The curators of Norway's Øyafestivalen are putting on a showcase at this year's SXSW featuring The Lionheart Brothers (as heard on m/label.php?show=iat002">"Reader's companion volume one"), New Violators and Datarock: musikknyheter.no/news/1743" target=_blank>https://www.musikknyheter.no/news/1743

mas-Kina will release Funguson's second album "Indie ocean" on January 22. Listen to samples: myspace.com/funguson" target=_blank>https://www.myspace.com/funguson

Licking Fingers, the label run by the folks in The Concretes, have revamped their website: m/" target=_blank>https://www.lickingfingers.com/
They've also announced that they will be releasing El Perro Del mar's next album. more details to come.

Finnish accordian master Kimmo Pohjonen is teaming up with Trey Gunn (ex-King Crimson) and Pat mastelotto (ex-King Crimson, XTC, more) in their guise as KTU and will be touring and recording new material this coming year. Fourth member Samuli Kosminen is currently taking a break from the group, but will rejoin them for gigs later this spring. Dates announced so far:

01/29 - Tavastia, Helsinki, Finland (FIN)
01/30 - Klubi, Tampere (FIN)
01/31 - Lutakko, Jyväskylä (FIN)
03/07 - Knitting Factory, Los Angeles, CA
03/09 - Canadian music Week, Toronto, ONT (CAN)
03/12 - Knitting Factory, NYC, NY
03/14 - SXSW, Austin, TX
03/20 - Drum Pad Presents @ Durty Nellie's, Chicago (Palatine), IL
03/22 - Festival de méxico en el Centro Histórico, mexico City (mEX)
03/23 - Festival de méxico en el Centro Histórico, mexico City (mEX)

Jonas Wååg, formerly of the webzine Le manchester, has a new project that just launched: minik.com/" target=_blank>https://www.dminik.com

Karisma Records has announced the signing of Bergen-based act Herr Nilsson and will be releasing their second album "Downhill thrill" in late February. Listen to samples: myspace.com/herrnilsson" target=_blank>https://www.myspace.com/herrnilsson

New tourdates for Audrey:

02/09 - Amp, münster (GER)
02/10 - Feinkostlampe, Hannover (GER)
02/11 - Privatclub, Berlin (GER)
02/12 - Cookys, Frankfurt (GER)
02/13 - Cairo, Würzburg (GER)
02/14 - Rote Fabrik, Zürich (CH)
02/15 - Alter Schlachthof, Wels (CH)
02/16 - tba
02/17 - Orangehouse, münchen (GER)
02/18 - tba

Norwegian hardcore act Amulet has announced their final shows ever: mulet.no/" target=_blank>https://www.amulet.no/

Discobelle has the Punks Jump Up remix of the Kleerup & Robyn single "With every heartbeat": https://www.discobelle.net/2007/01/09/robyn-pju/

Stylus Singles Jukebox contributor William B. Swygart recounts his favorite tracks of 2006, including quite a few choice Scandinavian selections: magazine.com/articles/weekly_article/mr-swygarts-favorite-things-of-2006.htm" target=_blank>https://www.stylusmagazine.com/articles/weekly_article/mr-swygarts-favorite-things-of-2006.htm

Listen to El Perro Del mar do an in-studio performance on WXPN's World Cafe: mplates/story/story.php?storyId=6749897" target=_blank>https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6749897

Norwegian industrial/metal act Red Harvest has posted a new song for download: mist.com/common/downloads/RedHarvest/02-Red%20Harvest-A%20Greater%20Darkness-Hole%20In%20me.mp3" target=_blank>https://season-of-mist.com/common/downloads/RedHarvest/02-Red%20Harvest-A%20Greater%20Darkness-Hole%20In%20me.mp3

Lassus has two new tracks on myspace: myspace.com/lassustheband" target=_blank>https://www.myspace.com/lassustheband
Both are demos of songs that will appear in new versions on the band's forthcoming debut album, due out sometime before summer. As an added bonus, the song "Tidal wave" features a guest appearance from both Gustafsson brothers aka Boy Omega and The Book of Daniel and was recorded on New Year's Eve.

José González has been awarded European Border Breaker Award by The Commission of the European Union for his record "Veneer". The award goes to artists who have recorded the highest sales for a debut album within the EU, but outside their country of origin. It will be presented on January 21 at the 'Salon des Ambassade' Palais des Festival in Cannes during midem and José González will perform and receive the award in-person. The event will also be broadcast in Europe via mTV.

Pitchfork inducts Sally Shapiro into their hallowed halls of 'best new music': media.com/article/record_review/40331/Sally_Shapiro_Disco_Romance" target=_blank>https://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/40331/Sally_Shapiro_Disco_Romance