News editor: Mikael Kahrle

Sombre View reborn
• Last year, we told you that the Swedish alternative pop band Sombre View has decided to quit after their relation with Energy/October ended. Now, they are back on track with a new record deal with Life Is Painful Records. The recording of their second album "I Want to See the World Go Under" (working title) has just started. /Mikael Kahrle

The April Tears delayed

• Both the new The April Tears' single "Seventeen" and the album "Consume Desire" have been delayed, due to mixing problems with the single. Pär Stavborg on April Tears' label Telstar tells Release we can expect the single in the end of March and the album in the end of April. The single will of course show up on radio prior to the release. It will probably contain an extra song called "Hip Shooter", with Freddie Wadling on lead vocals. /Mikael Kahrle

Haujobb and Psyche on Accession compilation
• Accession Records is a German record company started by Diary of Dreams front man Adrian Hates. They are now releasing a collection with the different artists in their roster. The album is called “Accession Records Volume One” and consists of rare and unreleased tracks with a o Assemblage 23, Haujobb and Psyche. It will be released on March 23. /Johan Carlsson

Philth and Tim Hill release album through fan site
• The importance of music fan sites on the web grow bigger, as proven by Phil Western, also known as Philth, and Tim Hill. They will release an album through Scott Graham's Skinny Puppy site. All the orders will be handled by Graham. The release date is not set yet, but we know that the first 300 CD:s will be accompanied by a bonus 7" single on coloured vinyl. Phil Western is best known for his work in Download. /Johan Carlsson

Children Within and Tolchock in the studio
• Some of you might wonder what has happened with Swedish synthpop trio Children Within. Well, we can tell you that they are in the studio right now and their label Energy/October says that they and the band will work out future plans shortly.
The same goes for the harder Energy act Tolchock. Expect a new release during 2001. /Mikael Kahrle

Interesting English debutants helped by Gareth Jones

• Pukromo is an English band that has just completed the recording of their debut album, ”Promise Me, Kill Me”. The album is mixed by no other than Gareth Jones, who has worked with celebs like Depeche Mode and Erasure.
Pukromo say they are influenced by groups like Pink Floyd, Radiohead and Massive Attack, which certainly should make a lot of people interested. If you want to have a listen yourself, go to www.pukromo.com where sound clips are available. The album should be out soon on Italian label Dune Records. /Johan Carlsson

Psyche switches label and release single
• Veterans Psyche have now changed label to Accession Records, and they are releasing the, since long planned, maxi CD “Sanctuary” on April 4. /Johan Carlsson

Tricky hires celebrities in LA
• Tricky is working on his new album in Los Angeles as we speak. Expect collaborations with Alanis Morisette and members from Red Hot Chili Peppers and Live when the album is released this summer (Epitaph). /Mikael Kahrle

What's Cevin Key up to these days?
• After the successful release of Download's latest effort, "Effector", Cevin Key is now finishing his new solo album, "The Ghosts of Each Room". The album will be released by Metropolis under Cevin's own name. No release date has been set. /Johan Carlsson

De/Vision album in the summer and tour in the autumn
• The new De/Vision album is scheduled for this summer. The band is currently recording together with producer Georg Kaleve and hope to finish the work in April. A tour is scheduled, not earlier than October/November. /Mikael Kahrle

Welle:Erdball lost in the world of yesterday...

• Synth duo Welle:Erdball have returned with the brand new single "VW-Käfer & 1000 Tage" (two new songs), full with extra material like "Monoton & Minimal" and "Nyntändo-schock" remixes. Retro, retro, retro... A review is in preparation.
The album "Die Wunderwelt der Technik" is scheduled for March. /Mikael Kahrle

A new synthpop duo is born

Fidget.

• Nina Natri and Daniel Claeson from the indie pop band Fidget have decided to let out their synthpop roots in the side project Nightclub. Nightclub and another band from Gothenburg, Animals in Jungles, have won the demo competition launched by Swedish Alternative Music Awards and will perform live at the event in March.
The two Nightclub songs we have listened to have a cool retro pop sound behind Natri's characteristic vocals. It's close to what Fidget did on their latest "Living on Video" cover single, which also featured the extra song "The Law of Least Resistance" by Fidget.
- Nightclub is a tribute to old heroes like Silicon Teens, Fad Gadget, Human League, Gary Numan, OMD and Depeche Mode, Daniel Claeson says.
Nightclub's producer is Charlie Storm (Blue for Two). They are currently looking for a record deal and want to release the two above-mentioned tracks on a single to start with. /Mikael Kahrle

Depeche Mode remix mania

Matthew Bushwacka.

