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.

Although new-rave's dead...

... Klaxons are, apparently, still breathing. It's been a long time since we've heard from them, but the 8follow-up to Mercury Prize-winning debut, Myths of the Near Future, might finally be on its way. I am very excited to see, how Klaxons have coped with the sophomore jinx, and the first bit is here - it's called 'Flashover'. It sounds very recognizable, but it's a bit noisier than some of the old stuff. I kinda like it though. The new album is slated to hit stores some time this year.

Arcade Fire are back on track too, with The Suburbs being released in early August. The Canadians are relatively a class act, and everybody will be surprised, if their third album won't be at least decent. There are a few tracks available now, including 'Month of May' which is quite a bit of a step back towards conventional rock, uncharacteristically springy.'The Suburbs' is a bit more recognizable, and, in my opinion, better.

That's about it for now. It's pay day, so I ordered a wee batch of new records, including the new records by Roskilde-bound bands The National and LCD Soundsystem.

Memorable moments from Roskilde '07-'09, 3 of 3.

4. Klaxons, Odeon, 2007.

It was the summer of 2007 - the height of the short-lived new-rave phenomenon. Roskilde was invaded by outfits such as CSS, who gave the only 6-star-rated concert that year, and New Young Pony Club, but atop the glowstick-hierarchy stood Klaxons with their cascades of dirty guitars, aggressive synths and catchy vocals. Klaxons, who have lately almost disappeared into unfinished recordings and excessive amounts of LSD, came fresh from London with their debut LP, Myths Of The Near Future, which eventually went on to win the coveted Mercury Prize that same year, and were determined to show these Danes how to party the new-rave way. Word had already spread, and jars of face paint made their way around the anticipating front rows of the crowd - which is why I looked like a fluorescent gherkin when I emerged after the concert to ecstatically hug two of my cronies, who had watched from slightly further out. And ecstasy it was, for what an intense 45 minutes the young Britons gave us! Playing their entire album, people were mashing around and dancing rapturously to the noisy walls of sound that emerged from stage. When the bassist jumped down into the front-stage pit, he was even dragged backwards into an involuntary crowd surf by an exalted crowd of pretty, sweaty young things. New-rave perhaps is dead for good, but that Friday it really, truly lived!

3. 2ManyDJs, Cosmopol, 2009.

"Hey boy, hey girl, 2ManyDJs, here we go!", is the usual chant at the Dewaele Brothers' parties, but this Friday at Roskilde it was replaced for the occasion by: "FUCK Oasis, FUCK FUCK Oasis", a reference to the Gallagher-nitwits who bored Orange to death with their sorry has-been britpop'n'roll. For those 5-6000 of us, who chose to sacrifice the arm-in-arm singalong of 'Wonderwall', it was apparently quite important to let Oasis know, that they just haven't had the mojo since 1994. I could have scrambled to Orange and, according to Setlist.fm, caught both 'Live Forever', 'Champagne Supernova' and the above mentioned 'Wonderwall', but after an hour and a half with the executive-like dressed Belgians, I was in a complete state of daze, and probably wouldn't have heard Liam Gallagher even if he was screaming "MAYBEEEEE..." straight into my face. Enough about Oasis now, because this is all about how 2ManyDJs transformed an already boiling Cosmopol into a daft and insanely exhausting and riveting party. I have never experienced anything as berserk as this was, and even I, standing more than 6 feet tall, at times felt uncomfortable in the maniac jumping, screaming and dancing that followed every climax of the Belgians' set. There was a friendly mood however, somewhere hovering above all that insanity, and all those bodies drenched in sweat. Supplemented by amazing visuals, that created a magic anticipation ahead of each new twist, turn and spin of a record, 2ManyDJs created an unforgettable party, perfectly honoring their status as kings of the turntables!

2. Muse, Orange, 2007.

Now, I know Matt Bellamy does a lot of space-kinda themed lyrics, and is pretty into all that kinda stuff, but I'm still not quite sure, whether it was or wasn't him that made all the rainclouds finally disappear Sunday afternoon in 2007. I remember it was completely surreal to have a few beers in the sun, while queueing for Muse's very highly anticipated gig at Orange. We still had to wear our wellingtons of course, but still, there was somewhat of an awakening for those who had endured a week of mud, mud and more mud. Admittedly, if Muse hadn't played Sunday, I might, just might, have bailed on Roskilde '07 earlier. However, back then, Muse was one of the bands that I and my mates listened to the most, and it was only fitting to conclude our maiden trip to Roskilde with the Teignmouth tree. As such, it was a legendary concert. To this date, it's still the only time I've been close to the front of Orange Stage, and it was a humongous party down there. An overwhelming concert by one of the worlds best live bands!

