Updated release schedule for Finnish avant label Fonal Records:
Islaja/TV-Resistori - split 7" - January 2006
"Summer and smiles of Finland" - Fonal 10th anniversary promo CD - January 2006
Shogun Kunitoki - Tasankokaiku CD - February 13, 2006
Risto CD - March 2006
TV-Resistori - Serkut Rakastaa Paremmin CD - March 2006
Check out the video for "I remember" from Figurines: https://www.figurines.dk/files/figurines%20-%20i%20remember.mov
The nominees for this year's Alarm awards, the alternative to the Spellemansprisen (Norway's version of the Grammy):
Rock:
Richochets - Isolation
Madrugada - The Deep End
Serena-Maneesh - Serena-Maneesh
JR Ewing - Maelstrom
My Midnight Creeps - My Midnight Creeps
Pop:
Ane Brun - A Temporary Dive
Loch Ness Mouse - 11-22
Maria Mena - Apparently Unaffected
Anja Garbarek - Briefly Shaking
Sofian - This Is Sofian
Metal:
Stonegard - Arrows
Grimfist - 10 Steps To Hell
El Caco - The Search
Scum - Gospel For The Sick
Solefald - Red For Fire
Hip-hop:
Paperboys - When Worlds Collide
Cast - Problembarn
Onkl P - Det kunne vært deg
Warlocks - The Never Ending Story
Tommy Tee - Tommy Tycker Om Mej
Free music/electronica:
Jaga Jazzist - What We Must
Cloroform - Cracked Wide Open
Toy - Toy
Supersilent - 7
Alog - Miniatures
Club:
Røyksopp - The Understanding
Lindstrøm & Prins Thomas - Lindtrøm & Prins Thomas
Datarock - Datarock Datarock
Annie - DJ Kicks
Future Prophecies - Warlords Rising
Jazz:
Kornstad/Wiik - Eight Tunes We Like
Shining - In The Kingdom Of Kitch
The Thing - Live At Blå
Tord Gustavsen Trio - The Ground
Atomic - Bikini Tapes
Song:
Madrugada - The Kids Are On High Street
Röyksopp - What Else Is There
Ane Brun - My Lover Will Go
Superfamily - Taxi Dancing
Mira Craig - Boogieman
Live:
Madrugada
Turbonegro
Purified in Blood
Richochets
Kaizers Orchestra
Newcomer of the year:
My Midnight Creeps
Mira Craig
Sofian
Superfamily
Animal Alpha
Vote for your favorites here: https://www.alarmprisen.no/
Pitchfork reviews Amina: https://www.pitchforkmedia.com/record-reviews/a/amina/aminamina.shtml
The latest Swedish student radio top 20 chart:
01. (01) Arctic Monkeys - "I Bet U Look Good on the Dancefloor"
02. (03) The White Stripes - "The Denial Twist"
03. (04) David Sandström Overdrive - "The Crotch of a Saturday"
04. (02) Franz Ferdinand - "Walk Away"
05. (13) Gorillaz - "Dirty Harry"
06. (NY) The Fine Arts Showcase - "Chemical Girl"
07. (06) Róisín Murphy - "Sow Into You"
08. (05) El Perro Del Mar - "God Knows (You Gotta Give To Get)"
09. (NY) The Sorayas - "Hours to Days"
10. (08) ObnoXiuz - "Lägg benen på ryggen och dra"
11. (NY) Unarmed Enemies - "Missing Out"
12. (14) Goldfrapp - "Number 1"
13. (NY) Dannii Minogue & The Soul Seekerz - "Perfection"
14. (10) Baby Shambles - "Albion"
15. (11) The Embassy - "It Pays to Belong"
16. (NY) Queens of the Stone Age - "Burn the Witch"
17. (07) Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - "Is This Love?"
18. (NY) Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - "Weight of the World"
19. (17) Saïan Supa Crew - "La Patte"
20. (20) Röyksopp - "What Else Is There?"
Leaving the chart: Architecture in Helsinki, Christian Kjellvander, Ella Rouge, Lethal Bizzie, Stereophonics and Test Icicles.
This week's top 20 Swedish album chart:
01. Son of a Plumber - Son of a Plumber
02. Thåström - Skebokvarnsv 209
03. Jill Johnson - The christmas in you
04. Lena Philipsson - Jag ångrar ingenting
05. Monica Zetterlund - Z - det bästa med monica zetterlund
06. Darin - Darin
07. Björn Afzelius - Björn Afzelius bästa
08. Amy Diamond - This Is Me Now
09. Eva Dahlgren - Snö
10. Nanne - Alltid på väg
11. Daniel Lemma - Dreamers & fools
12. Laleh - Laleh
13. Sophie Zelmani - A decade of dreams 1995-2005
14. The Cardigans - Super Extra Gravity
15. Brolle Jr - Brolle jr tolkar cornelis - en stund på jorden
16. Bodies Without Organs - Prototype
17. Carola - Jul i betlehem
18. Barbados - Stolt
19. Hardcore Superstar - Hardcore superstar
20. Jussi Björling - Från operans värld till svenska sånger
Indieworkshop reviews Silence the Foe: https://indieworkshop.com/music/2136/
Plenty of choice Scandinavian pics on Decibel Magazine's top 40 of 2005 list: https://djmartian.blogspot.com/2005_12_01_djmartian_archive.html#113339939499691172 (Opeth, Meshuggah, Enslaved, Ulver, etc.)
Panic Skin has posted a new track entitled "Requiem" for free download: https://www.panicskin.tk/
Norwegian act Delaware has confirmed that their upcoming album "Lost in the beauty of innocence" on February 13. Check out some samples via the band's new radio stream on their website: https://www.delawaremuzic.com/
Aversion likes The Chrysler: https://www.aversion.com/bands/reviews.cfm?f_id=2347
Sudd's mp3 focus for the month of December is the Icelandic duo Sveimar which translates as 'floating', a quite apt descriptor for their electronic sound. Check it: https://www.sudd.org/focus.htm
It's been quite awhile since we've heard anything new from Anja Garbarek. The daughter of renown ECM recording artist Jan Garbarek is oft compared to Stina Nordenstam, both for her reclusiveness and aura of mystery, but also because of her music. Anja's songs tend to be a bit more straightforward in terms of pop melody, but she shares a penchant with Stina for unusual sounds and arrangements. I think the new album "Briefly shaking" is Anja's best, most satisfying work yet - just check out the lead single "The last trick" and tell me you don't agree. I challenge you. If you're one of those folks who's enjoying the new Kate Bush record, this should appeal to you as well. Smart, experimental pop music as good as this does not happen nearly as often as it should.
The Soundtrack of Our Lives are touring Spain in January:
01/20 - Viernes, Barcelona, Sala Apolo (SPA)
01/21 - Sabado, Sta Pola, Sala Camelot (SPA)
01/24 - Martes, Madrid, Sala Aqualung (SPA)
01/25 - Miercoles, Santoña, Sala Tropicana (SPA)
01/26 - Jueves, Santiago, Sala Capitol (SPA)
01/27 - Viernes, Bilbao, Sala Antozokia (SPA)
01/28 - Sabado, Zaragoza, Sala por Confirmar (SPA)
Phaser has totally revamped their website in a new blog style: https://www.phaser.se/