Au Nord

2006-12-05T22:08:00.000-08:00

If you don't do this you're silly.

I'm not exactly sure what the P3 Gold awards are. If I could read Swedish, this probably wouldn't be a problem. But it is. And hence I find myself voting for a competition that I know nothinng about. This aside, I'm pretty sure the aim is to recognise good Swedish musicians. With the help of It's A Trap !, this is the translated voting form. My own votes are in bold, leaving out the categories I didn't know enough/care about

Best female artist:
Marit Bergman - "I Think it's a Rainbow"
Veronica Maggio - "Vatten och bröd"
Lisa Miskovsky - "Changes"
Linda Sundblad - "Oh My God!"
Anna Ternheim - "Separation Road"

Best male artist:
Darin - "Break the News"
Håkan Hellström - "Nåt gammalt, nåt nytt, nåt lånat, nåt blått"
Max Peezay - "Discokommittén"
Petter - "P"
Timo Räisänen - "I'm Indian"

Best live (Guldmicken):
In Flames
The Knife
Mando Diao
Snook
Anna Ternheim

Best song:
Basshunter - Boten Anna
I'm From Barcelona - We're From Barcelona
Veronica Maggio - Dumpa mig
Mando Diao - Long Before Rock'n'Roll
Snook - Längst fram i taxin

Best newcomer:
Asha Ali
Salem Al Fakir
I'm From Barcelona
Veronica Maggio
Sebastian

Best group:
Fibes, Oh Fibes! - "Emotional"
The Knife - "Silent Shout"
Mando Diao - "Ode to Ochrasy"
Snook - "Är"
The Sounds - "Dying to Say This to You"

Go here to vote.

2006-11-29T17:11:00.000-08:00

A gift from CJ Palmer.

A few weeks ago I received an email from a band called CJ Palmer, asking me to check out one of their songs. It's taken me a while to do it - I keep forgetting to update because school work is piling up.

CJ Palmer - 34

Beginning with a riff I'm sure I have heard before, the song didn't originally drag me in. In fact I'm pretty sure I thought "Hey great, another mediocre pop band pretending they can create catchy music". So I endured it for a while and it became background music.

I went back a few days later to listen to it again, this time the whole way through. I must admit after a while the chorus really caught on, and I found myself singing along to the "dodadadeda" after a while. In the end, the lyrics were still annoying and lacking, the music average, but the fill-ins catchy. Give it a try, you may like it - it's something good to play when you really don't feel like thinking about anything.

CJ Palmer Myspace
CJ Palmer Website

2006-11-04T18:26:00.000-08:00

I thought she talked about Mark E. Smith

You know that Jens Lekman song, the one that goes "when she talked about the fall I thought she talked about the season". Mapleleaves, probably the first Jens song I ever heard, so it holds a special meaning in my heart.

Recently I was poking around Jens' website when I came across the Swedish version of it, called Jag tyckte hon sa Lonnlov.

Jag tyckte hon sa Lonnlov - Jens Lekman

Someone also made a flipbook of it. (Listen with the sound down)

2006-10-29T00:04:00.000-07:00

Once more with feeling.

Oh yes, I am talking about Airwaves again. I just can't help it. The indiepop community has now been exposed to countless magical Icelandic acts which I must share.

First port of call is Benni Hemm Hemm. Benedikt Hermannsson is an Iceland singer/songwriter backed by quite an expansive band under the name of Benni Hemm Hemm. You can check out some more of his songs at his website but here's one I like.

I Can Love You In A Wheelchair Baby - Benni Hemm Hemm

Secondly, Helgi Valur. He's a pretty thing who was born in Sweden but grew up in Iceland "listening to the trubador music of Bob Dylan and Cat Stevens". He does a fantastic cover of the Buckley version of Hallelujah. Another song and what I think is a live set (I wasn't able to download it) is availiable from his website.

Hallelujah - Helgi Valur

2006-10-28T23:45:00.000-07:00

Airwaves is over. How sad.

But it's okay. Because Rolling Stone liked it. And that's all that matters, right?

