In From The Cold Again

Amazing aurora's in this clip, accompanied by some music from the great Kimmo Pohjonen, nature can be be so beautiful , rejoice and awe !

No rest for the wicked, after some extensive bathing in the Icelandic hotwater pools, it's time to journey via the arctic towards Siberia and onwards to Tibet and China before settling in Japan the remainder of april. So without further ado..

A few months ago when posting episode 5 - France of the eurosonic tour i got a request for another Hector Zazou album, Songs from the cold Seas, well as we're crossing those cold seas on our way to the continent here it is. Back on land we meet arctic citizen Geir Jensen, aka Biosphere again, i posted his Shenzou before, this time his piece de resistance, Substrata, remastered and together with the soundtrack for Man With A Movie Camera, i tell you it ill make your speakers quiverrrr.. The arctic is of cause famous for its aurora's, it inspired the Colours magazine at least to start up north with the colours and music series i presenting artists from scandinavia, strangely though the cover is black and white hmm those art-directors..

Mari Boine sings in her Sami language, bangs the drum and delivers her shaman music supported by nordic jazzgreats. Her work is related to the music of the Tungus people of Siberia, whom we'll meet more extensive in my next post coming wednes day but are represented already here today by Huun-Huur-Tu, make sure you have something for your throat at hand in case you want to sing along with them..

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Cool Frost Bytes

Hector Zazou - Songs from the Cold Seas (95)
Biosphere - Substrata/Man With A Movie Camera (01)
VA - Colors Nordic (01)
Mari Boine - Eight Seasons (Gávcci Jahkejuogu) (02)
Huun-Huur-Tu - Best-Live (01)

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Hector Zazou - Songs from the cold seas ( 95 * 285mb)

Hector Zazou has proven himself as a creative force behind several unsual projects, as a unique musical arranger and producer called upon for his constant capacity of innovation.Whether it be for string quartet, wind instruments, classical voices or synthesizers, all illustrate Zazou's passion for the most unexpected inventions. The album "Les Nouvelles Polyphonies Corses" (1991- a successful experiment blending century-old a-cappella songs with shades of contemporary music) The following year Hector's "Sahara Blue" was released: the album, based on the work of the French poet Arthur Rimbaud and performed by the Sahara Blue Orchestra stars David Sylvian, Bill Laswell, Khaled, Dead Can Dance, Gérard Depardieu among other guests. available here

Inspired by the musical folk traditions of the Northern Hemisphere, Hector's next adventure was "Songs From The Cold Seas" (1995), a literal journey through Siberian Shamanism, Scandinavian folk songs, Japanese ballads and Greenland mythology featuring an impressive cast of musicians including Värttina, Tokiko Kako, Suzanne Vega, Björk, Siouxsie and Jane Siberry. Released in 1998, "Lights In The Dark" – an exploration of ancient sacred Celtic music from the XIIth century featured some of the most beautiful Irish voices (Katie Mc Mahon, Breda Mayock and Lasairfhiona Ni Chonaola), a gospel choir and guest appearances by Mark Isham, Carlos Nuñez, Caroline Lavelle or Peter Gabriel.



01 - Annuka Suaren Neito (Ft - Värttinä)
02 - Visur Vatnsenda-Rosu (Ft - Björk)
03 - The long Voyage (Ft - John Cale, Suzanne Vega)
04 - Havet Stomar (Ft - Lena Willemark)
05 - Adventures In The Scandinavian Skin Trade (Ft - Vimme Saari)
06 - She's Like A Swallow (Ft - Jane Siberry)
07 - The Lighthouse (Ft - Siouxsie)
08 - Oran Na Maighdean Mhara (Ft - Catherine-Ann Macphee)
09 - Yaisa Maneena (Ft - Tokiko Kato)
10 - Yakut Song (Ft - Lioudmila Khandi )
11 - Song Of The Water ( Ft - Kilabuk, Nooveya)

Zazou @ Wiki
Zazou @ Amazon

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Biosphere - Substrata / Man With A Movie Camera

Geir Jensen, aka Biosphere, was born in 1962 in Tromsø, a city within the Arctic Circle in the northernmost portion of Norway, no real surprise then this "arctic sound" label stuck. In 1983, he composed his first piece of music. In 1985, Jenssen was part of the newly-created Norwegian moody synth trio Bel Canto. They released their first two albums together. In 1989, he left the band in order to pursue a different music style altogether.

Following the release of The North Pole By Submarine (90), Jenssen chose a new musical direction and began releasing his music as Biosphere. Getting his first Biosphere album, Microgravity a wider release wasnt easy, however when it did, it got rave reviews. The follow up Patashnik, saw Jenssen continue to explore his ambient-house beatless style. The uptempo track "Novelty Waves" was picked by Levis to support an add campaign and a single with 5 remixes was released.
In 97 Geir released Substrata a classic amongst ambient albums, it really established him as an ambient giant. In 2000 he released Cirque, which unsurprisingly wasnt as impressive as its predecessor.

In 2001 Biosphere released a remastered version of Substrata together with the soundtrack to Man With A Movie Camera movie. In 1997, the year Substrata was released, Geir Jenssen was commissioned by the Tromso International Film Festival to write a new soundtrack for 1929 Man With A Movie Camera film, by Russian director Dziga Vertow. Jenssen worked with fellow Norwegian Per Martinsen, aka Mental Overdrive, from Vertow’s instructions for musical accompaniment. Each musician worked on every other part. There are numerous similarities between Substrata and Jenssen’s compositions for this soundtrack. Man With A Movie Camera is not as arid as Substrata, field recordings collide with orchestras, accordions, beat patterns and samples from old French movies to create a multicoloured patchwork of incredible diversity.done in collaboration with Per Martinsen aka Mental Overdrive, added are two bonus tracks for the Japanese version of Substrata.



Biosphere - Substrata / Man With A Movie Camera (97/ 01 ^443mb)

01 - As The Sun Kissed The Horizon (1:47)
02 - Poa Alpina (4:11)
03 - Chukhung (7:34)
04 - The Things I Tell You (6:28)
05 - Times When I Know You'll Be Sad (3:44)
06 - Hyperborea (5:45)
07 - Kobresia (7:12)
08 - Antennaria (5:04)
09 - Uva-Ursi (3:01)
10 - Sphere Of No-Form (5:47)
11 - Silene (7:53)
12 - The Eye Of The Cyclone (Japanese Substrata bonus)(7:22)
13 - Endurium (Japanese Substrata bonus)(10:47)
Man With A Movie Camera
14 - Prologue (0:19)
15 - The Silent Orchestra (7:52)
16 - City Wakes Up (5:58)
17 - Freeze-Frames (6:46)
18 - Manicure (4:43)
19 - The Club (1:57)
20 - Ballerina (7:50)


Biosphere @ Base

Biosphere @ Amazon

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VA- Colors Nordic (397mb)

"Nordic the first issue of Colors Music, focuses on the more sophisticated context of Scandinavia where jazz clubs and jazz music has a strong presence and where traditional music has given a new insight of atmospheres that recall Scandinavian traditions. The Nordic context is full of atmospheric melodies and new jazz structures", from the Colour magazine supporting this release United Colours of ... Well there's some good stuff here so don't let it pass you.



