Bon Harris from Nitzer Ebb has a new project with A Matter Gray’s Jeehun Hwang. What started as a project doing music for some indie films has now taken a life of it's own in the form of The Shadow Bureau.

On the two songs released they collaborate with diffrent vocalist including Wolfgang Flür, Curt Smith and swedish vocalist Isabelle Erkendal.

The Shadow Bureau

The british death electro band Goteki are giving away their whole back catalog for free. Just had over to their website and start downloading lots and lots of cool music.

Goteki

Malmö - 110819
I admit it took me a while to warm up to this duo. I guess I have to blame the beards. Before Malmö I still had this resistment to them, though my girl friend had weakend my barriers some, by playing their music every now and then. Still I was reluctant to admit that they were great and kept them in the "interesting" category.

It was a cold and very windy evening in Malmö. Summer had departed just a few days ago and autumn was greeting us with a cold hand. Malmöfestivalen seemed like a really strange place for CocoRosie. A town festival mainly targeted at families who prefered listening to coverbands playing the classics at the big stage a few hundred meters away. The freaks had to gather in the outskrits of the festival, just beyond the two merry-go-rounds and the sidestalls and games.

The two sisters enters the stage accompinied by two guys. One sits down behind some synths and the other just stands there with a microphone. Then he starts to make strange sounds and I realise that he is a beatboxer. Normally a funny, interesting oddity that works for one song, but this guy provided the rythm for the whole show using only his mouth and voice - impressive!

But it's the voices of the two sisters that provides the real magic. One angel-like and almost operaesque, and the other a bit harsher with a strange, childish quality. Inspiration for the songs seems to come from all over the place, ranging from opera and folkmusic all the way to hip-hop.

After a few songs I get drawn in by the music and all the external stuff ceases to matter. The music alone is breath taking, beautifully weird and seems to be from another world. A world where Bianca and Sierra Casaday rules, and make music from harps and toys. A world I suddenly wan't to be part of and that suddenly seems to make very good sense. I leave converted and a true believer.

Watching Sahara Hotnights live at Kulturkalaset in Göteborg, august 17th. It's almost ten years since I last saw them. It's a bit fascinating that they almost look the same... But they don't sound the same, where have all the energy gone?

They have great songs to choose from, but naturally they focus on the material from their latest release. A pity that they don't mix it up a little more. The new songs are ok, but it's a bit to much pop and to little punk and rock 'n' roll for my taste. Too slick and not enough dirt and grit.

Front woman Maria Andersson seems a bit unfocused and makes alot of mistakes on the guitar. Last show on the summer tour and it's not more fun then this?! Bassplayer Johanna Asplund seems to enjoy herself and she steals alot of my attention during the show. Josephine Forsman is excellent as usual behind the drums.

Favorite part for me is when they play Quite a feeling from debut album C'mon, let's pretend. Also Visit to Vienna and Cheek to cheek are good this night. Pity they don't feel more hungry or angry. Sahara Hotnights is a darn good band when they have the right energy. You are not old enough to be grumpy ladies yet!

The way we would like to see them again. Live from Hultsfred 2001.

1. Ståålfågel - En dag i varuhuset. Swedish post punk/new wave from 1980. Cool mix of drum machine, synth and guitars and organ. Also really good lyrics.
2. Armageddon Dildos - Stuck inside. Third song from their debut album That's armageddon. Lovely bass.
3. Soft Metals - Pain. Funky electronics and dreamy voices.
4. Nina Letar Ufo - Rock 'n' roll blåa ögon. Stry cover. Really cool version.
5. Portion Control - Icon. "No more icons"

Report from day two 13/8 2011

I started the second day of Way Out West late in the afternoon by looking at Annika Norlins band Säkert! She has a wonderful presence and nerve on stage. I don't listen that much to her recordings, but I just love to see and hear her perform live. Her show was the highlight of the day.

Then we went back to the 90:s with Pulp. Jarvis was really funny and the band was tight. Euphoria of the day came when they played Disco 2000. It was also special when Tom Hobden from Noah and the Whale joined and played violin on Common people.

I also listened to Tiesto DJ:ing from one of the big stages. Even if there was lots of pyros, videos and fire on stage, I found it a bit boring. Why not use some live vocalists, dancers or something to bring it more alive?

Last but not least there were Kanye West. Much to many people gathered and it was almost impossible to get a glimpse of the stage from my position in the back. One of the few things that the Way Out West crew can improve on. It should not be that hard to view the stage from the back. The main stages just does'nt work when the whole population of WOW turns up at the same time. Well I watched the man enter and listened to the first couple of songs. Then I got tired of standing on my toes listening to rap, wich is'nt my cup of tea. The show seemed outragous and over the top, but when the artist and the music don't fit the suit - I stop to care. So I left early with a couple of good memories from the second day, but in no way near to match those of the first day.

Report from day one 12/8 2011

It did'nt take long to realise that Prince were at diffrent level then the other bands performing at Way Out West. You just feel it when you see and hear it. This little man from Minneapolis is one with his music and it's beautiful to watch. He also seemed to be in a very good mood and was very generous playing his most popular songs.

After little short of an hour he played a strong version of Purple Rain and left the stage with his band. It was a bit short, but I was content (festival shows are often not longer then an hour) and predicited he would return and play two or three more songs and call it a night.

He returned alright, and played for almost another hour before leaving the stage again. This time amongst the mix giving us electrified versions of Sign of times (much to short) and When doves cry.

This time I thought for sure it was over, but Prince would return for a third round, delivering goosbumps with a soulful version of Nothing comares to u and then alot of funk, dance and party. Truly an amazing way to end day one of Way Out West.

Just before Prince we watched Thåström. Since a couple of years he seems to be inspired by Tom Waits or Nick Cave. The music is dark, slow, bluesy and very introspective. You can hear the music build up energy but the band never allow it to explode in release. It is like tantrism, where you can control your breathing and can be able to maintain intercourse as long as you like without reaching orgasm. Well, I like orgasms and feel a bit cheated when they are lacking. Almost all is forgiven at the end though, when he delivers a haunting version of Die Mauer. But I still would like the old punk rocker in Thåström to return.

Another magic moment at Way Out West was seeing Robyn perform. I'm just in love with this cool woman and her music. I love the retro/future sound of her latest albums, and live it's just turns into a cool dance party. Really happy that she does The Girl and The Robot from her collaboration with Röyksopp live. Another magic moment was With every heartbeat. So happy that I finally got to see her perform live.

I also saw The Hives and Santigold on the first day of the festival. Santigold is very cool and delivers a good show with help from her dancers. But her voice is giving her trouble this day and seems to steal away much of her focus.

The Hives does what they always do, but it seems as if I have seen this show many times before. They really need to take a step outside their safety zone to make it interesting again.

1. Wasted Doom - Videogewalt  Such a great song. Really got that industrial, oldschool sound combined with a fantastic groove. I love it.
2. Leather Strip - Fit for flogging  Cool, industrial, ebm... what more could you ask for.
3. Dance or Die - Friendly Fire (Miss Construction Remix)  This one is still with me.
4. AAAK - Concrete  British EBM in the same manner as Portion Control. Great!
5. Container 90 - Maggots From the Swedish Oldschool Ebm Ep 2010. A bit diffrent from other C90 songs, but in this case diffrent is better.