Cover of FM Belfast's "Underwear" / FM Belfast @ France

Martin's cover of FM Belfast
"Underwear"

FM Belfast live in France
Video by Hartzine

FM Belfast from Hartzine

The Real Icelandic Music Scene by Redefine Magazine

Redefine Magazine reports about the Real Icelandic Music Scene.
Previous this magazine posted 3 Mixtapes of Icelandic music.

Download the 3 Mixtapes here.

Gavin Portland "Breathing is hard work" Live Video

Gavin Portland
"Breathing is hard work", from the album "III: Views from distant towns" (2006) featuring a piece of the fantastic movie Nói Albínói
Buy the album @ Gogoyoko

Gavin Portland @ MySpace

Feldberg "Don't be a stranger" Videos

Feldberg
"Don't be a stranger", title song of the album released in 2009 on Cod Music in Iceland and in 2010 on Rallye Label in Japan.
Video directed by Ásgrímur Már & photographer Jói Kjartans.

Alternative video I've found on YouTube

Feldberg @ MySpace

Swords of Chaos, Me, The Slumbering Napoleon & Bob @ Bakkus on Thursday 3. March 2011

Swords of Chaos

Me, The Slumbering Napoleon

BOB

@ Bakkus

Thursday 3. March 2011 @ 21:30

Free Admission 

Swords of Chaos "Clip-On Disguise Chops" (live @ Hljóðriti)

Back to the 90's: Músíktilraunir / Musical Experiments 1995

Músíktilraunir 1995

200.000 Naglbítar

Botnleðja

"Árekstur"

Bee Spiders, with Jónsi of Sigur Rós fame

More Jónsi in the 90's in the Icelandic Music Museum.

Song of the 204. Week is Prince Valium's "Crying hearts"

Song of the 204. Week is Prince Valium's song "Crying hearts" of the album "Andlaus" (breathless/without breath).
One half of Icelandic electronica duo Sk/um (together with Skurken: "Sk"), Þorsteinn Ólafsson has given his sound an epic makeover for this his solo debut on Resonant Label (RESCD019, 2006).
The album is mostly instrumental, exception is this breathtaking female vocal-led track "Crying hearts".
Buy the album "Andlaus" @ Gogoyoko

Prince Valium @ MySpace

Apparat Organ Quartet @ Sódóma on 24 & 25. March 2011

2 Concerts 

24 & 25. March 2011

Apparat Organ Quartet

@ Sódóma  

Buy Tickets @ 12 Tónar @ Skólavörðustígur 1. March 2011

Supporting Act on 24. March is Borko

Supporting Act on 25. March is Swords of Chaos

Presale: 2000 IKR

Momentum, Ask The Slave & Caterpillarmen @ Faktorý 12. March 2011

Momentum
Ask the Slave
Caterpillarmen

@ Faktorý 

Saturday 12. March 2011 

@ 23:00

Admission: 1000 IKR
Teaser for Ask The Slave

Rökkurró & Sudden Weather Change @ Faktorý 3. March 2011

Rökkurró & Sudden Weather Change

@ Faktorý

Thursday 3. March 2011

Doors @ 21:00

Start @ 22:00

Admission: 1000 IKR
Rökkurró "Endalok" Live @ VOX, Maldegem, Belgium (29. March 2009)

Sudden Weather Change "Pray Mode" Live @ Café Video, Gent, Belgium (1. June 2010)

Reykjavik Music Mess 16-17. April 2011

Reykjavik Music Mess

16-17. April 2011

Program with

Deerhunter (US)

Lower Dens (US)

Mugison (IS)

Nive Nielsen (GL)

Prinspóló (IS)

Reykjavík! (IS)

Sin Fang (IS)

Skakkamanage (IS)

Sóley (IS)

Sudden Weather Change (IS)

More artists to be announced soon
Reykjavik Music Mess Website
Reykjavík! goes Sudden Weather Change "Kajaks" Live @ Krúsin, off-venue @ Aldrei Festival, Ísafjörður, West Fjords (2010)

Lazyblood Live @ Sèvres (2010)

Lazyblood, the duo & couple consisting of the famous dancer & Iceland's grunt queen Erna Ómarsdóttir& Valdimar Johannsson, guitar player of the band Reykjavik!
Live in La Générale en Manufacture @ Sèvres @ the occasion of TRIPLEX Exhibition on the 3. June 2010

LAZYBLOOD live from Esther Welger Barboza
Lazyblood @ MySpace

Aldrei fór ég suður Festival 22-23. April 2011

Aldrei fór ég suður Festival

22-23. April 2011
@ Ísafjörður, West Fjords

On the program:

Bjartmar og Bergrisarinir, FM Belfast, Skálmöld, Jónas Sigurðsson, Perla Sig, Vintage, Grafík & Páll Óskar Hjálmtýsson

More artists to be announced 
Aldrei fór ég suður Website

3 Redefine Magazine Mixtapes covering the Icelandic Music Scene

Over the course of three days, Redefine Magazine will be rolling out a three-part, comprehensive mixtape covering many bases of the Icelandic music scene. The goal is to dispel the myth that Iceland's musical exports only consist of the ethereal sounds of Sigur Rós and múm and the eccentricities of Björk.
Mixtape A: Electronic + Garage
The first mixtape begins with a fascinating collection of electronic-influenced tracks comprising the minimal, danceable, and everything in-between. The latter half descends into an assortment of roaring garage rock selections which show a side of Iceland that often goes unnoticed to those who have not experienced the country firsthand.  