01 - Blue Foundation - Grand (5:02)
02 - Röyksopp - Sparks (5:25)
03 - Xploding Plastix - More Powah To Yah (5:26)
04 - Jimi Tenor - Grilli-Iloa (2:51)
05 - He Said Omala - Troubled Mind (4:55)
06 - Pan Sonic - Lomittain (3:50)
07 - Mind Over MIDI - Walkman (4:21)
08 - Motion Control - Cleavage (2:53)
09 - City Of Women - Tablakone (6:26)
10 - Goran Kajfes - Bumblebees (6:29)
11 - Nils Petter Molvær - Solid Ether (5:11)
12 - Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson & Sigur Rós - Yfirum (4:12)
13 - Múm - Green Grass Of Tunnel (4:50)
14 - Deathprod - Polytwin (2:29)


Colors Nordic @ Amazon.Ca

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Mari Boine - Eight Seasons (Gávcci Jahkejuogu) ( 02 * 353mb)

Sápmi, which reaches down the north-west coast of Norway, across the top of Sweden and, its southern edge veering north of the Arctic Circle, stretches eastward into northern Finland and the Kola peninsula of north-west Russia, is the homeground of the Sámi race. Estimates vary, but there are much less than 100,000 people - perhaps 75,000 or fewer - who might reasonably be described in terms of heredity, lifestyle or language as Sámi. They have never been a nation, and speak several mutually non-comprehensible languages of the Finno-Ugrian linguistic group, the most prevalent of them being North Sámi, the one spoken by Mari Boine.

Eight Seasons, is her first for the new Jazzland label run by keyboardest Bugge Wesseltoft, who also plays on and produced the CD. While Boine might seem a curious choice for a "jazz" label, her music is not that far from what fits into the jazz mold today. Boine has guested on several ECM recordings by saxophonist Jan Gabarek, and he returns the favor by playing on I come From The Other Side. Wesseltoft brings an electronic edge to Boine's acoustic music. The song opens up with Mari singing over a synth pad, then a heavy drum beat and bass enters. To his credit, Wesseltoft has captured the rhythmic trance of Boine's music without destroying the heritage. Gabarek adds alto sax, weaving his lines around Boine's voice, which is in the same register. At times it's almost difficult to tell which is which, as they blend together so well. As a side note, most of the vocals here are sung in Boine's Sami dialect, which adds to the richness of the music.

Mari Boine's sound is powerful expressive organic-sounding world music, musically both primal and sophisticated at the same time. One buzz-word when Sámi music is mentioned is shamanism; the word originates with the Tungus people of Siberia, and what is generally accepted as shamanism is found in many parts of the world, but it does seem to be a word that observers utter whenever a Sámi bangs a drum. It follows that Mari's music is best experienced live, where she can express her presence in the music best.



01 - Boađan Nuppi Bealde / I Come From The Other Side (5:35)
02 - Song For The Unborn / Reagákeahtes (6:36)
03 - Sáráhka Viina / Sáráhka's Wine (4:42)
04 - Guovssahasaid Ájagáttis / By The Source of Aurora B (6:04)
05 - Sielu Dálkkas / Soul Medicine (4:57)
06 - Mu Váibmu Vádjul Doppe / Hymn (4:19)
07 - Butterfly / Beaivelottáš (4:16)
08 - Liegga Gokčas Sis' / In A Blanket Of Warmth (7:05)
09 - It Dieđe / You Never Know (4:38)
10 - Duottar Rássi / Tundra Flower (4:34)
11 - Silba Várjala / Let Silver Protect (7:59)
12 - Bottoža Dáhtun / Give Me A Break (3:32)

Mari Boine @ MySpace
Mari Boine @ Amazon

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Huun-Huur-Tu - Best-Live ( 01 * 234mb)

The xöömei quartet Kungurtuk was founded in 1992 by Kaigal-ool Khovalyg, brothers Alexander and Sayan Bapa, and Albert Kuvezin. Not long afterwards, the group changed its name to Huun-Huur-Tu, meaning "sunbeams" (lit. sun propeller). The focus of their music was traditional Tuvan folk songs, frequently featuring imagery of the Tuvan steppe or of horses. The ensemble released its first album, 60 Horses In My Herd (93), the following year. By the time recording began for the follow-up, The Orphan's Lament (1994), Kuvezin had left the band to form the more rock-oriented Yat-Kha, he was replaced by Anatoli Kuular. In 1995, Alexander Bapa, who had produced the first two albums, departed the band to pursue production as a full-time career. He was replaced by Alexei Saryglar . The third album, If I'd Been Born An Eagle, recorded in the Netherlands, was released in 97. In early 1999, the band released its fourth album, Where Young Grass Grows. For the first time on a Huun-Huur-Tu album, non-Tuvan instruments (except for the guitar) were featured, including harp, tabla, Scottish smallpipe and synthesiser. Huun-Huur-Tu toured in the USA with the Kronos Quartet, Frank Zappa, The Chieftains and L. Shankar to namedrop some.

In 2001, the band released their first live album, Best * Live, recorded at the "Music & Drama Theatre" during Millarit's Folk Festival in Petrozavodsk, Karelia (North-West Russia) in April 2001. In 2003, Kuular quit the band and was replaced by Andrey Mongush, an experienced teacher of xöömei and Tuvan instruments. They released a second live album, aswell as Spirits from Tuva



01 - Ancestors ! Prayer (6:55)
02 - Oske Cherde (2:54)
03 - Barlyk River (3:04)
04 - Chiraa-Khoo (5:52)
05 - Fantasy On the Igil (6:01)
06 - Eerbek-Aksy (1:43)
07 - Kongurei (5:03)
08 - Ching Söörtukchülerining Yrysy ! Song of the Caravan Drivers (7:19)
09 - Borbanngadyr (3:27)
10 - Ezir-Kara (4:42)

Huun-Huur-Tu @ Base
Huun-Huur-Tu @ YouTube

Huun-Huur-Tu @ Amazon

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* All downloads are in * ogg-7 (224k) or ^ ogg-9(320k), artwork is included , if in need get the nifty ogg encoder/decoder here !

Stage 35, The Eurosonics Compilation

Stage 35, Eurosonics Compilation yes everything in one go, linked to the pages. But first some figures these last 4 months Rho-Xs generated 60,000 hits, considering i remain, unfortunately, a rarety promoting the open source OGG format, which btw is superior to the commercial MP3 format, i can say i'm glad to have seen this much interest. I posted about 20 gig in this context (220 albums) .
Well i hope that i made a case for all thats out there in places rarely considered by the MacDonaldized music industry, this in Europe, let alone the rest of the world, i hope to see more blogs promoting the music made locally. I will continue to travel expect an arcticpost be followed by the great outdoors..Siberia
 before reaching Japan, so much going on there that  rarely reaches the west.

Last week i used Divshare as mediafire was resetting, i ve used it at my Rho-Xsss since the welsh post, it seems it us undergoing growth problems at this time- widely varying downloadspeeds , so i remain with mediafire here, let me know if it works for you. 

