Making the rounds today: Check out a video of Hybris artist Montt Mardié performing a Swedish cover of Rihanna's "Umbrella", here billed as "Paraply": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tX_KV7SvDCI

Decibel interviews Ulver: https://www.decibelmagazine.com/features/dec2007/ulver.aspx

It's time once again for another myspace troll feature, except instead of uncovering total unknowns, I've gone with all sideprojects. Check it out: [click here]
In other news, I'll be a guest on Swedish radio P3 Populär on Monday talking about how I got into Swedish music. I don't remember everything I said, but hopefully I don't embarrass myself too much, so yeah, listen online here: https://www.sr.se/p3/popular/
Other guests include Craig from Swedesplease, Jason from Tack! Tack! Tack! and Kristina from Fika Sounds in Spain. An archive of the program will be available for 30 days.

Little Big Adventure has posted the 4th of their five part single series for free download: https://www.littlebigadventure.se/?p=35
The tracks featured this time are "Where is my mind?" and "Not quite right".

Norwegian techno act Mental Overdrive will finally be releasing the "Elephantastic!" single, first sold via eBay in an edition of 1, as a digital download on December 13. Rune Lindbaek will also contribute a remix (er, "RL multitrack edit"), but in the meantime, listen to it at myspace: https://www.myspace.com/mentaloverdrive
In other news, look for a number of hand-made CDR packages to be made available in the near future as well a new 12" single for "The rage" b/w "Wotta" to be released on Prins Thomas' Full Pupp label in January.

Low Frequency in Stereo recently mixed four new tracks, but are unsure as to what to do with them. Otherwise, they plan to enter Duper Studio in Bergen, Norway on January 23 to properly begin work on their next album.

Norwegian act Lorraine will release the new single "Saved" on December 10 on vinyl 7", limited to 1000 copies with each one being individually customised. The b-side will be the previously unreleased track "The mess that we are". As for digital, a 6-track version of the single will be available with remixes from Dave Armstrong & Redroche and MHC. Listen at myspace: https://www.myspace.com/lorrainemusic

Norwegian artist Rockettothesky is working on a new album for release next fall.

PopMatters on the US release of Loney, Dear's "Sologne": https://www.popmatters.com/pm/music/reviews/50371/loney-dear-sologne/

The Local on Cardigans frontwoman Nina Persson and her refurbishing of Stockholm-based department store PUB: https://www.thelocal.se/9099/

Meshuggah will support Ministry on tour in the US next March: https://www.lambgoat.com/news/view.aspx?id=9752

Danish rockers Gob Squad have signed with Dutch label Mascot Records who will bew releasing the band's new album "Watch the cripple dance" in January. Hear samples: https://www.myspace.com/gobsquad

Jettie's new album "Kites for charity" has now been confirmed for a physical release in the US on January 22 via Eyeball Records.

The Open Up and Bleeds have parted ways with drummer Andreas Ohlsson: https://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=89829779&blogID=328500482

OT, but still possibly of interest to some readers: Slate on the evolution of black-metal and the environmentalism of (local to me) act Wolves in the Throne Room: https://www.slate.com/id/2177883/