Hello, is this thing on? I'm still retired from running this website, but I never stopped caring about Scandinavian music and apparently some people still care about what I have to say on the subject, so check out this interview I did this past summer with the nice folks at the Blue Monday Podcast: https://www.xn--blmndag-fxab.se/43-kalabalik-2019/ I probably should've posted this back when it first went up, but better late than never, right? And who knows, perhaps I will see you at Kalabalik på Tyrolen next year! Otherwise, feel free to keep up with me and my own solo musical endeavor Harsh R.
Stick a fork in me, I'm done. After 10 years of near-daily blogging I have decided to walk away from It's a Trap!, a decision that I have weighed for quite some time and one that did not come easily. This site has been a major part of my life the past decade and while I treasure that time greatly, both via the music and all of the absolutely lovely people I've met along the way, I've become increasingly tired, burnt-out and simply far too busy to give it the attention it truly deserves. So, rather than let you bear witness to my slow descent into a crispy shell of bitter cynicism, I'm getting out while the getting's still good. Thanks to all of the amazing bands and labels who I have worked with and whose art has inspired me, thanks to everyone who ever contributed an article, review or even an email recommendation, thanks to Jonas for handling the clubnights so admirably and most of all, thanks to YOU for reading! I doubt I'll ever stop caring about music, Scandinavian or otherwise, so I'm sure I will eventually resurface somewhere else before long. Until then, keep in touch!
Ghost and Jess & the Ancient Ones have a lot to answer for. Between them they seem to have started this classic rock-tinged occult psychedelic thing where the next, more underground generation think that loose 'n' lo-fi is the way to go. Although Seremonia sound nothing like fellow countrymen Beherit, they have gone for an odd production choice similar in ethos to "Drawing down the moon". The difference is that going out on a pre-planned lo-fi limb like that really worked for Beherit back in '93 and resulted in a legendary album. Here it sounds too gimmicky. It's like, "Oh, we're so loose and chilled out when we're playing that we just go with what flows from our inner souls." In reality it comes across as either a get-out clause that makes excuses for sloppiness or a deliberate attempt at sounding genuinely nekro. This lack of integrity in the sound kills the vibe completely. If you want something with an authentic form of the off-kilter atmosphere that Seremonia strives to achieve you should get your hands on Black Hole's "Living mask". - John Norby
Speaking of , the label is also now streaming the new Disco Ensemble album "Warriors" in full via Soundcloud which I appreciate because it's not available on Spotify in the US yet.
"Outrun" is the 2nd video from Murmansk's excellent new album "Rüütli". It's also the track that seems to reliably come up on shuffle almost every day when I'm out running (no complaints!).
Finnish indierockers Delay Trees pay tribute to their hometown Hämeenlinna, also the birthplace of renown composer Jean Sibelius. The band's new album "Doze" will be released on October 19 via .
More like this please: killer early 80s synth-heavy gothrock outta Finland, recently given the vinyl reissue treatment via . So, so good; such a shame I only just heard about them a few weeks ago.
Seremonia