PS- For some reason blogger squeezes the pics when those get longer- the pics are all 12 cm wide, if you want a better look go to Rho-Xsss

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01 - Austria
Dargaard - In Nomine Aeternitatis
GD Luxxe - The 21st Door
Peace Orchestra - Reset
Sofa Surfers - En
VA - G-Stone (Kruder & Dorfmeister)
02 - Austria 2
Tosca - Delhi 9
Tosca - Delhi 9 Etheric
Truby Trio - Elevator Music
Fennesz - Endless Summer
VA - Vienna Scientists II -More Puffs From Our Laboratories

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03 - Germany South
Carl Orf's - Camina Burana
Fauna Flash - Fusion
FunkStorung - Disconnected (02)
NoTwist - Shrink (98)
Tied & Tickled Trio - Electric Avenue Tape (01)
Kammerflimmer Kollektief - Cicadae
Bergheim 34 - It's Not For You, As It Is For Us

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04 - Switserland
Carlos Peron - Impersonator II (88)
The Young Gods - Only Heaven (95)
The Young Gods - Heaven Deconstruction (96)
Golden Boy with Miss Kitten - Or (01)

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05 - France South East
Miss Kitten - Electroclash (02)
Lizzy Mercier Descloux - Press Color (79)
Penumbra - Seclusion (03)
M83 - Dead Cities, Red Seas & Lost Ghosts (01)
Zazou / Bikaye - Guilty (88)
Hector Zazou - Sahara Blue (92)
Les Nouvelles Polyphonies Corses avec H Zazou (91)

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06 - Spain
B-Tribe - Suave Suave (95)
Ojos De Brujo - Bari (03)
Schwarz - Arty party (04)
Ketama - Songhai (88)
07 - Spain Portugal
Amparanoia - Rebeldía con Alegría
Radio Tarifa - Rumba Argelina (95)
Manta Ray - Esperanza (00)
Madredeus - Electronico (01)
Moonspell - Wolfheart (95)
Rui da Silva - Produced & Remixed Compilation (02)

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08 - France ici Paris
Carte de Sejour - RhoRhoManie (84)
Vitalic - Ok Cowboy (04)
Motorbass - Pansoul (96)
Avril - That Horse Must Be Starving (02)
Ethnician - Ethnician (99)
VA - Rue Martel - Ya Basta (99)
09 - France ici Paris Deux
Alansky, Jay - Les yeux crevés (02)
Ekova - Soft Breeze & Tsunami Breaks (99)
DJ Cam - Substances (96)
Bertrand Burgalat - The Sssound of Mmmusic (00)
Encre - Flux (02)

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10 - Belgium
Telex - Neurovision (04)
Ghinzu - Blow (04)
Novastar - Another Lonely Soul (04)
Front 242 - Back Catalogue (87)
Ontayso - Re-Mixed, Re-Worked, Re-Constructed And Re-Invented (02)
2ManyDJs - As Heard On Radio Soulwax Pt. 2 (02)
11 - Belgium BE
The Names - Swimming (82)
Vive La Fete - Nuit Blanche (03)
Hoover - A New Stereophonic Sound Spectacular (96)
dEUS - Worst Case Scenario (94)
Magnus - The Body Gave you Everything (04)
TC Matic - TC Matic (81-06)
D.A.A.U. - Domestic Wildlife (06)

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12 - Netherlands
Clan Of Xymox - Clan Of Xymox (85)
Clan Of Xymox - Subsequent Pleasures (84)
Kraak & Smaak - Boogie Angst (05)
Mecano - Subtiteld & Untiteld ( 80)
Gathering, The - Souvenirs (03)
Speedy J - G*Spot (95)
Herman Brood - My Way 01
13 - Netherlands SE
Clashing Egos - Rubicon ( ' 04 )
Solex - Pick Up ( ' 99)
Junkie XL - Saturday Teenage Kick ( ' 97 )
Legowelt - Classics 1998-2003 ( ' 03)
Voicst - 11-11 ( ' 04)
Kettel - Cenny Crush ( ' 02 )
Ayreon -The Electric Castle (98)

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14 - Germany NDW
D.A.F. - DAF ( ' 81- ' 84)
Kowalski - Schlagende Wetter (overman underground ' 82 )
Der Plan - Geri Reig ( ' 80)
Einstuerzende Neubauten - Halber Mensch ( ' 85)
Nina Hagen Band - I ( ' 78)
Xao Seffcheque - Sehr Gut, Kommt Sehr Gut ( ' 80)
Palais Schaumburg - Lupa ( ' 82)
----Holger Hiller - Ein Bündel Fäulnis In Der Grube ( ' 83)
Die Neue Deutsche Welle War Da Da Da ......Wie Was Wo ? (' 79 - 83)
Zaza - Zaza

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15 - Germany KraftwerkWorld
Kraftwerk - Trans-Europe Express ( ' 77)
Kraftwerk - Computerworld (' 81)
Kraftwerk - R emi X e S
Elektric Music - Esperanto ( ' 93)
Yamo - Time Pie ( ' 96)
Various plastic surgery on The Model
Senor Coconut - El Baile Alemán ( ' 00)
Terre Thaemlitz - Die Roboter Rubuto ( ' 97)
VA - Trans Slovenia Express ( ' 94 )

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16 - Germany West
Thomas Brinkmann - Row ( ' 02 )
Mouse On Mars - Niun niggung ( ' 99 )
DaDamnPhreakNoizPhunk - Take off da hot sweater ( ' 02 )
Anthony Rother - Life is Life is Love ( ' 03)
The Modernist - Explosion ( ' 99 )
Isolee - We are monster ( ' 05 )

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17 - Germany Berlin
To Rococo Rot - Hotel morgen ( ' 04)
Allien, Ellen - Stadtkind ( ' 01)
Tanzwut - Labyrinth der Sinne ( ' 00)
T.Raumschmiere - Radio blackout ( ' 03)
Thomas Fehlmann - Good Fridge 90-98 (' 98)
Malaria ! - Delirium (Remixed*Remade*Remodelled) ( ' 95 )
Rammstein - Live aus Berlin (' 99)

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18 - Germany North
Ledernacken - Double Album ( ' 85 )
Mense Reents - Aus Freien Stucken ( ' 03)
Project Pitchfork - The Early Years ( ' 96)
Timo Maas - Loud ( ' 01)
Ulrich Schnauss - Far away trains passing by ( ' 01.)
International Pony - We Love Music ( ' 02)

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19 - Denmark not to be
Kliche - Supertanker ( ' 80)
Diefenbach - Set & drift ( ' 05)
Efterklang - Tripper ( ' 04)
Sort Sol (Black Sun) - Under en Sort Sol ( ' 80)
Under Byen - Det er mig der holder træerne sammen ( ' 02)
Kashmir - No Balance Palace ( ' 05)
20 - Danmark to be or
Laid Back - Keep Smiling ( ' 83)
Safri Duo - Episode 2 ( ' 02)
Mew - Frengers ( ' 03)
Saybia - Live @ O13 ( ' 03)
Bliss - Quiet Letters ( ' 03)
Lampshade - Because Trees Can Fly ( ' 03)

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21 - Sweden

Twice A Man - Music For Girls ( ' 82)

