#16: FESTIVAL FUN

May 28, 2010

ARTIST OF THE MONTH: A LOWE THING.

Read interview with artist here

OSKAR LINNROS
A very good reason to learn Swedish right now is a twenty-six-year-old virtuoso named Oskar Linnros. After leaving behind a musical history of tongue-tying rap in the hip hop duo Snook, and floor-filling electro tracks from Maskinen, not to mention his celebrated producing skills, it is time for Linnros to go solo, sing, and shine.
“My lyrics show how ugly things are, but my music shows how beautiful [things can] be,” Linnros explains. And that is exactly what he does with magnificent melodies going straight to the heart.

The hard working, ambitious Linnros plays his instruments for your dancing feet while serenading your sentimental soul. The combination is brilliant, and he knows it.
Oskar Linnros is booked for Hultsfred Festival, Storsjöyran, and Piteå Dansar och Ler in Sweden.

The album VILJA BLI is released June 9. Watch the trailer here: http://www.oskarlinnros.se/
By EA

CLANDESTINO FESTIVAL
More than just a festival, Clandestino is a place where music, art, workshops, and panel discussions all come together. The festival’s goal is to dust off those mainstream conceptions of “diverse cultures” and bring our attention to new and alternative ways to highlight urban and rural cultural expressions. Founded in Gothenburg in 2003, the festival now holds its eighth gathering. Swedish Little Dragon, Wildbirds and Peacedrums, and The Tiny are some of the artists that will perform together with international acts like Lee “Scratch” Perry and Wu Fei.

Alongside the music there’ll also be a text laboratory on the theme “Border Reverb” where thirty scholars and artists from Goldsmiths, University of London, among other places, have been invited. Plus a wide range of awesome art, of course!
We love folks who want to make a difference, and not only think outside the box, but take action too.
The festival is held in Gothenburg, June 11-13. Don’t miss out.
http://clandestinofestival.org/en/
By ETS

ROBYN
Unless you’ve abstained from listening to pop music since ’95, you should know by now that Robyn is here—she told us herself on her debut album of the same phrase, Robyn Is Here. Now in 2010, after releasing four albums chock full of pop, hip hop, and R&B gems, she’s letting us know she’s here again in the biggest way she knows how to be: by releasing three albums in the same year!

Everyone’s favorite Swedish diva has been hard at work since the release of ’05s Robyn, working with everyone from Snoop Dogg to Diplo to Norwegian electro-pop duo, Röyksopp. With songs like “Dancing On My Own” and “Dance Hall Queen,” Body Talk Pt. 1 takes us to the dance floor, adding bleeps and dub step beats to Robyn’s signature sugary pop sound, the same one that made her famous fifteen years ago.
Despite what the first six tracks may suggest, Robyn has not made an album exclusively for dancing. Tracks seven and eight, “Hang With Me” and “Jag Vet En Dejlig Rosa,” show off Robyn’s killer pipes without all the backing beats. Just consider these your break because the dancing starts right back up, but this time three times faster with “The Girl and the Robot.”
Body Talk Pt. 1 will leave you feeling energized and ready for a night out with Robyn as your dance buddy. And just think, we’re only a third through!

Robyn is booked for Pitchfork Music Festival in the US July 17, Roskilde Festival in Denmark July 3, Flow Festival in Finland August 18, and Popaganda Festival in Sweden August 27, to name a few of her upcoming summer gigs.
http://robyn.com/
By MDH

VIT PÄLS
Vit Päls means “white fur” in Swedish – a quirky name for a quirky project.
The Malmö-based group consists of eleven musicians with singer/songwriter Carl Johan Lundgren as the genial conductor.
He says that since he hadn’t written in his diary for a long time, he just sat down to “write down everything I’d done in the past month.” It resulted in twenty-six irresistible songs and the lo-fi record Nu Var det I alla fall Så, one of this spring’s most intriguing records.
And though the lyrics mainly deal with trivial anecdotes—mixed feelings over the band’s hometown, Google, the weather—it never gets bland. Instead, the stories are a sensational summary of everyday stuff told up front with warmth and intensity, not to mention with a great dose of humor.
The record is released on Make It Happen, a Swedish record label that concentrates on novel and alternative acts without conventional contracts. It makes sense as the music has a “home recording” feeling to it, something that will probably annoy people that strive for perfection. But then again, Vit Päls is one of those bands that you either get, or you don’t.

Vit Päls is performing together with acts such as Little Dragon, Palpation, Tiger Tape at the two-day festival on May 28-30 at the music venue Debaser in Stockholm. The night is hosted by Svenska Musikklubben and Fritz’s Corner.
http://www.myspace.com/vitpals
By ETS

FIVE FINE FESTIVALS IN SWEDEN 2010
Stockholm Jazz Festival, June 10 – 12. Line Up include: Jenny Wilson, Simone Moreno, Tensta Gospel Choir and more.
Arvika Festival, July 15 – 17. Line Up include: Kent, Markus Krunegard, Jinder, Love is All, Mixtapes & Cellmates.
Emmaboda Festival, July 29-31. Line Up include: Maskinen, I’m From Barcelona, Mrtn Sthlm Beat, Lissie Dancefloor Disaster, Dag for Dag.
Peace and Love festival, 28 July – August 3. Line Up include: Familjen, Hästpojken, Johnossi, Miike Snow, Shout Out Louds.
Way Out West: August 12 – 14. Line up include: Lykke Li, Jens Lekman, Miike Snow, The Radio Dept.
By LK

Q &A JOEL BORG OF WAY OUT WEST
Why did you guys start Way out West Festival in 2007?
We wanted to gather the worlds finest artists in one of the worlds most beautiful parks, Slottparken in Gothenburg. Instead of offering the typical lukewarm beer and langos (a type of greasy Tortilla dish, very common in Sweden during festival times) we are treating our guests with chilled wine and organic food. By hosting the festival in downtown Gothenburg attendees don’t need to head back to camping area once shows are over, instead they can enjoy some of the club nights we are hosting in the city. We booked some great DJs this year from all over the world. For us, our festival goers are the main priority and to create an outstanding festival atmosphere for them. Something we really succeed in so far, and will continue doing as long as people keep coming to Slottskogen for some of extraordinary festival fun.

Who attends your festival?
Average age is 26-27 years, music fans that want to hang out with friends and enjoy life. We welcome everyone, as long as they are up for listening to bands they already like or discover new ones.

Your favorite acts in this years line-up?
M.I.A, Iggy & The Stooges, Mumford & Sons, Pavement, LCD Soundsystem and Lykke Li are some of the highlights. Personally, I’m looking forward to Cymbals Eat Guitars and Meher & Sher Ali.
www.wayoutwest.se/
By LK

PLAYLIST: FESTIVAL FUN
Spotify playlist here
Kärlek vid sista ögonkastet – Maskinen
Dancehall Queen – Robyn
Mat Bira Kvinnor Weed – Marcus Price&Carli Lof
Ikväll Är Vi Kungar - Ison Fille feat. Birgit Bidder
Highway Man – Hoffmaestro
Runabout – Little Dragon
Man Must Dance – Johnossi
Caligula – Hastpojken
Hela Livet Var Ett Disco – Markus Krunegard
New York City – Fibes Oh Fibes
Like Something Worth Remembering – Mixtapes and cellmates

Published by: The Swede Beat