Infrastruktur - Ryssland (video)
From the forthcoming album "Osolo", due out soon via . Direct link: https://vimeo.com/17123405
Robyn is best new music (again)
Robyn's new track "Call your girlfriend" gets designated "Best New Music" over at Pitchfork: https://pitchfork.com/reviews/tracks/12054-call-your-girlfriend/
Erik Hassle talks Taken
Swedish pop artist Erik Hassle discusses his new EP "Taken", which I believe was at least partially co-written by the guys in Set Fire Run/Dyno. Direct link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pxxy1Mrf5xM
Christian Kjellvander - Transatlantic (video)
"Transatlantic" is the first single from Christian Kjellvander's new album "The rough & rynge"; this is the video. Direct link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gSkJTomk0Qo
Rökkurró
Í annan heim
12 Tónar
When talking about music, the word "Icelandic" has come to mean a lot more than where the band members hail from. With the consistently brilliant works of Sigur Rós, the talents of Mùm, and Björk's wonderfully bizarre offerings, "Icelandic" has come to simultaneously define an ethereal, arctic expanse and an idiosyncratic and otherworldly landscape, with any deviations to one's conception of the term often being easily reconciled and folded into the wide-reaching designation. While "Í annan heim" may lean more towards a more traditional presentation of melancholy pop than their kinsfolk, Rökkurró will not be heralded as the band who broke the Icelandic mold, though this isn't to disparage their talents or sound. "Í annan heim" is home to quite a bit of quality songwriting, though, as a whole, the despondence is not always paired with intrigue -- the compositions, while beautiful, often pass without having convinced us to follow. The album does open up with repeated listening, and closer "Svamur" makes a strong case for one to start the album over, but I wouldn't be surprised if some never make it to those final moments -- those that find themselves wanting another pass through, however, will be happily rewarded.
- Lars Garvey Laing-Peterson
Boeoes Kaelstigen debut album, now with socks
The new album "Tanum teleport" from Swedish techno act Boeoes Kaelstigen is just released via and if you order now, they'll throw in a pair of socks: https://www.adrianrecordings.com/default.asp?newsid=296
Stream the entire record here: https://soundcloud.com/boeoeskaelstigen/sets/tanum-teleport
MP3: Amorphis - Black winter day
Black winter day? Yesterday the Pacific NW was anything but! Monday brought us a few inches of snow which, for a region that often gets none not to mention rarely this early, meant that most folks said "screw it" and took the rest of the week off seeing as how Thursday is Thanksgiving and we're just not all that well-equipped to handle extreme winter weather. Tuesday followed with sheer perfection: cold, clear and sunny all day with the temperature peaking at just above freezing. I still had to work because, well, I always have to work, but I still made sure to spend plenty of time out of doors with all the smiling folks happy for a snowday. So even though Amorphis may not be on-point lyrically, their happy-sounding melodic death metal is still a perfect fit for the season. Just think "bright winter day".
Madrugada, the official YouTube channel (finally)
10 years later, the official videos from Madrugada's landmark debut "Industrial silence" are now on YouTube in proper high quality and more are on the way: https://www.youtube.com/user/MadrugadaOfficial
MP3: Nightsatan - Karelian Starmaster (Evil Lucifer)
If you've seen any John Carpenter films, you know that his soundtracks are often just as memorable as the visuals. Even the most dated-sounding of his works is still evocative, so it's no surprise that many artists would attempt to emulate him and Finland's Nightsatan is a fine example of one such act. Of course the Carpenter worship is just a starting point -- "Karelian Starmaster" will certainly have you thinking "Escape from New York", but it's plenty epic in its own right, moving through various tension-building arpeggios before resolving with a depressive final coda. Also, according to the label, the band performs everything live including the synthpad drums which I must say is pretty cool considering the ease with which this kind of music can be pre-canned.
The Amazing - Head beaches (video)
Filmed in gritty Super 8, this is the video for "Head beaches" from the excellent Swedish psych act The Amazing. Direct link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZKwJBWS9UQ
Iron African posts album for free download
Swedish rapper Iron African's new album "My own little war" is now available as a free download via Whoa.nu: https://blog.whoa.nu/2010/11/20/iron-african-my-own-little-war/
I've been into the tracks of his I've heard before, so I'm eager to check this out.
PopMatters reviews Body Talk pt. 3
PopMatters reviews Robyn's third and final entry in the "Body talk" trilogy: https://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/133931-robyn-body-talk/
Interment tour blog
Swedish death metal act Interment has started a tour blog as they get ready to head out on the "Black Steel Worship Tour": https://interment.blogspot.com/
New Emil Jensen album in March
The new Emil Jensen album "Rykten" will be released on March 2 via : https://www.adrianrecordings.com/default.asp?newsid=294