Garmarna - Vedergallningen ( ' 99)
Lucky People Center - Interspecies Communication ( ' 95)
DK7 - Disarmed ( ' 05)
Stina Nordenstam - This Is ( ' 01)
Beyer, Adam - Ignition key( ' 02)
22 - Sweden SE
Per Cussion - Don't Stop 83
Radio Dept - Lesser Matters ( ' 04)
Hedningarna - Hedningarna (1989-2003) ( ' 03)
The Knife - Deep Cuts ( ' 03)
Khoma - The Second Wave ( ' 06)
Pain - Rebirth ( ' 99)

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23 - Finland
Kimmo Pohjonen - Kluster 03
Jori Hulkkonen - Selkäsaari Tracks 96
Rasmus, The - Hide From The Sun 04
Pan Sonic - Aaltopiiri 99
Mr Velcro Fastener - Lucky Bastards Living Up North 99
Apocalyptica - Apocalyptica 04
24 - Finland Linux ed.
Erkki Kurenniemi - Äänityksiä Recordings 1963-1973 ( 02)
Värttinä - Seleniko ( 92)
Jimi Tenor - Europa ( 95)
Bomfunk MC's - In Stereo ( 99)
Nightwish - Over the hills and far away ( 01)
Tenhi - Airut-Aamujen ( 04)
HIM - And Love Said No ( 04)

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25 - Norway
Bel Canto - Shimmering, Warm & Bright (92)
Butti 49 - Habit (04)
Annie - Anniemal (04)
Øye, Erlend - Unrest (03)
Niels Petter Molvaer - NP3 (03)
Niels Petter Molvaer - Remakes NP3 (05)
Kaizers Orchestra - Ompa till du dor + ep (01)
26 - Norway No
Flunk - For Sleepyheads Only (02)
Biosphere - Shenzhou (01)
Arve Henriksen - Chiaroscuro (04)
Röyksopp - Melody AM (01)
Jaga Jazzist - The Stix (03)
VA - dBut Royal (01)

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27 - Scotland
The Fire Engines - Lubricate your living room
The Associates - The Affectionate Punch
The Associates - Perhaps
Boards of Canada - Geogaddi
Mogwai - Happy Songs
Skids - Best of
Skids - Joy
The Blue Nile - A Walk Across The Rooftops
Scars - Author ! Author !

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28 - Scotland tartan
Angelfish - Angelfish (94)
The Shamen - Axis Mundi/Arbor Bono, Arbor Mala (95)
Billy MacKenzie - Outernational (92)
Billy MacKenzie - Beyond the Sun (97)
Jesus and Mary Chain - Darklands (87)
VA - Slam - Soma MuzikMix (01)
Midge Ure - If I Was (93)
Simple Minds - Empires & Dance (80)
Simple Minds - Sister Feelings Call (81)
Wolfstone - Pick of the Litter (97)

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29 - Wales
Young Marble Giants - Colossal Youth (80)
Super Furry Animals - Love Kraft (05)
World Party - Goodbye Jumbo (90)
Jem - Finally Woken (04)
Cale, John - Music For A New Society (82)
Darling Buds, The - Erotica (92)
Sasha (DJ) - Airdrawndagger (02)
30 - Wales Dragon
Dylan Thomas - Under Milk Wood (54 )
Scritti Politti - Songs To Remember (81)
Melys - Kamikaze (00)
Gorky's Zygotic Mynci - Gorky 5 (98)
Crasdant - DWNDWR (06)
Manic Street Preachers - The Holy Bible (92)
Songdog - The Time Of Summer Lightning (05)
Hybrid - Remix & Additional Production By..(00)

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31 - Ireland
The Virgin Prunes - If I Die, I Die (82)
Sinead O'Connor - She Who Dwells In The Secret Place Of The Most High (03)
My Bloody Valentine - Isn't Anything (88)
Solas - Reunion (06)
The Frames - Setlist (03)
Waterboys - The Live Adventures of the Waterboys (98)
32 - Ireland Pat's Day
The Undertones - The Undertones (79)
Stiff Little Fingers - Listen EP (82)
Cruachan - Pagan (04)
Energy Orchard - EN (90)
HAL - Hal (05)
Thin Lizzy - Jailbreak
Thrills, The - Let's Bottle Bohemia (04)
Lunasa - Sé (six) (06)
Snow Patrol - Final straw (03)

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33 - Iceland
Bjork - Cambridge ( 98 )
Apparat Organ Quartet - I (02 )
Gisli - How about that ? (04)
Gusgus - Polydistortion (96)
Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson - Children Of Nature, Angels of the Universe ( 96, 01)
Emilíana Torrini - Love In The Time Of Science (99)
34 - Iceland of fire34
Sugarcubes - It's It (92)
Trabant - Moment of truth (01)
Jóhann Jóhannsson - Englabörn (01)
Quarashi - Jinx (02)
Sigur Ros- Ágætis Byrjun (99)
VA - O.S.T. - Screaming Masterpiece (05)

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Stage 34, Iceland of Fire

Hello it's stage 34 Iceland and i've come to the end of my tour around the euro music scene. I started in the musical heart of Europe, Austria, snaking thru Southern Germany over into south/east of France, via Ibiza onto Spain and around the Iberian Peninsula, back up to Paris. The lowlands Belgium and the Netherlands followed before moving east into Germany again. The Neue Deutsche Welle post turned out to become the most popular, well i guess i lived thru it, anyway the Kraftwerk special did get a lot of interest aswell. It set me up for some strong electronic music from western Germany, Berlin the next stop has it all these days.. status of a global city and room to live and be creative aswell. Northern germanys music scene concentrates heavily around Hamburg. Into scandinavia, Denmark was a bit different in the sense the music was generally introverted, the Swedesh and Fins do share a lot, with the Fins winning on points...they're just a little more crazy or less volvo-ish. The Norwegians have been putting out great music for years now, and will remain doing so.
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How different was the situation after i 'ferried' over to Scotland, it's music scene seems to be almost dead, i posted mainly old work, Belle and Sebastian and Boards of Canada is too little for a nation the size of the scandinavian nations that preceded them. Franz F are english students, Snow P students that moved in from northern Ireland, yes in Scotland studying is fee free, those guys have plenty of dosh to pay Cambridge rates now.. So what happened in Scotland, Wales my next stop seems to have retained their identity and community much better and keep on producing great music, one of their new stars Songdog hasnt been recognised yet and i admit i was dissapointed looking at the response numbers of their album, maybe it was the wedding dress on the cover..oh irony. Wales got me my first visit of a deleter, returned last thursday..my guess a 40 something who's got a problem with women, ...ehh no it wasnt me. Cross the Irish channel , when they were poor..15 years ago the country was awash with folkmusic, its still there but professionalism has its price. Again Northern ireland seems like Scotland to lack a vibrant music scene, at least that was the impression i got. My last stop must be the most amazing of all, Iceland with the population of a midsized western town has produced a lot of great music the last decade, and are still going strong. A country of fire and ice, far away from the pope of this or that..free spirits.

I started out this trip to point out how much the anglo/american cultural imperialism has ignored and still does its best to destroy, they release piles of shit, shaped in their own image. They buy and throw away artists like lighters, meanwhile it are their big names that bleed the market. Not so much in albums but ticket sales, Police reunion tour will cash 250 million at least..thats easily 15 million cdees that wont be bought from other artists. Complaining about downloading, but from their perspective whats worse losing control on their so called added value- the marketing. MTV screaming murder but they dont own the videos they broadcast and they certainly dont own the public that watch them, although they seemed to have thought so. You Tube marks the end of MTV and with it the end of the musicmarketing industry, this last decade has seen the rise of many self-help outlets, without kingsized overheads and run by people who love what they do, not all the tools are in place yet, but the momentum grows now the opposition, the boardroom pimps, are collapsing.

