norway

Last time we checked Xploding Plastix their music was a crossbreed of nujazz/downtempo and electronic music. That I guess was their excellent 2001 album “Amateur Girlfriends Go Proskirt Agents“. After 7 years, a trip to a major label, collaborating with the likes of Kronos Quartet, the Norwegians are back.

Had a stroll through last.fm yesterday, the recommendation engine has really been perfected. You can turn on an artist radio and listen to highly relevant music for a long time (changed channels frequently so I don’t know for how long). Here are some free downloadable/streamable music I discovered but forgot to post yesterday. Somefield

Hunted from last years, The Silent Ballet’s end of year list, Tuna Laguna is one instrumental rock band from Norway that didn’t garner much attention from music press and blogs. Not surprising as well all know the music press tends to ignore bands that make solid music without bells & whistles or scene buzz.

We went to see Rune Grammofon’s avantjazzmetal combo Shining yesterday night. I had heard that they pack a punch at their shows. They were very loud indeed. When the guitars kicked in during their opener Winterreise, I thought my ears were bleeding.

I’m proud to announce that this week we’re hosting one of the leading names in contemporary disco & electronic scene in Istanbul. Mr. Hans Peter Lindstrøm from Norway, owner of Feedelity records and recording partner of Prins Thomas and others.

* Les Savy Fav – Let’s stay Friends (Frenchkiss) : So I submitted to indie hypster art rock shit with the Brooklyn indierockers Les Savy Fav. Their uptempo indie stomp is catchy as well, filling in the shoes of last years Bloc Party for me.
* Pjusk – Sart (12K): Barren drony soundscapes from Norway by the duo of Jostein Dahl Gjelsvik and Rune Sagevik.

Today I found some time to check a good portion of them. Here are some that garnered my attention. Most are indie & folk. Wow, there must be thousands of indie bands right now. Hard to make a name for you in the indie scene nowadays, eh?

Another freejazz variant that I’ve been watching since a long time ago is Shining, once again hailing from Scandinavia. I guess the libertarian social atmosphere must help creativity flourish in the north of Europe