Does anyone crave for summer? If so, everyone can bring the feeling of a summerly walk into his living room or onto his smartphone. The Video to “Take A Walk” of our danish shoegaze-hope THE FOREIGN RESORD was shot in june 2011 during the Distortion Festival in Kopenhagen and was now released on their YouTube channel.

Furthermore the band will board some german indie clubs, after their US tour in March. We all can be really excited…

US Tour dates
March 8 – Inciting HQ, Philadelphia, PA
March 9 – Velvet Lounge, Washington, DC
March 10 – Arlene’s Grocery, New York, NY
March 11 – Church, Boston, MA
March 12 – The Living Room, New York, NY
March 13-18: SXSW, Austin, TX
March 19 – Trip, Santa Monica, CA
March 20, 3pm – In-Store @ Music Mart, Solana Beach, CA
March 20, 8pm – The Ruby Room, San Diego, CA
March 21 – The 3 Clubs, Hollywood, CA
March 22 – Hotel Utah, San Francisco, CA
March 23, 4pm – Nordic Spotlight (Portland Office), Portland, OR
March 23, 8pm – Ella Street Social Club, Portland, OR
March 24 – Highline, Seattle, WA

http://theforeignresort.com/

Sometimes music business isn’t only confusing for outsiders. Often enough it offers surprises for industry experts, too, which show oneself again, that success is neither foreseeable, nor predictable. Afterwards the album title “For Tomorrow” (2008) from Emerald Park seems like a prophetic hint on that, which should happen in the following years.

Booked as a decent result in the following year, the album experienced the approval to become a download under a free license and the collaboration of the two netlabels afmusic and 23 Seconds a refreshing second spring in 2010. This could’ve been dismissed as a mayfly, if there hadn’t been the single “Reality Bites” in 2011 that started like a musical rocket with an altitute flight and landed on the iTunes sales charts within the first weeks after the release.

And so there’s just to keep in mind, that indie bands from the scandinavian peninsula, as opposed to a lot of colleagues from the angloamerican language area, stand out with their light-feeted compositions sparkle seemingly without difficulty out of the speakers and caress the audience’s ear canals. And so there is no need for a prophet, to predict a similar success for the upcoming single “Things” of the musical collective from malmö, which will be released on January 27th.

But not enough with this – to prove the whole world, that this songs also work on stage, EMERALD PARK will perform on January 28th on the world’s largest music fair MIDEM in Cannes, in the context of the Jamendo Night and prove their skills live. And who knows, maybe some insiders will finally see, that success still is related to luck a lot, as well as to musical quality.

Tracklisting:

1. Things
2. At The Circus

www.facebook.com/EmeraldParkSweden

After the success of her “Dreamville” EP (ZF Records), the exceptional solo artist Drunken C, aka Cecile Raynaud, releases her second EP called “Whisper” on Zorch Factory Records in cooperation with afmusic. Oneself gets offered, next to the experimental and melodic post punk in the best Drunken C-style, a cover of My Bloody Valentine’s “Only Shallow” which was restaged together with Stolearm in an impressive way.

The EP is available now on Zorch Factory Records and on all well-known download stores.

Links: Drunken C | Zorch Factory Records

Who thinks, that Joakim Jakobsson after his his leaving from The Search keeps his feet still, will get taught better in an impressing way. DUELLEN offers with their self-titled debut EP finest Indie-Pop, which brings you to sing along with, even to the swedish lyrics.

Some time passed by, after Joakim left the Indie-Pop Band The Search and decided, together with Brian Biezki – whom he met first in 2010 and who moved from argentina over spain to sweden, due to the scandinavian pop culture there – to work together in a musically way. After a few months, Brian left the project again, but Joakim has found in Tina Bergström (ex The Search), Mikael Saltzman (ex The Search), Olle Billius (Jeniferever) and Simon Lundborg a perfect addition, so that out of a little 2-man-project grew a band quickly.

Already after a short while the first songs were written, recorded and now they form into a 5-track debut EP. Swedish Lyrics about life, love and death and the mainly discreetly guitars, which permanently conjure moony-melancholic melodies, bring up a deep going atmosphere.

Conclusion: Fans of The Search will notice a similarity, which can’t be denied because of Joakim being a former member, without, occasionally due to the swedish lyrics, having to pass on DUELLEN’s own charm. The debut will be available from December 13th on as a download in all well-known online stores, to try out on bandcamp and a lot of further platforms as a free alternative.

