22:22
s/t
self-released

22:22 are attempting quite an interesting sound with their self-titled debut album. It's a mixture of folk, electropop, Devo and vocals channeled in an Arcade Fire-type fashion. The ideas are present for something really exciting to come forth, it's just that they're in their infancy right now and it doesn't sound cohesive. mixing and overlapping the parts could possibly fix this, but that can only come with working together more and finding out what works, and with the foundations they've laid, it may very well happen in their next couple of albums.
- Matt Giordano

Benni Hemm Hemm
Kajak
Morr Music

While a competently written album, and one that is well executed by the musicians, "Kajak" seems to drift by rather effortlessly without always catching one's attention. There are some stunningly beautiful moments, "Regngalsinn" and "Sex eða sjö" being two of the album's highest points, but Benni Hemm Hemm's lullaby-like delivery, soothing and gorgeous as it often is (see: "Stoffer"), seems to dull the immediacy of their approach and cast a near-juvenile shadow over their compositions. much of "Kajak" feels as though it could be the soundtrack to a man walking down a deserted road during the Depression, a nostalgic element present that retains many of the dated melodic themes from those earlier eras of American folk music. There is the power within Benni Hemm Hemm's music to evoke a visual response, and as I sit on my mother's porch in the foothills of the Blue Ridge mountains watching the breeze reflected in the gentle movement of the trees, "Kajak" is an appropriate companion. Though, while the music is suitable for lazy Sundays and afternoons spent in the country, it certainly doesn't resonate quite so strongly when engaging in life rather than merely watching is pass by.
- Lars Garvey Laing-Peterson

New reviews now online: m/index.php?a=311">[click here]

David Lehnberg (Ariel Kill Him, Ikaros) sideproject The Deer Tracks has posted a new song on myspace: myspace.com/thedeertracks" target=_blank>https://www.myspace.com/thedeertracks

Winter Took His Life will release her new album "You know what it's like to be alone and shut down" on September 27 via Bless the Press Records. Listen to four cuts at myspace: myspace.com/wintertookhislife" target=_blank>https://www.myspace.com/wintertookhislife
Look for her to tour Europe in September with the mighty Björn Kleinhenz, both as a support act and as a member of his band.

Check out Xplo-Sean, some new Swedish indiepop act: myspace.com/xplosean" target=_blank>https://www.myspace.com/xplosean
Kalle J guests on a track.

Finnish noiserockers Fun have finally posted a tour diary from their trip to the US: m/popup_index.php?text&text=usa_tour_diary" target=_blank>https://www.noisecorewalze.com/popup_index.php?text&text=usa_tour_diary

The Silent Ballet reviews the new Detektivbyrån single "Lyckans undulat": m/dnn/Home/tabid/36/ctl/Details/mid/384/ItemID/669/Default.aspx" target=_blank>https://thesilentballet.com/dnn/Home/tabid/36/ctl/Details/mid/384/ItemID/669/Default.aspx

Danish online-only music act Edison Jr. has signed with Evelyn Records who will release their album "1.0" on September 10. Download some sample tracks from their website: m/" target=_blank>https://edisonjr.com/

Fat Planet on Norwegian producer Lindstrøm: m.au/blog/2007/07/17/lindstrom-on-this-weeks-fat-planet/" target=_blank>https://www.fatplanet.com.au/blog/2007/07/17/lindstrom-on-this-weeks-fat-planet/

Pitchfork reviews the US release of The Tough Alliance's "New waves" EP: media.com/article/record_review/44190-new-waves-ep" target=_blank>https://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/44190-new-waves-ep

MP3: Lilak - Fight

Hey look! It's Lilak, yet another fantastic band that remains cruelly unsigned. It's uncanny, especially considering the easy appeal of gentle boy/girl vocal harmonies. That stuff sells itself, especially when layered over well-orchestrated, melancholy pop. If you can't get into this, there's something wrong with you.
Listen to more here: myspace.com/tintinnidy" target=_blank>https://www.myspace.com/tintinnidy

Lilak - Fight

MP3: Paper - My life is going under

Time once again for a week of mp3 posts showcasing up-and-coming and/or unsigned bands. Up first: Paper, the band of Peter Backebo from Audionom, Calle Olsson from The Bear Quartet/Paddington DC and drummer Tobias Rask. musically, Paper fits in perfectly with my recent postpunk obsession - cyclical, repetitive riffs, mantra-like vocals and a heightened state of anxiety. It's that anxious tension that I love - the band is so tightly wound, I feel like they could explode and lose it at any time and I keep waiting for it to happen. It comes close to the edge, but never crosses over. Within the realms of postrock, I need that that kind of cathartic release to feel satisfied, but that's the point here. There is no destination, no nirvana. Just an endless burning sensation that mirrors the frustrations of life. "my life is going under" is not pessimistic as much as it is nihilistic. It's going under, but yeah - it's always going under. That's life.
Hard to believe this band isn't signed yet. Listen to more here: myspace.com/paperstockholm" target=_blank>https://www.myspace.com/paperstockholm

Paper - My life is going under

There is a new Ondo track on myspace: myspace.com/avondo" target=_blank>https://www.myspace.com/avondo

Norwegian melancholy rock act Asleep has parted ways with label Ego Records.