Voting is now open for the Olsoprisen "Album of the Year" award: mninger/osloprisen-2009-arets-osloskive" target="_blank">https://www.nattogdag.no/avstemninger/osloprisen-2009-arets-osloskive
Nominees include montée, Obliteration (my personal choice), maribel and Chris Lee and the final decision is 50% jury-based, 50% voting.
Ulver has posted the first taste of their upcoming psychrock tribute on myspace, a cover of "I had too much to dream last night" by Electric Prunes: myspace.com/ulver1" target="_blank">https://www.myspace.com/ulver1
Joining them on this recording are Lars Pedersen of When on drums and mats Engen from Euroboys on bass. Also note the 2010 European tourdates.
Brothers of End are now streaming their new single "Big bird" at myspace: myspace.com/brothersofend" target="_blank">https://www.myspace.com/brothersofend
has announced that they'll be releasing the new Burning Hearts 7" single "Night animal" on January 26.
Finnish indiepop act Kiki Pau have posted a video teaser to promote their new album, due out in march 2010: m/watch?v=U8tg-eyzLyQ" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8tg-eyzLyQ
has announced the signing of Bergen-based sludge/noise act Solstorm and will be releasing their debut full-length in 2010. Listen here: myspace.com/solstormofficial" target="_blank">https://www.myspace.com/solstormofficial
You don't need to be able to read Swedish to enjoy the top 25 songs of 2009 as selected by the folks at Cosy Den: minradio.se/gimmeindie/adventskalendern/lucka/tio.html" target="_blank">https://www.minradio.se/gimmeindie/adventskalendern/lucka/tio.html
AllScandinavian lists 10 Danish acts they say to keep an eye on in 2010: m/2843/top-1010-best-of-2010-the-danish-edition/" target="_blank">https://allscandinavian.com/2843/top-1010-best-of-2010-the-danish-edition/
Aversionline on the new EP from Finnish hardcore act Lighthouse Project: m/blahg/2009/12/10/lighthouse-project-lust-for-lie-7/" target="_blank">https://www.aversionline.com/blahg/2009/12/10/lighthouse-project-lust-for-lie-7/
In case you couldn't make it to DC last night to catch Ingebrigt Håker Flaten and Håkon Kornstad live at The Kennedy Center, the duo's performance is now online for on-demand streaming: https://www.kennedy-center.org/explorer/artists/?entity_id=56807&source_type=B (scroll down)
Ex-Esbjörn Svensson Trio bassist Dan Berglund has moved past the tragedy of his bandleader's untimely death last year and has started a new combo called Tonbruket featuring Johan Lindström (Per Texas Johansson Band) on guitar, martin Hederos (The Soundtrack of Our Lives, Hederos & Hellberg) on keys and Andreas Werliin (Wildbirds & Peacedrums, Fire!) on drums. The band has recorded a self-titled album for release on January 20 via and the sound is said to be a mix of E.S.T., Pink Floyd, Röyksopp and Arvo Part. See them on tour:
01/30 - Stockholm, Hornstull Strand (SWE)
02/02 - malmö, Babel (SWE)
02/03 - Helsingborg, Dunkers Kulturhus (SWE)
02/04 - Göteborg, Nefertiti (SWE)
03/13 - Edinburgh, Queen's Hall (SCO)
03/15 - London, QEH Southbank Centre (UK)
03/20 - Dublin, The Button Factory (IRE)
03/25 - manchester, Band on the Wall (UK)
03/26 - Nottingham, Lakeside (UK)
03/27 - Gateshead, Sage (UK)
03/29 - milton Keynes, The Stables (UK)
03/30 - Birmingham, CBSO Centre (UK)
03/31 - Barnstaple, The Queens Theatre (UK)
04/01 - Bristol, St. Georges (UK)
04/16 - münchen, muffathalle (GER)
04/18 - Koblenz, Café Hahn (GER)
04/20 - Oldenburg, Kulturetage (GER)
04/23 - mannheim, Alte Feuerwache (GER)
04/26 - Nürnberg, Hirsch (GER)
04/27 - Berlin, Postbahnhof (GER)
04/28 - Hamburg, Fabrik (GER)
04/29 - Basel, Casino (CH)
04/30 - Stuttgart, Theaterhaus (GER)
05/02 - Halle, Opernhaus (GER)
05/22 - Gleisdorf, Forum Kloster (AUS)
05/27 - Visby, munkkällaren (SWE)
The blog has good things to say about the "Undergången" C120 comp: music.blogspot.com/2009/12/review-undergangen-audio-companion-to.html" target="_blank">https://terrible-music.blogspot.com/2009/12/review-undergangen-audio-companion-to.html
As they say, highly recommended for anyone into dark adventurous music! I've got a scant few copies for sale left if anyone wants one: m/store/product.php?productid=623">[click here]
Bad Hands, the solo project of Per Nordmark, has a new track posted for free download: https://www.badhands.se/
I'm not all that into Christmas and I'm definitely not into Christmas music, but I do like Champagne Riot so I'm giving them a pass. Their Xmas single "Xmas safari" isn't as, well, anthemic as m/?n=32332">"The champagne anthem", but it's not as if that's a big surprise. Instead, we get loping bassline and a tale of holiday woe, so thank goodness for that because I cannot handle the usual forced cheer. So here you go, just in time for Channukah (begins tomorrow, hope yr gifts to me are already on their way), a present from them to me to you.
Champagne Riot - Xmas safari