2011 Spellemann winners

The winners of the 2011 Spellemannprisen, the Norwegian Grammy, were announced over the weekend:

2011 Spellemann: Bernhoft - "Solidarity Breaks"
Female artist: Ane Brun - "It All Starts With One"
Male Artist: Bernhoft - "Solidarity Breaks"
Pop Group: Team Me - "To The Treetops!"
Rock: Honningbarna - "La Alarmane Gå"
Metal: Årabrot - "Solar Anus"
Electronica: Biosphere - "N-Plants"
Hip-hop: Lars Vaular - "Du Betyr Meg"
Folk/Traditional: Ragnhild Furebotten - "Never On A Sunday"
Jazz: Ola Kvernberg - "Liarbird"
Open Class: Bárut/Inga Juuso - "Balggis"
Lyrics: Lars Vaular - "Du Betyr Meg"
Composer: Rolf Wallin/Lundeng/Torjesen/Bodø Symfonietta/Eggen - "Wire And String"
Newcomer/Gramostipend: Jonas Alaska - "Jonas Alaska"
Music Video: Envy - One Song
2011 Hit: Plumbo - Møkkamann

Read more: http://www.spellemann.no/index.php?option=com_winner&Itemid=29&year=2011

NEw music from She Said Destroy

NRK P3 Pyro is streaming a new 27-minute track from She Said Destroy called "Bleeding fiction" along with a short text interview (in Norwegian): http://p3.no/pyro/10-sporsmal-med-anders-fra-she-said-destroy/

Alog present new live album/Manga "Tokio Heaven"

Alog picked up a small stack of cardboard sleeves on their way through Portland, OR and, after pondering awhile what to do with them, finally settled on making them into covers for a new live album. However, they did not settle for a standard cover design -- instead they enlisted Japanese Manga artist Junko Harada to do a 50-panel strip, one for each edition of the record. See the result here, entitled "Tokio Heaven": http://alog.net/tc/index.html

Dilillis - Ferdig i Dilillis

New sounds from Bodø-based act Dilillis off their forthcoming Magnus Eliassen-produced album "Ferdig i Dilillis", due out February 24 via Beyond Records.

New from Hubro: Erland Dahlen, Scent of Soil

Up next from the exceptional Norwegian label Hubro, the solo debut "Rolling bomber" from drummer/percussionist/saw player (!!!) Erland Dahlen. Seriously: drums, percussion and singing saw and nothing else -- it's awesome.

After that, the new album from pop/jazz act Scent of Soil. Haven't heard that one yet beyond this one sample tune, but considering the label's track record, I'm sure it will be worth checking out. Details here.

The Megaphonic Thrift - Raising flags

The second sample from The Megaphonic Thrift's upcoming self-titled album and the first official single.

Phone Joan - Damned (video)

A new clip from Norwegian act Phone Joan. The band's new album "+4791799466" will be released on March 14.

Svarte Greiner - Twin

"Twin" is a 45-minute remix/remake track previously only available with the first edition of the excellent "Owl splinters" LP, now available as a free download. Highly recommended dark ambient.

Nekromantheon album preview

The new album "Rise, Vulcan spectre" from Norwegian thrashers Nekromantheon is currently streaming in full at metal mag Decibel's blog: http://truecultheavymetal.com/blog1.php/2012/01/09/terrorizer-is-streaming-nekromantheon-s-rise-vulcan-spectre

Årabrot on tour

Norwegian sludgerockers Årabrot will be hitting the road once more in February:

02/13 - Sonic Ballroom, Cologne (GER)
02/14 - Zorro, Leipzig (GER)
02/15 - Scheune, Dresden (GER)
02/16 - Hirscheneck, Basel (CH)
02/17 - Kapu, Linz (AUS)
02/18 - Sentrum Scene, Oslo (NOR) w/Mayhem
02/20 - Glockenbachwerkstatt, Munich (GER)
02/22 - Stag and Hounds, Bristol (UK)
02/24 - The Unicorn, London (UK)
02/25 - Islington Mill, Manchester (UK)
02/26 - Bannermans, Edinburgh (UK)
02/27 - 13th Note, Glasgow (UK)
02/28 - Royal Park Cellars, Leeds (UK)

New Apparatjik available via Facebook

Apparatjik have a new album called "Draft 5" posted on Facebook for free download in exchange for a "like": https://www.facebook.com/apparatjik

Dusted reviews Poing and Maja S.K. Ratkje

Dusted reviews "Wach Auf!", the new collaboration album featuring jazz/folk trio Poing (aka bassist Håkon Thelin, saxophonist Rolf-Erik Nystrøm, and accordionist Frode Haltli) and experimental artist/vocalist Maja S.K. Ratkje: http://dustedmagazine.com/reviews/6862

Rune Grammofon release schedule update

Here's an update on Rune Grammofon's release schedule for Q12012:

01/20 - Bushman's Revenge - A little bit of big bonanza (CD/LP)
01/20 - Bushman's Revenge - Never mind the botox (LP)
02/17 - Motorpsycho with <>Ståle Storløkken - The death defying unicorn (2CD/2LP)
03/02 - Astrïd - High blues (CD)
03/02 - Volcano the Bear (UK) - Golden rhythm / Ink music (CD/LP)
03/16 - Susanna - Wild dog (CD)

120 Days - Dahle disco

"Dahle disco" is the latest single from Norwegian act 120 Days. Look for the band's new album "II" to be released abroad on March 5 via Splendour.

Team Me - Show me (video)

A new video from the much-hyped, Spellemann-nominated act Team Me. Look for the band's album "To the treetops!" to be released in Europe on February 24 with the UK/US to follow on March 5.