Well the next week ill post a recap of the tour and move along the arctic towards Siberia, i plan to spent April in Japan, much going on there and i have some nice older stuff aswell.


Looks like mediafire is still down, major troubles i guess, well you dont make friends with a competition that keeps you stalled, if you dont tow that line.

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Fire and Ice

Sugarcubes - It's It (92)
Trabant - Moment of truth (01)
Jóhann Jóhannsson - Englabörn (01)
Quarashi - Jinx (02)
Sigur Ros- Ágætis Byrjun (99)
VA - O.S.T. - Screaming Masterpiece (05)

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Sugarcubes - It's It (92 ^ 170mb)

According to group legend, the Sugarcubes formed on June 8, 1986, the day that vocalist Björk gave birth to her son. Prior to that day, the members of the group had been a variety of Icelandic bands. Björk had the longest career out of any of the members. By 1984, Björk, Einar Benediktsson and Siggi Baldursson had joined forces, forming KUKL with keyboardist Einar Mellax. KUKL — which means witch in Icelandic — was an noisy, artsy post-punk band that released several singles on the independent British record label Crass. In 1986, KUKL evolved into the Sugarcubes, adding Björk's then-husband Thor Jonson on guitar and Bragi Ólafsson on bass.

In late 1987, the band signed to One Little Indian in the U.K., Elektra Records in the U.S. The Sugarcubes released their debut album Life's Too Good in 1988 to critical acclaim in both the U.K. and the U.S. Birthday, the first single from the album, became an indie hit in Britain and a college radio hit in America. In particular, Björk received a heap of praise, which began tensions between her and Einar Benediktsson. Here Today, Tomorrow, Next Week!, the Sugarcubes' second album, was released in 1989. The album featured a greater vocal contribution by Einar, which was criticized in many of the record's reviews, which were noticably weaker than those for Life's Too Good. After the release of Here Today, Tomorrow, Next Week!, the band embarked on a lengthy international tour. At the conclusion of the tour in late 1990, the band members pursued their own individual interests.

Stick Around for Joy, the band's third album, was released in 1992. Before the record appeared, a collection of remixes called It's It was released in Europe. Stick Around for Joy received better reviews than Life's Too Good, but the album failed to yield a hit single. Following its release, the Sugarcubes disbanded. The rest as they say is history, Björk launched a critically acclaimed and commercially successful solo career . Last november the 17th to be specific they played a 20 years ago reunion concert..plenty of that on YouTube.



Sugarcubes - It's It (^ 97mb 170mb)

01 - Birthday (Justin Robertson 12" Mix) (7:29)
02 - Leash Called Love (Tony Humphries Mix) (6:23)
03 - Blue Eyed Pop (S1000 Mix) (6:36)
04 - Motorcrash (Justin Robertson Mix) (6:45)
05 - Planet (Graham Massey Planet Suite Pt. 2) (4:39)
06 - Gold (Todd Terry Mix) (6:05)
07 - Water (Bryan 'Chuck' New Mix) (4:10)
08 - Regina (Sugarcubes Mix) (5:08)
09 - Mama (Mark Saunders Mix) (5:06)
10 - Pump (Marius de Vries Mix) (4:25)
11 - Hit (Tony Humphries Sweet & Low Mix) (7:07)
12 - Birthday (Tommy D Mix) (6:39)
13 - Coldsweat (DB/BP Mix) (4:10)

Sugarcubes @ Fanbase
Sugarcubes @ YouTube
Sugarcubes @ Amazon

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Trabant - Moment of truth(01 * 99mb)

Trabant's five members come from very different backgrounds in the Reykjavik music scene: One rap producer with the sailors blood pumping; a death metal guru, a crazy in the head champion DJ; a preachers son and the former boyband star. Together, all these influences explode in the mighty TrabantTrabant is sexy electronic music, a punky flavor of R&B and pop. It is music made for sweat, neon lights and a world gone wrong. Trabant released their critically acclaimed debut "Moment of Truth" in 2001, giving us a glimpse into the future. Then moving away from its studio-based focus, Trabant has since developed a pompous live attitude. An electronic five piece group playing for their lives, taking it to "eleven"-- musically and morally. But first and furthermost Trabant strives to make honest pop music for the people. In 2005 they finally released the follow up Emotional



01 - Enter Spacebar
02 - Org Org
03 - Moment Of Truth
04 - Pre Pop Loop
05 - Bluesbreaker
06 - Old Elgar
07 - Bahama Banana
08 - Traktor Intro
09 - Lady Elephant
10 - Hi-Tec Hurricane
11 - Retard (Part I)
12 - Retard (Part II)
13 - Himnalalala
14 - Happy Sunny Song
15 - Superman

Trabant @ Base
Trabant @ MySpace
Trabant @ Amazon
Trabant Vid @ YouTube

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Johann Jóhannsson - Englabörn (01 ^ 95mb - upgraded)

Johann Johannsson is an Icelandic composer. His stately, slow-building and hauntingly melodic music has been quietly bewitching listeners for the last few years - and IBM 1401, a User´s Manual, his most ambitiously-orchestrated and appealing composition to date, is sure to expand his audience still further. The record is his first for the label 4AD

Johann Johannssons first two solo records - Englabörn (2002) and Virthulegu Forsetar (2004) were released by the singular British independent Touch label. Despite limited promotional resources, both found plenty of fans, receiving glowing reviews in music media around the world; Virthulegu Forsetar found its way onto many critics end-of-year lists.The Englabörn album was derived from music that Johann wrote for an Icelandic play of the same name, written for string quartet, piano, organ, glockenspiel and percussion. These elements were processed and manipulated, adding delicate electronic accents to the otherwise entirely acoustic recordings. One song, "Odi et Amo", is a setting of the famous poem by Catullus.

Johannsson’s many other projects include membership of the group Apparat Organ Quartet - hailed by Neil Strauss in the New York Times as being “as innovative and meticulous as Sigur Ros, but who sound nothing like it”. Although Apparat Organ Quartet formed as far back as 1999, they only released their debut album internationally in 2006. Johann has also produced and written music with other artists; he’s worked with Marc Almond (on the Stranger Things album), Barry Adamson, Pan Sonic, The Hafler Trio, Jaki Liebezeit and many others. After the success of IBM 1401, A User’s Manual, Johann’s collaboration with the internationally renowned choreographer and dancer Erna Omarsdottir continued in 2005 with a new piece entitled Mysteries Of Love.

Music for films and theatre figure prominently in Johann’s work. Johann has composed music for no fewer than 5 feature films in his native Iceland. His most recent, for the film Blodbond (2006) by Arni Olafur Asgeirsson, features (like IBM 1401, A User’s Manual) a symphonic score for a 60 piece string orchestra. Johann´s soundtrack album for the film Dis was released in 2005 in the US and in 2006 in Japan.In addition to the feature films, Johann has written music for numerous documentaries, theatre productions and several contemporary dance works.