1. Bloodgroup "My Arms"
2. Who Knew "Tranquility"
3. Yoda Remote "Funky Blueberry"
4. Berndsen "400 Trips"
5. Pornopop "Little Kafka"
6. Ljósvaki "All That Is (Akina Gegoo)"
7. Evil Madness "Free Magic Weed"
8. Tarnús Jr. "Silly Idol Little Boy"
9. Borko "Dingdong Kingdom"
10. Reykjavík! "The Blood"
11. Mammút "Svefnsýkt"
12. Black Valentine "Ben Suala, Keep Walking The Walk"
13. IKEA SATAN "Sound Of The Planet"
14. kimono "Black"
15. Múgsefjun "Hagmunatikin"
16. BONUS TRACK: Caterpillarmen "Döðludans"
17. BONUS TRACK: Hunk Of A Man "Captain Of Love"

Mixtape B: Indie + Instrumental
The second mixtape begins with music from popular Icelandic indie rock musicians, and slowly transmutes; vocals fall away as the mixtape progresses, and instrumentation wordlessly becomes the focus, through post-rock and classical music.

1. Of Monsters And Men "Little Talks"
2. The Way Down "Fatal"
3. Peter And Wolf "Samba Suicide"
4. California Cheeseburger "Paralysed"
5. Rökkurró "Augun Opnast"
6. Worm Is Green "The Darkness"
7. Seabear "Lion Face Boy"
8. Pascal Pinon "New Beginning"
9. Feldberg "I’m Not Thinking Of You"
10. Amiina "Over And Again"
11. Sketches For Albinos "Daniel Likes Birds"
12. Miri "Góða Konan"
13. For A Minor Reflection "Átta"
14. Daníel Bjarnason "Bow To String I. - Sorrow Conquers Happiness"
15. BONUS TRACK: Skakkamanage "Summer All Over"

Mixtape C: Solo Musicians
The third mixtape focuses on singer-songwriters and solo musicians, and explores just how far one person's creativity can be stretched. 

1. Sin Fang "Always Everything"
2. Loji "Blue Ray"
3. Þórir Georg "Er Sem Er"
4. Dad Rocks! "Kids"
5. Snorri Helgason "Freeze-out"
6. Hafdís Huld "Köngulö"
7. Ólöf Arnalds "Innundir Skinni"
8. Ólafur Arnalds "Tunglið"
9. Benni Hemm Hemm "Retaliate"
10. My Summer As A Salvation Soldier "Ham On Rye"
11. Lay Low "Why Do I Worry"
12. Sóley "Theater Island"
13. Just Another Snake Cult "Forget Everything I Have Said"
14. Prinspóló "Niðrá Strönd"
15. Pétur Ben "Something Radical"
16. Björk Viggósdóttir "Before Sundown"
17. Loji "I Lost My Job"

Download all 3 mixtapes here

Búdrýgindi "Uppþornaður fíkill" Live in TV Program Íslandi í bítið árið (2002)

Búdrýgindi
"Uppþornaður fíkill" in TV Program "Íslandi í bítið" in the year 2002

Lotte Reiniger & Amiina @ Nordic House, Reykjavik on Saturday 26. February 2011

Lotte Reiniger & Amiina

@ Nordic House / Norræna Húsið, Reykjavík

Saturday 26. February 2011

17:00-20:00

 Amiina performs music to three of Lotte Reiniger's silhouette animation films as a warm up for a tour to Australia.

