News editors: Mikael Kahrle & Johan Carlsson

• Moby comes back into the limelight next year with his new album ”Hotel”, out on March 16 (a little later in North America). A single is expected before that, on March 2. It is in the "tradition of beautifully eclectic records and runs the gamut from quiet instrumentals, to anthems, to downtempo sultry jams, to uplifting electro-disco, to ballads", according to the press release. The album is almost a one-man affair, with no vocal samples and Moby playing all instruments (except for live drums by Scott Frassetto), as well as producing and mixing. The latter together with Brian Sperber though. Moby also sings on twelve out of fourteen tracks – including two duets with Laura Dawn, and the remaining two songs are instrumentals. /Johan Carlsson

Goldfrapp working on new album

• The British duo Goldfrapp is in the studio again, working on a follow-up to the critically acclaimed “Black Cherry”. The new album is due out in summer next year and is being mixed by Mark "Spike" Stent. /Johan Carlsson

Human League live DVD

• A new live DVD with synthpop legends Human League playing at the Dome in Brighton, England, is out now. It features 5.1 Dolby Digital sound, exclusive interviews and contains a new concert filmed digitally. The title is simply “Human League in Concert at the Dome”. /Johan Carlsson

Bill Leeb as busy as ever - new FLA, Delerium and Noise Unit



• Another year, another edition of the megahit “Silence” from Delerium. This time the CDS "Silence 2004" features the already released mixes as well as a new one from Filterheadz. There are some slight differences between American and European editions. Out now.
According to the fan page Mindphaser.com, Bill Leeb and Rhys Fulber will commence work on a new Front Line Assembly album as well as a new Delerium album this December. Furthermore, Chris Peterson and Bill have found each other again, and are working on a new – supposedly weird and mostly instrumental – Noise Unit album. /Johan Carlsson

Rammstein conquer Europe

• We have read the chart highs for Rammstein's latest album "Reise Reise" and it reached the number one slot in Finland, Austria, Switzerland, Germany, Mexico, Iceland and Estonia, number two in Sweden and Holland and number three in France, Denmark and The Czech Republic.
Rammstein are in the middle of their European tour; they played Stockholm's largest arena Globen (which was sold-out) yesterday and are currently heading for Copenhagen where they will perform in the Forum tomorrow. Release' Johan Carlsson watched the Stockholm gig and says it turned out to be a great show after a halting start. Good entertainment with all the pyrotechnics we have come to expect. In "Mein Teil" Till Lindemann cooks a colleague in a huge pot wearing a chef's hat. Rock'n'roll.
"Mein Teil" was the first single from "Reise Reise". The third and current one is "Ohne Dich". Watch out for the mountain climbing video (out now). /Mikael Kahrle

Progress signs Mr Jones Machine

Mr Jones Machinery are preparing their album.

• Newly founded label Progress Productions (8kHz Mono, Hype, Sturm Café) adds Swedish synthpop trio Mr Jones Machine to their roster. The debut album "New Wave" will be released in January in 1 000 hand numbered copies. The first 200 copies come with a bonus disc.
Mr Jones Machine is Jarmo Ollila (Daily Planet, La Vogue), his brother Jouni (Pouppée Fabrikk) and Magnus Lindström. /Mikael Kahrle

Nick Cave leaves us "Breathless"
• This week, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds delivered the double A-side single "Breathless"/"There She Goes, My Beautiful World". The CD also includes the exclusive "Under This Moon", while the 7" comes with the alternative B-side, "She's Leaving You". /Mikael Kahrle

Nivek Ogre talks to Release about the future

Ogre donned pricked ears headdress at Montréal gig a few days ago.
Exclusive photos by: Alex Veronac (Release)

• After years of waiting for Skinny Puppy's Doomsday Festival reunion concert footage to be released, fans now will have the opportunity to see new live performance content at home.
The two sole Canadian dates on their current North American tour were filmed for later release. In Montréal, the video crew was smaller but at the following evening in Toronto, the concert was filmed in high definition video format with an additional camera boom rig upfront.
The upcoming live DVD release is being headed up by veteran video director William Morrison who previously did the band's "Killing Game" and "ProTest" videos. The only other live video performance release by the band is 1987's "Ain't It Dead Yet?" recorded at the end of their "Cleanse Fold & Manipulate" tour.
The four piece live band is midway through their US tour while future live touring has not been confirmed yet. Australia, South America, Europe and Japan are being discussed as the next stage for live performances in 2005.
The current tour leg has a slightly altered set list compared to the one from this summer, as "Rabies" era favourite "Hexonxonx" is added with a new crafty hooded terrorist onstage plot for the crowd's enjoyment.
Before the Toronto gig we had a chance to talk to front man Nivek Ogre who spoke of his past, and stated that he had not regretted any past decisions as he would do the same if the opportunity were come again. Our earlier mentioned "Greater Wrong..." remix CD project looks like it might just become a later EP release as the band is talking about recording another album soon. Ogre mentioned that after they have fine tuned the process of creating a record and suggested it can be completed swiftly. Skinny Puppy regrets not being able to perform for fans in Baltimore as the show was cancelled at late notice.
Catch earlier Skinny Puppy news from Release here. /Alex Veronac

Plans for a new Depeche Mode album
• Depeche Mode have decided to start working on a new album in January. In early December, the three members, Mute boss Daniel Miller, band manager Jonathan Kessler and producer Ben Hillier plan to meet in Santa Barbara, California (where Martin Gore lives). /Mikael Kahrle

Lowe: Sweden's new pop hope

Lowe at the Stockholm Royal Opera house, where the video for their second single "Ahead of our Time" was shot. From the left: Mehdi, Leo and Rickard.
Photo by: Jessica Frank

• The debut album from Statemachine elegant pop side-project Lowe is out now, called “Tenant” (see our review). The latest, third, single “Hear Me out” is just released as well, and a video should follow soon.
– But some material with the most important scenes was stolen, so we had to reshoot some of it, says Rickard Gunnarsson, one third of the band.
Deals are being negotiated to get the album (also in a limited edition with bonus material) out in the GAS countries and BeNeLux, possibly next year.
- And there might be some gigs in Sweden in December, but we’re primarily planning for next year now. We have been asked to play in Germany, Holland, England and also Russia, where people apparently are crazy about Lowe, Rickard laughs.
Lowe's label is Megahype, run by themselves, which has just signed June Six - aka Hanna Larson - who plays catchy electronic pop à la Kim Wilde, Vince Clarke and Kylie Minogue. A couple of singles are ready, and the debut album is being worked on.
Statemachine is on hold right now, but some live material was recorded at a gig in Berlin. It should have been released as a live album in October, but they haven’t gone through the material yet.
- Some new songs have been recorded for a new album, but no deadlines are set. We’re all too busy with Lowe anyway, haha.
All three Lowe members have a background as musicians, songwriters and producers. Rickard has played with several artists since childhood, from Buspojkarna to Moby (live). Rickard's father has worked with ABBA, Elton John and many other celebrities. Mehdi Bagherzadeh came to Sweden from Iran 1986 where his cousin is a superstar. /Johan Carlsson

Release on the air
• Release is interviewed by Swedish national radio channel P3 and their electronic music show Sizer on Saturday 21:03. We are also asked to compile a top 5 list for the best songs of 2004 (together with Zero) and motivate the choices. You can also listen to the program here after the airing. /Mikael Kahrle