Interview: Rasmus Kellerman

Özgür Can - The kings (feat. Rasmus Kellerman)

New stuff from Swedish techno artist Özgür Can featuring guest vocals from the one-and-only Rasmus Kellerman (Tiger Lou). Look for Özgür's new album "Put me in a box and label me" to be released on September 28; as for Rasmus' new so-far-anonymous project, expect to finally hear songs very, very soon.

Rasmus Kellerman has a new band

Rasmus Kellerman (Tiger Lou, Araki) has started a new band with two of his friends. Stay tuned.

Firefox AK - Color the trees (video)

A new video from Firefox AK for the title track of her latest album "Color the trees" which also happens to be a duet with her husband Rasmus Kellerman (aka Tiger Lou).

Firefox AK - Islands (The xx cover)

Check out Firefox AK covering "Islands" by The xx with Rasmus Kellerman/Tiger Lou providing extra vox: http://www.tonspion.de/musik/firefox-ak/musik/2190905
Looks like there's a full stream of her latest album "Color the trees" in the sidebar as well.

Rasmus Kellerman (Tiger Lou) signs with Razzia

In a move that really shouldn't surprise anyone, Rasmus Kellerman has signed with Razzia Records for his next project which, apparently, will not be under his given name, Tiger Lou, nor electronic alias Araki. More: http://rasmuskellerman.com/?p=1233

Araki at SoundCloud

Araki, the techno alter ego of Rasmus Kellerman/Tiger Lou, is now up on SoundCloud with some new tunes: http://soundcloud.com/arakiikara

End Sounds seeking Swedish demos

American label End Sounds is openly seeking demo submissions from Swedish acts, "especially indie, punk, and hardcore bands": http://www.endsounds.com/news/displaynews.asp?NewsID=187
For a reference point, I'm told that Tiger Lou is a longtime favorite.

Another Nation's National Anthem
Conscious castle
Red Lemon Art

EPs are often mixed blessings: they can be all over the map with regards to quality, creative direction, and sound, and even the best EPs run the risk of getting overplayed, especially if the release precedes another recording by more than a few months. That said, Convoj's self-titled EP and Cut City's "Narcissus can wait" demonstrate that EPs, when handled correctly, can stand on their own and hold their ground, and to that list I add Another Nation's National Anthem's "Conscious castle". A week or so ago, I may not have made that claim, but ANNA grow on you and the contemplative periods in a few of the songs have since ceased feeling somewhat indulgent and now feel properly settled into the compositions. "Conscious castle" unfolds in a very pleasant way, each listening revealing a layer I missed on a previous occasion. Its sound reminds me at times of The Appleseed Cast (though this claim may hold more weight in nostalgia than in fact) and Tiger Lou (especially those opening notes of "Hold, stranger (of the north)"), though ultimately escapes pigeonholing through the strength of the songwriting. Seeing what ANNA can do with five tracks and 21 minutes, I'm very interested in this band's future.
- Lars Garvey Laing-Peterson

Deportees - Under the pavement, the remixes

Swedish act Deportees have a new remix EP for free streaming/download: http://deportees.bandcamp.com/
Contributors include skweee artist Beem and Tiger Lou alias Araki, among others.

MP3: Another Nation's National Anthem - About your fathers

I am a big appreciator of the large gesture. Pixie Carnation and We are the Storm are two fine examples of contemporary Swedish acts achieving epic indie rock grandeur; Another Nation's National Anthem is another. The band's new EP "Conscious castle" is a concept work that flows steadily from track to track, from one climatic moment to the next; in between are moments of refined melancholy that remind me of Tiger Lou, especially on the two-part "Hold, stranger". The band's own descriptor of "massive" implies a heaviness that they lack, but they got the size part right on. Many acts have been following similar paths in the wake of Arcade Fire, most of them falling far short; ANNA succeeds with their restrained bombast and a balanced fragility/woundedness. They could probably still do more to differentiate themselves from the rabble, but I can't begrudge a song like "About your fathers" when it does it so well.

Another Nation's National Anthem - About your fathers

Rasmus Kellerman
The 24th
Startracks

For fans of Tiger Lou, "The 24th" will feel a little like coming home after a long absence –– echoes of tracks like "Sam, as in Samantha" and "Like you said" quietly haunt the album's more melancholy works, and the overall feel of "Is my head still on?" is recognizable throughout Rasmus Kellerman's debut solo effort. The optimism of the self-titled opener, which finds Kellerman reflecting on his youth, fades into "The greatness & me", a track that starts with fond memories of childhood, images that are used as comparisons to a bleaker present and the unknown future, the theme of the following track, "Five years from now". These opening three compositions move wonderfully through past, present, and future, showcasing not only the musical and vocal talents of their creator, but Kellerman's vision and strength as a storyteller. Not all of "The 24th" is as obviously interconnected as these first three tracks, but numerous images and themes recur throughout the album –– laying in the shade of trees, houses by the ocean, the seeming incompatibility of one's past and present coloring their idea of the future, to name a few –– granting "The 24th" a powerful sense of coherence. While not all of the songs are of the caliber of "The greatness & me" or "Five years from now", the record never stumbles, and, as an album that can be played through in its entirety, has grown on me a little more with each listen.
- Lars Garvey Laing-Peterson

This week's Last.fm chart

Here is the It's a Trap! listening group top 10 artists of the week, unique to our group:

01. Jens Lekman
02. Kent
03. The Bear Quartet
04. The Radio Dept.
05. Håkan Hellström
06. Familjen
07. The Concretes
08. Robyn
09. Anna Ternheim
10. Tiger Lou

Do you listen to music on your computer or with an iPod? Please join us and make your playlist count! Go here to learn more: http://www.last.fm/help/

Absolu Noise interviews Rasmus Kellerman

Absolut Noise interviews Rasmus Kellerman about his new solo, his first under his own name after many releases as Tiger Lou: http://absolutnoise.blogspot.com/2010/06/24th-interview.html

MP3: Rasmus Kellerman - Five years from now

I came to the point a few years ago when I finally realized I was a bona fide adult. It was kind of a "holy shit" moment because it's not as if I had it planned it or had any big aspirations or anything, but I could no longer ignore the symptoms: career, mortgage, wife, kids (well, actually dogs, but same difference as far as I'm concerned), 401k, yadda yadda. Big "R" responsibilities and with that comes new gravity, new concerns. Do you ever think about what you want to be doing five years from now? What about 10 or even 20? I actually sat down with a financial planner the other day and faced up to those questions. Which is not to say that Rasmus Kellerman is facing similar circumstances, but I wouldn't doubt it. Recording under his own given name without the anchor of a backing band says something to me about newfound confidence and maturity. It's a scary feeling stepping off on your own like that, but also very exciting. Closing doors, opening new ones you couldn't fit through before.

If you've ever had the pleasure of seeing Rasmus perform solo, this won't sound unfamiliar. Tiger Lou was always essentially his project, as least in the studio, but there's no hiding it here. There's nothing to hide behind.

Rasmus Kellerman - Five years from now