Amiina's Website

Mooie Dingen uit Het Noorden: Interview with Daníel Bjarnason

Beautiful Things from The North (Mooie Dingen uit Het Noorden) had an interview with Daníel Bjarnason before a show @ Rotterdam, The Netherlands

Interview Daníel Bjarnason from Mooie Dingen uit het Noorden
"Bow to String" Live @ KEXP Radio @ Airwaves 2009

Útidúr "Ballaðan" Live @ TV Program Kastljósið

Útidúr
"Ballaðan" live @ TV Program Kastljósið
A song of their debut album "This mess we've made"
Buy the album @ Gogoyoko

The Sugarcubes Live @ Dutch TV Program Firma Onrust (1988)

The Sugarcubes did 3 songs Live in Dutch VPRO TV Program "Firma Onrust" in 1988
"Deus", "Cold Sweat" & "Motorcrash"

For a Minor Reflection US Tour February - March 2011

The band For a Minor Reflection are going on a US Tour. Starting off in Washington DC where they are a part of “Taste of Iceland” days. FaMR then continue to New York playing to two gigs before joining Gifts From Enola (Harrisonburg, VA) On a tour around the East Cost. FaMR finish their trip at SXSW where they are to play an official showcase Thursday 17. March @ 512 as well as performing at the Sonicbids party Friday 18. March downstairs @ Maggies Mae’s.

Washington DC "Taste of Iceland"
Thursday 24. February
Venue: Sushi Rock
http://www.sushirockdc.com
Friday 25.  February
Venue: Sushi Rock
http://www.sushirockdc.com

Baltimore "Taste of Iceland"
Saturday 26. February
Venue: Windup Space
http://www.thewindupspace.com

New York
Monday 28. February
Venue: Pianos - Manhattan
http://pianosnyc.com

Tuesday 1. March
Venue: The Rock Shop - Brooklyn
http://www.therockshopny.com

Austin Texas
SXSW Festival
Thursday 17. March
Venue: 512 (official gig)
on stage at 11:00 PM

Venue: The Blue Theatre
http://bluetheatre.org
Friday 18. March
1.00 PM (daytime show)
Venue: Maggie Mae’s, downstairs stage (Sonicbids gig)
http://sonicbids.com/sxswparty
http://www.maggiemaesaustin.com

Source: IMX

Extreme Chill & Weirdcore present Biogen Tribute @ Kaffibarinn on 23. February 2011

Extreme Chill & Weirdcore

present

  A Tribute to

Sigurbjörn Þorgrímsson/Biogen 

24. febrúar 1976 - 8. febrúar 2011

Wednesday 23. February 2011 @ 20:00

Free Admission

We will never forget you, your music lives on forever in our hearts...

Program with
Beatmakin Troopa - AnDre - Jafet Melge - Futuregrapher - Skurken - Tanya Pollock - Ruxpin - Yagya - Agzilla - Stereo Hypnosis - Tonik - Kidrama - Steve Sampling - Orang Volante - Krummi - Quadruplos - Plat - Prins Valium - Frank Murder - Árni Vector - IntroBeats - ThizOne  & more..........

Vicky "Black Lesbian Lover'

Vicky
"Black Lesbian Lover", a song of their debut album "Pull hard"
Buy the album @ Gogoyoko

New Band: Puffin Power

Today I painted the drummer of the new band "Puffin Power".

Puffin Power (Acryl 20x20cm)

Song of the 203. Week is California Cheeseburger's "On the beach"

203. Song of the Week is "On the beach" by California Cheeseburger.
California Cheeseburger are Ari Eldon on bass & vocals, Riina on guitar & vocals, Kommi on drums & Pétur on guitar, organ &vocals.

California Cheeseburger first appeared as a trio in 2005, when Pétur Úlfur, Ari Eldon and Riina Pauliina started writing and recording songs together. Pétur and Ari had played together in the band Panman earlier, while Riina had been busy with her own bands, the Homebreakers and Minä Rakastan Sinua.
In 2005 they played their first gig, at a Gay Pride party in Reykjavík and maintained a fairly active schedule for the following year. In 2006, Cheeseburger recruited local legend Kommi (Langi Seli og Skuggarnir, Oxsmá) as a drummer, but only played once in public after that before disbanding.
Now, they have risen from their grave only to record songs that were too good for collecting dust and release it as their debut album "Holland Island Bar Light". The album has a genuine soothing surf vibe to it and one can imagine standing at the beach porch with beer and BBQ, and afterwards taking a nap in a hammock and drift away.
California Cheeseburger @ MySpace
Ching Ching Bling Bling Label

Echo & The Bunnymen and Iceland - Video & Album cover shot in Iceland

Echo & The Bunnymen are Íslandsvinirnir
On my old blog I love Icelandic music I made items about videos shot in Iceland & album covers with photographs shot in Iceland.
Echo & The Bunnymen did both. 
Long before Damon of Blur, Jarvis of Pulp, drum 'n bass guru Goldie became friends of Iceland in the 90's. The video for the song "The Cutter" of their "Porcupine" album uses footage shot in the land of fire and ice (mainly all nearby the golden waterfall Gullfoss).
Read more about the album @ Wikipedia

The cover of the album "Porcupine" (1983) features the famous Gullfoss.

