ChicagoJazzen - Låtar som morsan kommer hata

ChicagoJazzen is the brainchild of my friend Erik, living in a town in northern Sweden called Skellefteå. It's cold up there, but not far from cult music town Umeå (I guess you've heard of Refused, Cult of luna and Meshuggah?) and their classic vegan rullpizza, that Erik is known to love. He like to play GTA: San Andreas, hang with Erik motherfuckin Enocksson (he has a record coming out on Enockssons label) and write awesome music at home, often going in the lo-fi direction. He has also creating the term "hi-fi is for brats", falling drunk from his bicycle (hurting his hand ultimately) and kissed a girl at least once.

This is his latest "school-project" record called: "Låtar som morsan kommer hata" (songs that mom will hate), and it's a wild ride around the desert and manic synth landscapes. First off, there is a big GTA: San Andreas influence here, with four songs taking names from the game, and also more synth then he usually use, creating an interesting and almost funky sound. It's an unique world that builds up with the record, including 15 wonderful tracks during the 1 hour it lasts.

Myspace: www.myspace.com/chigacojazzz

Lastfm: www.lastfm.com/music/chigacojazzen

Download: www.mediafire.com/?emmegn3g1jo

Echo, echo, landscape! & And they say split

This is the floopy disc that we'll release together with Echo, echo, landscape! today. It's only limited to 30 pieces, so here you go. Echo's song is called Förblindar and deals with the greed that wealth brings. Our songs is called Wang jue, and is named after a certain person, who has an interesting hobby. Google is your friend. Headphones or a good soundsystem will be needed to hear the ultra low bassdrum.

Download: http://www.mediafire.com/?wkidoj2mito

And they say - live at cafe mic 28/12/09

This was a special improvisation show that we had for friends and foes this Monday. It was a fun show, but we scared almost all of the 100+ attending the night (we played shortly after a acoustic Christmas show). They clearly got sick of the music and the two movies we showed in front of the stage. The movies showed were Ichi the killer and Perfect blue (both which was in black and white, without sound and with Finnish and Greek subtitles). My lovely girlfriend Sara also contributed with two paintings that we had on stage (together with Christmas trees, smoke machines and other decorations).

The show is split into 9 parts that lasts around one hour. It will also be released on cassette and cd at a later point. Limited of course.

And they say was at this show:

Oscar Forsman - radio manipulation/recorder
Samuel Svensson - keyboard/sound manipulation
Johan Blixt - vocals/percussion
Rickard Markström - guitar/sound manipulation/presentation

Download here: www.mediafire.com/?knnmnljmfye

Watch here: www.youtube.com/user/surgubben (there are 3 parts up)

Omar Rodriguez-Lopez's Despair

Omar Rodriguez-Lopez has his hands in many different projects and musical genres. While being most known for his "main" band The mars volta together with Cedric Bixler Zavala, he has also released around 16 solo albums under several different constellations since 2004. This works are mostly towards the prog genre, but a little now and then he releases more obscure works like his album with Jeremy Michael Ward (that I recently uploaded here), and also one titled Despair. Despair was recorded with field recording equipment during Omar's stay in Israel 2007. It features chants from the different religions occupied in Jerusalem and also other objects within the town, that he later experimented with in the studio (just like the Jeremy album). The album cover is upside down, something that has made many speculate. It turns out that each track is indeed backwards, so fans decided to fix this by making a reverse version. According to me both versions are great in their own ways. The regular backward version is filled with a more calm and soft atmosphere, while still being harsh around the edge. The reverse version is much more of a creep fest. A perfect eerie mood record that I highly recommend!

Myspace: www.myspace.com/rodriguezlopezproductions
Lastfm: www.lastfm.com/music/omar+rodriguez-lopez

Download regular backward version: www.mediafire.com/?3wanm2neqyq

Download reverse version: www.mediafire.com/?jgyzzodwzty

Omar Rodriguez-Lopez and Jeremy Michael Ward

This record was a collaboration between Omar Rodriguez-Lopez and his close friend Jeremy Michael Ward that took place shortly after Omar left cult post-hardcore band At the drive-in and began The mars volta in 2001. It features field recordings of various objects, activites and people that they later messed with in the studio. Jeremy died of an drug overdose in 2003, only a month before The mars volta released their first full length record Deloused in the comatorium (that featured lots of Jeremy's sound manipulations). I actually never think it was supposed to be released at first, but with Jeremy's death you can see the relase (it came out in 2008) as a tribute to Jeremy from Omar. All in all it's a noise classic that you shouldn't miss.

Lastfm: www.lastfm.com/music/omar+rodriguez+lopez+jeremy+michael+ward

Download: www.mediafire.com/?ignmjmnityz

Boris

Drone/punk/experimental/noise/psychedelica/stoner/lo-fi rock act from Japan formed in 1992. Known for their constant genre switching between albums, bassist/rythm guitarist Takeshi's double headed bass guitar (with one bass and one guitar neck) and work with Sunno))), Merzbow and several other drone/noise acts. Fantastic band that holds a great standard on all their records and the genres they incorporate. Don't miss out on them!

The records I'll upload is Akuma no uta which is a stoner/noise rock album and Vein which is divided into a noise/drone side and a hardcore/lo-fi side. If you want more I'll gladly fix it.

