Viktor Sjöberg and Jens Lekman will be touring Asia together this fall:
11/29 - Ssamzie Spac, Seoul, South Korea
11/30 - Ssamzie Spac, Seoul, South Korea
12/01 - The White Rabbit, Singapore
12/02 - Yugong Yishan, Beijing, China
12/03 - JZ, Hangzhou, China
12/04 - JZ, Shanghai, China
12/06 - tba, Bandung, Indonesia
12/0? - tba, Kuala Lumpur, malaysia
Check out some killer live footage of Swedish hardcore act We Live In Trenches performing in Göteborg: meo.com/2143396" target="_blank">https://vimeo.com/2143396
Swedish jazz artist Oskar Schönning now has a video online for his excellent new single "Faustine": meo.com/2145345" target="_blank">https://www.vimeo.com/2145345
And even though the actual album recording was filmed (in front of an audience, to boot), this is not a performance video. Very recommended!
Piroth has cancelled their winter tour plans: myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=65256767&blogID=446501157" target="_blank">https://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=65256767&blogID=446501157
Like On Volcano, Idoru is a great example of what's possible in modern DIY indierock. I strongly disagree m/reviews.php?r=920">with my colleague's assessment of the former - while so many current, big-label bands are caught up in fey pretension, pointless experimentalism or worse, it's so good to hear new acts like this. And by that, I mean that they actually know how to write good songs, an all too rarefied quality. Idoru's EP isn't as consistent as On Volcano's, but high points like "Chase" show great potential. The sound is contemporary, but it's also strongly informed by the past: classic shoegaze, early postpunk or 90s noiserock, it's all there. Just listen to the way they tease you with bits of a well-known melody on the coda! However, most of all, I appreciate that they know how to rock. Pop music need not be limpwristed, nor does rock demand power over melody. The two can coexist! Imagine that! Strange times indeed...
Idoru - Chase
Pitchfork recommends the new Luomo album "Convivial": media.com/article/record_review/147089-luomo-convivial" target="_blank">https://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/147089-luomo-convivial
The Washington Post Express talks to Swedish art-rock band Fredrik: m/content/2008/11/rhythmic_lullabies_fredrik.php" target="_blank">https://www.expressnightout.com/content/2008/11/rhythmic_lullabies_fredrik.php
Watch them perform "1986" and "11 years" live from the House of Sweden in Washington, DC, and broadcast on TV4 in Sweden.
On VolcanoOn Volcano attempt to tread the ground between postrock inspired rock of Silverbullit and the female-fronted shoegaze of A Sunny Day in Glasgow. Opener "Ride the wolf" is the best product of this strange interlocution, both driving and atmospheric. The chanting in "Out of sight" renders the composition slightly forced, deviating quite a ways from their strengths. "Goodbye fireflies" is crafted wonderfully, but it's poppier focus gives the track a radio-friendly sheen that spoils the pleasure a bit. There is hope to be found in the closer, as "The blank page" approaches sonic chaos in a way that I can only really compare to Sonic Youth, though there is a pop finesse present that Sonic Youth has not embraced. There's potential within On Volcano, it's just a shame that evidence for it is only found on half the tracks of their debut EP. Worth keeping an eye on these Finns, though.
- Lars Garvey Laing-Peterson
Cloudberry Records has announced that they'll be doing a 7" with Swedish indiepop act Hari and Aino in the near future. Preview here: m/" target="_blank">https://www.cloudberryrecords.com/
The new masshysteri (ex-Vicious) album "Var del av stan" is will be out this month via Feral Ward: m/home.html" target="_blank">https://www.feralward.com/home.html
Check out an e-card for the new Satyricon album "The age of Nero": https://indierec.no/ecards/satyricon
Here's the video for the new Form One single "Falling down": meo.com/2110651" target="_blank">https://vimeo.com/2110651
Swedish EBm act (and friends of Tiger Lou) Rupesh Cartel will release their new album "Anchor Baby" in early 2009, but you can check out the video for the first single "Oh no oh no!" right here: megahype.com/new_releases/rupesh_cartel_oh_no_oh_no" target="_blank">https://www.megahype.com/new_releases/rupesh_cartel_oh_no_oh_no
Check out the video for the The mobile Homes' new comeback single "I'm phoning a friend and he says that": megahype.com/new_releases/the_mobile_homes_phoning_a_friend/" target="_blank">https://www.megahype.com/new_releases/the_mobile_homes_phoning_a_friend/