On my new blog Icelandic Music Museum I collected all articles about Echo & The Bunnymen published in the Icelandic newspapers over the years:
Echo & The Bunnymen in Iceland

Jónsi won the inaugural Nordic Music Prize

Jónsi wins the inaugural Nordic Music Prize

The Nordic Music Prize’s distinguished jury has decided that the Nordic Music Prize goes to Jónsi for the album ”Go”. Jónsi secured the victory in close competition with 11 other nominees
The jury states:

”The music of the winner could only have been made here, in the North. It sounds and almost smells like Iceland. It’s brave and life affirming pop music that grabs you by the heart in flamboyant technicolour.”
The jury consisted of:
Rob Young – Author of the new book Electric Eden, former editor of The Wire, now writer for Uncut and The Wire.
Andres Lokko – Scandianavias most influential music writer. Now based in London. Writes for Svenska Dagbladet.
Laurence Bell – Owner of Domino Records
Jeannette Lee – Former member of P.I.L. Owner of Rough Trade Records with Geoff Travis. Manager of Duffy.
Matthew Schnipper – Writer for The Fader.
Mike Pickering – Former Factory Records employee, now A&R at Columbia Records UK.
The other 11 nominees were:

• Dungen - Skit i allt

• Paleface Helsinki - Shangri-La

• Susanne Sundfør - The Brothel

• Robyn - Body talk

• Efterklang - Magic Chairs

• Serena Maneesh - S-M 2: Abyss in B Minor

• The Radio Dept. - Clinging to a scheme

• Ólöf Arnalds - Innundir skinni

• Kvelertak - Kvelertak

• First Aid Kit - The big black & the blue

• Frisk Frugt - Dansktoppen møder Burkina Faso i det himmelblå rum hvor solen bor, suite

Amiina Live @ Kjarvalstaðir/Kjarval Museum @ Safnanótt on 11. February 2011

Amiina Live @ Safnanótt @ Kjarvalsstaðir Museum on Friday 11. February 2011


Amiina

Biggi Hilmarsson goes Commercial

The music composed by Biggi Hilmarsson (of Blindfold and Ampop fame) is used in a Motorola Ad, which was screened during the Superbowl on 5. February 2011.

Biggi's Website

Jónsi goes Commercial again

Jónsi's music used in Ad again
Previous Advertisement for paint

Jónsi's Website

Daníel Bjarnason's "Bow to string" Symphony in Videos

Bow To String Symphony

3 parts piece for solo cello, were filmed by Una Lorenzen, an artist based in New York & Reykjavík.
Una Lorenzen's Website
The visuals are made from photographs of a trainride between New York & Canada, 16mm shots from Iceland by Þorbjörg Jónsdóttir & computer animation.
Part I: Sorrow Conquers Happiness

Sorrow Conquers Happiness
Part II: Blood to Bones

Blood To Bones
Part III: Air to Breath
Air To Breath

Eistnaflug 2011 - Metal & Rock Festival @ Neskaupsstaður, East Fjords 7-9. July

Eistnaflug  

@ Neskaupsstaður, East Fjords

7-9. July 2011

Tickets in presale: 9000 IKR
Eistnaflug's Website

•    Agent Fresco

•    Alice in Chains (Tribute)

•    Ask The Slave

•    Atrum

•    Beneath

•    Benny Crespo´s Gang

•    Black Earth

•    Brain Police 

•    Carpe Noctem

•    Celestine

•    Chao

•    Dánarbeð

•    Dimma

•    Dr. Spock

•    Eiríkur Hauksson

•    Elín Helena

•    Gone Postal

•    HAM

•    Hamferð

•    Innvortis

•    Mammút

•    Manslaughter

•    Momentum

•    Muck

•    Offerings

•    Plastic Gods

•    S.H. Draumur

•    Sakmóðigur

•    Secrets of The Moon

•    Skálmöld

•    Sólstafir

•    The Monolith Deathcult

•    Trassar

•    Triptykon

•    Witches

Ching Ching Bling Bling Rock Musicplayer

A Musicplayer with music from the Ching Ching Bling Bling label.
Pornopop is coming with new songs this year!
 
Rock by chingchingblingbling
Ching Ching Bling Bling's Website

Icelandic Music Awards 2010 - The Nominees

The Icelandic Music Awards - The Nominees
Album cover of the year:
Sigurður Eggertsson for "Pólýfónía" with Apparat Organ Quartet
Hallmar Freyr Þorvaldsson for "Baldur" with Skálmöld
Hrafn Gunnarsson for "Helvítis fokking fönk" with Stórsveit Samúels J Samúelssonar
Sara Riel for "The end is as near as your teeth" with Swords of Chaos
Lilja Birgisdóttir og Inga Birgisdóttir for "Go" with Jónsi

Performer of the year:
Ómar Guðjónsson
Ágúst Ólafsson and Gerrit Schuill
Elfa Rún Kristinsdóttir
Agent Fresco 
Jónsi
Stórsveit Samúels Jóns Samúelssonar