Tracklisting:

1. Sanningen
2. Livet leker
3. Ond tro
4. Det ljuva livet
5. Frågan

www.myspace.com/duellenband

Different influences and moods converge in Winter Severity Index, in which cold and melancholic atmospheres meet a nervous tribal rhythm section. From December 9th on, the self-titled debut EP will be available as a CD as well as a download on afmusic and all well-known stores.

Winter Severity Index is an Italian New Wave band from Rome, formed by four young women who have already had experiences as musicians of the city scene. Simona collaborated with many Roman artists and worked as composer for theatre, Diana Salzo played in other Indie and Post-Rock groups; Elyria was the drummer of Rock and Punk sets; Mushy worked and performed as solo artist in experimental projects.

They joined in 2008 on the basis of their friendship and common interest for Eighties New Wave and Post-Punk music, working at first on some basic compositions by Simona Ferrucci, and then creating new ones together. After a short break, due to personal issues of the members, Winter Severity Index continued playing together in the Winter 2009, defining their common intention of creating a peculiar sound landscape, which totally reflects their personality and their specific taste in music.

Different influences and moods converge in the project, in which cold and melancholic atmospheres meet a nervous tribal rhythm section. On July 2010 the band published the first EP “Winter Severity Index”, wich has already collected a very positive feedback all over Europe. During 2011 the band had live gigs in Italy and abroad and took part to the Grave Fest in Lisbon, sharing the stage with important names of the European New Wave and Gothic scene. At the moment Winter Severity Index are working on new material for the publication of a full length album.

Tracklisting:

1. The Wiser
2. Severity
3. While we’re living
4. Blind Me
5. Bonus: Motionless

Links: Facebook | MySpace | YouTube

On November 8th the self-titled EP of the danish indie rocker THE FOREIGN RESORT was released as a CD as well as a worldwide available download on Monolathe Recordings. From December 2nd on the CD will be available via afmusic (TS-Musix) in Germany, too.

Formed in Copenhagen, Denmark in 2006, The Foreign Resort is anything but conventional. Described as “The Cure embedded in noise with Tears For Fears-ish melodies and the energy burst of Joy Division,” by Gaffa Magazine (Denmark), this description is as accurate as it is flattering. Crystal-solid performances are always a guarantee at one of The Foreign Resort’s shows, and this EP is a glowing representation of that. The marriage of New Wave, Shoegaze and Post Rock has been achieved with sheer perfection on this five song EP.

The Foreign Resort will be returning to the States in October, playing a number of dates on the East Coast that will culminate with a showcase at this year’s CMJ Music Marathon and Film Festival. These Danes have already visited this side of the pond a number of times, and have played some of the best venues in the States including: Pianos (NY), Spaceland (LA), Hemlock Tavern (SF) and too many others to mention.

In Europe, The Foreign Resort have supported the likes of Swervedriver and A Place to Bury Strangers, just to mention a couple. Austin, TX had the honor of seeing (and hearing) The Foreign Resort as they played 5 different events during the annual South By Southwest festival.

Expect big things from our friends from Denmark, because this is just the beginning!

Tracklisting:

1. Colleen
2. Orange Glow
3. Heart Breaks Down
4. Take a Walk
5. Torch It

ORDER CD NOW »

Streaming: bandcamp | soundcloud

Links: facebook | homepage

Press picture by Michael McCarthy, 2011

Principe Valiente’s debut album finds the band fulfilling the promises of their achievements to date. The Stockholm based band has in a short time gained a reputation for their live shows and are the subject of an increasing interest in their material in clubs and social networks on the internet. Their sound may partly be the result of a variety of elements inspired by the minimalism of certain post punk acts and the lushness of shoegaze, but is primarily characterized by an ambition to break new sonic ground.

This combination of innovative and inspired material makes for an invigorating listen as it is difficult to pinpoint in regard to genre. As a result, their music has frequently been labelled “dark pop”, a description that sums up the sonic qualities reminiscent of bands as diverse as The Sisters of Mercy, The Sound, Interpol and Suede.

The music video for the newly released “The Night” has been rotating on german television (topped the Pop10 video chart week 47 & 49) and the band’s eponymous 2007 EP has been played on the radio and by DJs around Europe. The EP has also received good reviews on the other side of the pond. As the album has been greatly anticipated, the material has been meticulously scrutinized for the full length effort, work that has resulted in a conceptually and sonically consistent album throughout. Songs like “One More Time” and “New Life” are hypnotic, energetic and powerful and even though the songs work very well in their own right the record is structured enough to create a rewarding album context for the songs as well.

