top 10 albums of the week:

01. Radiohead – In Rainbows
02. Shout Out Louds – Our Ill Wills
03. The Shins – Wincing the Night Away
04. Jens Lekman – Oh You're So Silent Jens
05. Familjen – Det snurrar i min skalle
06. The Radio Dept. – Lesser Matters
07. The National – Alligator
08. Belle and Sebastian – The Life Pursuit
09. The Knife – Silent Shout
10. Tiger Lou – The Loyal

Do you listen to music on your computer or with an iPod? Join us! Go here to learn more: http://www.last.fm/help/

The Knife's live film "Silent shout - An audio visual experience" will be screened in San Francisco on December 19 at Mezzanine.

This week's It's A Trap! Last.fm listening group top 10 albums of the week:

01. Anna Ternheim – Somebody Outside
02. Shout Out Louds – Our Ill Wills
03. Sambassadeur – Migration
04. The Arcade Fire – Neon Bible
05. Jens Lekman – Oh You're So Silent Jens
06. The Knife – Silent Shout
07. Damien Rice – O
08. The Shins – Wincing the Night Away
09. Peter Bjorn and John – Writer's Block
10. Familjen – Det snurrar i min skalle

Do you listen to music on your computer or with an iPod? Join us! Go here to learn more: http://www.last.fm/help/

This week's It's A Trap! Last.fm listening group top 10 artists of the week:

01. Radiohead
02. Sigur Rós
03. Jens Lekman
04. Kent
05. Belle and Sebastian
05. Bloc Party
07. Shout Out Louds
08. The Knife
09. The Shins
10. Sambassadeur

Do you listen to music on your computer or with an iPod? Join us! Go here to learn more: http://www.last.fm/help/

Sara Berg
When I was a young child I used to feel pleasure from playing with others
Gaymonkey

Where once the market was well and truly saturated with young men, heavy hearts, and acoustic ballads, the scene today has its fair share of Björk inspired vocalists, each with an electronic orchestra backing their efforts - Imogen Heap, Bat for Lashes, and The Knife (to an extent, though Karin Dreijer Andersson's collaboration with Röyksopp on their single "What else is there?" may be a better example), amongst others. Sara Berg has now interjected herself into these ranks with "When I was a young child I used to feel pleasure from playing with others", an album that carefully carries itself along a number of precipitous lines - attempting explorations of darkness and pop flash, featuring pliable organic elements alongside rough digital instrumentation, drawing as much from the fluid approach of Björk's records as from The Knife's sinister focus, with Berg's voice unfolding her range and varying tones throughout this lofty attempt. The whole is definitely not as well put together as many of its parts, "Crawl back from under" and "This can't be desire" being two of the finest examples, but Berg is a talent worth keeping one's eye on. She may not have hammered the point home on this effort, but there's every reason to believe that she will, and soon.
- Lars Garvey Laing-Peterson