Summery electro treats.

Somehow, Delorean can't really escape the fact that they're from Spain. Not only Spain, but the Pais Vasco, a part of the world that seldom produces acts to hit the acclaimed music radar. I got a hold of their third full-length, Subiza, a few weeks ago, but have only gotten around to listening to it these last few days. And as hinted, it is clearly Mediterranean (even though Delorean are actually from the Atlantic coast...) - there are elements of italo and ibiza-style, but in some way, Delorean elevate their sound to something more genuine. It's still summer beats though, the uncomplicated way. Try listening to 'Stay Close' and 'Come Wander'.

If Delorean is summer, Junior Boys are most definitely fall. Even so, I've listened to them quite a bit this past month or so. I am especially in love with the brilliant 'FM'. It's one of the most melancholic songs I think I've ever heard, and it's somehow fitting for a period in life where friends and social acquaintances inevitably slide farther and farther apart.

Another kind of melancholy is represented by Jónsi, whose debut solo album Go hasn't really caught onto me, except the outstanding opener, which I have mentioned previously. One other track however has grown on me this past week, and that's 'Tornado', which is a very existentialistic love song.

But hey! What's all this melancholic stuff doing here? I'm going to Roskilde tomorrow! My bags are still unpacked, but I've duct-taped my Chuck Taylor's to the point of unrecognizability, and made some awesome tucker for the trip. It's gonna be a fucking blast this year, and I'm looking so much forward to acts like The Temper Trap, LCD Soundsystem, Kings of Convenience and much, much more. I also think were gonna hear this song quite a lot!

X'es, Spleens, Phoenixes and Foals.

Alright, nothing much is really happening this week, as it's aaaall about Roskilde coming up next week, woohoo! I just thought I'd give a quick sign of life before leaving for the Animal Showgrounds this Saturday. I think I've been wading around in all the Roskilde-names sufficiently now, but luckily there's other stuff going on!

I still really dig The xx, and their self-titled album. Although it wanes slightly towards the end, it is really evocative and intimate. It's one of those records that just has a completely unique sound, somewhat in the same way as For Emma, Forever Ago has. It's the kind of record I'd like to listen to around a campfire one day.

Spleen United are moving and grooving again, and they've officially trashed the few remaining parts of guitars they ever had. From their first to their second album, they moved from long, hazy synth escapades (think 'Streetfighter') to more extrovert beat-and-bounce electro-rock, and it seems they're moving even further towards the more party-anthemic reaches of electro with their forthcoming third album, which will be out this fall. They just revealed the first track, which is called 'Sunset To Sunset', which contains a lot of house-elements, although it is recognizably Spleen United. It's pretty cool, and I'm looking forward to the album.

Phoenix did an unplugged session for MTV. Really cool, especially because it includes 'Armistice', which is one of my favourite tracks of theirs. I don't really care for the bells though.

I'm listening a lot to Foals' Total Life Forever these days too, trying to get a grasp on what might yet turn out to be a masterpiece. It is definitely growing on me.

My cup runneth oveeer!

I have acquired such a plethora of interesting new music this past week, that I don't really know where to begin and end. I think however I'll start with Arcade Fire, who are drip-dropping more and more of their forthcoming third album, The Suburbs. The latest are these two new tracks, both of which are good - I mean, really good! I sincerely like the sound of this.

It's been a long time coming, but I finally got a hold of The xx's debut album, xx. This too is massively rad. I get the chills by how their guitars are constantly mixed in a sort of distant, atmospheric way, and their tête-a-tête male-female vocal work is adorable as well. Try checking out 'Heart Skipped A Beat', 'Crystalised' and 'Intro', which examplifies the guitar twang really well.

I also got a hold of three Roskilde-bound acts' newest records, namely The National's High Violet, Florence + The Machine's Lungs and LCD Soundsystem's This Is Happening. Of the three, the latter stands out as a really extraordinary record. I love how James Murphy encompasses the generic party anthem, without having to make 3:30 pop songs or having to leave out any of his blazing creativity and distinct vocals. 'Pow Pow' has emerged as an early favorite, as has 'I Can Change'. High Violet is pretty good too. It's much more textured than Boxer and Alligator were, and the lyrics are somewhat simpler - sadly. 'Conversation 16' has unbeatable harmonics.

