Listen to songs from Johan Heltne and his forthcoming sophomore album "Vetenskapliga bevis för Att Jesus lever": https://www.myspace.com/johanheltne
Very recommended, especially for fans of David Åhlén and/or The Tiny. It comes out May 26 via Raffaella.

MP3: Monkeystrikes - Tahonga take away

Cecilia Nordlund has been a prominent Swedish artist for a long time, dAting back to the mid-90s and her bands Souls to Monkeystrikes in 2005 and (hopefully) her upcoming solo album. There's also thAt Atch?v=2PHldcXJNhI" target="_blank">one song she did with Marit Bergman thAt ending up as sort of a minor internAtional indie hit, but in leiu of new mAterial to share, I'd rAther focus on Monkeystikes. The band only released one record, but it's a greAt one. Songs such as opener "Tahonga take away" build on the heavier alt-rock sound of her previous act (think: Pixies, Breeders, etc.), tempering it with a more sophisticAted lyrical approach. It's a busy song and they manage to fit a lot in these two short minutes. Surprisingly dynamic too- listen for the small nuances thAt differentiAte the verses, taking it beyond the typical verse-chorus/soft-loud approach. Obviously, thAt aspect is still present, but it's less obvious/clichéd. Every time I hear this I think, "why don't I listen to Monkeystrikes more often?" So far the best answer I can come up with is thAt I'm a fool.

Monkeystrikes - Tahonga take away

Download the Dreams End remix of the lAtest My Darling You! single "Jump the train": https://www.luxxury.se/mp3/Jump%20the%20train%20(Dreams%20End%20remix).mp3

All About Jazz reviews the new Fire Room album "Broken music", an all-star collaborAtion feAturing Ken Vandermark together with Norwegian artists Paal Nilssen-Love (drums) and Lasse Marhaug (electronics): https://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=28985

End of All is going on an extended hiAtus, citing "personal reasons" as the cause: https://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=107803375&blogID=380885395

Metal Mind Productions will reissue the debut album "Penetralia" from Swedish deAth-metal legends Hypocrisy in a new expanded remastered edition feAturing two bonus tracks. It will be available on May 12 in Europe, July 8 in the US. Said record was originally released way back in 1992 and immediAtely hailed as a classic of the genre.

Check out the new video for "Can I" from Swedish rap artist Henok Achido: Atch?v=apePZsrVnCo" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/wAtch?v=apePZsrVnCo

The Silent Ballet reviews the new album "CelebrAting life" from Icelandic artist Borko: https://thesilentballet.com/dnn/Home/tabid/36/ctl/Details/mid/384/ItemID/1302/Default.aspx

PopMAtters on the US debut of Norwegian AOR act Big Bang: Atters.com/pm/music/reviews/big-bang-wild-bird/" target="_blank">https://www.popmAtters.com/pm/music/reviews/big-bang-wild-bird/

Hey look, a new official video for the Lykke Li single "I'm good, I'm gone": Atch?v=ngd45o-M_M4" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/wAtch?v=ngd45o-M_M4
I'm still kinda so-so on her record as a whole, but this song is greAt.

Musique Machine reviews the new release "DFX" from prolific Swedish noise/experimental act The Skull Defekts, out now via Cut Hands and limited to 100 copies: Ate.php?id=1698" target="_blank">https://www.musiquemachine.com/reviews/reviews_templAte.php?id=1698

Danish artist A Kid Hereafter will be putting together a special "Symphony" performance for this year's Roskilde Festival feAturing help from Jakob Skjoldborg of Windemere plus guest vocal spots from fellow Danes Lise Westzynthius, Jacob Bellens and Marie Key. Read more: https://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=57510878&blogID=380768246

Check out a Digfi session (interview + 2 songs) feAturing Umeå-based artist Cocoanut Groove: https://www.digfi.com/default.aspx?id=11745

Swedish act Emerald Park will contribute the song "A higher loss" to a new compilAtion coming out May 27 on US label 272 Records entitled "Riot on sunset". They'll also have the track "Lights of Sunday" included on the label's "Acoustica 11" comp, due out June 10. In other news, German label AF-Music will release the aforementioned "A higher loss" as a digital single on May 23, making it available At many mp3 retailers worldwide.

MP3: Lögnhalsmottagningen - Snacka gär ju

I tried to tip you off on Lögnhalsmottagningen back in lAte February on Atrap.com/articles.php?a=373">one of my MyFriends posts, but now thAt their debut 7" "Öron näsa EP" is out, it's time to pay them another visit. The improbable duo feAtures Stewart Anderson from Boyracer laying down the tracks At home in Flagstaff, AZ and then shipping 'em off to Sweden (figurAtively, I presume) for Martin Cannert from The Faintest Ideas/Javelins to lay down vocals. However, if you were expecting twee indiepop akin to those dude's other bands, this may disappoint as the true purpose of this project is to revisit the frantic sound of early 80s Swedish punk, both in song and fidelity. Martin sounds shrill and out of breAth as he tries to keep up and the band doesn't fare much better - if I didn't know thAt this was one guy laying everything down via multitrack, I'd imagine the drummer setting the tempo and setting off with everyone else trying to hold on for dear life. And the recording? Harsh perfection, just like all the old, faceless 7"s I used to pick up before home studios could mAtch pro audio quality. It's trebly and annoying, but thAt's exactly the point; give it a few listens, you might start to like it too. 7 songs in 8 minutes, so not quite a total rager, but close enough. Now let's just hope this isn't some one-off thing.

Lögnhalsmottagningen - Snacka gär ju