The Airwaves website has some podcasts up from the festival. Most intruiging is their Love Is All podcast. Go check them out.

Also, the Pitchfork kids have some reviews and killer photos. Usually I'd steer away from the fork, but there just isn't enough other coverage out there to ignore it. You can even download some songs from artists who played at the festival.

Part I (Download "Death" by Helgi Valur)
Part II (Download "Kiss Kiss Kiss" by Love Is All)
Part III

2006-10-28T23:29:00.002-07:00

New stuff from Labrador

That crazy heart-shaped band Loveninjas have just released the I Wanna Be Like Johnny C EP. Labrador have kindly sent out an email newsletter which reminded me, and said newsletter included the song "I Wanna Be Like Johnny C". Listen to it here.

In yet another newsletter, the label sent us another [ingenting] song, Slapp in solen. You can listen to that here. Fact: [ingenting] are the only band on Labrador that sing in their native tongue.

Furthermore, the next Labrador release will be latest signing The Mary Onettes with their first recording on the label, named the "Lost" EP. It's coming out on November 1.

On November 22, the Loveninjas are releasing yet again, this time their debut LP "The Secret Of The Loveninjas". Stay tuned for that.

2006-10-20T04:56:00.000-07:00

Making waves

So as I previously mentioned Iceland Airwaves is currently in progress.. today is/was the THIRD day of music. Also, today is the day of Wolf Parade! And Shadow Parade. Who would have thought, two parades on the same day.

But apart from the parades. The Go! Team is also playing. As are Islands. Friday is quite a good day in the Airwaves festival, I think.. tomorrow sees Whomadewho, Jens Lekman, Patrick Wilson, Brazilian Girls, Kaiser Chiefs and The Cribs playing.

We Are Scientists, Tilly & The Wall, Datarock, The Whitest Boy Alive, Metric, Love Is All and Ben Frost have already played. I'll try and find some reviews of them for you.

My Summer As A Salvation Soldier is just one of the Icelandic acts playing at the festival. Go check him out if you like Xiu Xiu, The Postal Service and/or Elliot Smith.

Oh and by the way, speaking of him, I did not know that Elliot Smith was dead. I discovered it on Wikipedia today and was alarmed that he had died quite a few years ago and I was never aware of the fact.

2006-10-20T04:47:00.000-07:00

It's okay...

1. ...Because the labrador website isn't down, as I thought it was. It was only until just then when I found my way over to google that I realised the address I was typing in was wrong.

2. ...Because I have decided to celebrate my rediscovery by giving you the link to the Acid House King's Tonight Is Forever which I listened to about five times this afternoon. In a row.

Tonight Is Forever - Acid House Kings

3. ...Because while we're still on the labrador subject, the Loveninja's I Wanna Be Like Johnny C EP (it rhymes a lot..) comes out in FIVE days. Yes, FIVE. That's less than a week. That's like, next Wednesday. Let's party.

4. ...Because a while ago Au Nord was added to It's A Trap!'s Scandinavian blog links. Hurrah.

5. ...Because the Iceland Airwaves Festival started two days ago and I thought it started tomorrow. But it finishes on Sunday.

2006-10-13T03:54:00.000-07:00

New Radio Dept.

The Radio Dept. have a new song, and a new album I think too, coming very soon!

We Made The Team - The Radio Dept.

On another note, what is wrong with the labrador website? I am having a breakdown here.

2006-10-09T03:25:00.000-07:00

I can't get this song out of my head!

And you won't be able to either

Get Up - Fibes, Oh Fibes!

Myspace

2006-10-07T22:11:00.000-07:00

Holy Mopeds, Batman.

I have never been hit by a Moped. I can imagine it would hurt though. Whoever designed The Mopeds' website obviously had this idea in mind.

The Mopeds are the first Swedish band to be signed to Danish label Crunchy Frog. This is apparently why the Crunchys believe The Mopeds are the most beautiful band in the world. The Mopeds are also very generous and have put up songs on their website for your enjoyment.

