Avantgarde-metal talks to Bjørn Dencker aka Aldrahn (DHG, Old Man's Child, Zyklon-B, Thorns, The Deathtrip, etc.): https://www.avantgarde-metal.com/content/stories2.php?id=49

Marit Bergman is looking to tour the US this spring: https://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=32829527&blogID=356886912

Montt Mardié is working on rerecording old material for his upcoming UK debut, due out this summer via Ruffa Lane. As for his next proper album of new material, he's currently working with producer Christian Zellinger and describes the songs as "sadder... more direct and melancholic." Read more: https://monttmardie.blogspot.com/2008/02/have-you-seen-my-dancing-shoes.html

Swedish indiepop act Punky's Dilemma has recently finished recording some material and is seeking an outlet to release it. In the meantime, head to their website to download their 2006 EP "Echelon" along with a few unreleased tracks: https://www.punkysdilemma.com/
I like this band - well worth checking out.

Swedish jazz label Found You Recordings will release Open Trio's (nee Saga) new album "Good Bye Every Time" on April 1. The group will celebrate with a release party at Teaterstudio Lederman in Stockholm before heading off to do a few other dates around the country. Hear samples and get more details: https://www.myspace.com/opentrioswe

Found You Recordings also reports that they have licensed the Wildbirds & Peacedrums album "Heartcore" to The Leaf Label (Efterklang, etc.) for European/international release. It comes out April 14.

Check out Surferosa's new video for the single "The future": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELfYhV-Ui3w

The Radio Dept.'s new album is done and on-track for a May release.

Danish act Veto will release their new album "Crushing digits" on May 5.

Swedish pop act Leopold will be going into the studio in late February/early March to record a new four-song EP with a tentative release date of September 23. More details to come soon.

Robyn will release the Knife-produced track "Who's that girl" as a UK single in April. A video is in production with director Diane Martel (The Killers, The White Stripes, Beyoncé, etc.) and b-side remixes will be handled by Seamus Haji, Rex the Dog and Drop the Lime.

Watch Ida Maria on "Later with Jools Holland": https://www.bbc.co.uk/later/shows/series31/episode02/idamaria/

Wichita Recordings/Cooperative Music will pick up Peter Morén's forthcoming solo album "The last tycoon" for release across most of Europe and Scandinavia. It comes out in Sweden on April 8 with other dates to be announced soon.

Here are the winners of the 2008 Manifest Award, Sweden's alternative Grammy:

Rhythm: Kapten Röd - Stjärnorna finns här (SwingKids/Border)
Pop/Electronica: The Honeydrips - Here Comes The Future (Sincerely Yours/Playground Music)
Rock/Rockabilly/Blues/Garage: High Hats - Too Much Is Never Enough (Alleycat/Sound Pollution)
Hardrock/Metal: Dark Tranquillity - Fiction (Century Media/EMI)
Hiphop/R&B/Soul: Timbuktu - Oberoendeframkallande (Juju Records/Playground Music)
Experimental: Rolf Enström - Quarks (Caprice Records/CDA)
Dance: The Field - From here we go sublime (Kompakt)
Folk/Ballad: Sofia Karlsson - Visor från vinden (Amigo/Bonnier Amigo)
Jazz: Ludvig Berghe Trio - An unplayed venue (Moserobie Music Production/Bonnier Amigo)
Synth: Terror Punk Syndicate - Extended Playtime (Progress Productions/Border Music)
Punk/Hardcore: Wolfbrigade - Prey to the world (Agipunk/Unrest/MCR/Sound Pollution)
Singer/Songwriter: Christian Kjellvander - I Saw Her From Here/I Saw Here From Her (Startracks/V2/Bonnier Amigo)
Best Live Artist: Säkert!
Digfi-prize (unsigned act): Emily McWilliam's Desert Soul (Stockholm)

Swedish/Finnish hardcore act Ääritila recently completed the recording of 19 new tracks for their next album, tentatively due out in May via US label Feral Ward. Hear samples on older stuff here: https://www.myspace.com/aaritilapunk

The release date for the new Majessic Dreams album "Beautiful days" has been confirmed for April 7 via PonyRec. The duo will play a release show at Art & Colour in Copenhagen on April 4.