News editors: Mikael Kahrle & Johan Carlsson
Tips: info at releasemagazine.net


Norberg festival in its ninth year

June 30, 2008 | By: Mattias Huss (Uppsala/Stockholm, Sweden)

The prime festival for experimental electronic music in Sweden will be held once again on July 24-26 in the atmospheric old mine facilities in Norberg some distance northwest of Stockholm. As usual it is quite a treasure trove of independent, experimental music, and well worth a visit for anyone genuinely interested in what goes on in the margins of electronica. Who knows how long we will be blessed with festivals with such a lovingly put together programme of commercially impossible acts?

Sweden is represented among others by artists from the Ideal label that is celebrating its tenth anniversary this year, as well as veterans from the Fylkingen association and stage for new music in Stockholm. The prime international playlist offers anything from electro-acoustics to dubstep and breakcore with artists like Skream and Bong-Ra.

See On Stage.


Aphex Twin/Autechre-esque noodlings

June 26, 2008 | By: Mike Whyte (London, UK)

The particular brand of Australian experimental electronica you will hear from Aeriae actually has its roots in remixing soundtracks based around the online gaming community. From these roots Aeriae (aka Wade Clarke) has created an album of Aphex Twin/Autechre-esque noodlings entitled "Hold R1". So if that is you're thing, and you're missing some of that classic 90's RDJ muzak, it could be worth a sneaky look.


Lebanese electronic glam-pop

June 25, 2008 | By: Mike Whyte (London, UK)


Photo by: Najib khazaka
Concept and design: Bane Saleh

Lumi is a band hailing from a country possibly never even mentioned in Release: Lebanon. They claim to "break new ground on the Lebanese electronic scene". It is easy to see how, as the duo of Marc Codsi and Mayaline Hage have recently been signed to EMI, and are currently working on their debut album with producer Andi Thomas, of Mouse on Mars and Von Sudenfed fame. They have also been hitting the road in a big way, with dates in venues from London to Dubai to Berlin having been undertaken in recent weeks. For further information, and a chance to listen to a peek of their electronic glam-pop sound, head over to www.myspace.com/lumisounds.


New Order DVD includes new interviews

June 24, 2008 | By: Mikael Kahrle (Gothenburg, Sweden)

The sixth concert film from New Order, "Live in Glasgow", was released earlier this month, including a 2006 Glasgow live concert, new interviews with all members and clips from old shows. The Glasgow concert features four Joy Division songs and ends with "Love Will Tear Us Apart".


Front 242 headlines Oslo's Elektrostat

June 23, 2008 | By: Mikael Kahrle (Gothenburg, Sweden)

Oslo's annual Elektostat is headlined by Front 242 this year. The November 7-8 festival has also asked 8kHz Mono, Gothminister, Zensor, Trakktor and many more to come and play - and further live acts will be added along the road. See On Stage.


Disappointment over new Front 242 release

June 16, 2008 | By: Mikael Kahrle (Gothenburg, Sweden)

Many fans are disappointment after discovering that the new Front 242 free download release "First Moment" from Alfa-Matrix contained no new material. Instead, we are only served two old tracks in live versions ("U-Men" and "Im Rhythmus Bleiben").

On July 4 "further moments" will be delivered.


Second new Elegant Machinery single in August

June 16, 2008 | By: Mikael Kahrle (Gothenburg, Sweden)

After reforming, Swedish synthpop trio Elegant Machinery presented their "new" sound on strong single release "Feel the Silence". On August 8, the second new single is scheduled for release by Out of Line. "Move" contains the title track and an exclusive B-side as well as a new video clip.