1. Trentemøller, Orange, 2009.

Nothing above or even nearly alike. That's one of the most fitting ways to describe Trentemøller's gig at Orange in 2009. Description becomes a hard task here, and comparison to other shows becomes useless. Just think of the fact, that Trentemøller apparently spent more money than he received for the show - that's genuine! With all of the other stages empty and closed for the night, Trentemøller had us all in his solid grip for two hours, while the sun set over Roskilde, and although anticipation had been very high for this show, the Danish superstar DJ exceeded them by far. We had absolutely prime spots right behind the pits, and we were a whole happy posse there, which made it all the merrier. From moments of pure rave-outs, through pure beauty, teasing mix-in's of artists as diverse as Britney Spears, Bjørn Svin and Battles, and flashbacks to The Last Resort, Trentemøller put on a show that will be remembered for many, many years. I found my self joyously yelping throughout the concert, and I was dancing, jumping and shouting all the way back to camp. I remember sitting there afterwards with a few other guys, vainly trying to process what we had just experienced. Trentemøller is a master of his art, and equipped with a heavy artillery of machines, light and a broad supporting cast, he created an otherworldly performance!

Memorable moments from Roskilde '07-'09, 2 of 3.

8. Nephew, Orange, 2007.

Almost exactly 24 hours after Nephew's career-making crusade onto the big stage underneath the orange canopy, the last tones rang hoarsely from Anthony Kiedis' ill and tormented lungs, to mark the end of one of the most drab and uninspiring experiences I have ever had in front of a stage. The Californian megastars' complete failure was put into an uncompromising perspective when compared to the waves the quintet from Skanderborg sent oscillating through the kingdom the night before. 07/07-07 will be forever cemented in the head of Danish music enthusiasts as the day, when Nephew conquered the biggest stage in the nation, and showed, why musicians should always labour on, in search not of dollars and cents, but of the orgasmic gratification in entertaining your fans, whether they be there in dozens or in hordes, as they were, when the menacing synth of 'Bazooka' signaled the beginning of the most epic few hours in these five musicians' careers, and what a joy it was, to be there in the middle of the crowd, sharing it with everyone.

7. Radiohead, Orange, 2008.

Radiohead '08 was mainly about magnitude. The magnitude of the shockwaves that were sent through the entire music business, when Radiohead released In Rainbows in the fall of 2007, and inviting their fans to pay whatever they wanted. Of course, Radiohead were the obvious candidate to be the first band confirmed for Roskilde '08, and so they were. When Thom Yorke and his disciples entered Orange Stage that summer, we were not there to be entertained - we were in audience of perhaps the most prolific and important band in the world. And speaking of magnitude, we got perhaps one of the longest sets that have ever been performed underneath the Orange canopy. True, there were a wee bit of initial troubles with the sound, which sort of marred the magnificent '15 Step', but what a set! Radiohead have been known to cut a fair bit of corners in their impressive back catalogue, that spans everything from sizzling rock'n'roll, through pensive and painful ballads to electronic ventures, but nothing was amiss here - we not only got 'Karma Police', which beautifully finished off the concert with all 60.000 of us singing along with Thom and his acoustic guitar, we also got 'Paranoid Android', we got 'Idioteque', we got 'Exit Music (For A Film)', and we got 'You And Whose Army?', brilliantly executed through a fish-eye closeup of Thom's eye, that appeared to be staring straight and personally at each and every one of us. A brilliant marathon of an effort by one of the worlds most impressive and innovative outfits.

6. Coldplay, Orange, 2009.

As usual, Roskilde chose to ice the festival-cake of 2009 with one of the most widely acclaimed and appreciated bands on the poster, and none were more appropriate that year than Coldplay. My excitement to finally see this band, that has been one of my favorites for years, was slightly curbed by the fact that I was to see them later that year in Herning again. I went to watch a bit of Yeah Yeah Yeahs beforehand, and thus only got a spot in the middle of the crowd, which however turned out to be not too bad at all. Applying all kinds of creative antics, such as appearing in the middle of the crowd, making Mexican cell-phone waves and launching all kinds of gimmickery into the air, Chris Martin and his posse entertained the 60.000+ crowd at Orange in a flawless and brilliant way. The set got around the impressive back catalogue pretty well, and closed off first with the exquisite sing-along ballad 'The Scientist', which was graciously hummed - not shouted, hummed - by the audience, and then with epic 'Life in Technicolor II', to close off the festival on a sky-high note.

5. The Chemical Brothers, Orange, 2008.

When someone starts off a more than two hour long set at Orange Stage by playing their two arguably biggest hits, you know shit's about to go down. And so it went, in an amazing performance by the two British electronic pioneers, who transformed Orange Stage into the worlds biggest, happiest and most frantic club. It was one of those performances where you keep getting hit smack bang in the head by a menacing combination of beats, sounds and light. When someone really understands how to utilize it, Orange Stage can be one of the most impressive music venues in the world, and it is often best taken advantage of by the big, electronic names. It might not be the same to watch two guys with machines and computers, as it is to watch a guitar virtuoso at his best, but it's a different kind of experience, an intense and overpowering bombardment of sonic and visual impressions that leaves you yelping ecstatically for more.

Memorable moments from Roskilde '07-'09, 1 of 3.