Tracklisting:

1. Intro
2. Before You Knew Me
3. One More Time
4. In My Arms
5. New Life
6. Solitary Man
7. Stay
8. Afraid
9. 150 Years
10. The Night
11. Dance Like There’s No Tomorrow

ORDER CD NOW »

www.principevaliente.com

What or who do you think of, when you hear “The Open Up and Bleeds”? Words like open up or bleed cause some grim thoughts. After intensive listening to the album, you just feel very enthusiastic about it. Enthusiasm about an album full of strength and passion called “An act of love and violence”. What we got here, are four life-experienced men who got together in Stockholm in 2006. Together they created that what they represent with each and every song of “Open Up and Bleeds”: profoundness that tell stories.

Joel Segerstedt’s voice is the special something about the band. You cannot and also don’t want to compare them to any other band out there. For sure, “The Open Up and Bleeds” won’t be too disappointed about the fact that are incomparable and do not fit in any common scheme: they are just unique. Furthermore this album shows so many different facets…it surprises its listeners with many fast, but although many quiet and intensive songs. The sound, no matter if ballad or hard rock riffs reminds us a little bit of the 80s.

If oneself imagines a live show of “The Open Up and Bleeds”, you would think of a live open air on a deserted place somewhere out in Stockholm. Small crowds would circle around the stage and burst into this exceeding sound. An atmosphere that turns every summer night into something unforgettable. The instrumental part with bass (Thomas Meyer), lead guitar (Markus Johansson) and drums (Andreas Thunmarker) is great. Together with the voice of Joel they make the sound round. Unsurpassable! The Songs “I Don’t Wanna Die”, “The End”, “Lets Go Back To Modernism” and “This Noise” certainly belong to the more rocking songs of the album and ensure your feet will move around. The other songs are quieter and give you food for thought. These are songs like “Ok Is Not Ok”and “Cut Me A Live One”.

The album “The Open Up and Bleeds” created here, is a real masterpiece of art. Therefore it’s quite easy for someone to introduce his favourites. Especially two songs take hold of everybody. In these two songs you could find all qualities of the band combined. With 3:33 min of pure passion in Joel’s voice, “In the darkest hours” keeps you tied up. You can even sense what he wants to tell you. “Stiv Bators In All of Us” is just well. When oneself listens to this song, he just wants to stand up and dance around. And you can be sure you’ll not be the only one.

What does this album command? Buy it or download it for free on afmusic from October 4th on! Without guilty conscience. It won’t disappear in the depths of your cd-rack or hard disc.

Tracklisting:

1. In Darkest Hours
2. Stiv Bators In All Of Us
3. This Noise
4. Ok Is Not Ok
5. Cut Me A Live One
6. Everyone I Know
7. Let’s Go Back To Modernism
8. What John Said
9. I Don’t Wanna Die (Anymore)
10. The End

homepage | facebook | myspace

Sweden 12 points! What THE SEARCH from Uppsala on “The Search for Connection Contact and Community” deliver, is finest Indie pop laced with Rock, which, without any problems, is at home in the same league as Shout Out Louds, The Mary Onettes, Jeniferever and others. Light-footed and full of enjoyment the guitars and keyboards relaxing dance through the room. But always looking out for solid leg work and never losing the grip to the ground of drums and bass. So the manual and technical experienced ensemble is following the melancholic voice of the singer without drifting away into exaggerated gloom.

THE SEARCH especially show the courage to the emotion, to the eally huge feeling, but without getting lost in kitsch. The Swedes also can switch to attack and pull through some straight rock riffs. Everytime, when oneself gets spun into the melody’s beauty and the silent melancholy.

“The Search for Connection Contact and Community” is a solid, slightly dark pop album, without skirmish, without twirls, but brilliant in it’s creative interplay and touching in its elegiac emotions. Beyond hilarious chart songs, dummy elevator music and cloned plastic music, THE SEARCH show, that sweden comes up with awesome indie pop once more. Because life is too short for boredom.

As a soccer team, THE SEARCH would be a dream. As musicians they’re just brilliant.

RD: 30th September, 2011 (afmusic – Danse Macabre / Al!ve)

Tracklisting:

1. Silent Days
2. An Ounce Of Courage
3. Age Of The Hermit
4. From The Glass Jar
5. Jet
6. Manic Miner
7. Alone In A Space Shuttle
8. The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter
9. James
10. The Firm Conviction
11. Kuchisake Onna

Links: Homepage | Facebook | MySpace

The Gothic rockers of Aeon Sable will still work with the indie label “afmusic” in the future. The upcoming album will be expected released in 2012 and merchandised like the 2010 released debut “Per Aspera Ad Astra” as free download, as “pay whatever you want”-download or as limited digipack for a fix price. Aeon Sable underline their device “Art should be free accessible for everyone” again.

aeonsable.de