Erik de Vahl

This is one of my favourite albums this year. I don't listen to a lot of new music. But, this is very nice. Independently released on an obscure label called Look. I'm not sure exactly how this label works... it's just a Swedish thing I guess. They like to keep it secret, or some kind of mystery. But it seems like Erik de Vahl, The Embassy and Most Valuable Players are all on this label now.

Back to the album, the label describes "Erik de Vahl's music is a true time document of the 21st century. Classy songwriting mixed with funky/moody electronics. A latter-day Durutti Column, always snoopy and very proud." For me, it's very meditative and enjoyable to listen to. When I leave Sweden, if I listen to this album again, I will miss the days listening to his music and immersing myself in the Swedish landscape.

Sharing Different Heartbeats...

Yeah, y'know, I was there last night. This song (by The Knife) brings me sad memories... so Jose's version is just perfect.

I Am Curious - Yellow

Director/Writer: Vilgot Sjöman
Stars: Lena Nyman, Vilgot Sjöman, Börje Ahlstedt and Martin Luther King
Year: 1967 (Sweden)
IMDB

My Rating: 7/10

I wasn't sure whether I was watching a documentary or a movie. It's bit of both I think, which makes it all the more interesting. That's why even it's not a great film, I still give it credits for trying something different. It's a documentary about social movement and Swedish society at the time, and a film about a girl's life with a mix of reality and fiction.

About social issues, Is a social class system good for our society? Is income a good way to separate social class? How come women still don't have equal job opportunities as men? Can we really defend ourselves with non-violence? Why are these questions still fucking relevant today? Because, we haven't advanced that much I guess. Not even in the Swedish society, though they are already way ahead than most countries, with general gender equality sense and flat social structure, things are still not perfect, male violence just to name one thing.

Ok, I'm not Swedish, and I don't mean to criticize. Quite in contrary, I love living in Sweden. It's just that something don't ever change...

Stockholm Syndrome - Culture

Fotografiska

Stockholm Syndrome - Sceneries

Stockholm Syndrome - B&W

逛逛唱片行

就像成名在望裡面，凱特哈德森說的，唱片行就像你的老朋友，當你寂寞的時候就可以去找找他。儘管，這是我第一次踏進哥德堡的唱片行，可是感覺卻好像回到了一個我很熟悉的環境。來到瑞典已經一個多月了，我發覺我還是在不斷地在適應這裡的環境。或許是因為我還不懂瑞典文吧，也不是很懂真正的瑞典文化，所以儘管小心翼翼，但對於那些對我來說還是未知的文化差異，有時候還是會碰壁。但在唱片行，完全沒有這樣的問題。我愛逛多久就逛多久，我想要慢慢把所有唱片都翻過一遍，也沒人會管我。我想說的重點就是音樂是一項極私人且universal的一件事。那天我逛了哥德堡的 Stigbergstorget區，那邊應該算是音樂重地吧，因為我要介紹的兩家唱片行都在那一區附近。走路路程十五分鐘內能找的到不少唱片行，樂器行，音響店，感覺還蠻集中的，只差表演的場所不知道有沒有在附近（因為沒找到特別想看的演唱會，索性就沒去了）。

Hej

 

Going there tomorrow, and I don't know exactly what I'm feeling. But, I'm not too terribly worried about not knowing how I'm feeling. As long as I know, I'm going somewhere I wanna be, it's good, good enough for me. Now, I'll start daydreaming about my life in Sweden until the time I get there.

August Strindberg

I'm reading August Strindberg's plays, just finished The Father.
Now, I know where Ingmar Bergman's strongly emotional dramas come from.
The on-going battle between sexes, the stories of the alienated modern man, desperate and alone in a forsaken universe will never cease to be out of my interest. "A man never knows anything, he only believes."

Love is Still a Mystery

Hey, girl, you're a sailor
You got a guy in every harbor
But I was yours for a summer
But for that I was deeply honored

She moves in a mysterious way...