Elsewhere, I got a hold of Foals' sophomore album, Total Life Forever. I wasn't instantly impressed, but all reviewers seem to agree that this is a slow grower, so I'm not ready to be disappointed yet. 'After Glow' is an amazing track (can't find it anywhere on YouTube, sorry!). I need to devour this album in different kinds of way though, before concluding anything. It is definitely more generously instrumentalised - there are more different and askew timbres, more synths, and Yannis Phillippakis now sings actual lyrics more than yelps chants. The signature poly-rhythmic guitars and super-tight drumming is still present though.

Finally, I got a hold of a bit of new electronic stuff, by way of Delorean's Subiza, which I haven't really heard yet, and Autechre's Oversteps, which I must admit disappoints me quite a lot. I don't know why, but I had expected something just a wee bit more beat-and-pace oriented, but I guess IDM is IDM after all...

And it goes pow, pow pow pow pow, pow pow pow pow!

And the schedule is here!

Wowzers, that was fast! I honestly hadn't expected the schedule to be released until sometime next week, but here it is, and by golly, it's well put together. I have hardly any real difficult choices, with none of my must-sees clashing with each other, and the bands of interest spread pretty evenly over the four days, although weighing towards Saturday and Sunday. But here's my take, and tentative plan (likely concerts in bold):

THURSDAY is as usual not really all too busy, but it still looks like I'll squeeze in three shows, starting with When Saints Go Machine opening Orange at 18.30, which I might even watch in the pits. I'm gonna be betting on them playing only about an hour, after which I'll scramble towards Cosmopol to get a good spot for LCD Soundsystem at 20.15. This'll have me skipping Efterklang (Odeon, 19.30), but nothing to do about that. After LCD, I'm gonna be back at Orange for Gorillaz at 22.00 (isn't that too early, Roskilde?).

FRIDAY was the big meshuggenah last year, but this year, it's gonna be a wee bit quieter. I'm gonna have to forego Florence + The Machine (Odeon, 16.00) and the beginning of Dizzy Mizz Lizzy (Orange, 17.00), in order to catch Delphic at Pavilion at 17.00. After this, I'm probably gonna run and catch the final part of the Dizzy show. Then there's a bit of a beer break, which I might fill in with Dirty Projectors (Odeon, 22.00), before having to choose between Nephew (Orange, 01.00) and the two main turntable-outfits of this year, Beat Torrent (Odeon, 01.30) and Den Sorte Skole (Arena, 02.00). I'm probably gonna watch Nephew, and then head over to Arena for Den Sorte Skole afterwards, although that will depend very much on the mood of the night. There's also a chance I'll catch a glimpse of Staff Benda Bilili (Cosmopol, 00.15), on the way to Nephew.

I really hope I have the stamina for SATURDAY, which could end up being 14 hours of constant music! It all kicks off with Kings of Convenience, 14.00 at Arena, and then probably sticking around for Vampire Weekend at the same stage at 17.00. Both of these concerts could be nice to catch in the pits. Then it's off to a camp-out at Orange for three consecutive concerts there: Kashmir at 19.30, Muse at 22.30, where it would be nice to get into the pits, and The Prodigy at 01.00. I hope I'm still alive then to catch Moderat at 02.45 at Cosmopol.

SUNDAY has in recent years been quite empty, but this year, I'm gonna be squeezing in at least two concerts, with a possibility of a few halves. I'm probably gonna swing by and watch a wee bit of Jack Johnson (Orange, 17.00), before heading for Arena and The National at 18.00. Then a quick skip perhaps to pack my bags, and then it's my #1 concert this year, The Temper Trap at Odeon at 21.00. After that, there's a good chance I'll swing by for a bit of Prince (Orange, 22.00), but we'll see how that pans out.

All in all, it looks pretty damn decent!

Catchy electro-indie hits the radar.

There was a golden generation of Danish bands that emerged onto the stage 4-5 years ago. Names like VETO, Oh No Ono, Figurines, The Blue Van, Spleen United and Efterklang blazed the way for indie outfits to be heard in an arena, that was otherwise dominated by mastodons such as Kashmir, Mew, Nephew and Carpark North. Since this nascent wave of indie successes, there has been an impressive constant trickle of new and interesting bands in our little kingdom. I have at times been rather bad at getting to hear these, but up to this years Roskilde, I've finally gotten around to some of them.