Today, there's only a month until we'll all be back tugging our heavy backpacks and tents fast-pacedly across the gnarly soil outside of the Animal Showgrounds at Roskilde. We'll be back under our white gazebos, sweltering in the midday heat or gingerly making our way through the muddy inferno. The next month on The Idioteque will foremostly concern this, Europe's second most prominent music festival. To kick it off, however, I've decided to look back at the three years I've spent at Roskilde up to this point, and try and list some of the memorable and epic moments in the shade of the stage canopies. Twelve concerts have made the shortlist, and I will present them in fours. I believe a concert experience is always very personal and very subjective, and I am well aware that many of the below listed have in varying degrees been very much influenced by other factors than what has gone on on stage. But here goes!:

12. Arcade Fire, Arena, 2007.
I don't and didn't really have much to compare with, but it seemed there was an especially impatient anxiety to get into the festival area proper, that Thursday in 2007. It was that Thursday, where the rain refused to stop pouring onto the already poor state of the fields of Roskilde's campsite. To be frank, there was nothing bud foot-high mud left, and I think people were restless to have something to do, to have concerts to attend in stead of sitting around in rainwear and wellies all day long. This was my first concert ever at Roskilde, save for a few Pavilion Junior-acts, and I remember when the gates outside Arena opened, and we scrambled frantically into the dry sanctuary of this massive and awe-inspiring tent, which seemed other-worldly with it's dry and plain soil. The Canadians, at the time fresh with their second album, Neon Bible, delivered an incredibly tight and well-played show, and when they made the tent soar with 'Rebellion (Lies)' at the end, the only fitting conclusion was, that this was an alright start.

11. VETO, Arena, 2008.

2008 was the year, where the Danish bands really got a chance to try their best at Roskilde's big stages. L.O.C. and Tina Dickow played Orange, and Spleen United and VETO, both of whom had just released their sophomore efforts and had had big hits through spring, played Arena Friday night. To me, it was sort of a culmination to see VETO there, in front of 18.000 people - longtime fans next to the lucky ones who just happened to stumble into a Troels Abrahamsen with his voice at its absolutely fittest. I had been following VETO since the spring of 2005, when they were still very, very unknown, and although I've seen them live many times, in some way it made me proud to be there, at their biggest gig ever. It didn't hurt that they were absolutely seething, and their impressive, five-in-one encore of 'Blackout', 'Crooks', 'Digits', 'Unite' and 'Built To Fail' had the crowd jumping all over the place.

10. Friendly Fires, Odeon, 2009.

The St. Albans trio had me and my gang worked up pretty well with their impressive debut album, and we had looked forward to this concert as one of the highlights of that years festival. It isn't hard to get a decent spot at Odeon, and from front row, we had a marvelous view of frontman Ed Macfarlane's ridiculously groovy antics and of the guitarist's impressive use of pedals and effects. Although one could have wished for slightly fewer backtracks and samples of especially the synthesizer, Friendly Fires managed to shun the jinx of often disappointing concerts by bands with only one album behind them. At no point did the material seem lax, and we for sure had a blazing wee hour at Odeon that Friday!

9. Björk, Orange, 2007.

The odds weren't especially high for an outdoors event to be memorable for anything that Thursday, other than the endless amounts of rain that fell from the gray clouds over Roskilde. But even so, Björk didn't need much more than an impressive machine park of futuristic, tangible equipment and aggressive saw synths piercing through the darkness, to conquer the weather. At times, it seemed as though everyone even somehow forgot how much it was raining, and how tired we were of wading around in our smelly wellies. It was a memorable experience witnessing this amazon from the far north, as she wrung out all her anguish and pain in a bombardment of light and sonics.

On being 40 years old... And being James Murphy.

Growing old and presumably irrelevant to youth culture is a pretty common theme for musicians who've reached a certain age or phase. "Youth is wasted on the young", is one of the typical monikers of this slightly gerontocratic perception of life and generations. I feel inclined to quote Bjarke Niemann of Spleen United, who sharply criticizes this complacency in 'Failure 1977': "The failure ain't the going, it's the staying down."

James Murphy has told us all, that This Is Happening will be the last album from his crown jewel project, LCD Soundsystem. In this era of resurgent rock'n'roll mastodons, it's hard to take an announcement like that seriously, but something leads me to believe, that Murphy is actually dead serious. It's not like the man is going to hibernate in his hammock for the rest of his life. A devout musician like him will almost certainly be involved somewhere and in some way. But lets just pretend this is the last we're ever gonna hear of Murphy's distinctive voice and lyrical universe, all set to tight, tumbling beats. This way, This Is Happening is a pretty damn good way to shut oneself up. A far cry from 'Daft Punk Is Playing At My House', Murphy still rules New York dance-punk, albeit in a subtler and more introspective way than previously. That was a helluva long yarn just to point out that I've finally heard This Is Happening, and although reviews haven't led me to expect anything else, as this is one of the most highly praised albums so far of 2010, it is really good. It's doubtful that I'm ever really gonna love 'Drunk Girls', but for the few lows on this album, the highs are really consistent - songs such as 'Dance Yrself Clean', 'All I Want' and the awesome 'One Touch'.