Myspace: www.myspace.com/borisdroneevil
Lastfm: www.lastfm.com/music/boris

Download Akuma no uta: www.mediafire.com/?iz0krwlth2i

Download Vein: www.mediafire.com/?5ezmko3a2gt

The skull defekts

Here we have another great Swedish act similar to Knife and ape in some ways. Like the apes they have their ground (the little they have) in post-punk and then they do these monstrous experiments on top of it. Killing the whole industry with this amazing formula consisting of everything between heavy drone to kraut rock with groovy ritual drumming. Since the story began in Göteborg 2005, they've released over 20 records/ep's/splits and more is on the way. They have also worked together with Damo Suzuki (of Can fame) and Sewer election (another great Swedish noise act from Göteborg). One of my big findings this year, so a big recommendation on this one!

Myspace:www.myspace.com/skulldfx
Lastfm: www.last.fm/music/the+skull+defekts

Download Blood spirits & drums are singing: www.mediafire.com/?nelxdwjjiu0

Download The drone drug: www.mediafire.com/?mndnqmlzltw

Download The temple: www.mediafire.com/?mzm4iklwgwy

Enemies

Great post/math rock from England. Got their first ep from the drummer in Blakfish (he was stoned and gave it away for free) this spring, and it's a lovely piece of art. Mellow but technical guitars melt together with refreshing structures. Enjoy!

Myspace: www.myspace.com/enemiestheband
Lastfm: www.lastfm.com/music/enemies

Download Alpha waves: www.mediafire.com/?1zqjijmiunm

Projects with JB

This is two projects that I have with my friend Johan Blixt. Both are focusing on representing the emotion anxiety. We actually watch graphic videos of murders, slaughter, torture and beheadings, just to come in contact with that raw feeling of watching what humanity is capable of. We then use the feelings to put it down in these two projects called Sollicitudo and High texture resolution.

Sollicitudo is a dark electro meets noise project while High texture resolution is more towards indie with post-rock, lo-fi, ambient and noise elements. Check it out if you like, but have in mind that nothings done yet. We'll see what happens in the future with these projects.

High texture resolution: www.mediafire.com/?wnwgndyzz03

Sollicitudo: www.mediafire.com/?nzyzlmzlljt

Knife and ape

I hold this band as one of the finest coming from Sweden. Their sound can be described as "a mentally ill Joy division that has plugged itself into an old rusty computer who bleeds electronica". They began sometime around 2004 in the north Swedish town Piteå, and has since released two 7"s (which one is a splits with Dialog cet, released 2004 and 2005), a 12" split with Alarma man (2006), Hex (2006), Night touch (2008) and a 30min single named Class war (2009).

Myspace: www.myspace.com/knifeandape
Lastfm: www.lastfm.com/music/knife+and+ape

Download first album Hex: www.mediafire.com/?jlmz2wjn4ny

Download second album Night touch and Class war: www.mediafire.com/?i5gtmnmgnmr

Moloken live at cafe mic

Today I will be absent from the net while arranging a sludge/metal/hardcore show here in Vänersborg with great sludge band Moloken as headliner. I will also meet an friend, buy clothes for tomorrows funeral, eating great vegan food at mic and there is also a chance that my girl Sara will come by! What a great day, I hope you get one yourself!

(Some assholes were ripping down my "fine" posters around town, I just don't get it)

Strafe statt lösung

I know two things about this artist. One: he's (or they) from Switzerland. Two: you should get this!

If I would give a personal input on the sound it would be something like: "100 doors frenetically closing and opening at the same time, with dramatic ambient synths mixed together with field noise, calm death screams and winter landscapes in the background".

Myspace: Haven't found any space for this artist

Lastfm: www.last.fm/music/Strafe+statt+L%C3%B6sung

Download album: www.mediafire.com/?noigxzkldny

Erik Levander

I'll let this typo from lastfm do the introduction:

*In a single song you will be able to hear the aftermath of digital ragnarok intervened by divine haunting melodies and a new world rising up in the horizon built upon a weave of lush bleeps and brittle stutter*

Erik is a swedish guy who sometimes do music according to himself. Sounds like Nebulo with a touch of noise, awesome mix if you ask me. I'll thank my friend Torpahallen for this!

Myspace: www.myspace.com/levander
Lastfm: www.last.fm/music/Erik+Levander

Download his second album Kondens: www.mediafire.com/?rt1niuytezn

Nebulo

Nebulo is Thomas Pujols, a French composer creating beautiful ambient music with touches of idm, glitch and electronica. Not very well known at all, which irritates me. Don't miss this whatever you do. One of my big musical finds this year, and maybe one of yours to!

Myspace: www.myspace.com/nebulo
Lastfm: www.last.fm/music/Nebulo

Download first album Kolia: www.mediafire.com/?ynbzinwmmdy

*More will come when I get my hands on it!*

If footmen tire you, what will horses do?

Here's another great screamo act from Sweden. Formed in Örebro 2007, by Andreas (bass, vocals), Rickard (guitar, vocals) and David (drums, vocals). Released their first demo at their first concert on September 13th 2008, playing together with Suis la lune. Has since continued playing small shows around southern Sweden and recently got their first ep out, named "Viskningar och rop" (cries and whispers in english). I really liked the demo when I first came across it earlier this year, but what I love is the new ep. They play screamo with a more experimental touch, sounding like post-metal pioneers Isis at places mixed with dirty hardcore skramz. I really look forward to hear more from them.

Myspace: www.myspace.com/iffootmen
Lastfm: http://www.lastfm.se/music/If+Footmen+Tire+You%2C+What+Will+Horses+Do%3F

Download their demo and ep: www.mediafire.com/?geyof2mjzzz