Namely, I'm listening a lot to When Saints Go Machine these days. I love the dirty beat of 'New Elvis', and of course the instant catchyness of 'Spitting Image'! I really think they could put up quite a party.

The Kissaway Trail is another good young outfit. They're a bit more inaccessible and baroque, but 'Beat Your Heartbeat' is an instant winner. I can't get over just how much they resemble Arcade Fire.

Moving north, I've been listening a bit to Casiokids. They're coming to Roskilde too, but they're also coming to Aalborg in the fall, and it seems more likely i'll catch them there. 'Fot I Hose' is extremely catchy, and I fucking adore the video!

And while we're at Norwegians (slightly), I rediscovered this pretty tune The Whitest Boy Alive made a few years ago, also with an amazing vid to go with it.

I'm looking forward to getting a hold of my new records, hopefully this week. Especially This Is Happening.

The BIG Roskilde-rundown!

It's coming closer and closer, the old lady - the 40th Roskilde Festival. In fact, Saturday in three weeks and a bit, I and thousands of others will be on their way towards the cathedral city for a long week of drinking, mingling and, foremostly, listening to a wide selection of music from across the planet. Whereas 2008 might have been billed as "metal year", with Slayer and Judas Priest atop the poster, and 2009 was abound with astonishing electronic acts, this year truly is indie year. Even though acts like The xx, Yeasayer, MGMT and Arcade Fire are absent, all the alternative twee-rockers and indie-schmindies will have their plates full this year - which is obviously to my liking, since I could only be construed as being one of those!

These past few weeks, I've maintained a board of interesting names on this years program, and there has been quite a bit of moving up and down on the list this year. Now, where perhaps only a pair or three names are yet to be announced, and as the arrival of the all decisive time schedule moves ever closer, is the time to post this list, and attach a few words to each of the acts. Don't feel exhausted just yet. I know there are 40 names on this list, and I am sadly well aware, that if I even catch half of these acts, I'm gonna be doing a lot of running around between stages... Which I'm probably gonna do anyway, for what a year it is!

If there's really nothing else to do, I might check out some of these acts:
40) ELECTROJUICE (DK)
Still drinking Pepsi in stead of Tuborg, these kids are undoubtedly talented. So are 39 above them.
Likely stage: Pavilion.

39) LINDSTRØM & CHRISTABELLE (N)
Lindstrøm is arguably to Norwegian music what Trentemøller is to Danish. Together with Christabelle, he delivers ice-cool, smooth disco tunes.
Likely stage: Cosmopol or Pavilion.

38) THE FLOOR IS MADE OF LAVA (DK)
While their first album, with its riff'y club-rock, was a definite party starter, their reckless wildness has dwindled in favor of a more anthemic approach.
Likely stage: Could open Orange, otherwise Pavilion.

37) SCHLACHTHOFBRONX (DE)
I would only be going to this gig to hear 'Too High', which is a sweet little piece of ghetto-tech, which honestly likely isn't gonna be enough to scoop out time for these Bavarians.
Likely stage: Pavilion.

36) AFENGINN (DK)
Heralded as the next big thing in lieu of Analogik and Tako Lako, both of whom have played awesome shows at Pavilion Junior in recent years, this is perhaps where Afenginn should have played too.
Likely stage: Pavilion.

35) HEALTH (US)
This is definitely gonna be an intense experience, albeit perhaps slightly enervating and harsh to the ears, to those who will attend. I would actually like to, but it's probably not gonna happen.
Likely stage: Probably Odeon.

34) KASABIAN (US)
Kasabian just drowned in the plethora of mid-major indie outfits this year. They might very well be worth a look, but I haven't had the time to dig properly into their stuff.
Likely stage: Arena, or perhaps Orange, to fill a void.

33) MEXICAN INSTITUTE OF SOUND (MEX)
A quasi-hispanophile such as me should probably invest some time and energy on this interesting chicano outfit, that breaks musical boundaries as well as physical.
Likely stage: Cosmopol.

32) THE ASTEROIDS GALAXY TOUR (DK)
A very interesting outfit on the Danish indie stage right now is The Asteroids Galaxy Tour, who deliver arty, soulful indie-pop topped by divine vocals.
Likely stage: Pavilion.