I've consolidated my relationship with a few other mentionable records this past week. In the alley of producers-gone-frontmen, Broken Bells' eponymous debut album has been a pleasant surprise. I've only heard it a few times, thus I am unable to seriously draw any tracks out from this at times beatle'esquely soothing album, other than opener 'The High Road'.

In the department of massively critically acclaimed records, I've also finally gotten around to Boxer by The National, which is admittedly every bit as good as I had expected. Definitely a band that's moving upwards on my Roskilde priorities list these days, although a lot will still depend on how High Violet turns out. Also consolidating their position high on this list is Vampire Weekend. I've finally had a few runs through Contra, which is pretty good, although it doesn't appear as catchy as the debut. I love 'Run' though - it sounds just like a song with that title should!

Finally, a bit on the domestic scene, I went to high school with these guys, who were always a step in front of everyone else career-wise - and rightfully so, as they do have a talent for catchy compositions. They've been through quite an array of names and styles, but now seem to be settled in as Treefight For Sunlight, and a style somewhat resembling a cross between MGMT, Grizzly Bear and Oh No Ono. Their first proper single is out now, and is called 'Facing The Sun'. I really like it, and although its simplicity might not garner it a long life, it's a great summer hit, which I definitely think has potential to be one of the summer surprises on the Danish music scene.

Movers.

Pretty much everything musical right now revolves around Roskilde, which is only a month and a bit away. We've already got an amazing indie line-up this year, and just to top it off, Delphic have announced themselves. I've heard them live once before, and their album has been spun pretty frequently these past months, so yet another name to squeeze into the schedule I guess!

I got a hold of a further few relevant albums this past week, namely a few Danish acts. The Kissaway Trail are definitely moving upwards on my list (which I will probably keep to myself for a few weeks still to come, pending, amongst other things, my purchase of LCD Soundsystem's new album). Their newest album, Sleep Mountain, is pretty nice, and it sounds like music that will work very well live. I've also heard The National's critically acclaimed album Boxer, and these guys are definitely on the up on my list. I am anxious to get a hold of their newest album, High Violet, as well. I also got a hold of Ten Makes A Face by When Saints Go Machine and How To Make Friends by FM Belfast, but neither have impressed me enough to send these bands upwards on my list.

Another name that is moving upwards is Jack Johnson, who's now within top 15 - a number of concerts I usually exceed by a few. Being inarguably an act for Orange Stage, and probably in the afternoon, he does have somewhat of a high clash risk with many of the names higher on my list being likely names for Arena or Odeon.

Bands moving down on my list right now include Florence + The Machine, Beach House, Pendulum and Dizzy Mizz Lizzy, although two of these are still in the top 15.

May 18th, 2011.

So, I finally got around to it - listening to The Knife's newest record, Tomorrow, In A Year (hence blog title). Considering this is the same Swedish duo of siblings that gave us the iconic, provocative Deep Cuts from 2003, and the gloomily heaving Silent Shout, which sat right atop Pitchforks end-of-year list in 2006, there hasn't been much hype about Tomorrow, In A Year. Perhaps due to the fact that this record is not exactly to be construed as a The Knife-album, but rather as a studio version of an alternative opera by a Danish performance group, a fact that has somewhat reduced hopes of it including a new 'Heartbeats' or 'We Share Our Mother's Health'.

So, while Deep Cuts was witty, and Silent Shout was masterful, Tomorrow, In A Year is... Extravagantly bizarre. At times, especially during the slow crawling first part of the record, it's cacophonous to the point that I was for a moment in doubt, whether the drilling machine operating somewhere in my neighborhood, was or wasn't a part of the very complex sound picture, that is painted throughout the start of this record. Operatic vocals throne above vigorous drones, strange blips and samples, like was there no tomorrow for music with beats, riffs and choruses. Parts of the record are just too weird to fathom - take the dreadful 'Variation of Birds', which sees Olof Dreijer violently forcing his samplings of birds of the Amazon apart into utterly inabsorbable sounds. Or how about 'Letter to Henslow', the clear-cut weirdest track, on which the Dreijers yelp and ooh almost inhumanely sounding. And as the first CD closes out with the very, very ambient 'Schoal Swarm Orchestra', Tomorrow, In A Year appears almost indevourably eccentric.

As the second CD takes over, we start to see something vaguely resembling songs, and by 'Colouring of Pigeons' both a steady beat and Karin Dreijer Andersson's mesmerising vocals appears. Together with the following 'Seeds', this is the only part of the record that is visibly The Knife's work. 'Colouring of Pigeons' is an absolutely brilliant piece of work, and even as weird as it is, on this record it becomes a savior, a redemption of harmony and musical progression. 'Seeds' brings us a steady, four-on-the-floor beat, that, honestly, seems slightly out of the place for this record, but it is brave nonetheless. And although the gloomyness somewhat returns, the two final tracks on the album, 'Tomorrow, In A Year' and 'The Height of Summer' carry out this highly evolved latter part of the record.

