In a video from Fredrik, you know you’re always going to get something a bit different, just like their music. And just like their music, you know it will be a little strange but very good. “Chrome Cavities” continues this pattern, using a play on shadows and color. It features “a vintage British overhead projector, an off-white canvas, scissors, paper, 8 hands and a fishtank full of flammable liquids.” The result is your standard Fredrik genius.

“Chrome Cavities” is off Fredrik’s third LP, Flora, out now on The Kora Records.

Download: “Rites Of Spring” by Fredrik

36.1 minutes. That is the length of the new Fredrik album, Flora. Not bad, especially since the band has put together a video that spans that amount of time and covers the album in its entirety. Brilliant, I say! Flora continues what Fredrik has created on their past two releases – eerie experimental pop music that is other-worldly.

At some point I may have called it haunting, and if I did I must recant. It’s not necessarily haunting music, but it does have a darkness that permeates it, but again not in an unpleasant way. Fredrik’s music has the obscurity of a dream land, a place not quite real but with recognizable landmarks. There’s a consistency to it that is familiar and a strangeness that is foreign.

Imagine diving into your subconscious. It would be familiar, but it wouldn’t be grounded in reality. The laws of physics and time would not apply. Fredrik’s music is of that world, where things change at an awkward pace and the inconsistencies with reality are all but awe-worthy. But it’s not shocking or terrifying or scary. In a way, it’s relaxing and comforting.

There was a really good reason Fredrik’s debut LP, Na Na Ni, was my #1 album of 2008. And while Trilogi was nearly as powerful as that first record, Flora has topped it.

Flora, like the band’s previous two LPs, comes to us via The Kora Records.

Download: “Rites Of Spring” by Fredrik

Consistent in experimentation, exploring the outer reaches of dream pop is Swedish trio Fredrik. On their most recent release, Origami, the band continues what they created with LP Na Na Ni and EP trio Trilogi. They create a sound both wonderful and peaceful, but with an underlying eerie-ness that makes their music unique and refreshing.

Fredrik has always used music to build structure around a fantasy world, and as they continue to give us new material, the dream-lands within their collective minds become slightly more vivid. There’s good reason I consider this band to be one of the best, most original bands around, and you can hear it throughout songs like “White On White.”

Origami, then, continues what Fredrik began with their earlier releases — a recurring dream both darkly beautiful and calmly terrifying, filled with mystery and awe.

Download: “White On White” by Fredrik

The Kora Records [7" Single, 2010]

1. Dance of the Peacock Phantom
2. White on White
3. ABC

Donny Hue and the Colors is back on the radar this summer, dishing out what he’s dubbing fre(e)-singles. Two free digital singles per week; that’s pretty darn impressive. Mike from The Kora Records passed a few my way and I’ve been jammin’ to them for about half an hour now. “At The Garden Wall” has a light folk-pop shuffle somewhere between The Beatles and Dylan, but with modern folk-pop flare. On the contrary, “I’ll Be On My Way” begins with a country-ish pop jangle with bolder, more heartfelt vocals.

Both, in my opinion, match what I’ve heard from Hue in the past. What Hue does here is return to his roots, namely Bob Dylan. But he doesn’t disregard his own personal style in doing so; instead he enhances those signature vocals, that effervescent folk styling found on songs like “Steps” and the good time nature of “Oh Lord”. These songs complement those past successes while giving a nod to the artists that may (or may not) have paved his way toward writing and performing music.

Pay attention, world, because Donny Hue has something very special going on.

You can grab the latest single right here and the previous weeks over here. Hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

Download: “At The Garden Wall” by Donny Hue and the Colors

Download: “I’ll Be On My Way” by Donny Hue and the Colors

The duo of Lindefelt and Fredrik have come a long way since their early work together under their indie pop guise of The Lovekevins. With two entirely too brief EPs, the band transformed into The LK again with Lindefelt at the helm. This was the duo’s first foray into noise-pop, and the single Private Life Of A Cat was our introduction to their new sound. That in itself would lead directly into the band’s first LP, Vs. The Snow. Up to, and including, that album, the band had begun to formulate something very special in the partnership between the two musicians, and it was fully realized when the other stepped into the limelight in their new project, simply dubbed Fredrik.

