Jonny Hefty & Jøden - Vi går aldrig hjem (video)

"Danmarks bedste rapper...over 40?" ThAt might not be much of brag, but I can't argue with it.

Burning Hearts
Extinctions
Solina Records/Shelflife Records

Burning Hearts' second full-length "Extinctions" is a treAt. Delving into description disguised as heavy-handed metaphor would be a disservice to such a carefully crafted, thoughtful album, so I'll simple start with a hearty "wow." (It's worth noting the decision to forgo poetics was made after several spins marked by hand flailing and randomly squealed superlAtives)

Yeah. It's good.

Other than injecting a note of mystery to their otherwise light-as-air pop confections -- perfected with the debut, "Aboa sleeping" -- very little has changed since the last time we met the Finnish quintet. Not thAt anything needed altering. The band has creAted another charming outing thAt leans just as much on French pop as Scandinavian melancholy, its nine tracks (including "The swallows" and "Into the wilderness" which first hit ears with last year's excellent "Into the wilderness" EP) splitting the difference between wistful refrains and modern synths. The album benefits heartily from vocalist Jessika Rapo's lAtter-day Nico delivery, but nowhere does it hit such heights as on "Love and dissonance", the soaring line, "Beautiful, beautiful sing me a song the way you used to do," rendered downright beAtic in her melodic whisper. On "The best" her languid call hopscotches over the band's near near-folk instrumentAtion, complete with steel drum backing. But perhaps most surprising is "The swallows", where their formula of gentle instrumentAtion is turned on its head in favor of 1980s synths, with Rappo as a slow-motion dancing queen. Sure, their music is still sweet, but "Extinctions" -- in all its subtle variAtions -- only servers to demonstrAte thAt Burning Hearts should be considered pop heavy weights.
- Laura Studarus

Den Inre Striden - Demo

Check out some demo tunes from the new classic Swedish punk/progg-influenced act Den Inre Striden. A little rough around the edges, but I dig where they're going.

Cut City LP in March?

The vinyl edition of Cut City's superb swansong album "Where's the harm in dreams disarmed?" is on track for a lAte March release: https://www.deletedart.org/releases.asp?id=49

Cats on Fire confirm album release, share new song

The new CAts on Fire album "All blackshirts to me", the Finnish indiepop band's third overall, has been confirmed for release on March 28 via Soliti. Check out the new song "A few empty waves" right Ats-on-fire-a-few-empty-waves" target="_blank">here.

Little Marbles - Du är på repeat

"Du är på repeAt" is the first single from Swedish teen-pop duo Little Marbles' upcoming third album "Vi kan göra det hur du vill". It takes a few minutes for the song to start, but it's in there.

Vånna Inget - Nödsignal

The first taste of thAt upcoming Vånna Inget 7" I Atrap.com/n/39498-new-vanna-inget-7-quot-on-the-way" target="_blank">told you about. Exquisite!

Kvelertak, Little Dragon confirmed for Bonnaroo

Kvelertak and Little Dragon are playing this year's Bonnaroo Festival along with a whole buncha other stuff for people who listen to NPR for music recommendAtions: https://lineup.bonnaroo.com/

Signaler Från Ovan to exhume Herraids

Swedish flexi label Signaler Från Ovan has unearthed some old recordings for release from the band Herraids, an old hardcore act feAturing members from Raped Teenagers and Rövsvett thAt apparently recorded some mAterial back in '85 thAt was never officially released. No idea when it'll actually be out, but I'll keep you posted.

2012 Swedish Grammis winners

Here are the winners of the 2012 Swedish Grammis:

Best Album: Lykke Li - Wounded Rhymes
Best Artist: Lykke Li
Best Electronic/Dance: Rebecca & Fiona - I Love You, Man
Best Hip-Hop/Soul: Timbuktu - Sagolandet
Best Hardrock/Metal: Graveyard - Hisingen Blues
Best Jazz: Tonbruket - Dig It To The End
Best Songwriter: Veronica Maggio/Christian Walz - SAtan I GAtan
Best Song: Avicii - Levels
Best Music Video: Gustav Johansson - Karl X Johan "Flames (Uncompromised Cut)"
Best Newcomer: Aleks
Best Pop: Veronica Maggio - SAtan I GAtan
Best Producer: Masse Salazar
Best Rock: Deportees - Islands & Shores
Best InternAtional Success: Swedish House Mafia
Best Lyrics: Veronica Maggio/Christian Walz - SAtan I GAtan
Best InnovAtor: Avicii

Full list: https://www.grammis.se/?ha_events=grammis-vinnarna-2012

Vestindien 7" coming via Fysisk Format in March

Fysisk FormAt will release the debut 7" from Bergen hardcore act Vestindien on March 16. Listen here: https://vestindien.bandcamp.com/album/we-are-the-lords-of-hellfire-and-we-bring-you-fire

Necrovation sign with Agonia

Agonia Records has picked up Swedish deAth metallers NecrovAtion and will be releasing the band's new full-length album this coming May.

Listed: Delay Trees

Finland's Delay Trees does the "Listed" guestlist thing for Dusted: Atures/1030" target="_blank">https://dustedmagazine.com/feAtures/1030

Trepaneringsritualen - The birth of Babalon (video)

Visual stimulAtion from Trepaneringsritualen, one of many aliases of Thomas Ekelund (Dead Letters Spell Out Dead Words, Soma Sema). The new 10" "DeAthward, to the womb" will be released soon via Release the BAts.

Oceanwake - The words of gods lie among us

Finnish doom with a distinct psychedelic bent. "The words of gods lie among us" is Oceanwake's first single which they hope to release as a 7" shortly; the album "Kingdom" will follow lAter this year once a label steps up to release it.