The theme of the album, and the opera, is Charles Darwin's origin of species, and one must admit that The Knife hit this nail pretty damn well on the head. The music on the album evolves, from mere blips and drones at first, and on to full-fledged electronic masterfulness in 'Colouring of Pigeons'. At places, the album really connects to the biological evolution story as well, such as on 'Upheaved', where Lærke Winther and Kristina Wahlin Momme besing the very creation of life, accompanied by sounds of algae and amoeba, as they wring and rattle in the Earth's fetal fat. Very impressively strong and clear pictures are painted through the music here.

Christ, we all knew that The Knife were weird. If it wasn't for their music (I have sadly never heard their eponymous debut album, but it is said to be even more eccentric than Deep Cuts), then maybe for their very awkward relationship with the media, and public appearances dressed in bird masks or red burqas and mud-like masks, uttering animal sounds as thanks for their numerous awards and prizes. And the weirdness is what ultimately catches up to Tomorrow, In A Year. For all its utter brilliance and creativity, I have a tough time imagining who on God's almighty Earth will listen to this regularly. As a whole, it is very seldom an appropriate and enjoyable listening experience, but maybe that's what it's not all about. For now, The Knife have definitely made an album to surpass Battles' Mirrored in inaccessibility and untimeliness. I am very curious as to where Tomorrow, In A Year will place on end-of-year lists this year. At times bizarrely, almost atrociously cacophonous, at times pushing the bar for musical evolution and brilliance, I honestly don't have a clue.

Brooklyn, Brooklyn, Iceland, rainy Bergen and Aussie oi oi!, all adds up to: Brooklyn.

A long and baroque title must be the only way to be inclusive of all the very, very multifarious new tones that soothe my ears these days!

I guess no one can be in doubt that there must be something in the water on the right side of the East River. One of the noblest representatives of the 21st century Brooklyn indie explosion is Vampire Weekend, whose second long player Contra I just got a hold of. After still only a few listens, it seems promising. It's a bit more thick than the first record, but the curious potpourri of afro-beat, old world chamber strings and school-uniformed lyrics about academical subjects still makes your associations crisscross the Atlantic like the slave trade triangle. Another name very much in the mix for my Roskilde-schedule.

It's been around for a while, but I've only just embraced Jónsi of Sigur Rós fame's debut solo effort, Go, off of which 'Go Do' is easily one of the most uplifting tracks I've heard in a long, long time! I still very much dig Yeasayer (from guess where...), and their newest album, Odd Blood. I've fallen completely for 'Rome', which grooves in a completely unfathomably catchy way.

I finally got a hold of Conditions by The Temper Trap, and my god, what a blase flick at indie rock and it's folky and electronic twists and turns. This is proper indie rock as it once was, and apparently still is in beautiful Melbourne. On an album of many highs, 'Science of Fear' still ices the cake in my ears, with it's swagger and intensity. On the other side of the world, the Bergen indie-bossanovists Kings of Convenience are making ground on my priorities list for Roskilde. As I wrote earlier this week, I got a hold of their two newest albums recently, and especially Declaration of Dependence from 2009 is really beautiful, especially tracks like 'Me In You', 'Boat Behind' and the lovely 'Rule My World'.

Back to Brooklyn, I am finally eating slowly away at Animal Collective's Merriweather Post Pavillion, the consensus top album of 2009 across the reviewers' boards. It's a long, complicated, meandering devil, and it will take time for it to really take shape in my head, but 'My Girls' is ofcourse undoubtedly an awesome tune.

An abundance of new stuff.

When it comes, it comes in droves. New albums aplenty have found their way into my iTunes-library this past week, and I haven't been around everything yet, but this is what I dig at the moment.

The Temper Trap are looking more and more like a surefire top 7-8 concert at Roskilde this year. I love how their album of last year, Conditions, pulsates beautifully and flawlessly. I am especially crazy about with 'Fader' and 'Love Lost'.

I still listen to The National's 'Slow Show' at least a few times a day, and it's such an awesome tune. It changes key so gracefully at the beginning of the outro, and all in all it's just an astonishingly heartfelt song. I also got a hold of their album Alligator, which seems really good, although I've only heard it a few times. I'm anxious to get a hold of Boxer and especially the newest, High Violet, which has garnered considerably favorable reviews. Same goes for the new albums by LCD Soundsystem and Foals, both of which will definitely be in my next batch of records.

I know it was played very, very heavily on the radio a few months ago, but only just now have I really embraced Yeasayer's 'O.N.E.', which has been rummaging through my head all day today.

I also finally got a hold of Jens Lekman's album, Oh You're So Silent Jens. The king of aloofness, how can you but love a track like 'Sky Phenomenon'? Also, I got a hold of the two latest albums by Kings of Convenience. They're both really nice, but one point of irritation is the length of their albums. All three of them approach the 45-minute mark, which is really too much for music like theirs.