Voice of the year:
Jóhann Smári Sævarsson
Þóra Einarsdóttir
Kristinn Sigmundsson
Arnór Dan Arnarson
Jón Þór Birgisson
Ólöf Arnalds

Newcomer of the year:
Ari Bragi Kárason
Sóley Stefánsdóttir
Herdís Anna Jónasdóttir
Valdimar
Just another snake cult

Songwriter of the year:
Bjartmar Guðlaugsson, text for Skrýtin veröld
Róbert Örn Hjálmtýsson, text for Lúxus upplifun
Andri Ólafsson og Steingrímur Teague, text for Búum til börn
Haraldur F Gíslason og Heiðar Örn Kristjánsson, text for Meira pollapönk
Bragi Valdimar Skúlason, text for fönkóperunnar Diskóeyjunnar and Christmas albums with Baggalútur and Memfismafían
Jónas Sigurðsson, text for Allt er eitthvað

Composer of the Year:
Jóel Pálsson for Horn.
Skúli Sverrisson for Sería 2.
Jón Þór Birgisson for Go.
Pétur Hallgrímsson for Let me be there with Ellen.
Ólöf Arnalds for Innundir skinni.
Bjartmar Guðlaugsson for Skrýtin veröld.

Single of the year:
"Go do" from Go (Jón Þór Birgisson)
"Crazy car" from Innundir skinni (Ólöf Arnalds)
"Það geta ekki allir verið gordjöss" from Diskóeyjuni
"113 Vælubíllinn" from Meira pollapönk (Pollaönk)
"Konan á allt" from Skrýtin veröld
"Hamingjan er hér" from Allt er eitthvað (Jónas Sigurðsson og Ritvélar framtíðarinnar)

Composition of the year:
Hrím (Anna Þorvaldsdóttir)
Allt hefur breyst, ekkert hefur breyst (Haukur Tómasson // Víkingur Heiðar Ólafsson &Caput)
Kvartett (Þórður Magnússon)

Album of the year – Classical/contemporary:
Hymnodia Sacra
Iepo Oneipo/Heilagur draumur
Hallgrímspassía
Sería II
Flute Music

Album of the year - Jazz:
Horn - Jóel Pálsson
Reginfirra - Reginfirra
The Dream - Sunna Gunnlaugs

Album of the year - Rock/Pop:
A long time listening - Agent Fresco
Go - Jónsi
Allt er eitthvað - Jónas Sigurðsson og Ritvélar framtíðarinnar
Innundir skinni - Ólöf Arnalds
Lúxus upplifun - Ég
Búum til börn - Moses Hightower
Last train home - Kalli
Kimbabwe - Retro Stefson
Source:
ISTON

Pascal Pinon in Pop Candy Podcast

Pascal Pinon's song "New beginning" is featured in the latest Pop Candy Podcast (15. February 2011).
Listen to the track @ 19:18-21:09
Pop Candy podcast: Feb. 15, 2011 by popcandy

Ólafur Arnalds "Brodstjór" Live @ London's Tabernacle on 7. February 2011

Ólafur Live @ London's Tabernacle on 7. February 2011
"Brodstjór"

Ólafur Arnalds' Website
Ólafur Arnalds' MySpace

Music Alliance Pact (MAP) # 29 (February 2011)

 It's time for the 29th I love Icelandic music/Icelandic Music Maffia contribution to an international initiative, the Music Alliance Pact, aka MAP. I take part in this Blog Alliance since the start in October 2008. On a monthly basis music bloggers from around the globe select a track from their country which is then posted collectively and simultaneously on those blogs - giving each nation's track international exposure.
A trip around the world in 33 songs with a take off in Iceland:
This month I contributed the song "Sólin mun skína" by Rökkurró.

Rökkurró’s music is build around Hildur Kristín Stefánsdóttir’s voice and swooping strings. Their debut album "Það Kólnar Í Kvöld…" (It’s Getting Colder Tonight…) was released in 2007 in Iceland, Europe and Japan.
Last year Icelandic label 12 Tónar released their more mature, second album entitled "Í Annan Heim" (In Another World). This album was produced by Alex Somers, partner and music collaborator of Jónsi of Sigur Rós.  The song “Sólin mun skína” is one the 9 tracks on this album.
The Official Video made by Bowen Staines

Rökkurró - Sólin mun skína from Rökkurró

To download all 33 songs in one file click here
AGENTINA: Zonaindie
Iguana Lovers - Bloqueada
The history of Iguana Lovers goes as far back as 1991 when they released Universo, their first album, which had a limited run in cassette format. Along with big acts such as Babasónicos and El Otro Yo, they managed to create a whole new movement within Argentine rock music, with a post-punk sound influenced by British bands like Happy Mondays, The Stone Roses and New Order. Bloqueada is from their new EP, International Mistery Man, which can be downloaded from their website.