31) SHANTEL & BUCOVINA CLUB ORKESTAR (DE)
The uncrowned king of balkan-pop, German Shantel comes back to Roskilde with his ethnic party-army!
Likely stage: Cosmopol or maybe even Arena.

30) FM BELFAST (ISL)
Alright, the real scary thing about this year's line-up is the fact that we're already sort of getting down to the nitty-gritty. Normally one would associate Icelandic music with introvert eccentrics and sweeping, grand arrangements, but FM Belfast show us how to party, Reykjavik-style!
Likely stage: Pavilion.

29) CASIOKIDS (N)
I'm absolutely in awe of the title these Norwegians' recent album, which is called nothing short of Topp stemning på lokal bar. That's just awesome! Their unpretentious electro-indie is quite joyful as well.
Likely stage: Odeon would be a long shot, Pavilion more likely.

28) STAFF BENDA BILILI (CD)
Roskilde has a flair for always bringing forth the latest in congotronics - the rather dubious moniker for traditional music from the DR Congo, infused with a bit of electronically amplified guitars and such. This year, it's Staff Benda Bilili, who are all cripples to boot! It should be a touching and memorable experience though.
Likely stage: Cosmopol.

27) WILD BEASTS (UK)
Yet another ambitious and interesting indie outfit that somewhat drowns in the veritable plethora of interesting crossbreed-rock to emerge at the Animal Showgrounds this year. Very likable.
Likely stage: Odeon or Pavilion.

I won't be heartbroken if I miss out on these acts, but I'd really like to make room for a few of them:

26) PRINCE (US)
I have often had long discussions regarding the legends of the seventies and eighties, and whether or not to go see them, out of sheer respect and acknowledgement of their inevitable significance to the development of modern contemporary music. I seldom do; in my years at Roskilde, I have missed out on names such as The Who, Neil Young and Beastie Boys, and it's highly likely that I'm gonna end up missing out on this year's big ol' blockbuster of a legend, Prince. I was very satisfied when Roskilde drew him from their hat a few days after the big release, but those long, majestic rock concerts at Orange just don't really appeal to me, regardless of the man's inarguable talent.
Likely stage: Orange, probably closing off Sunday night.

25) MIIKE SNOW (S)
This really catchy Swedish electro-pop outfit has spawned a few major hits on P3 the past year, and I'm gonna bet attendance is gonna be high on this show, if it doesn't clash with something major.
Likely stage: Could be either Pavilion, Cosmopol or Odeon.

24) BEACH HOUSE (US)
"Black and white horse arching among us", exclaim Beach House on 'Zebra', opening track of their highly acclaimed album Teen Dream. A member of the army of lo-fi indie-folk that has emerged in recent years, Beach House is for sure gonna be a pleasant gig. Even though they are placed quite far down on my list, there might be a chance I'll see them anyway, as a few of my buddies are really crazy for this stuff.
Likely stage: Odeon or (long shot) Arena.

23) THE KISSAWAY TRAIL (DK)
One of the "next generation" of promising Danish indie acts, to follow in the footsteps of the trailblazing years of major successes such as Oh No Ono, VETO, The Blue Van, Spleen United and Figurines, The Kissaway Trail have just released their second album, Sleep Mountain, which is a really pleasant collection of strong indie tracks, slightly reminiscent of Arcade Fire.
Likely stage: Could open Orange, otherwise either Pavilion or Odeon.

22) DIRTY PROJECTORS (US)
If I end up going to Dirty Projectors' show at Roskilde, I'm gonna expect the same sort of musical revelation as I got with Battles two years ago. Hardly a dulcet experience for the ears, this could nevertheless be a very interesting experience live!
Likely stage: Odeon.

21) WHEN SAINTS GO MACHINE (DK)
Part of the same generation as the above mentioned The Kissaway Trail, When Saints Go Machine have taken the slightly more synth-oriented club rock approach, which will probably make for quite a festive gig. I have never heard this band live, and I'd really like to catch them this time around!
Likely stage: Odeon or Pavilion.

