Where the food sounds good, and the music is pretty tasty too.
swedish dream-pop band el perro del mar is preparing for the release of their fourth full-length album titled ‘pale fire’ on november 12th via memphis industries. and although the band has been dormant for a couple of years, we need not worry because Sarah Assbring and company are in fine form. you can listen to the entire album stream courtesy of our friends at the hype machine. peace. Continue reading “el perro del mar // pale fire”
How many bands can under go a major name change, switch sonic gears and still come out of the other end all pristine and shiny? Well, I’ll answer this question by proclaiming the former Swede band known as My Little Pony has successfully done the Phoenix thing and are now Making Marks. My ears gave their songs, “I Volunteer“, “Ticket Machine” and “Hard To Be Good” the once over and they give ’em two-thumbs up. The band’s debut (Is it still their debut if it’s just a name change?) single “Ticket Machine” will drop via Fika Recording October 2012 on 7″ vinyl. Check them out and let me know what you think. Peace. Continue reading “making marks // i volunteer”
Joakim Benon and Elin Kastlander perform as jj and together the duo builds emotion upon emotion into songs so fragile if you whisper against they will break against your heart. And because these Swedes have such a giving heart they are releasing a free music. The High Summer EP is 5-tracks of totally lovely music. Download it now from the Sincerely Yours website. After the jump check out an older track by jj utilizing a wicked Dr. Dre sample. Peace. Continue reading “jj // high summer ep”
It’s highly admirable aesthetics aside, the OP-1 Synthesiser is a musicians wet dream come true. Viewing it is tantamount to lusting after your favorite flesh and blood pin-up. But, like most things we use it is all about the performance, and this little gadget-that-could performs beautifully. Our Swedish brethren and sistren at Teenage Engineering are raising the bar heavenward with no end in sight. The OP-1 features eight synthesizer engines, a built-in 24 voice sampler, 4 track tape recorder, 4 track mixer with EQ, Effect, USB MIDI controller, and it’s Mac and PC compatible and this is just the shortlist. The OP-1 is a bit pricey, at just under 1K U.S. but so worth every single krona. For a complete rundown on what’s what you’ll have to visit www.teenageengineering.com. Peace.
Up-and-coming (and with something to prove) Swede dj/producer Alexander Adstedt is doing his damn thang, and doing it beautifully! Here he teams up with Alaa with Lina Harriette on vocals on the killa’ track “Illusion”. With this one here, the house if burning down the foundation. So play it extra loud and it will love you long time. Peace. Continue reading “Adstedt & Alaa Ft. Lina Harriette // Illusion (Original Mix)”
Today, and perhaps most days, could use a bit of what José González is putting out into the universe for our ears to digest like sugared-sorrow and humble pie. Yes, José González music is the epitome of sweetness and light, and with a voice like the spent ashes of embers wafting on the exhalations of tenebrous sullen mood, it’s easy to see, and hear why so folks warm themselves before his solar flame. With the song, “Cycling Trivialities” it is smoky folk fare with the soul of a dour canticle, but perhaps it always a call to break out of a rut and wake to the act letting go of the petty and spread the energy of love all around. Well, that’s my two-cents for all it is worth. I’ll shut my face now, enjoy the music. Peace. Continue reading “José González // Cycling Trivialities (Our Sunday Best)”
When watching or listening to the audio/visual projects of iamamiwhoami right away you know you’ve stumbled off the beaten path, and so far it’s a good thing. Here, in the artsy landscape of iamamiwhoami you’re constantly discovering something, if not special, then at a bare minimum interesting. Swedish singer/songwriter, and dare I say performance artist, Jonna Lee appears to have tapped into a fantastical world where reality is highly stylized and emotionally revelatory. It isn’t a hard guess to determine that many how the works are concerned about facing one’s fears and being vulnerable. And in this latest round of songs/videos we are treated to a barely clad (vulnerable) JL and she’s bringing an entire arsenal of emotion to bare. Immediately you get a sense of barely restrained trepidation, and that better days are long past and longed for. Then there is the matter of the hairy beast man thingy and it’s right out of a Jeff Soto painting. What does its presence represent? Fear? Undefined desires? Indecisiveness? I suppose the proper artsy response would be to interpret, or intuit it in whatever way you want to. And so we’ll leave it right there. Enjoy this duo of videos, and come back and visit again for the next installment of corresponding acts, the songs/videos “good worker” and “play” will be out soon. And, you we can anticipate the album Kin, which is scheduled for a June 11th release. Peace. Continue reading “iamamiwhoami // sever // drops // Video”
I recently discovered the magical music by the wonderful project known as Pearl Fiction. Below, I’ve included the track Talking Seems To Fade Away and it just screams, “Put me in your ears!” And so, who can refuse the sweet mewling of such an adoring song? Not me, because I’m such a sucker for new and exciting music!
From what I’ve been able to cobble together, Pearl Fiction is the solo project of the persona known only as Pearl, formerly of the band Zeigeist. Long-story short. There was discontent. A subsequent fallout ensued. Pearl exited in fine fashion, and now exists as the most excellent solo thing. And by the sound of it I’d have to admit he’s sounding just fine. For more visit pearlfiction.com for additional musical fare. I highly recommend it, especially since you’ll find a song titled “Stories From A Purple Soul.” And what so especial about this song you ask? Well, if features the beautifully tender voice of Malin Dahlström of Nikki & The Dove fame. I expect big things from Pearl Fiction, and that’s a totally non-fictious statement. Peace. Continue reading “pearl fiction // talking seems to fade away”
What can be better than taking the best a band has to offer for over a decade and placing it all into a nice neat package? Well, nothing. Life In the Trenches – The Other Side of 2001-2011, is such a package and it is filled to the brim with wonderful treats to satisfy the old and new fan alike. Who can deny the work of Fredrik Lindson and Torbjörn Håkansson? The duo has made memorable music, which I’m sure has whispered into the ears of lovers dancing cheek to cheek, both horizontally and vertically alike. Well, what can you do, it’s just that kind of music. Inside this collection of songs you’ll find single-only tracks, rare tracks and new-old material never before released. It’s a sweet compilation of dance worthy (Flipside Of A memory, Flipside Of A memory & New Plans) and cuddle inducing (C’est la Vie) sounds. Cop it. Play it. And most importantly, do what you do while listening to it. Peace. Continue reading “The Embassy – Life In The Trenches / The Other Side of 2001-2011(Album)”