Look for the new Paddington Distortion Combo EP "The sky is the grey, and scary. the sun is down. so are we; with hatred" on August 6.

Plain Fade vocalist/guitarist Juho Koivuaho has been diagnosed with leukemia and is currently being treated at Tampere University Hospital. Results so far have been positive and of course I wish him well in his recovery. As for the rest of the band, they've got new songs written and have plans to put together a new album, but of course everything is currently on hold until Juho is better.

Unique Danish artist Ea Philippa has finally started to record her 2nd album, the follow-up to 2005's bewildering and enchanting "Fjerne himle".

Finnish hard-rockers Slideshaker report that their third album is finally done being tracked and is ready for mixing. No word on a release date yet, but two rough mixes are posted on myspace: https://www.myspace.com/slideshaker

The Goner's new EP "Hind hand" is done and available for mailorder direct from his self-run label Svarta Marknaden: https://svartamarknaden.wordpress.com/2008/06/14/hind-hand-released/
As I mentioned before, I've heard some pre-mixes of the material and it's stunning. Definitely recommended.

Danish artist/producer Troels Abrahamsen is retiring his many aliases such as SuperTroels and Mockin' Bird and will henceforth work using his given nomenclature: https://supertroels.dk/wp/?p=369

The latest Music Export Finland newsletter is now online: https://musex.fi/mxf/news?articleId=158

Cats On Fire, one of Finland's best-known indiepop bands, has signed with Johanna Kustannus, one of the country's biggest and most respected indie labels. The band will record their sophomore album in August with an eye for an early 2009 release.

Moloken's new EP "We all face the dark alone" will be released on June 27 via Discoraged Records.

Look for a new 7" from Finnish punks Karanteeni to be released on Combat Rock Industry later this summer.

The new album "Traveler" from Swedish country/pop act Abalone Dots is confirmed for release on July 30. Said album was recorded in Nashville with genre legend Al Perkins and producer David Z.

After working separately on numerous sideprojects, Norwegian act Jaga Jazzist is back together in the same place rehearsing new material.

Kranium has now released the full-length debut "Ibland kan man inte hindra sig själv" from Swedish hardcore punx Nitad (apparently I missed them here in Malmö the other night and am bummed). said disc includes 12 new rippers plus all of the various cuts from their earlier EPs for a grand total of 31 cuts. Listen to samples at myspace: https://www.myspace.com/kraniumrecords

Finnish avant/experimental act Kuusumun Profeetta will release their fifth album "Lyhtykuja" ("The alley of lanterns") in July via Ektro Records (Circle, etc.). Hear a new track at myspace: https://www.myspace.com/moonfogprophet

Efterklang has contributed a photo diary of their first US tour to Self-Titled Magazine: https://www.self-titledmag.com/2008/06/11/coming-to-america-a-photo-diary-of-efterklangs-first-us-tour/