Dotshop is closing

Swedish music mailorder/distro Dotshop is closing: https://www.dotshop.se/ds/news.php?nid=322
Is file sharing really the culprit or is it just the economy?

Vendlus bringing Monolithic to the US

Vendlus will be handling the US release of Monolithic's debut album "Black science": https://www.vendlus.com/?p=64
The Norwegian free-jazz/metal combo's album was originally released earlier this month via Roggbif.

Hammarin & Robin - Spit

Mad for It has a new single from Hammarin & Robin posted for free download: https://www.madforit.se/index.php?id=88
Also be sure to check out Square's tourblog from earlier in the week.

Massgrav gets a new drummer, Sayyadina tours the East Coast

Swedish crusties Massgrav have enlisted Ove Wiksten (Sayyadina, Nice Idiot) as their new drummer. And speaking of Sayyadina, here are some US tourdates:

05/16 - Club Europa, Brooklyn, NY
05/18 - O'Brien's, Boston, MA
05/19 - AS220, Providence, RI
05/20 - The Bug Jar, Rochester, NY
05/21 - tba
05/22 - Sonar, Baltimore, MD

New Kleerup website

Kleerup has a new website: https://kleerup.net/

Avner - Bed för mig

Sincerely Yours has just released a new single + video from the artist Avner entitled "Bed för mig". Check it: https://www.sincerelyyours.se/

When pays tribute to Sun Ra

The new When album, their 13th in their 25-year existence, is called "Homage series vol 1: Sun-Ra" and will be released on April 20. As the title suggests, the record is a "plunderphonic" mixtape/mashup tribute to jazz legend Sun Ra. More details here: https://www.plastichead.com/catalogue.asp?ex=fitem&verb=F&target=TRICK044CD

The Pirate Bay found guilty

A guilty verdict has been delivered in the Pirate Bay case: https://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/pirate-bay-founders-get-jail-sentence-1003963586.story

New Victims 7", UK tourdates

Victims will have a new 2-song 7" on Deathwish Inc. released in time for their upcoming US tour with Black Breath and Trap Them. They'll also be playing a batch of UK shows in May:

05/01 - Grosvenor, London
05/02 - Chesters, Bristol
05/03 - 1in12 Club, Bradford
05/04 - Old Angel, Nottingham

New album from Björn Kleinhenz confirmed for May

Björn Kleinhenz has recorded a bunch of new material at his new home on the island of Fårö and will be releasing the collection as a digital download in May under the title "Head held high on fearsome pride" for what he says will be "a very reasonable rate." There will also be a small run of CD versions as well for those attached to obsolete physical objects.

Nomethod Summer sale + mp3 giveaway

Since Nomethod is doing cheap reissues of both Mixtapes & Cellmates discs and the Robert Svensson album since signing with Border Music, they're giving away a bunch of free mp3s including a brand previously unreleased new one from Robert: https://www.nomethod.se/

PopMatters finally gets around to by:Larm

Better late than never, PopMatters offers up their report on Norway's by:Larm Festival: https://www.popmatters.com/pm/feature/72676-bylarm-2009/

Wonderland Records streams the new Quarterhorse, offers mp3s from upcoming releases

Wonderland Records released Swedish Americana act Quarterhorse's new album "The weight of the world" this week and has the whole thing available for streaming here: https://www.quarterhorse.se/FLAM/press.html
In other Wonderland news, they'll be releasing debut albums from the bands Arvid and Swedish for Beginners in late May, the 20th and 27th to be exact (respectively). Download sample mp3s from both here: https://www.wonderlandrecords.com/ex

Molotov Jive focuses on Germany

Swedish act Molotov Jive has signed with German label Strange Ways who will be releasing their most recent album "Songs for the fallen apart" in GAS on June 26. Expect a few tourdates this summer with a more extensive jaunt in September.

Small signs with Last Gang Records for North America

Small, the Danish act I just posted about yesterday, has signed a North American deal with Last Gang Records (MSTRKRFT, Tiga) who will be releasing "Sunshine lover" as a single.