The official press release finally went out today so I guess it's worth noting that the release of the new Division of Laura Lee album "Violence is timeless" will be preceded by a series of friend-created clips for each track, including the likes of José Gonzáles, Joe Lally (Fugazi) and Kristofer Åström. The first single "Central Park" is out August 1 and, as I mentioned before, the LP comes out on August 15 with the CD following on October 29. Also look for a limited t-shirt + dropcard/mp3 remix package to be released in the near future as well.

Sten Ove Toft (Roggbif) and Norwegian noise legend Lasse Marhaug are working together in a new duo under the name Faux Pas. Look for a 7" on UK label Turgid Animal soon.

Swedish alt-country act Strayfolk has a nice and simple new website: https://www.strayfolk.com/

Halvfabrikat will be releasing the new Operation CD and both M:40's "Industrilandskap" 7" EP and "Historiens svarta vingslag" 12" LP on August 1. Preorder now: https://www.halvfabrikat.net/

Prince has officially nixed that huge Norwegian tribute comp, but you can now download Frost's contribution ("Sex shooter") for free: https://www.frostworld.no/
Read more: https://www.thedailyswarm.com/swarm/prince-strikes-again-sues-stop-norweigian-tribute-project/

Efterklang is composing the score for two new plays to be put on by Danish theater group Teater GROB. The first work is called "En Plads i Mit Hjerte" and will debut on August 23 at Kaleidoskop in Copenhagen. The second, "Som Hos Dig Står", opens November 17 at PLEX. Read more: https://www.grob.dk/ (in Danish)

This is what the internet is good for: here's a new site for documenting and sharing classic Norwegian punk/hardcore records: https://nopunkhc.blogspot.com/
The efforts of people like this are what keeps the music alive.

Norwegian act Bloodlights finally has a proper website: https://www.bloodlights.com/

Swedish lounge-metal act Hellsongs will release their album "Songs in the key of 666" on June 27 throughout GAS. Expect tourdates to follow.

Danish postrock act Slaraffenland will release the new EP "Sunshine" this coming fall via Rumraket. Listen to the track "I'm a machine" at myspace: https://www.myspace.com/slaraffenland

The latest newsletter from the Swedish Music Information Centre (MIC) is now available for download: https://www.stim.se/avd/Mic/Prod/bilagor.nsf/dl/SMIC_08-2.pdf/$file/SMIC_08-2.pdf
Topics include the transition of the Swedish MIC to its own entity separate from STIM (but still under the same ownership) and the latest releases from in-house label Phono Suecia such as Georg Riedel and Britta Byström.

The Lisa Miskovsky greatest hits collection "Last year's songs" comes out July 9.

Here's the updated release schedule for Norwegian jazz/folk label NORCD:

09/13/08 - Eple Trio - The Widening Sphere of Influence (jazz)
10/06/08 - Åse Teigland - Stille (folk)
01/06/09 - Karl Seglem&Berit Opheim - Draumkvedet (folk)
Feb 2009 - Arve Henriksen/Elling Vanberg - tba (jazz)
Spring 2009 - Lena Skjerdal - tba (jazz)
Later 2009 - Tromsø Kunstforsyning - tba (art/jazz)

Mika Vainio (Pan Sonic) sideproject Ø has a new album out on Sähkö called "Oleva". Details and samples: https://www.sahkorecordings.com/sahko-023.php

Satyricon reports that basic tracks are complete for their next record with sessions continuing this week and then finishing up in late July. Not sure of a release date yet, but look for worldwide tourdates to be announced for November.