Surprisingly, this was not a solo-project as the name seemed to convey. It was instead a group comprising of even more individuals than found in The LK. Na Na Ni went on to become my #1 album of 2008, which was absolutely no surprise at all given the power behind songs like “Black Fur”, “1986″ and “Evil And I”. Fredrik now returns with Trilogi, an album that continues the band down the path of noise-pop… full of experimentation, eerie storm’s a brewin’ sounds, and world-wide influences from Japan to their home country of Sweden, and on around the globe.

Fredrik is known for complementing cohesive tracks full of infectious vocals by placing between them hypnotic instrumentals. They did it in Na Na Ni and they do it again on Trilogi. Opening strong with the catchy “Vinterbarn” and melodic “Milo”, the band then launches into the mostly instrumental (first half, at least) “Holm”. This continues with “Den Sista Fabriken” and “Vanmyren” before Fredrik once again gives us one of those indisputably catchy tracks with “Ava”. Toward the end, the band capitalizes on the sound put forth in the opening track, this time with “Mujina/Locked In The Basement”.

What makes a band like Fredrik so amazing is their ability to create something that has hints of an underlying darkness to it, yet is so beautiful it’s tear-worthy. These are sounds that last, songs that last. Dare I say they did it again? Well, it’s too early to tell; but damn if they don’t put heat on that #1 spot for 2010 as early as January. Don’t be surprised if Trilogi enters the top 10 of ’10. Equally, don’t be surprised if it makes it high on that list.

About the release, from the Fredrik website:

The second proper album release, Trilogi is actually a compilation of the rare 3″ EP releases Holm, Ava and Ner. Released on CD by The Kora Records January 26th 2010 and on double-vinyl by the swedish Biograf label. Both versions come on charcoal cardboard with corbeau greens and matte silver highlights. The vinyl release also features a DRM-free digital download of the album as well as the exclusive, hidden EP Post.

Fredrik: Mujina/Locked In The Basement [mp3]

The Kora Records [CD, 2010]

1. Vinterbarn
2. Milo
3. Holm
4. Den Sista Fabriken
5. Vanmyren
6. Ava
7. Flax
8. Under Vattenverket
9. Ner
10. Trestusen Violer
11. Viskra
12. Mujina/Locked In The Basement
13. Omberg

Trilogy, the upcoming sophomore release by Sweden’s Fredrik, is quickly become the most anticipated release of 2010. A few months back we were graced with the excellent track “Locked In A Basement” and now they’ve given us the first video off the pending release, “Vinterbarn”.

“Vinterbarn” follows the path of Fredrik’s videos from their debut LP, Na Na Ni, which was my #1 album of 2008. Primarily featuring a stop-motion style of photography and videography, Fredrik splits apart and reconnects snippets of video for an interesting, almost eerie effect.

In my opinion, Fredrik’s music fits two classifications: dream pop and experimental pop. Their use of nontraditional instruments covers the latter while the sheer pleasant nature of every song they create warrants the former.

Listening to Fredrik’s dark pop, it should be easy to hear why I believe this is one of the most promising acts around.

Fredrik: Locked In The Basement [mp3]

Fredrik – Vinterbarn from The Kora Records on Vimeo.

When a new track or upcoming release is announced noting the master duo Fredrik and Lindefelt, be it their original project The LK (or known earlier as The Lovekevins) or the full group simply named Fredrik, the question is not whether they will deliver, it’s how much. Na Na Ni, to prove a point, was my #1 album of 2008. They return now with the upcoming sophomore release, Trilogi, once again to be released on The Kora Records.

If there were any doubt that this band were the purveyors of some of the greatest works in pop music today, let it be dispelled now. “Locked In The Basement” equals the tops from Na Na Ni, like “Black Fur” and “Evil and I”. As a matter of fact, it has the ability to surpass many of them with the test of time.

What makes Fredrik such a powerful artist? It’s part passion, part experimentation, and a massive quantity of harmony. Their music is synonymous with the soothing calm of waves that crash gently upon a rocky beach, of wind that breathes softly upon wheat fields, of the tranquility found in the early morning after a fresh snowfall. It is synonymous with beauty.

Fredrik: Locked In The Basement [mp3]

Stricken City‘s “Pull The House Down”, off their upcoming October 12 release Songs About People I Know, is poised to be one of fall’s hype tracks. With clever guitar riffs, enough cowbell to make Bruce Dickinson proud, and hefty synth lines, this London-based, female-fronted pop group is set to explode into international greatness.

