Listed: diskJokke

Norwegian artist diskJokke does the "Listed" thing for Dusted: http://dustedmagazine.com/features/911

PopMatters praises Elephant9

PopMatters says the new Elephant9 album "Walk the Nile" is "21st century Viking jazz at its finest": http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/125982-elephant9-walk-the-nile

MP3: Haust - Anti-reproductive

"Buried by billions of unique snowflakes of hate." The visual is just as vile as the music and I wouldn't have it any other way. Anti-life, anti-reproductive: a sign of the times. Take a look around, things are only going to get worse. Thus "Powers of horror" is my #1 album of the year -- you will not hear a band with a darker, more bleak and negative outlook than Haust, they are the pioneers of the new dystopia.

Haust - Anti-reproductive

Motorpsycho boxset in the works

There will be a 4CD Motorpsycho boxset released in August to coincide with the band's special performance of "Timothy's monster" at Øyafestivalen: http://www.ballade.no/nmi.nsf/doc/art2010061512350674097962 (in Norwegian)

New Kenneth Ishak website now, album later

Kenneth Ishak (Beezewax) has a new website: http://kennethishak.net/
Look for his new album "Kenneth Ishak & The Freedom Machines" to be released this fall. The first single "You lived in a world of your own" is out June 22.

The Loch Ness Mouse debut album to get expanded reissue via Hype City

Hype City is reissuing The Loch Ness Mouse's 1999 debut album "Flair for Darjeeling" on July 5 in a new remastered version with an additional CD containing 11 bonus tracks, including two previously unreleased songs. To celebrate, the band will be playing the entire record live on July 1 at Egersund Visefestival in Egersund, Norway. More info plus a few samples: http://hypecity.no/?p=806

Casiokids interview at PopMatters

PopMatters sits down to do 20 questions with Norwegian indie/pop act Casiokids: http://www.popmatters.com/pm/post/126344-20-questions-casiokids

MP3: Brutus - Solution

Warmth and sunshine has finally arrived in the PacNW. That means it's time to put all my best feel-bad music (Okkultokrati, Haust) on the backburner and bust out some classic 70s-style heaviness. As always, Transubstans Records delivers the goods, so here's a track from a recent release of theirs: the self-titled debut of Swedish/Norwegian bruisers Brutus. Don't expect any curveballs with this one, it's a straight-up blues jammer with big choruses, plenty of swing and a refreshing lack of pointless psychedelic interludes. When done right, as Brutus does, this sort of thing never gets old.

Brutus - Solution

A-ha - Butterfly, butterfly (the last hurrah)

A-ha's new (final?) single "Butterfly, butterfly (the last hurrah)" is posted for preview: http://www.warnerwall.no/h%C3%B8r-den-nye-singelen-til-a-ha/
The track will be available as a paid download on July 5 and will also be included on "25", the band's best-of compilation to be released on July 19.

Okkultokrati - On mouths of hell (video)

Direct link: http://vimeo.com/12527967

99 Minutes #3

The latest episode of Listen to Norway's podcast series "99 minutes" is up now: http://www.listento.no/mic.nsf/doc/art2010061414132951596246
Featured artists include Hanne Hukkelberg, Håkon Kornstad, Ost & Kjex, Katzenjammer, Arve Henriksen, Motorpsycho and Karin Krog.

Yesboyicecream confirms new album from Soda Fountain Rag, preview available

Yesboyicecream will be releasing the new album "Reel around me" from Norwegian indiepop act Soda Fountain Rag on July 5 in cooperation with Italian collective We Were Never Being Boring. It will be available either as a digital download or as 10" vinyl and the whole thing can be streamed here in advance: http://www.rollingstonemagazine.it/musica/soda-fountain-rag-bergen-mon-amour

Sirius playlist week #24

Here's the playlist for this week's radio show Sirius XMU:

01. Randy - Who's side are you on?
02. TALK 1
03. Randy - Freedom song
04. Far From Tellus - Rosemary
05. Chicagojazzen - 18 år i en ruttnande kropp
06. TALK 2
07. Andreas Söderlund - Hawaii
08. Noisebud - Truck driver
09. Montys Loco - Heavy
10. TALK 3
11. Maim - Maimed
12. Turboweekend - Sweet Jezebel (Efterklang remix)
13. Pearl Fiction - The ruby fever
14. Meleeh - Hells mouth
15. TALK 4
16. Oranssi Pazuzu - Korppi
17. Brutus - Swedish lady
18. Entombed - Something out of nothing
19. Katzenjammer - To the sea
20. TALK 5
21. Robyn - Dancehall queen

Reminder: my show airs every week on Sundays and Mondays at 11pm ET on Sirius XMU. That's channel 26 on Sirius, 43 on XM and 831 for DirecTV subscribers.

This week's top 20 Norwegian album chart

This week's top 20 Norwegian album chart:

01. Hellbillies - Leite etter lykka
02. Steff Nevers - Ain't no bad life
03. Karpe Diem - Aldri Solgt En Løgn
04. Susanne Sundfør - The Brothel
05. Knutsen & Ludvigsen - Dum og deilig -beste
06. Gitarkameratene - Kanon! Gitarkameratenes aller beste
07. Lars Vaular - Helt om natten, Helt om dagen
08. Trond Granlund - Sanger jeg lærte av faren min
09. Bobbysocks - Let It Swing - The Best of Bobbysocks
10. Venke Knutson - Smiles - The Very Best Of
11. Ingenting - Ingenting live
12. Thomas Dybdahl - Waiting for that one clear moment
13. Diverse artister - Melodi Grand Prix 2010
14. Purified In Blood - Under Black Skies
15. Tove Bøygard - Tove Bøygard
16. Aleksander With - Still Awake
17. John Olav Nilsen & Gjengen - For Sant Til Å Være Godt
18. Keep Of Kalessin - Reptilian
19. Steinar Engelbrektson Band - Aller Beste
20. Sivert Høyem - Moon Landing

I Was A King confirm new album

Norwegian indie act I Was A King report that their new album "Old friends" is finished and will be released on August 16 via Hype City.