She Went Boom - The Mopeds
Extremely Ordinary - The Mopeds

Edit. I found the man who developed let's get hit by a mopedism. His name is Mr Kosa and he is a very good illustrator. He just thinks Sweden should be more colourful.

2006-10-07T21:59:00.000-07:00

Finland is like my dog.

Underwater Sleeping Society remind me of a million British indie rock bands that all sound the same. They try but never get there. And I don't mean this in a way that uwssoc will never get there. They just sound like those BritRock bands. It's FinBritRock.

Uwssoc are different from your average BritRock band. They're not from Britain. They're from Finland. Personally, I am hesitant when listening to Finnish music. I always thought of it as a place that crossed Norway with Russia, and the result was some giant hairy death metal monster. But bands like Ultrasport, Cats On Fire and Goodnight Monsters have shown me the way. Finland is not a place to be scared of. It is like my dog. It pretends to be all tough and scary, but when you hesitantly stretch out to pet it, you realise it is just as scared of you as you are of it.

Anyway. This is a song by uwssoc availiable from their myspace. FinBritRock for your enjoyment.

Unicorn Shades - Underwater Sleeping Society

2006-10-07T21:31:00.000-07:00

Cats On Fire sank into the swamp.

Cats On Fire are from Finland. Cats On Fire like fanmail. Cats On Fire like Monty Python. Cats On Fire think the American version of The Office is just as good as the British version. Cats On Fire love you and want you to hear their music.

From The Seelonce Mayday Demo
Higher Grounds - Cats On Fire

From the Happiness Is Chemistry EP
My Friend In A Comfortable Chair - Cats On Fire

From the Solid Work EP
You Will Find Me Where You Left Me - Cats On Fire

From The Empty Town Demo
They Produced A Girl - Cats On Fire

2006-10-07T20:43:00.000-07:00

Remixtapes & Cellmates

The label bunnies over at No Method have released a five track EP for free! It's a remix of Mixtapes & Cellmates' Longing, with three remixes, one Belle & Sebastian cover and an unreleased song. Get it while it's hot.

Tracklist:
1. A quiet evening (remix by Cat Burglar)
2. C: You D: Road home (Remix by Bauri)
3. Something less than last time (Remix by Tsukimono)
4. Photo Jenny (Belle and Sebastian cover)
5. A moment ago you walked through that door

Download it here.

2006-10-07T04:27:00.000-07:00

Doggy style

Two presents for you from Labrador today. The first one comes from [ingenting], and it's a song called Punkdrommar. This is what they say:

We have another special treatment for you, dear Labrador friends - we're giving away the new [ingenting] MP3 single Punkdrommar for free! It's a glorious mix of 70's pop with sinister proggy overtones, discobeats and decadence.

Their 2nd album Mycket vasen for ingenting will be out on October 18. Be sure to get it first and pre-order here!

The second is Labrador's MP3 of the week from those legends, The Legends. The song is These Old Hearts Of Ours from the album Public Radio.

Listen now.

2006-10-07T04:08:00.000-07:00

Down to business

The Third Try Club has a new EP called Business! Yay! To celebrate, they've given us the chance to listen to the two songs on the EP. Problem! I can't download them. I don't have a credit card! Go to their myspace though, you may have better luck.

Also, you can sample some of their other stuff from the Soc!al EP

Looted But Refuted
We Angry Song

There are officially five exclamation marks in this post.

2006-10-05T04:53:00.000-07:00

Love thy ninja

Some more from our friends at Labrador. I was browsing their site lately, and came across a band called Loveninjas. And this is what they say:

Loveninjas is not really a band. It’s a concept. I was playing with a small electronic piano in the autumn of 2004 when a nice melody evolved. ”Sweet Geisha Love” was about the dilemma of a young, female assassin; to kill or to make love. Now that I had a song I figured I might as well start a fake band. I decided on writing about death, sex and Japanese girls only. It’s a good way stimulate creativity. A really intense period of writing and recording followed.

I got the feeling Loveninjas would be fun live. So I asked my friends if they wanted to join. The question was: Do you want to be on stage dressed in costumes singing silly songs about murder and sex? Three of them said yes. Olle got to be the heart while the rest of us were transformed into little black friends with dirty hair and coloured hearts attached with glue. Loveninjas was now ready for action.