AUSTRALIA: Who The Bloody Hell Are They?
aBillion - Soldiers
It may not be summer where you are right now, but it's definitely summer in Australia - and despite the natural disasters there's still enough sun and surf to make a song like Soldiers really hit the spot. Sydney's aBillion has burst onto the blog scene riding the proverbial chillwave, engaging many of the micro-genre's tropes but managing to make them their own. Although, there's a lot of music like this floating around at the moment, Soldiers has enough of a hook and groove to it to make you tune in.



BRAZIL: Meio Desligado
Cabruêra - Visagem
Cabruêra is a band from the north-east of the country who merge typical regional rhythms with contemporary music such as electronic and rock. They're famous for their insane shows, always full of stage dives and crowd-surfing from the band's frontman, Arthur Pessoa. Visagem is an instrumental theme that shares its name with their most recent album, which was released last year and is available for free download thanks to Petrobras, the Brazilian oil company that is the biggest sponsor of culture in the country.


CANADA: I(Heart)Music
Fire And Neon - Everybody's Going
Disco never died. It just went into hiding somewhere on the outskirts of Canada's capital, where it was then discovered by Fire And Neon. They, in turn, nursed it back to health and made a debut EP full of irresistibly dancey anthems.



CHILE: Super 45
Namm - Stellar
Pablo Flores is one of the most iconic Chilean musicians. Aside from founding the experimental music netlabel Jacobino Discos, he takes part in several projects. In Namm, Flores joins Loreto Molina, Pablo Fuentes and Anita Gallardo in exploring synth-pop from an experimental perspective, but elegant nonetheless. Stellar is taken from his latest EP, Saba, offered under a Creative Commons license.



CHINA: Wooozy
Re-TROS - Up Next: Bela Lugosi's Back
Also known as Rebuilding The Rights Of Statues, this post-punk outfit formed in Beijing in 2003. Inspired by the likes of Bauhaus, Gang Of Four, Magazine and Joy Division, Re-TROS have become a mainstay in the Chinese underground scene. Hua Dong has one of the most piercing vocals and his distorted guitar lines add 'darkness' to the Re-TROS sound. The band have released two albums to date and have been very well received by fans and critics alike. They have been invited to support Gang Of Four for a one-week Australian tour at the end of February.



COLOMBIA: Colombia Urbana
Cris Supra - Este Verano
Under the influence of R&B, Cris Supra gives us Este Verano, his new single for 2011. Supra is a representative exponent of the electro hip-hop scene in Colombia, with the principal base of his music coming from influences such as LMFAO, Pitbull, Lil Jon, David Guetta and Kid Cudi.



DENMARK: All Scandinavian
Stupid White Men - Walk And Slaughter
Banjos, dobros, pathos-filled lyrics, dark emotions and a dusty Southern rock feeling. Sounds like a good combo to you? Then you'll dig quartet Stupid White Men and their excellent debut album It's A Fine Day To Kill Someone Nice, which was released last month.



ENGLAND: The Guardian Music Blog
Star Slinger - Zonked
Darren Williams is a Manchester-based sample-mad musician who uses snippets of old songs, often classic soul and R&B, to create new tracks. Not for nothing has he been compared to the late, great J Dilla in terms of his ability to create amazing fresh sounds from ancient vinyl, while in terms of obsessive crate-digging for sonic gold he's like a one-man Avalanches. "He takes a fragment, a pop particle, and uses its DNA to construct a brilliant new piece of music," wrote our New Band Of The Day columnist recently, commenting that Williams' ethereal, crackly take on sexed-up R&B made him a sort of cerebral R Kelly for bedroom lo-fi nerds.



FINLAND: Glue
Moses Hazy - Something You Ate
From the far north of the Finnish Lapland, Moses Hazy deliver the first single from their third album. This is a pretty straightforward rock song with an in-your-face chorus and a bunch of acid notes to add some psychedelia to the mix. Danceable and fun.



GERMANY: Blogpartei
Touchy Mob - Atlantic Back
Folk-techno, as Ludwig Plath calls his music produced under the name Touchy Mob, seems to be the natural connection of two currently popular genres that tend to be honest and plain. But as you listen to his songs and remixes you are drawn into hypnotic structures, great arrangements and Plath's soft, gentle voice. Atlantic Back is just one facet of his talent - check out more songs from this promising Berlin-based artist on Bandcamp and Soundcloud.



GREECE: Mouxlaloulouda
Exposed By Observers - Doubt Is Dead
Exposed By Observers frantically blend cheap samples, drum machine sounds, distinctive beats, clicks, bleeps and tightly-coiled guitars riffs with manic electro buzz and raw, squawking vocals. Yet they are less faithfully wed to punk and more interested in dance-derived rhythms. Doubt Is Dead is taken from their digital single, Fake Stories, the first in a series of monthly releases (there will be at least five parts). Visit Soundcloud to check out Fake Stories Never Get Old and their debut EP, Secondhand Youth.



