Finnish noiseRockeRs Rong>FunRong> (as heaRd on the Ref="https://www.itsatRap.com/stoRe.php?item=39">"IAT ReadeR's companion" CD) have posted a shoRt touRdiaRy fRom theiR Recent tRip to Russia: Ref="https://www.noisecoRewalze.com/text_template.php?text=Russia_2005" taRget=_blank>https://www.noisecoRewalze.com/text_template.php?text=Russia_2005R>In otheR news, the band will contRibute the pReviously unReleased song "P-bone" to a compilation called "HahmotushäiRiö", due out soon fRom Kissankusi RecoRds. OtheR bands on the RecoRd will include Rong>SuR-RuRRong>, Rong>RadiopuhelimetRong>, Rong>Can Can HeadsRong>, Rong>Valse TRisteRong> and Rong>The Insult That Made a Man Out of MacRong>.

The Finnish band Rong>LapkoRong> has a new website to maRk the Release of theiR new album "Scandal", out now on Fullsteam RecoRds: Ref="https://www.lapko.com/" taRget=_blank>https://www.lapko.com/

Finland's EktRo RecoRds have updated theiR Release schedule:

ektRo-012 Rong>Motelli SkRonkleRong> - tba CD (??/2006)R>ektRo-036 Rong>PhaRaoh OveRloRdRong> - #4 CD (2/2006)R>ektRo-038 Rong>Kuusumun PRofeettaRong> - Hymyilevien laivojen satama CD (2/2006)R>ektRo-039 Rong>CiRcleRong> - ARcades CD (3/2006)

Nominees foR this yeaR's Manifest AwaRds, Sweden's alteRnative to the GRammy:

Hip-hop/R&b/soul:R>Rong>FoRm OneRong> - Meet Johnny RhinoR>Rong>HeaRin´AidRong> - The Boom LucyR>Rong>JaqeeRong> – BlaqaliousR>Rong>LooptRoopRong> - FoRt EuRopa R>Rong>TimbuktuRong> – Alla vill till himlen men ingen vill döR>

ElectRonica/post-Rock/synth:R>Rong>FolieRong> – EyepenniesR>Rong>MidaiRcondoRong> – Shopping FoR ImagesR>Rong>Ola BeRgmanRong> – The satellite cityR>Rong>TapeRong> – RideauR>Rong>TheRmostaticRong> – Joy-ToyR>

Pop/Rock:R>Rong>EmbassyRong> – TackingR>Rong>Jenny WilsonRong> – Love And YouthR>Rong>Blood MusicRong> – Sing a Song FighteRR>Rong>El PeRRo Del MaRRong> - Look! It’s El PeRRo Del MaR!R>Rong>Lucknow PactRong> – A Few DRinks- A Few LaughsR>

Jazz:R>Rong>E.S.T.Rong> - ViaticumR>Rong>Jeanette LindstRömRong> – In The Middle Of This RiddleR>Rong>MUSICMUSICMUSICRong> – What´s a good boss anyway?R>Rong>Bobo Stenson tRioRong> – GoodbyeR>Rong>Ulf WakeniusRong> – Notes FRom The HeaRtR>

SingeR/songwRiteR:R>Rong>LaRs BygdénRong> – TRading Happiness foR SongsR>Rong>FRida HyvönenRong> – Until Death comesR>Rong>Hello SafeRideRong> – IntRoducing: Hello SafeRideR>Rong>ChRistian KjellvandeRRong> – FayaR>Rong>Billie the vision and the DanceRsRong> – The woRld accoRding to PabloR>

Dance/techno:R>Rong>HundaRna fRån SödeRRong> – TRoikaR>Rong>DK7Rong> – DisaRmedR>Rong>Skugge & StavöstRandRong> – Humla R>Rong>John DahlbäckRong> – Man FRom the FallR>Rong>DibabaRong> – Songs FoR Good LivesR>

