Robyn will finally release her new "Rakamonie EP" in the US on January 29 via Konichiwa/Cherrytree/Interscope and will also be coming over for a few select live dates:
02/05 - Highline Ballroom, NYC
02/07 - Popscene, San Francisco
02/09 - The Troubador, Hollywood (sold out)
Look for more dates around SXSW (mid-march) to be announced soon.
Ane Brun's brand new single "The puzzle" is streaming on myspace: myspace.com/anebrun" target="_blank">https://www.myspace.com/anebrun
Look on the left-hand side for the new magnus Renfors-directed video as well. The album "Changing of the Season" will be out this spring via Ane's new self-run label Balloon Ranger Recordings. Ane will also be touring Europe in April and dates are posted at the aforementioned myspace link.
The cover art and tracklist for Lack's forthcoming album "Saturate every atom" has been revealed: myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=45634190&blogID=348365463" target="_blank">https://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=45634190&blogID=348365463
It comes out march 3 via PlayRec and is highly recommended - I've been fortunate enough to receive an advance copy and find it to be a worthy successor to their last album, the excellent "Be there pulse".
madrugada has now added the new track "Hour of the wolf" to their myspace page: myspace.com/wearemadrugada" target="_blank">https://www.myspace.com/wearemadrugada
Britta PerssonSomething must have happened in Sweden around the time artists like Annika Norlin (Hello Saferide, Säkert!), Frida Hyvönen and Britta Persson were young. Even as my musical tastes led me further from the introspective narratives of singer/songwriters from the United States and Britain, I've never been able to 'outgrow' many the female artists that populate the Scandinavian music scene. many of these songstresses effortlessly combine the poppy with the shadowy, the quirky with the straight-forward, all without straining, overburdening, or warping the overall structure of their compositions. Britta Persson's "Kill Hollywood me" is no exception. The album kicks alive with "Cliffhanger" and its progression from guitars that feel as though they should lead into a huge 70s rock ballad, through wonderfully playful piano notes, and eventually to a bittersweet chorus, its chord progression never jarring the listener, though not unfolding in the way we've become accustomed to pop songs developing. All of the tracks on here are equally interesting to watch evolve in their idiosyncratic, sometimes eccentric, schemes; "Enter and leave" and "Happy hour" being my favorites. If you know what Britta Persson is about, then "Kill Hollywood me" is an organic continuation of her earlier work. If you don't, this album isn't a bad place to start.
- Lars Garvey Laing-Peterson
Negative has parted ways with guitarist Sir Christus. The band still plans to enter the studio in February to record their next record and will continue on for the time being as a five-piece.
Finnish act Disco Ensemble will do a few last-minute support gigs with Linkin Park in Germany:
01/16 - TUI Arena, Hannover
01/20 - Festhalle, Frankfurt
01/21 - Kölnarena, Cologne
Jesper 'Junior' mortensen from Junior Senior has a new solo project called I Scream Ice Cream who just got signed to up-and-coming label Tigerspring. Listen to samples: myspace.com/iscreamicecreamrocks" target="_blank">https://www.myspace.com/iscreamicecreamrocks
mIC Norway on the album "Tension and release" from "cosmic bikers"/"Reader's companion" alums WE: mic.no/mic.nsf/doc/art2008011613285764012359" target="_blank">https://www.mic.no/mic.nsf/doc/art2008011613285764012359
mIC Norway profiles up-and-coming artist Ingrid Olava: mic.no/mic.nsf/doc/art2008011614540976899519" target="_blank">https://www.mic.no/mic.nsf/doc/art2008011614540976899519
Her upcoming debut album "Juliet's wishes" was produced by Frode Jacobsen of madrugada and will be out in march.
Check out The State of Floral Beings' new video for "man you owe me": myspacetv.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=26230777" target="_blank">https://myspacetv.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=26230777
Delusions of Adequacy reviews The Hives' most recent album: https://www.adequacy.net/review.php?reviewID=8397
As m/index.php?date=2008-01-11#20929">promised, the new album "So here we are" from Swedish alt-country act Winny Lee is now available for free download: m/" target="_blank">https://www.winnylee.com/
IKONS-affiliated act Outmen have two new tracks up on myspace: myspace.com/outmen" target="_blank">https://www.myspace.com/outmen
I had a feeling the new Firefox AK single would be good, but this good? Nope, no way! Sorry to underestimate you Andrea! What I like best about the track besides the obvious appeal of the husband/wife duet is how damn sparse it is. There's a bit of synth, but it's pure garnish - really, it's the rhythm and vocal tracks that carry it. It also appears that living in Berlin causes you to eschew guitars as there's barely any to be found here. It remains to be seen whether Tiger Lou will follow in a similar direction with his upcoming record, but I know they've both been listening a lot of techno and it shows. Otherwise, I can only begin to imagine how amazing the remixes for this track will be. This album version is fantastic, but I wouldn't be surprised if a b-side knocks it out of the park.
Firefox AK - Winter rose (ft. Tiger Lou)