Interview: Henric de la Cour
Artist: Yvonne
Viewing posts 1-15 out of 18Progress signs Henric de la Cour
has officially signed ex-Strip Music/Yvonne frontman Henric de la Cour and will be releasing his debut solo this coming September. Looking forward to it!
Henric de la Cour - Dogs
Not an official video, but still cool to hear something new from Henric de la Cour (ex-Yvonne, Strip Music).
Henric de la Cour doc in the works
PSL reports that Jacob Frössén (one half of the duo Skriet) is working on a documentary about Henric de la Cour from Yvonne/Strip Music: http://blogg.svt.se/psl/2010/06/08/extra-extra-jacob-frossen-gor-dokumentarfilm-om-henric-de-la-cour/
Kite confirm new EP
Kite, the excellent Swedish synthpop duo featuring Nicklas Stenemo (Melody Club, The Mo) and Christian Berg (Strip Music, Yvonne), will release their sophomore EP "II" on October 16 via Progress Productions and once again, it will be available on both CD and vinyl. Details here: http://progress-productions.com/kite2/
You can also hear a couple new tracks at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/progressproduction
Kite
s/t EP
Lyckan/Progress Productions
Nicklas Stenemo's (The Mo, Melody Club) voice, an instrument that functions like a fuller, more masculine translation of Karin Dreijer's vocal style, elevates this fine record, one that would be perfectly capable of garnering strong reviews without Stenemo's captivating utterances, to something well beyond the run-of-the-mill renditions of 80s electronica. Christian Berg's (Yvonne, Strip Music) love of authentic 80s synth sounds combined with Stenemo's pop sensibility and voice converge so fluidly, bringing to mind acts like New Order, but it's merely a reference point. Opener "Ways to dance" is a distinctly Scandinavian electronic pop song: driving, punctuated by oscillating drum fills à la The Knife; "Say it ain't so" relaxes its hold on the throttle, settling into a layered, paced rhythm; and closer "Learn to like it", a mesmerizing, melancholic track, puts on display much of the aptitude demonstrated on the EP: the intricate levels of synths and voices, the pitch-perfect structure of the songs - never meandering, never going on too long, and merging the measured step of "Say it ain't so" with the unhurried, ethereal expanse that is "My girl and I", my personal favorite. Kite have been fine company on long, cold walks home through streets lined with dying leaves, while reading Ellis' "Less Than Zero", and during the final hour before heading out into the city; the fact that Kite can offer so much in four songs gives the thought of a future full length effort enough weight to push me through what looks to be a bitter winter. I just hope it's not too long a wait.
- Lars Garvey Laing-Peterson
MP3: Kite - Ways to dance
I doubt the coldwave/industrial revival will ever go mainstream, but I'm enjoying that more and more bands are embracing dark analog synths. Kite is as close as we'll get to a crossover act though, if only because they've experienced some success before with former acts such as Yvonne and Melody Club. At the very least, it gives them a head-start over the competition. Whatever happens though, I'm just glad to hear this kind of music being kept alive and done well, especially with a stripped-down, minimalist approach. It's so easy to overdo it. Now I know "Ways to dance" isn't actually dismal enough to be considered coldwave (wait 'til tomorrow's track for that), but think of it as getting your toes wet. If you dig this (and you should - it's a fantastic pop song above everything else), perhaps you can go darker, more underground, or, at the very least, into the past. When Bruce Springsteen is covering Suicide, it's time you started paying attention.
Kite - Ways to dance
Progress Productions have signed Swedish new-wave/electro duo Kite, the band of Christian Berg (Yvonne, Strip Music) and Nicklas Stenemo (The Mo, Melody Club). Look for a new EP soon.
MP3: Yvonne - Modern love
Two things! First, the reunion of Yvonne. I mentioned it in passing a few weeks ago and now the date (June 7 @ Debaser Medis in Stockholm) is just about upon us. Honestly, I'm much more familiar with their reputation than with their music, but I do know their big hit "Modern love" which is a great song. As for them being heralded as Eskilstuna's answer to Joy Division, well, you can hear a bit of the darkness that would become more prominent in post-Yvonne act Strip Music, but this particular track is 100% indie pop. Which leads me into point #2 - the comp I pulled this track from, "Svensk indie 1988-2006 - En kärleks historia", will finally be available in a brand new English-language edition. NONS has informed me that copies are now ready, so hopefully I'll be getting 'em really really soon. It should go without saying, but it's a great comp and I'm eager to pour over the copious liner notes in a language I can easily understand.
Yvonne - Modern love
Steso Songs has signed with the label Lyckan and will be releasing her debut EP on May 23. Read more: http://www.lyckankommer.se/
As you will note from that link, Lyckan will also release a new EP from Kite featuring Christian Berg (Yvonne, Strip Music) and Nicklas Stenemo (The Mo, Melody Club) on the same date.
Swedish indie act Yvonne is back? Really? It looks they've been confirmed to play Send it the Clowns @ Debaser in Stockholm on June 7. Details: http://www.myspace.com/sendintheclownsstockholm
Listen to the new single "Besatt" from David Lindh's (ex-Yvonne/Broder Daniel) new band Svenska Kürkan: http://www.myspace.com/svenskakyrkan
David Lindh (ex-Yvonne/Broder Daniel) has posted tracks from his forthcoming album "Chocolate and seafood" on myspace: http://www.myspace.com/davidlindh
It comes out May 3 via Razzia Records.