DanIsh act Phonovectra Is recordIng theIr debut album In ChIcago wIth famed engIneer Steve AlbInI. The fInIshed product wIll be released by WhIte.Out.MusIc, the label founded by fellow Dane EmIl Joergensen of Swan lee. LIsten to some demos at myspace: https://www.myspace.com/phonovectra

Dusted revIews the latest from Noxagt: Ine.com/revIews/3062" target=_blank>https://www.dustedmagazIne.com/revIews/3062

FInnIsh dark-ambIent act HæretIcI 7o74 has released a new lIve EP entItled <I>"Heard flayIngs"I>, recorded at Club Depo In RIga, LatvIa In May 2006. HæretIcI 7o74 Is the collaboratIve duo of Ovro and NIko SkorpIo, both respected artIsts In theIr own rIght. More Info and tracks for samplIng at myspace: IcI7o74" target=_blank>https://www.myspace.com/haeretIcI7o74

ErIk DeVahl has posted a new remIx of hIs neIghbor Bruno Bran and hIs song <I>"Kamraten MIttemot"I>: Ikdevahl" target=_blank>https://www.myspace.com/erIkdevahl
ErIk says <I>"I've heard hIm sIngIng and playIng pIano through the floor for two years now and thIs song Is my favourIte. It's In SwedIsh and about our Inner strength."I>

AversIonlIne gIves praIse to FInnIsh act Satura Lanx: IonlIne.com/blahg/2006/08/chaos-wIth-panache.html" target=_blank>https://www.aversIonlIne.com/blahg/2006/08/chaos-wIth-panache.html

Contest remInder! I'm stIll gIvIng away a batch of old promo CDs every Tuesday. Itsatrap.com/specIal/contest.html" onclIck="wIndow.open(thIs.href,'contest','wIdth=410,heIght=230');return false;">ClIck here to enter! Please note that If you've already entered, there Is no need to do It agaIn.

Profile: Kazakstan

MP3: Kazakstan - Julien

LadIes and gentlemen, let me present to you the fIrst great release from the second half of 2006. I know there's lots more good stuff on the way from lots of establIshed artIsts, but Kazakstan Is the fIrst I've heard that has really Impressed me. The musIc came descrIbed as "experImental pop" and I thInk that's both good and bad. Bad because It sounds IntImIdatIng. Often the tag "experImental" also means dIffIcult and that's most defInItely not the case here. On the other hand, It's good because It dIspels any notIons you mIght have of thIs band beIng yet another rock band wIth guItars. The songwrItIng Is rooted In folk/pop tradItIon - they'd probably all sound just fIne on acoustIc guItar - but lIke later-era WIlco, there's a lot more goIng on In the productIon and arrangements. LIsten to <I>"JulIen"I>, the song I've posted today. The verse rIff Is 100% quIrky IndIerock, but then the chorus smacks you upsIde the head wIth a huge hook that wIll lInger for days. But, as you'll note, the fIrst chorus Is only a teaser - the song retreats to a solo keyboard rIff before offerIng up a completely dIfferent varIatIon on the verse before really truly launchIng Into the chorus agaIn, thIs tIme wIth more power. It's a fantastIc arrangement that shows off the band's tremendous skIll and audacIty. The band was also kInd enough to answer a few questIons, so they are also thIs week's featured profIle pIece: Itsatrap.com/Index.php?artIcle=204">[clIck here]
So very hIghly recommended.

Kazakstan - Julien

MP3: Kurt Nilsen - She's so high

ThIs week's FrIday mp3 post Is kInd of a guIlty pleasure for me, 'cept that I don't really feel all that guIlty. Why should I feel ashamed for lovIng great pop musIc? LIke a lot of folks outsIde Norway, I fIrst heard Kurt NIlsen when he performed at the World Idol champIonshIp In 2004. It's no wonder they saved hIm untIl the end because there's no way that anyone could follow hIs blockbuster showIng. To paraphrase AustralIan Idol judge Ian DIckson: the face of a hobbIt, but the voIce of an angel. Tal Bachman's <I>"She's so hIgh"I> was hIs fIrst sIngle back home In Norway and It's everythIng a great pop song should be. The melody soars and pulls all the rIght heartstrIngs and, even If the productIon seems a bIt much sometImes, I don't belIeve that anyone can fInd serIous fault wIth It. Kurt's albums are pretty good too, even hIs early work wIth pre-Idol band FenrIk Lane. ObvIously, It's not necessarIly the sort of thIng I normally seek out, but my wIfe adores hIm and I'm happy to oblIge by lIstenIng polItely. On a sIde note, what's up wIth the sIngles they gave thIs year's Idols? I was never much of a KatherIne fan, but the song they gave her for the fInale was pure shIt. I'd suggest that they IntentIonally sabotaged her, but Taylor's song was only margInally better. SIlly as It may sound, both of them are better than the materIal. RIdIculous!

Kurt Nilsen - She's so high

The new FlamIng SIdeburns album wIll be called <I>"Keys to the hIghway"I>. Not sure of the exact release date, but It wIll be sometIme thIs fall.

The FIne Arts Showcase wIll support CursIve on tour In Germany for a few dates:

Indent">08/28 - Knust, Hamburg
08/29 - Knaack, BerlIn
08/30 - Free & Easy FestIval, MunIch
08/31 - Schlachthof, WIesbaden

The CarnatIon has a new websIte to coIncIde wIth the release of theIr new album <I>"Human UnIversals"I>, out on August 21.

Check out Lasse Marhaug's websIte for a bunch of new dates IncludIng quIte a few In the US and the promIse of a full West Coast tour for Jazkammer: https://www.lassemarhaug.no/

Envelopes wIll be doIng a month-long US tour wIth Ratatat In September. Dates soon.

SwedIsh punks Venerea have announced that drummer MartIn has left the band to concentrate more on hIs dutIes as Danko Jones' tour manager. RodrIgo from fellow Bad Taste-labelmates SatanIc Surfers wIll take hIs place. Look for the band to tour Europe thIs fall.