“Pull The House Down” has all the right elements — great verses, a damn catchy chorus, and the proper funky pop beats to pull it all together. The good news: this song fits well in the band’s library of work. This is no one-time gem, as plagues so many synth-pop artists. This is Stricken City, a band that knows how to put out a great tune.

You can preorder Songs About People I Know in the UK on Pure Groove Records and in the US on The Kora Records. The UK release includes a CD/DVD mix and the US release has two bonus tracks. The US release will also be offered on CD and 180 gram color vinyl.

Stricken City: Pull The House Down [mp3]

Clouded in mystery is Donny Hue’s new track “Steps” off Free Sides. It is filled with pop sensibilities yet is shrouded in psychedelic production, giving the song and the band those added… err, colors. “Steps”, while pop-centric, is not necessarily a super upbeat song. It has echoing guitars masked with a lightly distorted reverb, and the percussion is consistent but downplayed. The vocals, on the other hand, are front and center: their prominence shines even when harmonies are not present. But perhaps the most telling sign that this song remains true to pop is the bouncy keys mostly hidden by the intense guitar mastery but for the closing solo moments.

“Oh Lord” on the other hand, lacks much of the psychedelia of “Steps” and instead features a 60s-era folk-pop. The acoustic guitar has a happy, full strum and the chorus is a lovable singalong, while Hue’s verses are Dylan-esque. Folk. Pop. Psychedelic. They all fit well together and Hue demonstrates this fact aptly in these two tracks. Set Free is a collection of, yes, free tracks released by Donny Hue And The Colors. These songs fit well alongside their growing collection of releases available through The Kora Records, including the recent release Letter From New Virginia, available now as a limited print, hand numbered CD.

Donny Hue And The Colors: Steps [mp3]

Donny Hue And The Colors: Oh Lord [mp3]

I’m becoming quite fond of The Kora Records. With only about a dozen releases under their belt, they’ve already established themselves as a powerfully unique label with an eye for great talent. They’ve released phenomenal records by The LK (bringing the Swedish duo over to the US release of their debut LP), a few by Meredith Bragg, and the amazing Gregor Samsa.

Like the Meredith Bragg and Gregor Samsa acts, The Widespread Reign Of… by The Great Northwest sides on the softer side of music. Where Bragg fits folk and Samsa is a bit more chamber-y and orchestrated, The Great Northwest fits a space-y, drone-y, folk-pop mold.

There are elements of experimentation here; just listen to the transition from masterpieces “Reverie” into “The Key”. While the former is a bit more single worthy (it found a welcome home on The Kora Records Compilation Vol. 1), the latter is superior due to its sheer uniqueness. Transitions occur between songs frequently on The Widespread Reign Of, just falling short of making it a concept album.

True to the nature of the space- and drone-ridden tune, virtually all The Great Northwest’s songs are lengthy and drawn out. “Western American” certainly fits this, at near 7 minutes, while virtually all also include the aforementioned experimental nature. Those that are short tend to be more an intermission than anything else. So, with The Widespread Reign Of…, The Kora Records does it once again: they’ve discovered and released a great album by a great band. For them, greatness always ensues.

This review was originally published July 29, 2008 on the old version of FensePost.

The Great Northwest: Chief John [mp3]

The Kora Records [CD, 2008]

1. High
2. Chief John
3. Reverie
4. The Key
5. Western American
6. Know What I Mean
7. What I Want
8. Ready Or Not
9. Game
10. Be Coming
11. Split
12. Did It Once
13. Surprise I Love You

Were Isaac Brock to have been born with an extra X chromosome, thus lacking a Y, yet all else have been held as constants, Modest Mouse very well may have sounded like Pree, led by the masterful ex-Le Loup member May Tabol. Like her former group, Tabol’s music is filled with haunting folk melodies.

At least that’s what we can gather from “In The Parlor”; the song is the first single of Pree’s first album, titled A Chopping Block and out stateside on March 9 via The Kora Records. Below is the AON Session Video of “In The Parlor”. While the group includes four, this particular take features only two.

It shows the versatility of the group; the sound is much bigger than two on the videos yet it fits the tune well, as well as four fit it on the upcoming A Chopping Block. I’m just listening to the full, five-song EP in its entirety at the moment, and as each second passes, I am getting more and more excited about this band. Listen to the song, watch the video, and I’ll wager that the same will happen to you.