Now when he says heart he means the heart. Yet again Labrador has given us another great Swedish band. Plus.. they are good looking. Sounds like fun? Listen good.

Keep Your Love
Meet Me Here

Add the Loveninjas to Myspace.

2006-10-04T19:51:00.000-07:00

Au Nord on the space that is mine.

Add Au Nord to Myspace before a giant UFO comes down and abducts you and you wish you'd taken the time to do it while you weren't being held in captivity and probed inappropriately.

Au Nord's myspace.

Also, add RATF's myspace, to get ultra cool Myspace secrets and find out where you can get good deals and free tunes.

2006-10-04T05:10:00.000-07:00

A little more crooning.

A fantastic present for you today.

This is a recording of Sondre Lerche & The Faces Down Quartet, when they played on Feb 22 for NRK.

Song list:
1. Everyone's Rooting For You
2. Minor Detail
3. Across The Land
4. The Curse Of Being In Love
5. Dead End Mystery
6. Dead Passengers
7. Modern Nature
8. Days That Are Over
9. I'm Not From Here
10. Wet Ground
11. You Know So Well
12. The More I See You
13. Nightingales
14. Sleep On Needles
15. (I Wanna) Call It Love
16. Two Way Monologue

Listen to it here:
http://tinyurl.com/et9b5

2006-10-04T05:04:00.000-07:00

Dancing for Thomas Dybdahl

When there is so much fake and crap music going around, it's rare to find talent like Thomas Dybdahl. This video was recorded live in a Paris hotel, and I think it's just beautiful.

2006-10-02T21:15:00.000-07:00

Life's tuff.

The Tough Alliance are a are sugary little duo hailing from Sweden, signed to the same label as The Whitest Boy Alive, Cat5 and Jens Lekman.

Their digital productions, pure pop melodies and charismatic performances have redefined and updated pop music in this country forever.

Listen to Holiday - The Tough Alliance

Visit their label's site for some more free tunes.

2006-10-02T21:10:00.000-07:00

Ultrasport are a band!

A little while ago I told you about Ultrasport, and their website giving me messages in Finnish. Apparently this phase is now over and the Ultrasport website is up and running. To celebrate, listen to The Boy That Never Lied, also posted on their site.

The Boy That Never Lied - Ultrasport

2006-09-28T21:56:00.000-07:00

Labrador's newest puppy

The best damn record label around, Labrador Records, gave birth around the 12th to The Mary Onettes. They were picked up by the Labs after being dumped from Sony/BMG in 2005, a good move on the part of the Swedes.

Labrador are proud to announce that we have signed The Mary Onettes. And you, our dear Labrador friend, gets to hear this brilliant band first. Download "Lost" from their upcoming EP with the same name here/

The Mary Onettes are as close to arenarock as you'll ever get on Labrador. Inspired by guitar pop from the 80's, indie bands from the 90's and the talent to make the best songs you'll ever hear in they 00's they sound like a Swedish relative to Echo & The Bunnymen, The Smiths och The Jesus and Mary Chain from the future.We're convinced you want to hear more from The Mary Onettes after you've downloaded "Lost", so why not check out them at Myspace - http://www.myspace.com/themaryonettes

Personally, I'm a fan.

Listen to The Mary Onettes.

What's So Strange
Lost
Concrete

Visit their Myspace, or their website, or even their Labrador profile.

2006-09-27T23:44:00.000-07:00

Goodbye, Le Sport..

Au Nord's official farewell to Le Sport, in this sad, sad time in European popdance music.

Cherish memories of the duo with these photos.
Read an interview they did with Absolut Noise.
Listen to the final song posted on their website.
Visit their myspace to hear a few more songs.

Read some more about them here in Swedish.
And here in English.
And here in German.

May the soul of their music rest peacefully in pop heaven.

2006-09-27T20:36:00.000-07:00

And furthermore..