 

01 - Odi Et Amo (3:10)
02 - Englabörn (1:34)
03 - Jói & Karen (3:24)
04 - Þetta Gerist Á Bestu Bæjum (1:02)
05 - Sálfræðingur (3:49)
06 - "Ég Sleppi Þér Aldrei" (2:57)
07 - Sálfræðingur Deyr (3:40)
08 - Bað (3:07)
09 - "Ég Heyrði Allt Án Þess Að Hlusta" (2:05)
10 - Karen Býr Til Engil (3:45)
11 - Englabörn - Tilbrigði (1:24)
12 - "Ég Átti Erfiða Æsku" (3:41)
13 - Krókódíll (2:45)
14 - "Ef Ég Hefði Aldrei..." (3:42)
15 - …eins og venjulegt fólk (3:51)
16 - Odi Et Amo - Bis (4:00)

Jóhann Jóhannsson @ Base
Jóhann Jóhannsson @ MySpace
Jóhann Jóhannsson @ YouTube
Jóhann Jóhannsson @ Amazon

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Quarashi - Jinx ( 02 ^ 88mb)

Quarashi was originally formed by Sölvi (sewl'-vee),drummer and Hössi (huh'-see) Olafsson the lead voice, in 1996. After playing together in a local punk rock band called 2001 they both felt a need for greater experimentation and developed a preference for studio production. Stoney(ston'-ee) Fjelsted and Omar Swarez, joined Quarashi as rappers. Stoney is one of Icelands graffiti artists, his nickname was..Quarashi, well they decided it was a great name and use it for the band. Their first eponymous album (97) went gold as did the follow up Xeneizes (99).

On this their 3rd album Jinx, turntable scratches give way to fat bass lines and screeching guitars. Background vocals blend with the flows of two or three rappers at a time. Horns, voices, and piano rolls are sampled and distorted. Sometimes a drummachine is used then again a live drummer. We mix british breakbeats with american hip hop says Hossi, the result..well if Gisli is the Icelandic Beck, then Quarashi qualify as the Icelandic Beastie Boys...

Well they had signed a 6 record deal with Sony and were marketed thru Columbia USA, as a rap/rock act-which they were't butwhat the fuk to these execs know well the boys toured in the US and around the world but Sony was not amused by the poor sales.100,000 copies of Jinx and dropped ( dont think its as easy the other way around...oh no). Meanwhile Hossi decided he had enough of the whoring music biz and decided to quit. A year later he was replaced by Tiny, they were back at square one when they released Guerilla Disco (04), again gold in Iceland but no deals outside their homecountry, until SonyJapan remembered they had been welcomed and popular there and so it was successfully released in Japan. It didnt stop the rut and in 2005 Quarashi called it quits..



01 - Stick 'Em Up
02 - Mr. Jinx
03 - Baseline
04 - Malone Lives
05 - Tarfur
06 - Copycat
07 - Transparent Parents
08 - Weirdo
09 - Xeneizes
10 - F*** You Puto
11 - Dive In
12 - Bless

Quarashi @ YouTube
Quarashi @ Base
Quarashi @ Amazon

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Sigur Ros- Ágætis Byrjun (99 ^ 144mb)

Sigur Ros consists of jón þor (jónsi) birgisson (vocals, guitars), kjartan (kjarri) sveinsson (keyboards), orri páll dýrason (drums) and georg (goggi) holm (bass). the band were formed by jónsi, georg and original drummer ágúst in 1994. they were later joined by kjartan and when ægúst left the band after the recording of ágætis byrjun in order to pursue a career in graphic design, he was replaced by orri. sigur rós hail from iceland, and rightly claim to bring you the beautiful landscape of their homeland with their music.

They have released four albums so far, plus one remix album (von brigði - recycle bin). the first album is called Von (hope). frequently unrecognisable from the bulk of their subsequent work, Von is an experimental and ambient work.The band really found their feet with their second album, Ágætis Byrjun (a good beginning). the album was originally released only in Iceland, but was discovered by brighton's fatcat records, who snapped the band up and released the album in the uk in august 2000. The band attracted a huge critical acclaim throughout the world in the second half of 2000, particularly in america, after they made the move to offer it as a free download on Napster, who impressed by it, really brought them into the picture. Tens of thousands downloads later and the musiclabels were in a franctic hunt to sign them, they ended up with MCA who let them retain the most artistic freedom. The band toured north america for the first time in april and may 2001, and the vast majority of the dates sold out straight away. perhaps due to the hype in the american media, the shows were attended by many big name celebrities, somewhat to the band's bemusement.
Sigur Rós released their third album in october 2002, entitled ( ). the lyricless and titleless album was a darker, rawer and less accessible follow up to ágætis byrjun and came out to favourable reviews around the world, the album sold well and even reached #52 on the american billboard chart.After touring the first part of 2003 the band persued different side projects. 2004 was largely spent writing and recording the band's fourth album, 'takk…' (thanks), finally released in september 2005, 'takk...' quickly became sigur rós' largest selling album to date and charted highly across the globe. The band celebrated the release of 'takk...' with an extensive world tour, playing their largest shows to date, including a headline show at the hollywood bowl. Currently they are working on their next album, btw their ukbase has plenty of free downloads, studio aswell as live work..worth a visit.



01 - Intro (1:36)
02 - Svefn-g-englar (10:04) great live vid
03 - Starálfur (6:47)
04 - Flugufrelsarinn (7:47)
05 - Ný Batterí (8:11)
06 - Hjartað Hamast (Bamm Bamm Bamm) (7:10)
07 - Viðrar Vel Til Loftárása (10:18)
08 - Olsen Olsen (8:03)
09 - Ágætis Byrjun (7:56)
10 - Avalon (4:00)

Sigur Ros @ Base
Sigur Ros @ Base UK
Sigur Ros @ MySpace
Sigur Ros @ YouTube
Sigur Ros @ Amazon

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VA - O.S.T. - Screaming Masterpiece (05 * 109mb)

Gargandi snilld, a documentary about the bustling Icelandic musical scene. This documentary covers some of Iceland's most talented and well-known musicians, Directed by Ari Alexander Ergis Magnússon.Its format of interviews interspersed with concert tapes or filmed performances cuts a wide swath across the Icelandic music scene. Folk, Norse, Punk, Rock and Rap are all covered.

The musical heritage is described as a "combination of patriotism and adolescence", the result of living half-way between Europe and the United States and being descended from Vikings who stopped in Scotland for slaves and for Irish women "for DNA enrichment and poetry".

A last note: "Odin's Raven Magic", based on a 900-year-old excerpt of the Edda was a major highlight for me, performed by Sigur Ros, Hilmar Orn Hilmarssen, the London Sinfonietta and a pair of xylophones made of great big hunks of sandstone! Just like in Hustle and Flow, it's hard not to leave the theater singing! So much about the movie/dvd , there's a soundtrack aswell......



