Festival report: Roskilde

The new Detektivbyrån/Hemstad split 7" on Italian label Black*Kitten Records has been confirmed for release on June 21.

IAT faves Detektivbyrån will release the new single "Lyckans Undulat" on June 6. More details to come.

Last night's playlist for my show on Sirius Blog Radio:

01. Isolation Years - Yellow cross on blue
02. TALK 1
03. Johndoe - Nattskift
04. Montys Loco - Wasteland
05. Once We Were - Cut corners
06. TALK 2
07. [ingenting] - Mycket vasen for ingenting
08. Margaret Berger - Robot song
09. Namur - Marching
10. Lampshade - New legs
11. TALK 3
12. Maia Hirasawa - Gothenburg
13. Mixtapes & Cellmates - Quiet
14. Fattaru - 100:-
15. Juvelen - Hanna
16. TALK 4
17. Säkert! - Allt som är ditt
18. Sonores - 16th of June
19. Detektivbyrån - E18
20. TALK 5
21. At the Gates - The swarm
22. Barra Head - Kill the lights
23. TALK 6
24. The Tough Alliance - Leg 7
25. Torpedo - My evil twin
26. Alog - Catch that totem!
27. TALK 7
28. Valley Days - 10k angels
29. A-ha - Celice
30. Victims - Who the fuck are we?
31. TALK 8
32. The Vicious - Alienated
33. Viola - Unreal life
34. Zweizz - Nowadays the only boring everything is so frustrating
35. Viktor Sjöberg - Winter guitars
36. TALK 9
37. Closer - The talker
38. Aerial - My god, it's full of stars!
39. The Kissaway Trail - La la song
40. Laakso - Italy vs Helsinki
41. The Psyke Project - Panic
42. TALK 10
43. C.Aarmé - We are the world

Next week: expect lots more killer jams including totally a brand new track from Closer and maybe even a spotlight set on post-rock/ambient music. Good times!

New in the mailorder: "Great Northern Recordings compilation no. 2"
Just like the first, this is luxuriously packaged and super limited so act fast or you might miss it. Some great music too - two tracks each from Detektivbyrån, ASS, Gösta Berlings Saga and Erik Enocksson. Very recommended.

The Silent Ballet reviews Detektivbyrån: https://thesilentballet.com/dnn/Home/tabid/36/ctl/Details/mid/384/ItemID/425/Default.aspx

Detektivbyrån
Hemvägen EP
Denarkia

It's always thrilling hearing something that doesn't quite sound like anything else. Detektivbyrån are influenced by the folksier side of Sweden's musical heritage, but there's a sweet purity at work here that seems to have sprung right from nature. Indeed, in Avi's profile of the band awhile back, they said they were inspired by wildlife (wolves in particular) and the ocean. Although a couple of tracks offer soft, glowing keyboard work, the ones you'll most remember are like whirling, rustic little dances. The third track in particular is one of the most gorgeous, infectious instrumentals I've ever heard, taking everything Björk had in mind on "Vespertine" and consolidating it in three minutes. Warm, lovely and life-affirming, this disc is one of the nicest surprises to come out of Sweden in ages.
- Kevin Renick

Cobra Charlie has posted a remix of Detektivbyrån's track "E18": https://www.myspace.com/cobracharlie

IAT recommended acts Detektivbyrån and Hemstad will be teaming up for a split 7" to be released via Italian label Black*Kitten Records. No release date yet, but expect it sometime around spring.

Top 10s for 2006: C-J Larsgården (A Perfect Friend, Pacta Sunt Servanda)

Top 10s for 2006: It's a trap!

Top 10s for 2006: Staff picks

Profile: Detektivbyrån

Lots of new special content for you today as well, including my promised profile piece on Detektivbyrån as well as a nice big batch of reviews. I'm also working on a piece summarizing my toughts from last week's seminar and hope to have it posted in a day or two.

MP3: Detektivbyrån - E18

I've held off on posting a track from Detektivbyrån for a couple weeks now because I've been waiting for them to get back to me with responses to a few interview questions I sent them. Well, I can wait no more. Finding new music that's as unique and inspired as Detektivbyrån is a rarity and I knew as soon as I heard them that they'd be someone I want to share with you. A lot of their sound comes from their reliance on the accordion as the melodic lead. They often mix it up with various other non-standard instruments, but it's the squeeze-box that stands out, especially on the song I've posted today - the opening track of their debut EP "Hemvägen". It's not languid enough to be called Morricone-esque, but it's definitely soundtrack-worthy. Close your eyes and no doubt you'll be swept far away to some foreign land, perhaps embroiled in a spy chase or the like. It's not often that music can be this vivid. Very recommended.

Detektivbyrån - E18