mando Diao has posted a bunch of new fall tourdates, mostly in Northern Europe: mando-diao.com/en/main.php?sida=tour" target=_blank>https://www.mando-diao.com/en/main.php?sida=tour

Check out the video for "Catch the girls pulse" from Norwegian screamo act Angora Static: m/watch?v=qz63owmFGbm" target=_blank>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qz63owmFGbm

Finnish act Disco Ensemble on tour in the UK:

08/20 - Fibbers, York
08/21 - Academy, Birmingham
08/22 - Freebutt, Brighton
08/23 - Academy, Bristol
08/24 - Charlotte, Leicester
08/25 - Barfly, Glasgow
08/26 - moshulu, Aberdeen
08/27 - Academy, New Castle
08/28 - Academy, Liverpool
08/29 - Barfly, Cardiff
08/30 - Barfly, London
08/31 - Rockcity, Nottingham

Old-school Swedish punks Asta Kask have posted the cover art for their new album and 7" on their website: m/" target=_blank>https://astakask.com/

Alog, one of my favorite electronic acts, will be coming to the US for the first time in August:

08/12 - San Francisco Electronic music Festival
08/15 - tba, Portland
08/17 - The Empty Bottle, Chicago
08/19 - mills Gallery, Boston
08/21 - Tonic, New York

marit Bergman's new album "I think it's a rainbow" will be released on September 6. The first single "No party" comes out July 31. The record was self-produced by marit and longtime collaborator Åsa Jacobsson along with the always-fab Björn Yttling (Peter, Bjorn and John, montys Loco, Caesars, etc.).

Stylus reviews the new Satyricon: magazine.com/reviews/satyricon/now-diabolical.htm" target=_blank>https://www.stylusmagazine.com/reviews/satyricon/now-diabolical.htm
Don't forget that I posted about it m/index.php?story_id=1016">on monday.

Danish post-rock act Under Byen has signed a North American deal with Toronto-based label Paper Bag Records. more details to come.

Peter, Bjorn and John in the UK:

07/13 - Barfly, London
07/14 - Latitude Festival, Suffolk
08/05 - Spitz, London
08/06 - The Faversham, Leeds
08/07 - Bar Academy, Birmingham
08/08 - Roadhouse, manchester

Sublime Exile has announced the signing of Icelandic instrumental trio Pondus. The label describes the band as "an absolute smooth and chanting pop mixture with elements of dub and jazz reminding of Thievery Corporation, Locust, massive Attack, mike Oldfield and morricone." Their album was recorded with Björk collaborator Valgeir Sigurdsson in Reykjavik and is set for a tentative August release.

In other Sublime Exile news, the label will be releasing a new 7" from Danish act The Beatitude for the single "La direction de la révolution" b/w "Age is strange". Otherwise, the band's debut EP "...and a bag of cacophony" is out on August 14 and you can preview tracks at myspace: myspace.com/the5bees" target=_blank>https://www.myspace.com/the5bees

Stu manx of Gluecifer has officially joined Norwegian all-star thrash-metal act Blood Tsunami. The band features ex-Emperor drummer Faust as well as ex-Gluecifer/Die Toten Hosen guitar tech Pete Evil and some dude named Dor. The band is already signed to an as-yet-unnamed label and will begin recording their debut album in September for an early 2007 release. Head to the band's website to hear demos: mi.com/" target=_blank>https://www.bloodtsunami.com/

Happy 4th of July! Regular updates will resume again tomorrow, but I do have one thing for you: I am giving away three sets of "Reader's companion" CDs. You interested? m/special/contest.html" onclick="window.open(this.href,'contest','width=410,height=230');return false;">Click here to enter!
If by any chance you're in Olympia today, my band will be making our live debut at Westside Connection today, probably around 5ish. I can't promise that we'll be good, but we will definitely be loud.

I'm technically on vacation right now as I've got a four-day weekend from my "real" job, but of course here I am: at the computer, working on today's update. Stoked, right? Just remember, it's all for you.

July already? Jeez, where does the time go? The new album of the month: m/store.php?item=229">El Perro Del mar - Look! It's El Perro Del mar!