ICELAND: Icelandic Music Maffia
Rökkurró - Sólin Mun Skína
Rökkurró's music is built around Hildur Kristín Stefánsdóttir's voice and swooping strings. Their debut album Það Kólnar Í Kvöld… ("It's Getting Colder Tonight…") was released in 2007. Sólin Mun Skína is taken from their more mature second album, Í Annan Heim ("In Another World"), released last year by Icelandic label 12 Tónar and produced by Alex Somers, partner and music collaborator of Jónsi of Sigur Rós.



INDIA: Indiecision
IAFWAY - Unsaturated
New Delhi hardcore act IAFWAY (short for "I Am Fake Who Are You") are unlikely contenders for Indian metal glory. Still in school, the sextet can't even legally buy drinks at the clubs where they hope to take their brand of screamo. Yet their videogame-inspired tunes bely a maturity well past their years. On Unsaturated, a track from their free debut EP, they bring together melodramatic hardcore trappings with an almost graphic novel-ish wielding of screamo à la Bring Me The Horizon.



INDONESIA: Deathrockstar
Pee Wee Gaskins - Jakarta Is A Mistake
Pee Wee Gaskins divide opinion - lots of people hate them but even more love the five-piece South Jakarta pop-punk boys. Since their music has grown in maturity and their lyrics have become deeper, we should agree about the progress they have made. Put aside the band promotion, public relations and social media consciousness, it's the music itself that continues to redefine the sound of PWG.



IRELAND: Nialler9
MOTHS - Slow/Down
The definition of 'one to watch' is an artist who is clearly adept at making music and impressing but maybe hasn't gone as far as the album-making cycle. MOTHS aka Jack Colleran has a good excuse. He's only 17 and still in school in County Kildare but he has already made a couple of standout electronic jams. Definitely keep an eye out for more of this goodness.



ISRAEL: Metal Israel
Blank Divinity - In Another Life
Blank Divinity is a metal band from Ashkelon, a seaside city no stranger to rocket attacks. They rightfully boast transcendence over all metal genres into their own sometimes brutal, sometimes melodic and most of the time completely shredding brand just waiting to be picked up by the right record company. Their talent is undeniable (though their occasional female vocalist is not to my taste) and I can definitely see these guys playing the major European festivals one day. Check them out.



ITALY: Polaroid
Green Like July - Flying Scud
Green Like July's second album, Four-Legged Fortune, was recorded at the ARC Studios in Nebraska and produced by A.J. Mogis (Saddle Creek). In fact, it definitely has a Bright Eyes vibe but this song in particular, with its Dylan-esque mood (that organ, that bridge), is a pure folk-rock jewel, intense and fragile at the same time. I love the way it burns out when it reaches the last words, you can totally see the trembling light of the stars, and the night fades away.



MEXICO: Red Bull PanameriKa
Marlento - As The World Turns
Marlento is one of those bands with the outstanding ability to stir vivid scenes on their listeners' minds. This five-piece from Guadalajara sports a deviant mixture of influences within their songs, from Americana to New Wave, ebbing and flowing from furious post-punk to melancholic Mexican folk. As The World Turns is the quite catchy and tight first single from their sophomore album, Ludo, to be released this month.



THE NETHERLANDS: Unfold Amsterdam
Nikoo - Shameless
There's a real urgency to every sound this noise-pop outfit creates. Tribal drums clatter ferociously, while guitar fuzz emanates through the entire frequency spectrum, at times the mid-range riffs starting punch-ups with harmonic-fried highs. But drawing members from some of the Netherlands' most underrated alt-pop bands (Foam, The Sugarettes, amongst others), raw and enduring harmonies are rarely far from the surface of the noise. Imagine all the fun and chaos of Baltimore's Ponytail but with much less banshee.



NEW ZEALAND: Einstein Music Journal
Popstrangers - Avenue
Noisy shoegaze collides with angry post-punk in Popstrangers' songs. They released their second EP, Happy Accidents, in November on Shoot The Freak, and its five distorted pop songs instantly stand out. There's a real menacing quality to the slacker vocals, drilling rhythm section and rusty guitars. Avenue sounds like a classic Flying Nun track in some regards, all pent-up aggression and hooky choruses dropping off to a sweetly serene bridge.



NORWAY: Birds Sometimes Dance
Jonas Alaska - In The Backseat
Jonas Alaska is a 22-year-old up-and-coming singer-songwriter from Åmli. He's currently living and studying in Liverpool and playing shows solo or with the band Homestead. He's no doubt walking in the footsteps of Bob Dylan, but don't be mistaken - he's not a pale copy, rather a brilliant musician in the same vein. He spent the fall of 2010 recording his debut album and we can all look forward to its release this summer.