01 - Steindór Andersen & Sigur Rós - Á Ferð Til Breiðafjarðar (5:35)
02 - Björk - All Is Full Of Love (Live) (3:43)
03 - Sigur Rós - #8, A.K.A. Popplagið (11:44)
04 - Jóhann Jóhannsson - Odi Et Amo (3:04)
05 - Múm - Green Grass Of Tunnel (4:55)
06 - Bang Gang - Find What You Get (3:28)
07 - Apparat Organ Quartet - Romantika (4:42)
08 - Eivør Pálsdóttir - Brostnar Borgir (5:06)
09 - Slowblow - Within Tolerance (4:03)
10 - Finnbogi Pétursson Conversation (0:54)
11 - Sugarcubes - Motorcrash (2:22)
12 - Ghostigital - Bank - Færeyjar, Bruxelles, Barcelona, Reykjavík (4:11)
13 - Mugison - I'd Ask (2:38)
14 - Amina - Fjarskanistan (6:27)
15 - Björk - Oceania (3:22)
16 - Steindór Andersen, Sigur Rós, Schola Cantorum, Members Of Icelandic Symphony Orchestra, The, María Huld Markan Sigfúsdóttir & Páll Guðmundsson - Hrafnagaldur - Odin's Raven Magic (10:10)

Screaming-Masterpiece @ Amazon

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* All downloads are in * ogg-7 (224k) or ^ ogg-9(320k), artwork is included , if in need get the nifty ogg encoder/decoder here !

Stage 33, Iceland

Stage 33, Iceland and i'm nearing the end of my eurosonic trip, what a place to finish, land of fire and ice, Iceland is located in the North Atlantic Ocean just south of the Arctic Circle, which passes through the small island of Grímsey off Iceland's northern coast. With just 300,000 inhabitants (a medium sized city), its tiny just 0,06 % of the EU population. When humans arrived(864 AD), birch forest and woodland probably covered 25-40% of Iceland’s land area. But soon the settlers started to remove the trees and forests to create fields and grazing land, almost totally destroying the great resource. Btw the old english for birch is beorc thats bjork in icelandic. Well after a millenium of their mainland brethern from skandinavia formally running the show they do very well themselves these days.
The reason we stop over at Iceland here is of course Bjork,  she put Iceland on the map of the musicworld, in her wake lots of great artists came to the fore that might have gone unnoticed otherwise. So what is it that this small group of people produce so much great music, well isolation-interdependance, long cold winters- indoor activities , a love for singing and making music together between the storytelling all this surely laid a solid base for youngsters to explore their skills on, naturally there's sex and alcohol aswell, but above all the beautiful awe inspiring landscape that surrounds them, well ...

Obviously i have to start this Iceland post with Bjork a concert registration ripped from the DVD, followed by a great side project from another great icelandic composer Johan Johansson, Apparat Organ Quartet. Gisli has been called the icelandic Beck which is almost obvious but he does it with gusto and some great lyrics aswell. Gus Gus got picked up by 4AD, eager to pick another Icelandic cherry, Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson a prolific artist into some ancient religion aswell, hardly surprising Genesis P is a mate , his music scores however are beautiful drifting like clouds over the icelandic country and sea sides. Finally Emilíana Torrini-davidsdottir- so you catch the drift, a real icelandic beauty nice sensual voice place her between Bjork and Stina Nordenstam . Id say check em out, i have full downloads via divshare over at rho-xsss.

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Bjork - Cambridge ( 98 )
Apparat Organ Quartet - I (02 )
Gisli - How about that ? (04)
Gusgus - Polydistortion (96)
Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson - Children Of Nature, Angels of the Universe ( 96, 01)
Emilíana Torrini - Love In The Time Of Science (99)

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Bjork - Cambridge ( 98 * 375mb)

Björk's musical career began when she was 11, studying classical piano in elementary school. One of her instructors sent a recording of Björk singing to RÚV, then the only radio station in Iceland. The recording was broadcasted on radio nationally; after hearing it, a representative of the record label Fálkinn contacted Björk with a record contract offer. She recorded her eponymous debut in 1977, it featured several Icelandic children's songs and covers of popular songs such as the Beatles' "The Fool on the Hill", sung in Icelandic. In 1980 she graduated from music school. In 1981, she and bassist Jakob Magnússon formed another band Tappi Tíkarrass and released an extended single, "Bítið Fast í Vítið" in the same year. Their album Miranda was released in 1983. Next stop, the gothic rocklike KUKL ("sorcery" in Icelandic), toured with Crass, and Flux of Pink Indians in the UK, they released 2 albums, The Eye in 1984, and Holidays in Europe in 1986, both on Crass Records. The band dissolved , fused with the surrealist group Medusa and was reborn as The Sugarcubes, more on them in my next post, in 1992 The Sugarcubes dissolved

Bjork found her self in London, she already had entered the UK musicscene, singing 2 tracks on 808 state's excell album, Qmart and Ooops, she met up with the then hot producer Nellie Hooper and together recorded her solo debut album, Debut (93) , a mix of songs Björk had written since she was a teenager as well as newer lyrical collaborations with Hooper. It was named album of the year by NME, at the 1994 Brit Awards Björk won the awards for Best International Female and Best International newcomer. Well she became involved with the indie-dance and movie scene, too much re recall here Post (95) and Telegram (96), here creative breaktru Homogenic (97) followed by Selmasongs (00) the soundtrack for the movie Dancer in the Dark, for which she won best actress at Cannes. It had been a dazzling decade for Bjork

In 2001 Vespertine was released, not in the spring as was her wish but the distribution apparatus said no, so she launched it anyway during an live concert broadcast on the net.Well her megastar status grew some more making a lasting appearance at the oscars (2001), and the opening of the olympics 2004 singing Oceania, and a nice platform to promote her voices only album Medulla, Army of me remixes (2005) was released to support the 2004 tsunami victims, later that year the soundtrack to Drawing Restraint , her partner Matthew Barney "s movie (a contemporary media artist working with film, video installations, sculpture, photography and drawing), with whom she has a daughter Ísadóra. Greatest hits albums, boxsets , remasters and concert, docu, and clips dvd's , 11 in all thusfar were released. Too much to tell about this diva, wiki has a nice compilation, check it out here !

One of the earlier DVD releases was recorded in Cambridge, 2nd December 1998, featuring The Icelandic String Octet, and Mark Bell (LFO), a very close concert, balancing the abstract electronics by Mark Bell, the strings from the octet with her beautiful voice.



01 - Intro (2:24)
02 - Hunter (4:38)
03 - Come To Me (4:28)
04 - All Neon Like (5:11)
05 - You've Been Flirting Again (3:22)
06 - Isobel (5:21)
07 - Immature (2:56)
08 - Play Dead (3:58)
09 - Alarm Call (3:20)
10 - Human Behaviour (4:00)
11 - Bachelorette (5:21)
12 - Hyperballad (4:42)
13 - Pluto (4:26)
14 - Anchor Song (4:13)
15 - Jóga (5:56) cambridge clip


Bjork @ Base
Bjork @ MySpace
lots of Bjork @ YouTube
Bjork @ Amazon

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Apparat Organ Quartet - I (02 ^ 315mb)

The Apparat Organ Quartet was founded in 1999 by Jóhann Jóhannsson, a noted Icelandic composer and musician. The band, 4 keyboard players and a drummer, plays several different organs and uses other devices such as a vocoder, has a sound reminiscent somewhat of German band Kraftwerk. Apparat, though based in Reykjavík, has toured throughout Europe, but thusfar only released this album in 2002. Main man Jóhann Jóhannsson however has been busy releasing several works of acclaim under his own name.



