IAT favorites Pixie Carnation were selected for respected indie radio station KEXP's song of the day today: https://blog.kexp.org/blog/2009/11/02/song-of-the-day-pixie-carnation-when-did-the-lights-go-out/
Norwegian act Casiokids will be releasing the new digital single "En vill hest" b/w "Min siste dag" in Norway on November 9, their final release before the compilation album of their various Moshi Moshi singles comes out on January 1, 2010.
The good folks behind Swedish experimental/progressive pop labels Kalligrammofon and Structures Sonores have started a podcast and the first episode is up now: https://kssradio.tumblr.com/
The content is in Swedish for now, but they say that episodes in the future might be in English. And the music speaks for itself.
Piroth have started a tour blog: https://pirothontour.blogspot.com/
Frank Tønnesen from Tønes and Frode Strømstad of I Was a King have started a new band together called Skjelvekommode which their label Hype City describes as "Jeff Tweedy and Neil Young with [a] Haua dialect." Look for an album in the spring.
Friendly Noise has launched a magazine and issue one is up now: https://www.friendlynoise.se/fzn/1
It's in Swedish which is bad for me, but the layout + navigation is fantastic. Artists featured include Liminals, Auton and Studio (among others) and there's also a huge Friendly Noise sampler for download (see the "Friendly Noise Survival Kit").
Soundvenue reports that Figurines drummer Kristian Volden and bassist Mads Kjærgaard are leaving the band following their current tour obligations this month to go back to school, studying journalism and music management respectively: https://www.soundvenue.com/nyheder/2009/10/27/figurines-reduceret-til-en-trio (in Danish)
The band plans to continue on as a trio for the time being and plans to start work on writing songs for a new record soon.
High Hats were forced to drop off their scheduled European tour with Baby Shakes due to their jobs not letting them take the required time off, but new labelmates Kendollls will take their place. Kendolls will be recording a new album this winter for release on Alleycat Records next spring.
Swedish indie act Marching Band have secured the production talents of Jari Haapalainen (Camera Obscura, The Concretes, The Bear Quartet, etc.) for their next album which they'll be recording this winter.
The Knoppar label has a new release from Tvärvägen "sideproject" Spunk available for free download: https://knoppar.blogspot.com/2009/10/some-great-news-from-tvarvagen.html
In the same link at the very bottom, there's also another free download for a mix of new Knoppar stuff which I presume includes more Tvärvägen as well as A Perfect Friend and more.
Franky Lee are in the studio and blogging about it: https://frankylee.com/blog/
The latest issue of email newsletter The Swede Beat just went out and it's a special feature on "Swedish Melancholia", in music, fashion and film: https://us1.campaign-archive.com/?u=80b566c77cc8873e0857b5dea&id=9a56b61423
Finnish doom act Swallow the Sun have a new song on myspace: https://www.myspace.com/swallowthesundoom
The band's new album "New moon" comes out November 4 at home, November 9 in the UK and November 10 in America.
Service has announced the signing of new band Forest and are streaming the new song "Just one day" right here: https://srvc.se/
Look for their debut album this winter.
The Line of Best Fit uncovers a new Loney Dear track at YouTube: https://www.thelineofbestfit.com/2009/10/new-loney-dear-song-listen-inside/