Finally, I also got a hold of The Knife's latest, double album Tomorrow, In A Year. I haven't listened to it yet though, it intrigues me. Maybe I'll give it a go tonight. It'll need time, earphones and darkness.

This will be big.

I don't know why I feel an urge to spread the word about Avi Buffalo, because it's really not my kind of music. I have never been won over by the Neil Young-school of rock, and I have always been skeptical towards indie-folk in lieu of Band of Horses. This Long Beach outfit lies at the crossroads between the two, and thus wakes some sort of deeply-rooted nausea and hatred in me. But mark my words, I think they're gonna be the next big thing - they seem to hit slap bang into the tendencies of today. Try checking out 'What's In It For'. I won't blame you for liking it, but I won't hesitate to diss it while drunk. I am really surprised they were omitted for Roskilde.

Another remarkable omission, this time on the domestic stage, is Kirsten & Marie. We've all had those sisters or cousins that always performed with beautiful yet corny songs at family get-togethers, and Kirsten & Marie are the professional version of that. Try listening to 'My Dear', with a pretty video directed by, amongst others, Aske Zidore of Oh No Ono - these girls are gonna be big too!

Frederik Thaae, otherwise known as A Kid Hereafter, has just revealed a new side project, it's called MicroPop, and it's sort-of ghetto-tech'y. I really like the vibe and the unpretentiousness of this!

A final interesting new project is Bobby Joy. I really often neglect to mention stuff from my local scene here in Aalborg, but that's because very seldom interesting things appear out of this hole of punk, garage and metal. But try and listen to 'Blisters' here - honestly, it really catches me!

I am starting to get into a few more Roskilde names. Foremostly, The National have caught my attention, and I might need to get a hold of a few of their records within the next month. It's gonna be one of the concerts that will be much better when you know some of the music. Check out 'Slow Show', which I really dig at the moment. It will cramp my schedule even further, but this year already boasts an unfathomable amount of good acts. Jack Johnson is making is way upwards on my list as well, after all.

The revival of post-punk revival?

The post-punk revival wave of the early-to-mid-'00s has had some tough years of late, as all kinds of new rave, dance-punk, indie-folk and the plethora of other crossover genre-ingenuities have all had their poke at post-punk revival's somewhat traditional instrumentalisation, sound and structure. Interpol are on their way with their fourth album, which I think will be very important for them. All of their three first albums, although especially the two first ones, were praised almost across the boards, but can Paul Banks and his gang's inevitable talent pierce through the walls and into the '10s amidst glistening electro and schmindies with beards, sweaters and acoustic guitars? I hope so. The first taste of the forthcoming album, the title of which is still unknown, is 'Lights', which I must admit doesn't blow me away. It will be very interesting to hear news from this intriguing New York foursome soon though!

One guy who is definitely able to hit the nail on the head, is Anders Trentemøller. He's on his way with his second album, Into The Great White Yonder, which, as the title suggests, is gonna be quite reminiscent of his very widely acclaimed debut, The Last Resort. To hell with that (even though it is a very beautiful album), for Trentemøller really shines in his remixes and his live shows. We all know the magnificent remix of Röyksopp's 'What Else Is There?', and he's done it again. I mentioned this before, but I don't think I praised it rightfully - it's really sharp and witty this one, which is of course his remix of 'Beach'. It's a bit long (there's a shorter version on Soundvenue's High 5), but I love how Jonas Bjerre's angelic falsetto is accompanied by the heavy beats and tribal-like percussion.

Kele Okereke of Bloc Party fame is on his way with his first solo record. I honestly haven't been expecting much, knowing that Okereke's live DJ-gigs are often heavily infused with punk, a genre I honestly don't really embrace. There is something to his voice nonetheless, and I'll probably get a hold of the album, just for loyalty's sake. The first single was played on Zane Lowe this week, and it's named after a kind of pasta, the 'Tenderoni' (just kidding). I don't really like it that much, honestly, but this might very well be one of the poppier, blander tracks on the album, so don't rule it out yet.


Finally, an outfit that has been played steadily here, there and everywhere this year has been brooklyners The Drums. I haven't completely thrust my love upon them, as I do find some of their stuff I've heard to become quite tiring. 'Forever and Ever, Amen', however, won me over. I guess I've got a thing for wistful and dreamy tunes about dreams things (non-)everlasting at the moment.

Garage revival times!

Every now and every then, I have a week or a few where I scrap all the synths and fancy-schmanzy studio productions in favor of some old fashioned guitars. This time around, this period has been foremostly spurred by my getting a hold of The Kooks' very well-acclaimed album Inside In/Inside Out, from 2006. Of course, everyone knows 'Naïve' and 'Seaside', both of which are awesome tracks, but also 'She Moves In Her Own Way', 'See The World' and 'Match Box' are very enjoyable parts of a good album.