20) EFTERKLANG (DK)
Efterklang is an outfit that somewhat eludes me - I have never properly listened to any of their albums, even as they in recent years have grown to become one of the most internationally acclaimed Danish outfits. I have heard them live once however, at Roskilde in 2008, at the now abolished Astoria stage, and I'd really like to catch them again (because last time L.O.C.'s bass from Orange Stage drowned a lot of Efterklang's delicate tunes).
Likely stage: Odeon.

19) DEN SORTE SKOLE (DK)
The Danish turntable-kings are apparently gonna put up a 40th anniversary show at Arena this year, containing only stuff from the past 39 Roskilde Festivals. That's gonna be real interesting, but can they really lift Arena?
Likely stage: Arena.

18) BEAT TORRENT (FR)
These kids are supposed to be almost as awesome as 2ManyDJs. Nuff said!
Likely stage: Cosmopol.


17) PENDULUM (AUS)
Some of this really sounds like the soundtrack to Perfect Dark or something, but it's undoubtedly gonna be a party of massive proportions. Pendulum have never really enjoyed critical acclaim, and somehow I get why. That's not necessarily a reason not to rave your socks off though.
Likely stage: Arena.

16) JACK JOHNSON (US)
Big talk of the town this year, this smooth ecologist with his guitar. Is he worth jack shit? Is he a bit of a jackass? Or is he truly a jack-of-all-trades? A surefire smooth Sunday afternoon gig at Orange, I can't help but think that it's gonna be a wee bit... Boring. There's a damn good chance I'm gonna check it out anyway, since not much else is probably gonna be on.
Likely stage: Orange.

15) FLORENCE + THE MACHINE (UK)
This ginger is really British. British enough, that Florence Welsh and her machine posse were shortlisted for the Mercury Prize for debut album Lungs. I sadly haven't heard it all that much, but I do really like it, more than I usually like female vocalists (sorry, it's not a sexist thing...). Before the program turned out just this good, Florence was much higher on my list, but she has slipped somewhat. That's a good thing, I guess?
Likely stage: Odeon, probably.

I'd be really, really sorry to miss one of these acts:

14) MODERAT (DE)
I admittedly reached my quota of electronic concerts last year, so I've been slightly more picky this year. At the same time, I am quite sorry I've missed out on both Tiësto and Deadmau5 in recent years, so I'm gonna try hard being there for Moderat, because it could quite possibly turn out epic!
Likely stage: Big enough for Arena? Otherwise Cosmopol.

13) SKREAM & BENGA (UK)
Alright, the two kings of dubstep are not officially announced by the festival yet, and they're gonna slide quite far if only one of them ends up in Denmark (which might happen), but if they do show up, Cosmopol could turn upside down in their hands. I have seen Benga once in Århus, and I'm ready to get my guts blow to pieces by the massive dubstep bass again!
Likely stage: Cosmopol.

12) NEPHEW (DK)
I'm really anxious to see, what exactly Nephew are gonna do to top their legendary gig in 2007. If it's as good, it's gonna be rad, but it might turn out to be somewhat of an anticlimactic another-day-at-the-job sorta thing. If it's only gonna be Arena, there's a good chance I'm gonna miss out on it, as the grandioseness was a big part of the whole meshuggenah last time around.
Likely stage: Orange... or?

11) KASHMIR (DK)
Yeah so, I just saw Kashmir a few months ago in Aalborg. It's gonna bother me forever if I don't see them at Roskilde, and hopefully I will. Having been one of my favourite bands for years and years, even though their new album isn't exactly a stunner, seeing Kasper and the boys at Roskilde will complete some sort of a circle.
Likely stage: I'd put my money on Arena.

10) DIZZY MIZZ LIZZY (DK)
So, how did Dizzy Mizz Lizzy slide from being a surefire top-3 pick down to tenth? Well, first of all, it does seem there might be more chances to see these three legends of Danish grunge, as their extensive touring this spring might spawn another tour sometime. Secondly, I've come to the conclusion, that my relationship with Dizzy Mizz Lizzy is mostly based on the nostalgia of the early teens, when they were really the shiznit, and not so much the music. Still, I'd die to hear 'Glory' live.
Likely stage: Orange, unless it's too much of a cliché.