• Electronica profile Dave Clarke and DJ/producer/engineer Matthew Bushwacka have been budy doing remixes for Depeche Mode's "Dream on" single.
Here is the remix listing for the promo release: 1) Bushwacka Tough Guy Vocal Mix 2) Bushwacka Tough Guy Dub, 3) Bushwacka Blunt Mix, 4) Dave Clarke Club Mix, 5) Dave Clarke Acoustic Mix. The traditional extra song on the single is said to be "Easy Tiger" from the album, but this isn't confirmed. /Mikael Kahrle

All new Nick Cave songs available as clips

• The official Nick Cave site offers 40 second clips of all twelve songs from the forthcoming, calm and moody, album "No More Shall We Part" (April 2). /Mikael Kahrle

Rammstein tour and single details

• So, far only the Rammstein tour for GAS (Germany, Austria, Switzerland) is set. Other territories are likely to follow. The 13 date tour starts in Nürnberg on May 13 and ends in Hannover on June 1.
We can also tell you some details about the new single "Sonne" (February 12). It contains "Sonne" in original and instrumental versions as well as two Clawfinger remix takes and the song "Adios". "Adios" is also on the album. An expensive extravagant video has been made for "Sonne". /MIkael Kahrle

Mortiis smells rain
• The new Mortiis album is called "The Smell of Rain" (Earache), but no release date is decided. Mortiis is working on the songs in Sweden together with a drummer, Fredrik Bergström. /Mikael Kahrle

Manson arrested by 20 police men
• NME reports that Marilyn Manson was arrested for indecency in connection to his Rome and Bolonga concerts in Italy on February 5 and 6. No doubt, the Italian police have substantial respect for the man, since they sent 20 police men to arrest him in Rome. The "Guns, God and Government" tour continues as planned however. /Mikael Kahrle

Depeche Mode won Midem award
• After counting 23 400 votes, the music fair Midem awarded Depeche Mode as best artist recently. /Mikael Kahrle

"Queen of Space" lands on March 5

• The next single from S.P.O.C.K and the second one to be released from "2001: a S.P.O.C.K Odyssey" is, as reported earlier, "Queen of Space" (March 5).
- It will be made both as two-track CD-single and a five- or six-track maxi single, Alexander Hofman in S.P.O.C.K says.
Eskil Simonsson of Covenant has been asked to make a remix. The cover "I Don't Know What It Is" from "Cover Classics Vol 2" is also to be included. Finally, we can expect some metal (!). We don't reveal more. /Mikael Kahrle

Nick Cave tour in USA after single release
• Nick Cave has announced his plans to go to USA for at least nine gigs between March 21 and 31. He will perform together with members of the bands Dirty Three and Big Bottom (lovely band names, don't you say?).
We have previously reported about the new single "As I Sat Sadly by Her Side" (March 19) and the album "No More Shall We Part (April 2). The usual Cave mania is to be expected shortly, with other words. /Mikael Kahrle

S.P.O.C.K make tour plans

S.P.O.C.K in January. With two cats. Relaxed.
- Maybe we can't get better, Alexander Hofman (in the middle) says.
Photo by: Johan Berglund

• S.P.O.C.K plan to play live in Sweden in March, mostly on weekends.
- And in April we will play only important places in Germany. We are in a vacuum-situation there, front man Alexander Hofman tells Release.
He is a bit insecure over the popularity of S.P.O.C.K these days.
- People say that we play live all the time, but last year we only did six gigs in Sweden and didn't play a single festival in countries like Germany, he says.
At the same time, he believes S.P.O.C.K might have made the best record ever with the brand new "2001: a S.P.O.C.K Odyssey" (see review).
- We have worked on all the details this time and are very pleased. S.P.O.C.K is really a band nowadays and the band situation is fantastic. Maybe we can't get better than this? If so, we have to quit, he laughs.
If all goes well, the celebrated live band will aim at new tours in Sweden, Germany and maybe even USA in the autumn. And of course they want to play as many summer festivals as possible before that. /Mikael Kahrle