Another thing that has happened the last few weeks is that I've finally embraced Is This It by The Strokes. Ever after NME named it the top most influential album of the 00's, I've somehow pushed forward the fact, that I would eventually have to make up my mind on this album. It is perhaps less hit-laden than it's younger brother, Room On Fire, which features both '12.51' and the catchiest riff in the world, 'Reptilia', but it is really a thorough package. Songs like 'Someday', 'Barely Legal', 'Take It or Leave It' and the title track all stand out, but the album's strength is really the simplicity and genuineness that runs through its entirety.

I have had an Arctic Monkeys flip for months, but lately it has turned, perhaps somewhat surprisingly, towards the second album, Favourite Worst Nightmare. I am amazed at how 'Only Ones Who Know' and 'Do Me A Favour' work together around the panicky nexus of the album. The latter is a highly powerful tune, especially when you bring the spot-on lyrics into the mix. I might cook up some sort of comparative discourse of the three Arctic Monkeys albums soon enough.

Tokyo Police Club and Cut Off Your Hands are peripherical parts of this garage-revival period, both chipping in with instrumental tracks such as 'Your English Is Good' and 'Turn Cold'.

I'm finally getting a decent salary next month, and I'll definitely spend some of it on some new records. More on that soon.

Things are happening.

Alright, except from the Roskilde-announce last week (which was topped by the addition of Prince today, whoa!?), these have been a few quiet weeks. I've however finally assembled a collection of stuff that's worth a listen.

Things are happening for James Murphy and LCD Soundsystem, with third and, supposedly, final album This Is Happening due in the immediate future. It was available for streaming at his website a few days ago, and I really liked what I heard. 'All I Want', which seems to be the next single off the album, is really likeable, and very recognizable.

Roskilde-bound The National are out with a new single too, 'Bloodbuzz Ohio', and I must admit I am really impressed. Here's a band that have always hovered slightly below my radar, but that may well change. I love the energetic approach to the otherwise sometimes rather dire post-punk-revival sound (think White Lies, Editors).

In the more electronic spectrum, quite a few interesting remixes have appeared the last few days. 'Beach', my favourite track off Mew's latest album, has been remixed by none other than Trentemøller. I can't find it on YouTube yet, but it's available off Soundvenue's High 5, whereupon it is a contender this week. It's really awesome! In the alley of star DJs, Tiësto has had a go at Turboweekend's 'Trouble Is'. It's just humongous! Hot Chip have released a re-fix of 'I Feel Better', now titled 'I Feel Bonnie', and featuring Bonnie 'Prince' Billy. Also in the electronic alley, albeit not a remix, Crystal Castles are on their way with their second album, which is eponymous - as the first one was. Retarded. Anyway, 'Celestica' here is quite a nice track!

Finally, I went and saw Kashmir last Thursday, and it was really good. They, as nearly always, had tremendous gusto, and the set was pretty good. I don't remember the tracks in order, but they played the following selection of songs:

From Trespassers: Mouthful of Wasps, Intruder, Mantaray, Pallas Athena, Still Boy and Bewildered in the City.
From No Balance Palace: Kalifornia, The Cynic, The Curse of Being A Girl, She's Made of Chalk and Ether.
From Zitilites: Rocket Brothers, Surfing The Warm Industry, The Aftermath, Melpomene, In The Sand and Big Fresh.
From Travelogue: Leathercrane (an epic closer!)

I missed Petite Machine and Lampshade, which they've played on some of the earlier dates of the tour, but all in all a good gig!

Preliminary thoughts on the Roskilde line-up.

... And Thursday came and went, with Roskilde Festival now 60 names richer on the line-up, and even though, as I wrote the other day, other names will doubtlessly still be added to the poster right through June, we've now got a pretty good picture on what to expect.

I must say, I've never had as crowded an upper echelon on my must-see list. Given that many metal-heads and hip hoppers especially might righteously feel that this year's line-up doesn't fulfill their wettest dreams, I sure am pretty satisfied. It's still early, and a lot is gonna happen through the next few months, as I get to dig further through the acts, but these are my preliminary thoughts on what the 8 days at the Animal Showgrounds are gonna have in store for me.

Headliners
The big three in question this year in my book are the UK threesome of Muse, The Prodigy and Gorillaz, and I'm probably gonna prioritize them in that particular order. Yes, I saw Muse in 2007, and thus part of me argues to go see something else this time around, but it is also a fact that Muse's '07 show still ranks just below Trentemøller '09 on my top Roskilde-concerts' list. I'll never forget that afternoon, but I hope this years show will provide a different experience, namely a slot in the dark (the 1am slot would be awesome). Regardless, there's a good chance the Teignmouth trio will be atop my list come June. The Prodigy is gonna be an awesome party. I envision it as this years ball-buster of a lights-and-music show, in lieu of Björk ('07), The Chemical Brothers ('08) and Trentemøller ('09). Gorillaz is all gonna depend on how they choose to come forth live. If they do it all in 3D, it's gonna be quite unique. Else, I might not be desperate to see them, although they'll probably kick ass. Jack Johnson deserves a mention, although given the strength of this year's line-up, he's gonna be a fair ways down the list. A sunny Saturday afternoon with Mr. Johnson at Orange does sound appealing though.