Det Vackra Livet

簡單說，The Mary Onettes主腦的兄弟Philip & Henrik Ekström決定用新名字發行他們創作的歌曲。新團名Det Vackra Livet，在瑞典文就是「美麗人生」的意思。今年五月初會在老東家拉不拉多發行同名專輯。不過就從先行單曲"Viljan" 聽來，其實跟The Mary Onettes差不多，差的只是唱的是瑞典文。

另外有關拉不拉多的訊息，The Radio Dept. 的精選輯，之前只能在 Insound 獨家預購的到的，現在已經可以從他們的網站預購了。對於The Radio Dept.的歌迷來說，這張不能不收藏。The Radio Dept.除了專輯裡的歌好聽外，一堆EP，B-Sides，和丟在網路上的 Mp3 都一樣好聽的不得了，而這是難得的機會把他們一次收藏！曲目表。

D Lissvik

左邊這位帥氣少年，應該是最近瑞典我最喜歡的製作人(我認識的好像也沒幾個)。幾乎每一首歌經過他的手中，出來的絕對是掛著 Lissvik 招牌的聲音。 幾乎每首歌或是混音歌曲都帶著屬於夏天海浪的節拍，如果想要一個下午休閒的聽著完全無壓力的歌，純粹只是為了滿足耳朵聽覺的音樂，他會是一個很棒的選擇。之前和 Rasmus Hägg 合組的 Studio 是流行樂也是實驗樂。他們基本上把流行歌的底打的扎扎實實，卻一句話都不肯唱。在他們首張專輯 West Coast 就是這樣的一張專輯，你可以把這張專輯一直放，卻完全不會厭煩。不過就是因為這樣，比起當音樂人，他們比較想要當製作人。在 08 年也以自己的名字出了 7 Trx + Intermission，又是另一張純音樂專輯(甚至連曲名都沒有)，不過頗有異國風味的。另外他和 The Embassy 的主唱 Fredrik Lindson 組成的 The Crêpes 裡，他當的也是製作人，唱歌的就都交給 Fredrik 。他們有出一張小專輯，叫 What Else?，是我很喜歡的小專輯。雖然沒有金曲一首接一首，但有幾首歌好聽的不得了。另外一個Studio， Rasmus 也不落在 D Lissvik 身後，在去年幫El Perro Del Mar製作了 Love Is Not Pop。今年的 Lissvik 除了幫很多人混音外，也正在幫 Young Galaxy 製作新專輯。不過就以目前先發行的曲子，真的，每一首歌經過他的手中，出來的都是 Lissvik 招牌的 hypnotic balearic gothenburg-pop。

Velocity Boys & Girls

PS - Velocity Girl

TTA - Velocity Boy

Get Some

just when i was enjoying the sweet "Little Bit" by lykke li
she dropped this... "Get Some", b-side "Paris Blue" here
this is some filthy lyrics, but i like it a lot
by the way, did you know in "Little Bit", she actually sings "for you, i will keep my legs apart" ? I just realised that today. gosh, how adorable!

Fever Ray - Mercy Street

Mercy Street by Fever Ray
'Mercy Street' was originally written about poet Anne Sexton and features on Peter Gabriel's largely ambient and atmostpheric ('Sledgehammer' aside) seventh album 'So'. On reflection it's an obvious choice for a band like Fever Ray and they do it massive justice. It'll get a proper release on Rabid Records later this year. Karin says of the track:

"We made it more intense and faster to fit our eccentric pecussionists and energetic live musicians. It is a monotone track but we worked with the dynamics trying to make it sparkle. I listened to it a lot when I was around 15, and it still moves me. It made me start reading Anne Sexton too".

if you wanna see more Fever Ray photos.

We Made The Team

This is a hidden Radio Dept. jam. I don't think many people know this song. But it's pretty fucking good. I discovered this song, while I was surfing through klicktrack. If you like this track, maybe try The Embassy's State '08.

Buy Buy Buy

The Replacements - I'll Be You 7''

Lake Heartbeat - Trust In Numbers LP

The National - High Violet 2LP

Broken Social Scene - Forgiveness Rock Record 2LP 

The National - Boxer LP (I lent my CD, and never got it back, so I bought this)

Slowdive - Souvlaki 2LP (Classic!)

Allo Darlin' - Allo Darlin' LP (Love it so much!)

Henning Fürst

Yeasayer- Madder Red (Henning Fürst Remix) by secretlycanadian


Young Galaxy - Queen Drum (Henning Fürst Remix)

After listening to these tracks, I can't wait for his own album if there's any.

Farewell, Honeydrips

As a band, what had The Honeydrips give us?
A fantastic album, couple of singles.
And a very funny skit featured in Jens' Mixtape.
I love all of the stuffs Mikael Carlsson has done.
Too bad, that he called an end to The Honeydrips.
So, that's that. But I always love your music.
If you haven't heard of him, check out Here Comes The Future.