Vorsprung durch Technik hope for club smasher
• Vorsprung durch Technik, the electro band of Olaf Wollschläger (Melotron and In Strict Confidence producer), has delivered a promo 12" to DJ:s of the new track "Ozonkiller". It's taken from the new album "Britpop" (Motor, April). "Ozonkiller" is only released on vinyl and Thomas P and Mijk van Dyk have tried to make the ultimate club mix. Opposite to the debut CD in "Düsseldorf tradition", the "Britpop" is inspired by dark house and big beat (not britpop obviously). /Jens Krause

Heed: for fans of Cardigans?

• The second Heed album is due out on February 12 (EMI). The sound is close to that of The Cardigans. North Swedish Heed offer a laid back mix of pop, trip hop, electronica, classical music and jazz and are fronted by singer Jennie Abrahamson. The album is called "Breakeven 2200", but with a radio friendly sound they are likely to reach breakeven a little sooner... /Mikael Kahrle

Cheery dark electronica?
• Dark electronica artist The Third Eye Foundation will release a new album on February 26 (Domino). The title "I Poopoo on Your Joojoo" might suggest that he has taken a cheerier road than on the last, infinitely sad album "Little Lost Soul". But you never know, do you? /Kristoffer Noheden

Unheilig: Rammstein and romantic pop on the same CD

• Unheilig, the new signing by Bloodline, is about to release the debut album "Phosphor" on February 26. Some of you might have heard the single hit "Sage Ja!" from last year. Without a doubt, the album can generate more airplay for Unheilig. Most of the time, they sound like a hard fusion of Rammstein, Joachim Witt and Megaherz, but they differ since they offer lyrics in English as well. In the end of the of the album we get to hear, believe it or not, schlager and pompous romantic pop (for example in the song "Discover the World")!
Unheilig is produced and mixed by José Alvarez-Brill, who has previously worked with artists like De/Vision and Joachim Witt. /Jens Krause, Mikael Kahrle

VNV Nation back in the studio
• British EBM stars VNV Nation are currently in the studio working on their next album to be released in September. To wet your appetite, a single will be released in May and another in August.
If you can’t bear to wait until then, look out for the delayed re-release their debut album “Advance and Follow”, that we have told you about before. The new release date is February 19. For this release, all the tracks have been re-recorded and digitally remastered, and some have had their vocals redone. The CD also contains some bonus tracks, including two Front 242 covers, and the first ever available VNV Nation track, “Aftershock”. /Johan Carlsson

Autechre back on April 16
• Autechre's long awaited new album will be entitled "Confield" and is set for release on April 16 (Warp). /Kristoffer Noheden

Dance or Die to release new album on SPV

• These days, Dance or Die are finishing their new album in the studio. Promo activities, interviews and photo sessions are taken care of in the meantime.
The Berlin duo has left the major Polygram and the new home is SPV:s electro label Synthetic Symphony (Blind Passengers, Front 242, Psyche). The label change from major to indie makes way for a classic Dance or Die sound. /Jens Krause

Pan Sonic wants to play on Easter Island
• Mufti's Guesthouse, the collaboration between Finnish minimalists Pan Sonic and former Einstürzende Neubauten member FM Einheit is due out late summer, Pan Sonic's Mika Vainio says to Release.
Pan Sonic is embarking on a seven-week world tour in early February. The duo hope, among other things, to play a gig on the legendary Easter Island. Later during the tour, they will also record material with Barry Adamson and a classical choir in Iceland. /Mattias Huss

All "Exciter" track clips up

There is loads of new Depeche Mode pictures - and News. This press picture is taken in California in January.
Photo by: Anton Corbijn

• As expected, excerpts from all Depeche Mode: "Exciter" songs can now be downloaded from the official Depeche Mode site.
It seems the album is in line with "Ultra" and "Only When I Loose Myself". The sound is atmospheric and very well made. "Exciter" seems to have something for everyone, although several tracks are slow and blues-like. But in a couple of tracks, it's obvious that we only get to hear the beginning and the songs are likely to speed up and grow larger later on. Judge for yourself. /Mikael Kahrle

Soft Cell reunion gigs in March
• The new attempt for Soft Cell to play live in London is scheduled for March 15 and 16 on Ocean in Hackney. Furthermore, rumours saying that Marc Almond will take part in the Boy George musical are false. /Mikael Kahrle

Mobile Homes play it safe

Per Liliefeldt of Mobile Homes.