Indie abundance

Last year, Roskilde somewhat slumped the indie audience, with the absence of acts such as Phoenix, La Roux, Bon Iver and Animal Collective. This year, the festival full-fledgedly takes revenge. Trying to somehow sort the abundance of interesting names in some sort of priority, five names appear atop my list. Vampire Weekend is gonna be very, very hard for me to miss this year. I really need to get a hold of their newest record Contra, from January, but their eponymous debut is really enough for me to go see them. Kings of Convenience are gonna be extremely high on my list as well, although I've only ever heard their two first albums. I need to get a hold of at least the newest one. I am already looking forward to a hot afternoon with a beer at Odeon and Erlend Øye soothing my ears with his moony voice. The Temper Trap are gonna be massive too. We heard them a fair lot in Australia, and I really hope they get to play Arena, which would be an amazing stage for their music. They're probably gonna have to settle for Odeon though. LCD Soundsystem is another name I'm looking very much forward to. I just heard his new album for the first time the other day, and it's much better than the lead single, 'Drunk Girls', would lead one to expect. Combined with the sheer quality of his second album, Sound of Silver, this is gonna be an epic gig. Florence + The Machine rounds off the important five - another very interesting name.

A few other names sound very appealing, but are gonna be dependent on how the schedule is gonna come out. Beach House especially, but also FM Belfast, Casiokids, Dirty Projectors, Wild Beasts and The National.

Electronic emphasis?
Last year, my program ended up being pretty packed with electronic names (Fever Ray, Röyksopp, Trentemøller, 2ManyDJs, Pet Shop Boys), to the point that it really ended up being almost too much. I'm gonna pick my poison carefully this year, but there are a few names I'm very likely to attend. Highest on my list will probably be Moderat, who are likely to throw off an anything but moderate party. I also hope to find room especially for Pendulum and French elite-turntablists Beat Torrent. Other interesting names include Miike Snow, Schlachthofbronx, Fontän and Lindstrøm & Christabelle, but they're honestly gonna have a tough time in a year like this.

The yearly world-complex
Roskilde Festival always somehow manage to dig up a few decent names from around the globe, to cater for the curious music enthusiast. I always try to see at least part of a few concerts with a distinctively different feel, but it's hard to know what to expect. I do however expect Shantel & Bucovina Club Orkestar to throw an awesome party, which I'd like to attend. Some other interesting names that might be worth checking out are Mexican Institute of Sound, as well as the yearly act from The DR Congo, Staff Benda Bilili, who are not only Congolese, but also homeless and paraplegic. Oh, the poor souls. Finally, why not check out Narasirato Pan Pipers from a country as interesting as the Solomon Islands? Jeez, Roskilde haven't even come up with an abbreviation for that (they haven't for Mali either, but then again, there isn't much to abbreviate).

Denmark ye beautiful
I group the Danish acts together across genres mainly because they always present an irritating dilemma. As good as they might be, they're bound to be around the country at some point, and as such they aren't as exclusive to Roskilde. I do manage to fit a few of them into my schedule every year, and I'm rarely disappointed (Oh No Ono, Trentemøller and Tim Christensen '09, VETO '08 and Nephew '07, to mention a few). The three main Danish acts this year are Dizzy Mizz Lizzy, Kashmir and Nephew, and I'd like to fit in all three of them. Dizzy Mizz Lizzy are of the highest importance, as I've never seen them live, so it will hopefully be legendary. I saw Kashmir last night, but they are an awesome band, and I'd really like to experience them at Roskilde. Nephew are gonna be hard pressed to top their epic gig in 2007, but they're good in any case. Den Sorte Skole are beginning to look like a recurring fixture at the Animal Showgrounds, showing up for the third year running, counting their surprise bash at Skate in 2008. This year, they're gonna mash up tunes from the first 40 years of Roskilde, and it's gonna be one fat hell of a party. I hope to attend, and to be drunk while doing so. Two Danish bands I have heard way too little are When Saints Go Machine and The Kissaway Trail, but they are at the mercy of the schedule. Same goes for The Asteroids Galaxy Tour.

And for the first four days...
The Pavilion Junior line-up looks really interesting this year. I haven't really gotten around to checking out much of it yet, but Kill Screen Music, Sleep Party People and Eim Ick will be interesting. And I might go check out Thee Attacks, just because they're from Aalborg, and there are gonna be a lot of known faces among the audience.

An outline of a top 15
Order will certainly change, but:
Muse (UK)
Kings of Convenience (N)
Vampire Weekend (US)
The Prodigy (UK)
Dizzy Mizz Lizzy (DK)
The Temper Trap (AUS)
LCD Soundsystem (US)
Den Sorte Skole (DK)
Moderat (DE)
Gorillaz (UK)
Florence + The Machine (UK)
Kashmir (DK)
Nephew (DK)
Beat Torrent (FR)
Pendulum (AUS)