9) GORILLAZ (UK)
OK, so I'm gonna be bashed massively if I don't go see Gorillaz, who are the scoop of this years festival (even though the Glasto bastards stole them on short notice!), and chance is, I probably will. We're now down to number 9 on the list, a number of concerts I usually exceed by far. This is gonna be an interesting ordeal, and is gonna depend very much on, how the cartoon band is gonna be presented. As holograms with guests such as Mos Def and De La soul? Awesome. Anything else? A huge disappointment. And for gods fucking sake Roskilde, please don't slot them in any kind of daylight. Even an 11 o'clock slot might be too light, considering the proximity to summer equinox.
Likely stage: Orange.

8) THE NATIONAL (US)
No band has climbed as far upwards through the past month as The National have. It will still slightly depend on how good their new album High Violet turns out, but Boxer certainly is one of the smoothest albums I've heard in a long time!
Likely stage: Arena.

Absolutely, positively, must-see bands!:

7) DELPHIC (UK)
How awesome that Delphic ended up on the poster anyway! Their album Acolyte is absolutely awesome, and they are a real good live act to boot! I saw them warm up for Bloc Party a little more than a year ago, and they should possibly have become even better since then. This gig is gonna reap some pretty good reviews, I think.
Likely stage: Pavilion.

6) THE PRODIGY (UK)
It's a walloping, humongous acknowledgement of the strength of this years program, that The Prodigy are sixth. Sixth!? Yeah, sure. But I sure don't hope I'm gonna have to leave out these icons of big-beat from my schedule, because this could very well be the signature show of this years festival. Imagine Orange stage set alight by amazing visuals, and Keith Flint barking at the massive, raving audience? Yes, it will be the craziest thing ever!
Likely stage: Orange.

5) VAMPIRE WEEKEND (US)
The only thing that keeps Vampire Weekend from being further up the list, is the fact that it isn't necessarily music that's gonna win much from being played live. It sure is artsy-dartsy, but it does strike me as being a bit between two chairs. Is it gonna be beautiful? Nah. Is it gonna be a party? Not sure. The Brooklyners do however have two great albums with them, so regardless of the mood, this should be a good sing-a-long hour!
Likely stage: Arena, although as MGMT played Odeon in '08, so could these guys.

4) LCD SOUNDSYSTEM (US)
I'm really anxious to get a hold of LCD Soundsystem's third, and apparently last, album, This Is Happening. With the two others being present among the higher echelons of decade-lists, the back catalogue is full-fledged, and the little brother scores tremendously high on Metacritic. Rumour has it that these LCD Soundsystem shows are really mad, and I'm looking very much forward to experiencing it!
Likely stage: Arena.

3) MUSE (UK)
Now, let's just say Muse's fifth album, The Resistance, isn't exactly an evergreen, these three prog-rockers' live merits still warrants a presence near the top of everyone's priorities this year. Last time around, they delivered a massive show, and the back catalogue is gonna construe a major part of this show. Think 'Hysteria', think 'Plug In Baby', think 'New Born, think 'Knights of Cydonia', and you've got the picture. Muse are still one of the best live acts on the planet, and once's not enough here, although I might not have the time this year to get right up into the front stage pits. I really hope for a night-time gig this time around though!
Likely stage: Orange.

2) KINGS OF CONVENIENCE (N)
This is quite possibly the suavest, smoothest, most soothing music I've ever heard. I know it doesn't rattle your spine or anything, and thus might not seem to be a great live act, but it's just gonna be so... pleasant.  This is gonna be one of the concerts to enjoy with your eyes closed. Maybe even lying down. However it's gonna be, I'm overly excited Kings of Convenience are coming to Roskilde, since they're one of the bands I've heard the most this past year, and having these two harmonic Norwegians soothe my ears is gonna be orgasmic!
Likely stage: Arena or Odeon.

So, roll the drums...

1) THE TEMPER TRAP (AUS)
Oi oi oi! Perhaps it's a quite fitting moniker to this past year, that the number one spot this year is taken by a bunch of mates from the land down under. It's not just the fact that Conditions is a juggernaut of an impressive debut album, but more so, it is decisively live music! The Temper Trap's show is gonna be a short but incredibly intense joyride of extraordinarily well-written indie-rock, in touch with its guitar roots, but at the same time with sufficient amounts of melodic and experimental wit. Roll on Roskilde 2010!
Likely stage: Probably Odeon.