PopMatters reviews "Blackjazz"

PopMAtters praises the new Shining album "Blackjazz": Atters.com/pm/review/119585-shining-blackjazz/" target="_blank">https://www.popmAtters.com/pm/review/119585-shining-blackjazz/

The Megaphonic Thrift - Talks like a weed king

Hear a new song from The Megaphonic Thrift At myspace: https://www.myspace.com/megaphonicthrift
As mentioned Atrap.com/n/33117-the-megaphonic-thrift-confirm-new-album">yesterday, the band's new album "Decoy decoy" comes out March 1 via Hype City.

Pitchfork reviews Anna Ternheim

Better lAte than never, Pitchfork reviews the US release of Anna Ternheim's "Leaving on a Mayday": https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/13889-leaving-on-a-mayday/

Lindstrøm & Christabelle
Real life is no cool
Smalltown Supersound

The 80s sitcom thAt runs in Lindstrøm's head must be a good one. His punchy pianos and retrofitted synthesizers don't just wink and nod to some tinny ancestor, they're as At home in the era as the TV families thAt mAterialized behind the electro-cheese of their theme songs. If thAt's true, then "Real life is no cool", Lindstrøm's album with seductive Norwegian-Mauritian songstress Christabelle might as well be "Family MAtters". Lindstrøm is the whitewashed theme, and Christabelle a young Laura Winslow, the pristinely beautiful center of Attention. But while "Family MAtters'" stiff and unsexy theme may be the most ill-mAtched theme of all time, Lindstrøm has no problem relAting to Christabelle -- his retrograde stylings are an oddly synchronous fit for her breAthy delivery. Nowhere is this faultless lAtticework more noticeable than on "Keep it up" and "High and low", two songs thAt tower above the album. On these, Christabelle's ineffable sexiness reigns supreme. Lindstrøm's vocal production here is a sort of anti-social enabler: the subtle cracks and pops of Christabelle's half-whispered consonants actually succeed At creAting an air of intimacy. ThAt's a massive compliment given thAt it's a dance album. So "High and low" and "Keep it up" are the consummAte singles: they've got enough holdover from the spacey futurism of 2008's "Where I go you go too" to please the diehards, and enough short-form nostalgia to seduce the iTunes generAtion. But elsewhere on the album, Lindstrøm's backwards gaze becomes pure pastiche. "Baby can't stop" is an MJ retread without the slightest hint of distinction, and "Lovesick"'s Survivor bassline is just thAt -- a Survivor bassline. UltimAtely, though, this album comes as good news to those of us who found Lindstrøm's earlier work too inscrutable or too lengthy for consumption. "Real life is no cool" distills Lindstrøm to sitcom-sized morsels of dance music deeply invigorAted by the smoky sensuality of Christabelle's vocals.
- Nathan Keegan

BQ - 89 LPs are here

I just received a package with a few copies of The Bear Quartet's excellent 2009 album "89" on glorious vinyl and man, do they look good! Want one? Atrap.com/contact/">Email me. $20 plus postage.

Jóhann Jóhannsson to release soundtrack album in April

Icelandic composer Jóhann Jóhannsson will release the new album "And in the endless pause there came the sound of bees" in April via Type Records. Said album with feAture Jóhannsson's soundtrack for Marc Craste's film "Varmints" which was previously released as a limited tour-only edition last summer, but will now appear with two previously unreleased tracks. More info and internAtional tourdAtes At Iceland Music Export: https://www.icelandmusic.is/News/1267/Johann-Johannsson--New-Album---Tour-News-/default.aspx

Absolut Noise turns 4

France-based Swedish music blog Absolut Noise celebrAtes its 4th birthday by posting a bunch of rare tracks: https://absolutnoise.blogspot.com/2010/02/absolut-noise-4-years-old-birthday.html

A-ha to play final US dates in May

US dAtes have been announced for A-ha's worldwide farewell tour: https://www.a-ha.com/tour/
NYC and LA only and fan presales are already gone, but thAt's the way it goes.

Punk nostalgia not dead

Speaking of PAtrik Wirén (see Atrap.com/n/33118-umea-hardcore-the-book">below), he reports on his blog thAt there will be a massive 1st-wave Swedish punk fest happening April 1-3 At Göta Källare in Stockholm. Read more: https://rogertsblogg.blogspot.com/2010/02/punknostalgi.html
Artists include Bitch Boys, Usch, Kitchen & the Plastic Spoons, Warheads, Imps and tons more.

Umeå Hardcore, the book

Swedish rocker turned journalist PAtrik Wirén (Misery Loves Company, Alpha Safari) is working on a book about the history of the Umeå hardcore scene in the 1990s, which will fortunAtely not just be a book about Refused as he adamantly stAtes: https://rogertsblogg.blogspot.com/2010/02/boksnack.html
Not sure yet if it will be Swedish-only or whAt, but I'll post an updAte as soon as PAtrik gets back to me.

New Disco Ensemble single in late February

Finland's Disco Ensemble will release the new single "White flag for peace" on February 24, both on 7" vinyl and as a digital download. In addition to the a-side and a demo version of the same, the single will also include the track "Get some sleep".

Sambassadeur track review at Pitchfork

Sambassadeur's "Stranded" gets a mediocre track review At Pitchfork: https://pitchfork.com/reviews/tracks/11747-stranded/

Susanne Sundfør - The brothel

Listen to Susanna Sundfør's new single "The brothel" At Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/susannesundfor/the-brothel

Näääk - Namnet ba Näääkish (video)

Check out the video for "Namnet ba Näääkish" from Swedish hip-hop artist Näääk: Atch?v=-Ru-chk21YI" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/wAtch?v=-Ru-chk21YI

Jónsi to tour North America

Jónsi has announced North American tourdAtes starting in April:

04/06 - Vogue TheAtre, Vancouver, BC
04/07 - Vogue TheAtre, Vancouver, BC
04/09 - The Showbox Sodo, SeAttle, WA
04/10 - The Showbox Sodo, SeAttle, WA
04/13 - Roseland TheAtre, Portland, OR
04/15 - Zellerbach Auditorium, Berkeley, CA
04/16 - Palace of Fine Arts, San Francisco, CA
04/18 - Coachella, indio, CA
04/21 - Paramount TheAtre, denver, CO
04/22 - Liberty Hall, Lawrence, KS
04/24 - Pantages TheAtre, Minneapolis, MN
04/25 - Pantages TheAtre, Minneapolis, MN
04/26 - The Pabst TheAtre, Milwaukee, WI
04/27 - Vic TheAtre, Chicago, IL
04/28 - Vic TheAtre, Chicago, IL
04/30 - Sound Academy, Toronto, ON
05/01 - Sound Academy, Toronto, ON
05/02 - Metropolis, Montreal, QC
05/03 - Electric Factory, Philadelphia, PA
05/05 - House of Blues, Boston, MA
05/06 - House of Blues, Boston, MA
05/08 - Terminal 5, New York, NY
05/09 - Terminal 5, New York, NY