There's a new episode of Listen to Norway's eclectic podcast program "99 Minutes" online today: http://www.listento.no/mic.nsf/doc/art2012050310205057155413
Featured artists include Farmers Market, Stian Westerhus, Nils Økland, Mungolian Jetset, Honningbarna, Nathalie Nordnes, Pilemil and lots more.
I think this has got to be the 3rd or 4th kaleidoscope/mirror-image video I've seen this week, had no idea it was a thing all a sudden. Anyhow, Norwegian hip-hop still has a ways to go to my hears, but the production here is decent.
NordagustHeaps upon heaps of mellotron combined with heavy prog rock guitars and emotional vocals ensure that this debut by the Norwegian six piece is firmly ensconced in the retro catalogue. This is proggy folk rock at its most haunting and with an eerie cinematic feel in its instrumental passages that would sit well in any psychological horror. The "out in nature" aspect of this album with its extensive use of field recordings works in places but fails in others -- such as in the pot-of-boiling-potatoes of "In the woods". A lot of the music itself is quite reminiscent of the likes of fellow countrymen Arcturus or Enslaved with the heavier guitar parts very like the stoned tree-hugging brother of the former's "Sideshow symphonies". To hear that style in such a different setting is refreshing for someone who is familiar with any of Arcturus' material and, likewise, prog fans who enjoy "In the mist of morning" could do worse than check out "Sideshow...". The only problem is that once the comparison is in there, that's all you can hear. On the whole, however, this is one stormer of a debut that stands up well alongside classic releases from the famed Swedish bands of yesteryear such as Anekdoten and Änglagård.
- John Norby
Check out a podcast mix and interview with Norwegian experimental/electronic artist Erik K Skodvin (Svarte Greiner/Deaf Center) over at Resident Advisor: http://www.residentadvisor.net/podcast-episode.aspx?id=309
Scandinavian/international experimental music blog/collective recently put out a 3-way split featuring music from dark ambient/darkwave acts Natassja, Sharku and Agen. This is a preview, more info here.
Coming May 28, Ulver's all-classic psychedlic rock covers album "Childhood's end" -- read all about it and hear samples here: http://www.kscopemusic.com/ulver/childhoodsend/
"When I die" is the first single from Chris Holm's (Young Dreams, Bloody Beach, Sondre Lerche and The Alexandria Quartet, not to be confused with Chris Holmes) upcoming album "Kilos", due out this fall via . I don't think it's very good at all, but I know lots of folks will probably be curious.
LivstidThis album in one sentence: Crusty grindcore d-beat from Bergen that sounds like crusty grindcore d-beat from everywhere else in Scandinavia. "Livstid" is a decent example of how all the good albums in this genre sound, although it is a genre that's severely marred by its limited scope for experimentation. That limitation inevitably means that the mark of a good album within this Skitsystem-ruled world is simply the ability to keep up with the Joneses. It also means that unless you're either a devoted follower of all things crust or someone brand new to the genre, pretty much everything will sound the same to you. "Livstid" is a little cleaner and makes more use of melody than a lot of the stuff out there and there's enough tempo variation within the album to keep it interesting, but it's still predominately blistering fast and nasty, like all of these albums are. If that's your bag and you're either the devotee or the novice, you'll dig it.
- John Norby
Here's a new track from Purified in Blood featuring guest vocals from Erlend Hjelvik of Kvelertak: http://soundcloud.com/indierecordings/purified-in-blood-mot-grav
The band's new album "Flight of a dying sun" will be out on June 15.
The new Center of the Universe album "Astral harrassment" is being given away as a free download via Bandcamp: http://meau.bandcamp.com/album/astral-harrassment
It's not exactly surprising in any way whatsoever, but anyhoo: Enslaved has signed a worldwide deal with and will be releasing a new album this fall. Their last couple releases, aside from that Scion A/V EP, were handled by in North America and abroad via .
The Øya Festival and Music Export Norway are sending a trio of bands to Berlin for a showcase in May: http://www.musicexportnorway.no/oya-and-men-bring-acts-to-berlin.5046844-149133.html
The featured acts are Team Me, Einar Stray and Sandra Kolstad. RSVP req'd, details at the aforementioned link.
Manic and relentless Norwegian metalcore/mathrock, new album "Year one" coming May 25.
From the darkest reaches of Notodden, proof positive that border collies are totally black metal.
Brand new music from Norwegian artist Morten Myklebust by way of . Check out the studio/album version here.