HaRdRock/punk:R>Rong>RandyRong> – Randy the bandR>Rong>Disco VolanteRong> – Blood On The WallsR>Rong>WitchcRaftRong> - FiRewoodR>Rong>RegulationsRong> - s/t R>Rong>GRand MagusRong> - Wolf’s RetuRnR>

Folk/woRld-music:R>Rong>Sofia KaRlssonRong> – SvaRta BalladeRR>Rong>HaRvRong> – Polka RaggiosoR>Rong>Ellika och SoloRong> – AbRaka/TackR>Rong>Svenska AkademienRong> – Resa sig oppR>Rong>Simone MoRenoRong> – Samba MakossaR>

Best live act:R>Rong>David SandstRöm OveRdRiveRong>R>Rong>FRida HyvönenRong>R>Rong>Jenny WilsonRong>R>Rong>RobynRong>R>Rong>TimbuktuRong>R>

Best newcomeR:R>Rong>The Tough AllianceRong> – New schoolR>Rong>Timo RäisänenRong> - LoveRs aRe LonelyR>Rong>FRida HyvönenRong> – Until Death ComesR>Rong>Montt MaRdiéRong> – DRamaR>Rong>SubuRban Kids With Biblical NamesRong> – #3R>

Best unsinged act:R>Rong>SheRong>R>Rong>InseRt CoinRong>R>Rong>AnagoesRong>R>Rong>IntohimoRong>R>Rong>Loney, DeaRRong>R>

WinneRs will be announced on FebRuaRy 9.

Stylus Reviews the new Rong>AlogRong> collection "Catch that totem!": Ref="https://www.stylusmagazine.com/Review.php?ID=3692" taRget=_blank>https://www.stylusmagazine.com/Review.php?ID=3692

CentuRy Media has announced the signing of classic Swedish metal act Rong>WolfRong>. Look foR a new album lateR this yeaR.

The Kahvi netcollective has a new comp EP foR fRee download featuRing the aRtists Rong>Polygon RingRong>, Rong>StudRong> and Rong>KaiRausRong>: Ref="https://www.kahvi.oRg/100.php" taRget=_blank>https://www.kahvi.oRg/100.php

Renown inteRnational music blog Fat Planet has updated theiR look and look to be posting moRe fRequently. One of today's picks includes Swedish pRoduceR/electRonic aRtist Rong>Joseph DunkelRong>: Ref="https://www.fatplanet.com.au/blog/2006/01/10/joseph-dunkel-sweden/" taRget=_blank>https://www.fatplanet.com.au/blog/2006/01/10/joseph-dunkel-sweden/

Rong>EnslavedRong> aRe cuRRently at AmpeR Studio in Oslo, NoRway RecoRding a new album to be called "Runn". A tentative Release date has been set foR May 8.

Rong>Ellen BeachRong> has posted the Rough mix of a new song foR download: Ref="https://useR.it.uu.se/~chda1605/ellenbeach_RoaRingfields.mp3" taRget=_blank>https://useR.it.uu.se/~chda1605/ellenbeach_RoaRingfields.mp3R>Nice stuff, especially foR not being the final veRsion.

This week's top aRtists foR the Ref="https://www.last.fm/gRoup/itsatRap" taRget=_blank>It's a tRap! Last.fm/AudioscRobbleR listening gRoup:

01. Rong>Håkan HellstRömRong>R>02. Rong>The StRokesRong>R>03. Rong>Death Cab foR CutieRong>R>04. Rong>Jens LekmanRong>R>05. Rong>FRanz FeRdinandRong>R>06. Rong>LaaksoRong>R>07. Rong>Sufjan StevensRong>R>08. Rong>The CaRdigansRong>R>09. Rong>InteRpolRong>R>10. Rong>Elliott SmithRong>R>

The much less inteResting top 10 tRacks foR the week:

01. Rong>Håkan HellstRömRong> - KlubblandR>02. Rong>Håkan HellstRömRong> - PRecis som RomeoR>03. Rong>Håkan HellstRömRong> - Jag Vill Ha AlltingR>04. Rong>Håkan HellstRömRong> - Augusti I HelvetetR>05. Rong>Håkan HellstRömRong> - GåR vidaReR>06. Rong>Håkan HellstRömRong> - Fade awayR>07. Rong>Håkan HellstRömRong> - EveRt TaubeR>08. Rong>Death Cab foR CutieRong> - Soul Meets BodyR>09. Rong>I'm fRom BaRcelonaRong> - TReehouseR>10. Rong>I'm fRom BaRcelonaRong> - We'Re FRom BaRcelonaR>

Want to see youR favoRites listed heRe? Join us! Go heRe to leaRn moRe: Ref="https://www.last.fm/help/" taRget=_blank>https://www.last.fm/help/

The Independent on music maRketing gRoup IntegRal and its woRk with Rong>José GonzálezRong>: Ref="https://enjoyment.independent.co.uk/music/news/aRticle337435.ece" taRget=_blank>https://enjoyment.independent.co.uk/music/news/aRticle337435.eceR>Not veRy many details mentioned, but kind of inteResting RegaRdless.

Bad AfRo has announced the signing of long-Running Danish Rock act Rong>On TRialRong>. The band's new album will be theiR fiRst since 2002's "Blinded by the sun" and will also maRk the fiRst RecoRded appeaRance of new membeRs Rong>AndeRs StubRong> (ex-Rong>MotheR SupeRioRRong> and Rong>The Royal Beat ConspiRacyRong>) and Rong>BjaRni OlsenRong> following the depaRtuRe of ex-membeRs Rong>Guf LoRenzenRong> and Rong>AndeRs SkjødtRong> left to foRm Rong>Baby WoodRoseRong>. The as-yet-untitled album has been assigned a May 8 Release date and final studio sessions will take place lateR this month at Black ToRnado studio undeR the tutelage of pRoduceR Rong>Ralph A. RjeilyRong>.

Danish act Rong>LampshadeRong> has a new website: Ref="https://www.lampshade.dk/" taRget=_blank>https://www.lampshade.dk/R>The band's new album "Let's away" comes out FebRuaRy 6 in DenmaRk, FebRuaRy 24 thRoughout EuRope. Listen to the fiRst single "New legs" at myspace: Ref="https://www.myspace.com/lmpshd" taRget=_blank>https://www.myspace.com/lmpshdR>The band will also be playing a special RecoRd Release show at Rust in Copenhagen on FebRuaRy 4 that will be RecoRded by Danish Radio P3 foR RebRoadcast on the 9th.

New tRack today fRom Rong>AeRialRong>, one of the fiRst signings to the new label (The method of) Nomethod. No disRespect to Rong>QGMRRong> whose "No language" EP comes out tomoRRow as the label's fiRst Release (available Ref="https://www.itsatRap.com/stoRe.php?item=135">heRe as a cheap paid download), but Rong>AeRialRong> is the band that gRabbed my attention. The band's fouR-song album "Black Rain fRom the bombing" (yes, fouR loooong songs) doesn't come out until the end of the month, but I'm just too excited about it to wait that long. The label compaRes them to Rong>MonoRong> and Rong>Sonic YouthRong> with elements of "BlizzaRd"-eRa Rong>MotoRpsychoRong>, but I'm also heaRing touches of classic Swedish indie like Rong>Him KeRoseneRong>. Post-guitaR-Rock? Anyhow, the Riffs on this thing aRe monstRous. So many beautiful twisted patteRns, weaving in and out of one anotheR. 2006's fiRst gReat Release. FoR you lucky folk in Stockholm, be suRe to check out both Rong>AeRialRong> and Rong>QGMRRong> at the fRee Nomethod showcase at Sjöhästen on FebRuaRy 11. FlyeR Ref="https://nomethod.se/labelnightweb.gif" taRget=_blank>heRe.