PERU: SoTB
Kanaku & El Tigre - Bicicleta
Kanaku & El Tigre are a cool group who will revitalize our ears this summer. Bruno Bellatín and Nico Saba's compositions take in folk melodies and experimental sounds made by any unusual instrument. Their stories talk about vices and selfishness, but also about sweetness and a weird hope. Bicicleta is from their first LP, Caracoles, a real hidden treasure.



PORTUGAL: Posso Ouvir Um Disco?
Hipnótica + Unixx - Perfect Betrayer
T(h)ree is the name of a collaborative compilation featuring 33 bands from Portugal, Macau and Hong Kong. Hipnótica, who recorded and produced this track with Hong Kong group Unixx, is one of the most interesting Portuguese alternative bands and have been releasing music since 1997. Twelve-Wired Bird Of Paradise is their critically-acclaimed latest album and came out last year.



ROMANIA: Babylon Noise
White Walls - The Lost Art Of Chapeaugraphy Part II
This month we're presenting you something a bit different. Progressive metal that blends furious riffs with moments of calm, harsh vocals with melodic ones, alternating explosions with restraints. I'm talking about White Walls, from Constanta, four guys becoming ever more appreciated thanks to their live performances and debut album, Mad Man Circus, available for download via their label, Asiluum.



SCOTLAND: The Pop Cop
Reverie - Get To Know Me
Reverie is the stage name of Louise Connell, a striking 21-year-old singer with a tempting voice and pop songs with hints of Martha Wainwright. Get To Know Me is such a flawless acoustic strum, it surely can't be long before daytime radio is all over this. The track is taken from her surprisingly diverse debut album Melodies which you can download for less than the price of a glass of wine at Bandcamp.



SINGAPORE: I'm Waking Up To...
Elektone - Falling Into You
Memories fade in and out of reality when it comes to Elektone's dreamy brand of electro-pop. Started by Zulfadly Amin, a graduate of our National Arts Council's Noise Singapore initiative, he and his merry band capture love and light waves as pangs of desire wash over Singapore's bullet-speed society. Taking a moment to enjoy Elektone's music is almost like allowing yourself to fall asleep in a mass rapid transit, dreaming of tomorrow as yesterday happens all around you.



SOUTH KOREA: Indieful ROK
Auhm - Hide In The Fog
So far, Youn Sung Hoon is best known as the guitarist in the beyond lovely indie-pop act Donawhale, but with the band on hiatus that may well be about to change. In addition to occasionally supporting former MAP artist Apollo 18 on stage, he's been making some music under the moniker Auhm. Hide In The Fog is a glorious post-rock track that is far from as shy as the title implies. Hopefully an EP will be out before the summer, but for now we'll have to be satisfied with Auhm's wondrous demo recordings.



SPAIN: Musikorner
AtletA - Evasión y Victoria
12twelve were one of Spanish post-rock's top bands. Out of its cinders and spirit, many creative adventures rose, AtletA being one of them. Composed of two former members of the aforementioned Barcelona band, Jaume L. Pantaleón and José Rosselló redefine their sound with a bigger experimental expression. Krautrock, synth loops and free-jazz structures dissolve and pass the baton that Pantaleón already held in Ruizpantaleón, shading the compositions with hypnotic brightness, as Evasión y Victoria shows.



SWEDEN: Swedesplease
Stay Hungry - Against The Wall
I guess I should have asked for a couple of more songs from the straight edge hardcore band Stay Hungry since this one clocks in at only 1:27. Still, it's a perfect use of a minute and 27 seconds - nothing is wasted in this band's minimalistic aggro punk. I'm not a hardcore expert and am far removed from the scene, but to me these guys have it. Whatever 'it' is.



SWITZERLAND: 78s
Death Of A Cheerleader - Flesh & Blood
Death Of A Cheerleader is a four-piece from Winterthur. They recently released Flesh & Blood, a forerunner to their debut album, recorded and produced by Magnus Lindberg in Sweden. The track is gloomy and haunting, six-and-a-half minutes full of No Wave in its best manner. If their full-length lives up to the promise, Flesh & Blood shows it's going to get a cheerful release party.



UNITED STATES: I Guess I'm Floating
New Animal - Last Winter
Atlanta duo New Animal command a wide variety of genres and sounds on their self-titled debut LP (available free here), from electro-pop to avant indie-rock. The anthemic and meditative Last Winter is a great example of their songwriting chops, just one of 15 reasons to love this emerging band.



VENEZUELA: Música y Más
Rawayana - Bahia
Together since 2007, Rawayana fuse acoustic sounds with genres such as funk and folk to create something unique. Since mid-2009, they have been playing in the main bars of Caracas with bands such as Los Mesoneros, Wahala and Lebronch.