• We have received an advance copy of Mobile Homes new album "The World Will Listen". Will it?
Well, old Mobile Homes fans might love the back-to-the-roots synthpop sound. It's close to what they did on for example "Nothing but Something", but with hints of guitar pop. The single "Nostalgia", released today, is representative (see review). Others might say that they play it too safe and reuse old ideas.
Mobile Homes have used a number of famous producers in the past, like Karl Bartos and Denniz Pop. But this time they produced the album themselves and only used one synthesizer, Roland JD-800. Although an electronic-based band, not even one of the four members has a special interest in technology.
A couple of weeks ago, someone stole all Mobile Homes' important equipment. They lost computer-stored back tracks of the new material, as well back tracks of old songs produced together with Bartos in Düsseldorf.
"The World Will Listen" is scheduled for March 5 (SSC). /Mikael Kahrle

bob hund album on March 26

Photo by: Peter Åstedt (Release)

• The new album from Sweden's indie darlings bob hund has a release date (March 26) but is yet to be named. A Scandinavian tour kicks off in Copenhagen one month later. bob hund have more than 300 gigs behind them.
Member Mats Hellquist can probably not drive the tour bus, but at least a car or mini bus. He is the first in the large bob hund circle to get a driver's license, although this is far from a young band. /Mikael Kahrle

Contest for Swedish bands in quest for fame
• Quest for Fame is a contest for demo bands in Sweden, presented by Nuclear Nation together with Memento Materia, Studiefrämjandet and Zero Music Magazine. If you win, you get a record deal, media coverage, gigs and more.
Last date for entering is February 23, and then a jury will choose nine bands for semi finals. These will be held at Skylten in Linköping, Sweden on March 9, March 17 and April 6. The big final is on April 21 at the same location. Rules for entering and more information is available on Quest for Fame's website.
One can't help but wonder why something like this haven't been organised before? /Johan Carlsson, Mikael Kahrle

Closer to launch for New Order
• The forthcoming New Order album will probably be released this autumn, after two singles. This will be the first New Order album in eight years. No titles are decided as of now.
The planned Moby collaboration will not take place, because he is busy elsewhere. However, New Order have sent one keyboard-based song to The Chemical Brothers for a remake. The rest of the album is however said to be guitar oriented. Steve Osbourne will work on the album, as well as mix it.
New Order also plan to release a DVD called "316" based upon a 1981 concert as well as the 1998 Reading Festival gig. March is mentioned as a possible release month. /Mikael Kahrle

Love Like Blood album with 15 goth hit covers

Love Like Blood shows the spring 2001 goth fashion...

• German Love Like Blood's new album "Chronology of a Love-affair" is special. It offers 15 covers of goth hits and one song from themselves. We get to hear songs from The Sisters of Mercy, The Cure, Bauhaus, Type O Negative, Marilyn Manson, The Cult and many others. The CD is divided in four parts: 1980-85, 86-90, 91-95 and 96-2000. It is due out on March 5 through Hall of Sermon. We haven't linked their web site before, so here it is: http://www.love-like-blood.com. /Mikael Kahrle

500 fake Depeche Mode tracks on the net?
• According to Side-Line, two employees on Mute Records and two on Reprise Records are putting out fake Depeche Mode MP3:s on the Internet. This action is said to be taken to prevent the real songs to reach people, once promos are sent to media and others. Side-Line mention that over 500 tracks should have been spread so far.
On the official DM site, excerpts from four songs can be found: the single "Dream on" and the slow, blues-like "The Sweetest Condition", as well as streaming clips of "Shine" and "When the Body Speaks" that didn't work when we tried to listen. The RealAudio files couldn't be found. After 24 hours, each clip will be available as MP3 though. Two new quotes and a two new pictures is up as well. /Mikael Kahrle

Depeche Mode tour starts in June
• Playground Music Scandinavia says we can expect a US tour in June, followed by a European leg in the autumn. Perhaps Depeche Mode can also visit some festival, since they're playing live during the summer anyway. /Mikael Kahrle