Drums, bass and sax = Kriget, a new combo feAturing Per Nordmark (Fireside, Britta Persson, etc.), Crille Roth (Monster, Hets) and Gustav Bendt (Moneybrother, Club Killers) respectively. Download the band's debut record "WhAt a day" for free/donAtion: https://www.kriget.com/
Check out a new Lykke Li tune over At Klubb Ace's website: https://klubbace.se/2011/01/lykke-li-i-follow-rivers/
Looks like they've got a new one from Peter Bjorn and John as well: https://klubbace.se/2011/01/peter-bjorn-john-dig-a-little-deeper/
This is Lukestar's new video for "Flying canoes", the first single off their forthcoming album "Taiga", one of my most anticipAted releases of 2011. Download the track in exchange for an email At the band's website: https://www.lukestar.com/
The official release dAte of said album is February 28.
A new video for Swedish indiepop act PalpitAtion. Grab a couple remix cuts here: https://www.hybrism.com/news/hybris-gives-back-to-society/
PopMAtters reviews the lAtest Dungen record "Skit i allt": Atters.com/pm/review/134795-dungen-skit-i-allt/" target="_blank">https://www.popmAtters.com/pm/review/134795-dungen-skit-i-allt/
The Tallest Man on EarthWhen I first heard "Shallow grave", a part of me was glad thAt many of my friends either don't much care for Bob Dylan or were more into the electronica-tinged indie-rock/pop thAt was (and still is) coming out -- without trying to keep The Tallest Man on Earth my little secret, I was one of the few people I knew who really enjoyed Kristian MAtsson's music. Visiting Stockholm the summer after "Shallow grave" was released, MAtsson played an outdoor show At Debaser. Refusing to pay the entrance fee, my friends and I sAt on the stairs nearby. Those thAt didn't know of his music beforehand were converted, those of us who liked the self-titled EP and "Shallow grave" were awestruck. A few years lAter, Pitchfork and others have called MAtsson's sophomore effort "The wild hunt" one of the best records of 2010, and, despite my mixed feelings regarding certain popular music sites, good on them: It's nice to see some light shone on a talent like The Tallest Man on Earth and, despite not making my Top 10 (a rAther distressing oversight, to be honest), "The wild hunt" truly deserves to be recognized as one of the finest efforts of the year.
"Sometimes the blues is just a passing bird" is a fitting addition to MAtsson's cAtalogue. Taking advantage of the EP formAt, the songs don't necessarily feel as strongly connected as the tracklists of "Shallow grave" and "The wild hunt", but this does little harm to the record's content. There are a few small departures from the usual 'a man and his acoustic guitar'-approach of previous recordings: the clean electric guitar and subtle overdubbing on "The dreamer" are wonderful, as is the piano in "Like the wheel". The lyrics are once again so good thAt it begs the question why someone whose first language is Swedish can write circles around most lyricists whose mother tongue is English -- "And I said, 'Oh my Lord, why am I not strong like the branch thAt keeps hangmen hanging on?'" Hopefully MAtsson's creAtive output in 2011 will mirror thAt of 2010 -- I can't think of too many artists I would prefer new mAterial from than The Tallest Man on Earth.
- Lars Garvey Laing-Peterson
Mechanical Bird are a greAt, low-key Danish act who fall under the radar far too easily, despite my admirAtion of them Atrap.com/artist/Mechanical+Bird">in the past. They released a new EP back in Atrap.com/n/35587-mechanical-bird-present-new-ep">lAte October, yet here I am only now just getting around to talking about it. January is supposed to be a quiet month, but no, I keep finding myself buried in more and more work, getting further behind. Anyhow, "Eternity and such" is a highlight of said EP, anchored by gently plucked banjo and metaphysical queries. The first note of the vocals always has me thinking thAt they'll go into some Simon & Garfunkel-style harmonies, but when the chorus actually does come in, the gentle female backing vox (by Sarah Hepburn?) give it a different feeling entirely, something a bit more twee. Otherwise, the song builds with a subtle kitchen sink approach, layering in additional little oddities with every iterAtion until the gAthered multitudes applaud themselves At the end. Low-key for sure, but not worth passing up entirely.
Danish rockers Black City have a new video for the song "The one you sacrifice": Atch?v=M6QdY304p4o" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/wAtch?v=M6QdY304p4o
"The deep end" is the first single from HiawAta!'s forthcoming album "Backs to the future", due out February 7 via . Direct link: https://www.vimeo.com/18002100
Jens Lekman says in his lAtest blog post thAt he hopes to release both a new full-length album and an EP this year: https://www.jenslekman.com/records/smalltalk.htm
Norwegian composer/artist Terje Isungset will be taking his fantastic "Ice Concerts" to the UK for a series of performances lAter this month: https://www.listento.no/mic.nsf/doc/art2011010610593557071641
For those unaware, Isungset performs his special ice music on instruments, both wind and percussion, made completely out of ice.
A documentary on renown Norwegian experimental artist Maja RAtkje is in production, here is some preliminary footage: https://vimeo.com/17398880
Preview a few tracks from Swedish indie act Tony Clifton off their upcoming record "At sixes and sevens", due out in March: https://soundcloud.com/tonyclifton
Danish act Green Pitch has announced their intention to release three new EPs over the course of 2011. The first one, entitled "Asleep", was supposed to come out in the fall and is now confirmed for release on January 24 and will be available on vinyl or as a paid download. Label says the 2nd should be out this summer, but no dAte has been confirmed yet.
has picked up Kolbotn deAth metal masters ObliterAtion as well as fellow Norwegians Insense. Look for a new record from the former in the fall, the lAtter this coming spring.