Thursday 28 February 2013

REVIEW - BY:LARM FESTIVAL 2013 AND THE NORDIC MUSIC PRIZE





A revelation hearing Kerkko Koskinen Kollektiivi.

Space meant it was not possible to go into all that was seen, so here’s a few amongst the many others taken in.

Anna von Hausswolff: a mind melter, caught in the MOJO piece.

Bow To Each Other: highly classy electropop duo, proper songs. Fully formed.

Broken Twin: works better as a lone entity and especially with the violin. Bits nod towards Our Broken Garden

CTM: definitely not Chimes & Bells. Shakatak meets Imagination.

Elefant9 with Reine Fiske: nailed the ELP/Coliseum roots to the floor with the approach of LA hardcore circa 1981/2. Powerful

Elliphant: Sweden's MIA, but with more pointing and added bouncing. Headache inducing.

Eva & Manu: instant connection with the audience, but the repetition of the songs (oddly reminiscent of Tunng) and the sweetness leaves little aftertaste.

Guðrið Hansdóttir: a surprise, hard-hitting and like Nanci Griffith filtered through something totally alien. Great.

Holograms: couldn't get in.

Hvitmalt Gjerde: Bonkers, Gerry & the Pacemakers-style 1963 Merseybeat in a Bergen dialect. Send them to Liam Watson

MF/MB: instantly thought of K-X-P with the La Düsseldorf and two drummer approach, then needed a reorientation course as MF/MB are up to their third album. Relentless.

Oyama: Efficient, but MBV’s return makes small-scale retooling of Isn't Anything not so necessary.

Retro Stefson: “Do you like house?” Not really, but they are irresistible.

Young Dreams: further to the MOJO comments, it’s more about the architecture than the songs, so strong melodies would be good.

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