Popsicle Recordings has posted 10 volumes of Swedish/Scandinavian pop samplers for free download: http://www.popsiclerecordings.com/samplers/
These were originally distributed as freebies with orders to Popsicle's distro, but since the bottom has fallen out of the CD market (for most of us), they are no longer being made.
The Line of Best Fit talks to Icelandic act Bloodgroup: http://www.thelineofbestfit.com/2009/12/ja-ja-ja-bloodgroup/
Jonsi and Alex, jj and Fever Ray all made it to PopMatters' top albums of 2009 list: http://www.popmatters.com/pm/feature/117680-best-60-albums-of-2009
Check out Icelandic artist Ólöf Arnalds covering the old country evergreen "That lucky old sun" for The Take-Away Show: http://vimeo.com/groups/takeaway/videos/8067207
The new Jónsi single "Boy lilikoi" is in the Pitchfork Track Reviews: http://pitchfork.com/reviews/tracks/11684-boy-lilikoi/
The Silent Ballet reviews the Ólafur Arnalds album "Dyad 1909": http://thesilentballet.com/dnn/Home/tabid/36/ctl/Details/mid/384/ItemID/2950/Default.aspx
Icelandic act Seabear will release their sophomore album "We built a fire" in March via and the band will also be making their US live debut around the same time with various appearances at SXSW. Also keep an eye out for the new 6-song EP "While the fire dies" as well as 7" single for "Lion face boy" (b/w "Cold summer"). Preview here: http://www.anost.net/en/Artists/Seabear-Shop/Seabear-Lion-Face-Boy-Cold-Summer.html
Firstly, I've got a new item in stock: Undergången - An audio companion to the End-Tymes (CS)
Cassettes are the new black and none are more black than this, a 120-minute compilation of dark sounds compiled by Thomas Ekelund of Dead Letters Spell Out Dead Words. Limited to 100 copies, so don't be surprised if they disappear quick.
Second! There are still a few final sleeveless copies of Hello Saferide's "Introducing..." LP available. After that, they are gone forever. Buy now!
Third! Our ongoing CD clearance sale may be winding down and thinning out, but there are still plenty of deals to be had! Please, help me get rid of all these damn CDs!
Fourth, and finally, if you want any chance of your order making it to your house by Christmas, you absolutely have to get it in this week as I will be making my last pre-Xmas trip to the post office on Saturday, December 12. Wait too long and your package might not arrive until New Year's. And then in 2010 I'm shutting down for inventory and renovation, so if you've been considering a purchase, the clock is ticking..
Sigur Rós frontman Jónsi Birgisson has a new website for his upcoming solo endeavor where you can hear the new song "Boy lilikoi": http://jonsi.com/
His new album "Go", composed with help from Nico Muhly (Grizzly Bear, Antony and the Johnsons) and produced by Peter Katis (Interpol, Tiger Lou, The Kissaway Trail, etc.), will be out sometime next year.
Pitchfork reviews the new album "24/7" from Icelandic act GusGus: http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/13674-247/
There's a new episode of The Takeaway Show featuring Múm: http://www.blogotheque.net/Mum,5170
Scandinavian acts confirmed for SXSW 2010: Ólöf Arnalds, Julian Berntzen, Adiam Dymott, Francis, The Kissaway Trail, Unni Lovlid, Lowood, Mixtapes & Cellmates, Michael Monroe (Hanoi Rocks), Movits! and Surrounded.
Swedish Iceland-based artist Mikael Lind is working on a new piece that shows him heading in a more organic direction and is offering an unfinished preview at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/mikaellind