Pree: In The Parlor [mp3]

AON Sessions: Pree, “In the Parlor” from All Our Noise on Vimeo.

Written by Fense

So, I guess I better just come out and say it: Na Na Ni by Fredrik (MySpace), out in Sweden on Jezebel Recordings and in the states on The Kora Records, will be snagging the ultimate spot of Best Album of 2008. This should not be a surprise to you, as I’ve likely said it since receiving the LP in the mail many, many months ago. I imported the CD from Sweden. Well, today I just picked up the vinyl version, out in the states (The Kora also released a US CD version).

I can already tell you that “11 Years” will be one of my favorite videos of the year. It probably won’t grab the top spot, but it’ll surely come close. While I dug their video for “1986″, it just doesn’t have the power of this one. I love the black and white elements of this video, and the stop motion, and how they display the passing countryside with Fredrik in the background.

You may recognize these guys, as I’ve definitely written about them before. Be assured that as time passes, Fredrik will become one of the greatest indie-pop bands in the world. If they don’t, I may have to write the biggest tragedy since Shakespeare.

Fredrik: Na Na Ni [mp3]

Fredrik: 1986 [mp3]

Fredrik: Black Fur [mp3]

Fredrik – 11 Years from The Kora Records on Vimeo.

Written by Fense

This may be a stretch, but Mary Lorson’s vocals remind me of the softer side of Saint Etienne’s Sarah Cracknell. At times. They are pleasantly romantic and have that wonderful European sound. But The Piano Creeps are from New York. And their music quite different—it is always soft and fairly minimal.

“Hey Love” is the first video from the group’s upcoming release, Future Blues (For Me And You). A major presence in the film is children—two in particular. We’re led to believe the song is about them—for them—and that their parents are probably in the band. Like the music, the video is slow-paced and the piano plays an important role.

Future Blues (For Me And You) hits via The Kora Records on October 14. The album, as a whole, fits well alongside similar TKR artists Gregor Samsa and The Great Northwest.

The Piano Creeps: Hey Love [mp3]

The Piano Creeps – “Hey Love” from Cascade Video/Don Bazley on Vimeo.

Written by Fense

Here it is, the debut video by Swedish experimental pop masters Fredrik (MySpace), led by frontman Fredrik, also known as one half of the duo that is The LK (previously The Lovekevins). Fredrik is a bit fuller than the other project. Despite the singular name, Fredrik is actually a full-fledged group, featuring several members as opposed to The LK’s duo (also featuring Lindefelt, who appears here as well).

Let it be heard (I’ve said it once and I’ll say it as many times as it takes to get drilled into your head): Na Na Ni, the 2008 album by Fredrik, is my #1 album of 2008. Damn if any band is going to change that in the next few months—it’s impossible! That’s how much confidence I have in the album. (And one listen to “1986” and “Black Fur”, the two tracks included below, should sell you on this notion as well.)

So, what about the video? It’s a bit weird; it looks like a disjointed old-school tech project from the wacky mind of a Swede. And it is! And he uses graphics that look like they could have surfaced in 1986; it all makes the video (and the song title) all the more effective.

Whether it’s “1986” or the first single, “Black Fur”, or even the delicious “Evil And I”, Fredrik is bound to take the US by storm when Na Na Ni finally hits the states via The Kora Records next month (October 28 to be exact).

Currently, however, it’s only available in Sweden via Jezebel Recordings. But I’d hold off on picking it up from Jezebel, unless you plan on picking up multiple copies (like I plan to). Kora will drop the album not only as a CD but also as 140 gram vinyl! While the CD is out in October, vinyl will hit stores (and the Kora website) sometime in November, to coincide with Fredrik’s brief US tour… the dates are below the video.

Included below are mp3s for “1986″ and “Black Fur”. Enjoy these and, come November, do what I’ll be doing: go get yourself a copy of the vinyl. (Or, if you truly wish to be like me, pick up two!)

Fredrik: 1986 [mp3]

Fredrik: Black Fur [mp3]

Fredrik – 1986 from The Kora Records on Vimeo.

NOVEMBER DATES
11.05: Washington, DC (DC9)
11.12: Boston, MA (TT the Bears)
11.13: Portland, ME (Space 538)