Archive for the ‘Post-rock’ Category

Detektivbyrån’s Back!! New LP “Wermland” Available For Pre-Order Now!

Monday, July 21st, 2008

Detektivbyrån used to be the best under discovered band in Sweden. Anything this good (regardless of its lack of mass appeal, limited commercial potential or even the fact that it lacks lyrics) will find a place in the world. Whether this gets discovered through placement in advertisements, film soundtracks, or hopefully written about on countless blogs, Myspace profiles or Twitter updates (I’m looking at you James Gunn, and don’t try to hide Alexandra I can see you too) is up to you. All it should take is a little bump to put this band into the consciousness of the right people that will enable them to reach a broader audience.

I’ve been writing about the band for years, but amazingly their upcoming release, Wermland, is their debut LP. So this is not one of those bands that comes from nowhere only partially formed (Cold War Kids, Vampire Weekend). The songs on Wermland don’t stray far from what got them here. And that is a combination of traditional folk, gypsy, circus and world sounds combined with modern (and not so modern) electronics (often home rigged). It’s so hard not to compare this band’s music to film so I won’t bother restraining myself. “Om Du Moter Värg” starts out like music from the next Tim Burton production, but rather quickly becomes something you’d expect to hear in a Wim Wenders or Werner Herzog film. And that’s because it’s music of dreams. And dreams are what the films of those three visionaries are closest to.

A release date of September 3rd has been set for Wermland, but you can pre-order the record now here (Sweden) or here (Int’l).

Om Du Moter Värg

P.S. If you liked this there’s an ever so slight chance that you’ll be smitten with Kirsty McGee’s “vaudebilly” over at Songs:Illinois (sorry for the shameless cross promotion).

Slowcore/shoegaze from Eerie (riyl Galaxie 500, V.U., Jesus and Mary Chain)

Friday, April 4th, 2008

When Pet Politics first appeared a few years back, it was refreshing to hear his diy music. I think this was partly because you could hear that he simply decided it was time to for him to record his songs. There weren’t any meetings, marketing discussions, wardrobe fittings or business consultations/considerations of any kind. He plugged in and just did it.

The same can be said for the project known as Eerie. Of course things were probably more complicated with 6 different people involved. But still there’s an immediacy to the music that can only come from a sincere wish to create something special. It’s been a great week of music at Swedesplease and I hope you enjoy this final offering.

The 4 track ep is available here with artwork and all for free.

In The Twinkle Of An Eye

Post-Rock From Ef (And The Sound Records, Feb 2)

Wednesday, February 6th, 2008

I’m a little outside my safety zone with today’s post. Post-rock is really just a term to me, I have no experience with it as a genre.

EF is a Gothenburg based post-rock experimental group that has a new release out this week - I Am Responsible (And The Sound Records). But what led me to the group is producer Patrik Torsson (Hapna). His music is more electronic in nature so I was intrigued in what drew him to EF.

“Tailpiece” is an epic instrumental song that builds and builds by layering electronics with strings (cello) and then drums and finally the whole arsenal of the band.

Tailpiece

Patrik Torsson’s 2008 piece:

Turbiner