Hello Saferide has been awarded the Novell Prize for storytelling in music from Swedish mag Novell. Read more: https://www.hellosaferide.com/?p=307

Expect a new single from Peter Bjorn and John before the end of the year and a new album (with vocals) in spring.

Discontent on Swedish duo First Aid Kit and their Fleet Foxes cover: https://discontentblog.com/?p=145
Apparently their debut album "Drunken trees" will get a UK release in February via Wichita.

Danish group Vincent Van Go Go will be travelling to Mali, Africa to write and record new music, do workshops with local artists, teach a few classes and maybe even play a few shows, among other things. The band will be posting regular reports from the trip on their website, but they'll also be filmed by Maria Andersen for a documentary to be released this coming spring. Read more at Gaffa: https://gaffa.dk/nyhed/30295 (in Danish)

Wedoband, the sideproject of Jeppe Lindgren from I Am Bones, will make their live debut at Pakhuset in Århus, Denmark on December 13. Sample tunes at myspace: https://www.myspace.com/wedoband

Dagbladet's top Norwegian albums of 2008: https://www.dagbladet.no/2008/12/09/kultur/arets_beste/musikk/3985421/

Svenska Dagbladet's (SvD) top album picks for 2008: https://www.svd.se/kulturnoje/nyheter/artikel_2177997.svd

Dagens Nyheter lists their favorite albums of 2008: https://www.dn.se/DNet/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=2198&a=862010

Swedish all-star noiserockers NEI report that their long-awaited debut album "New agenda" is near completion. Details soon? Otherwise, keep an eye out for a 3-song 7" on Premonition Records in the near future.

Aversionline on Swedish tech-metal act Terminal Function: https://www.aversionline.com/blahg/2008/12/10/terminal-function-measuring-the-abstract-cd/

Ex-Imagine I Had Hands frontman Adam McCormack has new solo music posted on myspace: https://www.myspace.com/adammccormackdk

Dead Frog Records has a brand new Christmas track from Rogalski posted for free download: https://www.deadfrogrecords.com/2008/12/rogalski-jul/

Finnish hardcore act Phoenix Foundation are streaming two new tracks at myspace: https://www.myspace.com/phoenixfound
For for their new self-titled album in mid-January via Combat Rock Industry.

Anna Ternheim's new video for "Summer rain" is now online: https://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&VideoID=47891728
Guest vocalists on said track include Ane Brun, Nina Kinert, Ellekari Larsson (The Tiny) and Klara Söderberg (First Aid Kit).

Up-and-coming Danish act Atoi will be releasing the new EP "Tonight" on January 12 to be followed by the full-length album "Youth machine" on February 9. Samples at myspace: https://www.myspace.com/atoidk