is giving away a new track from Norwegian indiepop act mylittlepony (nee My Little Pony) from the band's new album "Making marks", due out January 17: https://spoontrain.no/mylittlepony-a-miracle
The label will also be posting live acoustic clips of songs from the record every week throughout the month, as you can also see at the above link.
Friendly Noise's December best-of-2010 issue is now up: https://www.friendlynoise.se/fzn/11
No exact dates yet except for one, but here's 's confirmed release list for this coming spring:
Dragontears - 2000 micrograms from home LP repress. 500 copies on green vinyl. (AFROLP032). Release January 17.
Baby Woodrose - Mindblowing seeds & disconnected flowers LP/CD (AFROLP041/AFROCD041)
Baby Woodrose - Blows your mind LP repress. 500 copies on purple vinyl. (AFROLP020)
On Trial - 2x7" (FRO050)
Telstar Sound Drone - 7" (FRO051)
And for fall:
Baby Woodrose - Love comes down CD/LP (AFROLP042/AFROCD042)
The Setting Son - s/t LP repress. 500 copies on red vinyl. (AFROLP034)
Baby Woodrose/The Setting Son split 7” (FRO052)
The Dolly Rocker Movement (AU/US) - Your side of town 7” (FRO053)
Viola continues to give away a new track every month and it looks like 2011 will be no different: https://www.violamusicclub.com/2011-01-newest-hottest-whatever
has confirmed that Trust's full-length debut "From light into mass" will be released on January 31. I managed to listen to about 2/3rds of it last night and it's pretty cool; definitely well worth checking out for anyone into the label's other releases (Menfolk, Obstacles, etc.) or heavy math-rock in general. The band will also be touring Europe in February and you can get dates here: https://playrec.dk/default.aspx?section=schedule
Samuraj Cities have unveiled a brand new track for free download: https://soundcloud.com/samurajcities/next-station
Expect a new album later this year?
Another Nation's National AnthemEPs are often mixed blessings: they can be all over the map with regards to quality, creative direction, and sound, and even the best EPs run the risk of getting overplayed, especially if the release precedes another recording by more than a few months. That said, Convoj's self-titled EP and Cut City's "Narcissus can wait" demonstrate that EPs, when handled correctly, can stand on their own and hold their ground, and to that list I add Another Nation's National Anthem's "Conscious castle". A week or so ago, I may not have made that claim, but ANNA grow on you and the contemplative periods in a few of the songs have since ceased feeling somewhat indulgent and now feel properly settled into the compositions. "Conscious castle" unfolds in a very pleasant way, each listening revealing a layer I missed on a previous occasion. Its sound reminds me at times of The Appleseed Cast (though this claim may hold more weight in nostalgia than in fact) and Tiger Lou (especially those opening notes of "Hold, stranger (of the north)"), though ultimately escapes pigeonholing through the strength of the songwriting. Seeing what ANNA can do with five tracks and 21 minutes, I'm very interested in this band's future.
- Lars Garvey Laing-Peterson
will be releasing the new album "Selection by elimination" from Norwegian drum/bass duo La Casa Fantom on March 7. It will be available on both CD and vinyl.
Norwegian avant/electronic duo Alog will be releasing a double live album next year featuring recordings from shows in Japan. Japanese Manga artist Junko will be handling the artwork and here are some rough sketches: https://alog.net/posts/193
Stream Den Svenska Tystnaden's new EP "Utsikter från botten", just released today via : https://soundcloud.com/adrianrec/sets/den-svenska-tystnaden-utsikter-fran-botten
Ljudbilden & Piloten/ViddernaCan't let this one slip through the cracks. , the newly relaunched version of the label , kicked things off in fine form with their debut release, a split 12" featuring Ljudbilden & Piloten and Vidderna. The former, the musical alias of artist/animator Kristofer Ström, is someone I was already familiar with, having been a fan of the 2008 album "One hundred fifty-five", and these new tracks don't stray too far from what came before. He's still very much in ambient guitar territory, layering looped figures on top of one another with additional light accompaniment and other subtle sound effects. It makes for a very pleasant, engaging listen, even if it is more or less interchangable with his other work. Vidderna, on the other hand, is definitely a highlight. Their mellow Planet Caravan jams are 100% on-point, anchored by solid, loping basslines and copious hand-percussion. So chill you may be at risk for catching Balearia, but tempered with a different kind of energy than the standard junk that falls under such banners. Think beach bonfires after dark, not beach basking in the sun.
281 copies in minimalist packaging; surprisingly and shamefully not yet sold out. That's near-criminal under-appreciation.
- Avi Roig
Galaxy SafariGalaxy Safari's latest ups the yeeaaah quotient and sands off all the rough edges to give you a polished arena-rock turd. I thought their last album was pretty decent despite a few missteps; this one is almost nothing but once you get past the first couple tunes. Hard to believe at this point that some of these dudes used to be in legit hardcore acts, but I guess we just have different ideas about what it means to grow old gracefully. As for me, I'm just stoked that in a few weeks I'll be spending my 33rd birthday recording 4-track demo tunes with my punk band in someone's basement. Likewise, I'm also stoked that I never have to listen to this ever again.
- Avi Roig
Though not directly Scandinavian music-related, this feature on Spotify from the January 2011 issue of Wired is worth checking out: https://www.wired.com/magazine/2010/12/mf_spotify/
I would love to integrate Spotify links with the site, especially since the catalog includes a vast majority of the music I cover, but alas I cannot. Honestly, I'd be more than content with a version of Spotify with only Scandinavian/Euro artists, but I doubt that'll ever happen either. Bummer.
The 405 has a new audio interview up with Norwegian artist Bellman: https://thefourohfive.com/articles/4862
Norwegian act Blood Command has a new website: https://bloodcommand.com/