Jens Lekman posted this mix on his website about a month ago, but I forgot about it until just now.

Sometimes I get stuck in the recording and writing but instead of cutting my wrists I open the window, bring out my records and put together little mixes for my friends. This one is a mix of some of my favourite songs from this summer and previous ones, some are cut up and put together into new songs, new remixes or whatever. They form a perfect response to the death of this summer.

Jens Lekman - The Death Of This Summer MP3

But I'm a Prisoner of This Moment (short sample) /// TTA - Silly Crimes /// Arthur Russell - Lucky Cloud /// Mahlathini & Mahotella Queens - Kazet /// One , Two , Three... /// Ennio Morricone - Mon Nom Est Personne /// Simmar vi , Svävar vi , Älskar vi /// Most Valuable Players - AC in HCMC /// America - Ventura Highway /// Julien Jabre - Swimming places /// Action Biker - Farrah

2006-09-27T20:09:00.000-07:00

Good news for you, bad news for me, and a little more sport.

Kaizers Orchestra, long time loved band of mine, are touring Europe later this year.

11/21 - Live Music Hall, Cologne (GER)
11/22 - Zeche, Bochum (GER)
11/23 - Hirsch, Nuremberg (GER)
11/24 - Backstage, Munich (GER)
11/25 - Wuk, Wien (AUS)
11/26 - Rote Fabrik, Zurich (SWI)
11/28 - Postbanhof, Berlin (GER)
11/29 - Uebel & Gefaerlich, Hamburg (GER)
11/30 - Handelsbeurs, Gent (BEL)
12/01 - Oosterpoort, Groningen (HOL)
12/02 - Melkweg, Amsterdam (HOL)
12/03 - Tivoli, Utrecht (HOL)
12/06 - Train, Arhus (DK)
12/07 - Vega, Copenhagen (DK)

Which means they won't be touring when I'm in Europe next year. This really makes me sad, folks. If you're there, go see it, do it for me.

Ultrasport should be releasing some MP3's on their website soon, I went to check it out but got some message in Finnish. Which I apparently can't read. Go look at their Myspace instead and check back here for sample updates.

2006-09-27T19:41:00.000-07:00

(Sad) news of the day

What has the world come to?

all good things must come to an end

it's been two years and it has been so much fun but now, as leaves begin to fall, it is time to say good bye.

since we started we have always put everything we had into our music and to everyone who downloaded it, bought it or enjoyed it at our shows, we'd like to say thank you so much. we've loved every second of it.

now we let le sport go back to our fantasies where it once began.

xxx

fredrik & orjan

Excuse me while I console myself. RIP Le Sport - the world will never be the same.

In other news, get your mittens on this CD if you can.

2006-09-27T05:15:00.000-07:00

Labrador loves you

And I do to. Listen to their free MP3 of the week.

A Window - The Radio Dept.

2006-09-27T01:17:00.000-07:00

All the things they said

Today's comic relief provided by those crazy kids from Hurra Torpedo.

2006-09-27T01:05:00.000-07:00

Iceland Airwaves Festival 2006

The Airwaves festival in Reykjavik is set to be super event this year. Just take a look at the international line up for a start:

Brazilian Girls (FRA/US)
Call to Mind (UK)
Cold War Kids (US)
Dälek (US)
Datarock (NO)
Fields (UK)
Gojira (FRA)
Hot Club de Paris (UK)
Islands (CAN)
Kaiser Chiefs (UK)
Klaxons (UK)
Leave Calmer (US)
Love is All (SE)
Mates of State (US)
Metric (CAN)
Patrick Watson (CAN)
Spektrum (UK)
The Cribs (UK)
The Go! Team (UK)
The Handsome Public (US)
The Whitest Boy Alive (NO/DE)
Tilly and the Wall (US)
Trost (DE)
Walter Meego (US)
We are Scientists (US)
Whomadewho (DK)
Wolf Parade (CAN)

Full lineups can be seen here. The festival begins on October 18 and goes til the 22nd.

"Iceland Airwaves continues to get better by the day. The new Benicassim? We think so." Virtualfestival.com