1 - Romantika (4:42) great clip
2 - Stereo Rock & Roll (4:17)
3 - The Anguish of Space-Time Voc-Adda Ingólfsdóttir (6:10)
4 - Cruise Control (3:38)
5 - Ondula Nova (5:25)
6 - Global Capital Voc-Adda Ingólfsdóttir (5:21) clip
7 - Seremonia (5:00)
8 - Charlie Tango # 2 (7:23)
9 - Sofðu Litla Vél (5:29)

Apparat Organ Quartet @ MySpace
Apparat Organ Quartet @ Amazon uk

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Gisli - How about that ? (04 ^ 251mb))

Gisli is a solo musician, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist now operating in Oslo, Norway. His brand of pop-rock has been likened to, amongst others, Beck, more specifically, Gisli is likened to the Mellow Gold-era Beck; a creature that brought us acoustic hip-hop and dry humour along the lines of Loser and Soul Suckin' Jerk, but he lists his own heroes as people like Eels, loads of hip-hop and Leonard Nimoys Spock. He's led the sort of life youd expect from someone whose parents had the flash of inspiration (or madness) to give him a name which means Hostage. Hes only started thinking about that since people started picking up on it in England, and now frets that its weird. A lot about Gisli is weird, although we wont give him any more grounds to over-think things.

"My father was a fisherman, who would return from trips to Germany with records by the Beatles. From then on it was a barmy adventure from his dads record collection straight into Iron Maiden by age six. Later, he got into unlikely bedfellows Duran Duran, David Bowie and hip-hop. Its all kinda what my album sounds like I guess! " he grins



01 - How about that (3:00)
02 - Straight to hell (3:27)
03 - Go get 'em tiger (3:28)
04 - Worries (2:17)
05 - The day it all went wrong (3:52)
06 - I don't fight (3:48)
07 - TV is the devil (3:04)
08 - End of my ropes (3:29)
09 - Passing out (3:07)
10 - Can you make me right (3:21)
11 - I'm trying (3:43)
12 - Mind games (3:27)
13 - You and me (2:36)

Gisli @ Base
Gisli @ MySpace
Gisli @ Amazon

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Gusgus - Polydistortion ( 96 * 475mb)

Widely acclaimed as an avant-garde group of musicians and performers, Gus Gus mixes together different mediums to create a unique musical sound. Their trademark style has an ethereal quality, combined with funky bass, drum sounds and the intelligent use of technology. Like their fellow national, Björk, Gus Gus has developed a sound that is all their own: innovative and challenging, yet accessible and even dance-floor friendly.

Gus Gus as an electronic soul band formed in 1995. A short brake in a making of the short film "Pleasure" made it possible for the first Gus Gus self-titled album to be born. In 1996 Gus Gus got a deal with 4AD. This collaboration gives birth to 3 albums, "Polydistortion", "This Is Normal" and finally "Gus Gus vs T-World". After the This is Normal album the filmmaking arm of GusGus, Kjartansson and Árni Þorgeirsson, split off to form the production company "Celebrator", nowadays known as "Arni & Kinski", which has produced award-winning advertisements and videos. A few former members have gone solo, most notably though Emilíana Torrini, who was replaced by Earth aka Urður Hákonardóttir.

During the 4AD years, Gus Gus starts touring massively, stirring the music world with their powerful live-show. In 2002 Gus Gus made their 4th studio album "Attention". Their music is eclectic, and although primarily classified with techno, trip-hop and house music, they have experimented with numerous other styles. They have also remixed several famous artists. Recently they released their latest Forever .



01 - Oh (Edit) (1:17)
02 - Gun (6:08)
03 - Believe (7:18)
04 - Polyesterday (4:52)
05 - Barry (5:57)
06 - Cold Breath '79 (6:42)
07 - Why? (4:04)
08 - Remembrance (8:06)
09 - Is Jesus Your Pal? (3:34)
10 - Purple (8:01)
11 - Polybackwards (5:00)

12 - Cold Breath '79 (Husmix) (5:02)
13 - Believe (16B Remix) (7:23)
14 - Believe (LFO Remix) (5:11)
15 - Polydistortion (8:06)

Gus Gus @ Base
Gus Gus @ MySpace
Gus Gus @ YouTube

Gus Gus @ Amazon

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Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson - Children Of Nature, Angels Of The Universe (96, 01 ^ 387mb)

Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson was a pioneer in the use of computers when composing music and cleared the path for new ideas in recording and arrangements. He has worked on ambitious, experimental and original projects with various musicians, such as Psychic TV, Current 93, Sigur Rós, Steindór Andersen and Eivør Pálsdóttir.

He's been recording with Frostbite (1993), Hafler Trio-(H3ÖH) 93, Grindverk 97-99, apart from his soundtracks composing, he's become an expert on norske myths, paganism, from his interest on magic and the Reich's orgone therapy, for which he created a center, to the Ásatrú Association (old pagan Norse religion) from which he's been a member since his sixteenth, and which he has been ordained head of 5 years ago.

Hilmarsson, with over 20 soundtracks to his name is Iceland's most prolific film composer. In 1995 he won European Film Composer of the Year for his work on the Oscar nominated 'Children of Nature', for which he also collaborated with Fridriksson and 'Angels of the Universe' writer, Einar Mar Gudmundsson. On Children of Nature, he makes full use of keyboards, electronics and samplers, supplemented highly effectively by strings and percussion. The result, which he dedicated as a "commemoration of those I have loved and lost", is an accessible but profoundly moving set of short pieces which have a melancholic yet often uplifting feel to them, this is superior soundtrack music rather than classical music per se. It blends rather well with another soundtrack he did for another Fridriksson movie 'Angels of the Universe'
about a man's descent into despair and schizophrenia, one might expect a pretty moody score, and that's indeed what we have here, brooding, wistful soundscapes using mostly very organic-sounding keyboards and electronics, with melodic themes provided by a bit of classical guitar and violin. The first fifteen atracks are by Hilmarsson, Sigur Rós contributes the last two tracks of the score * not here but available at Rho-Xsss.



01 - Ars Moriendi (5:54)
02 - Charon (2:29)
03 - Sudurgata (3:26)
04 - Farm (3:15)
05 - Snatis's Death (1:24)
06 - Journey (4:07)
07 - Escape (1:28)
08 - Coffin (2:04)
09 - Ascension (4:08)
10 - Titles (3:12)
11 - Aerophilia (3:20)
12 - Pretty Angels (5:06)
Angels of the Universe
13 - Approach / Dream (3:07)
14 - Memory (1:56)
15 - The Black Dog And The Scottish Play (1:23)
16 - Degradation (1:19)
17 - Over The Bend (4:18)
18 - Colours (1:56)
19 - Journey To The Underworld (1:46)
20 - Shave (0:35)
21 - On The Road (2:28)
22 - Another Memory (1:47)
23 - Relapse (1:23)
24 - Coma (0:53)
25 - Schiller In China (2:52)
26 - Helpless (1:08)
27 - Te Morituri... (2:50)

Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson @ Amazon


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Emilíana Torrini - Love In The Time Of Science (99 ^ 453mb)

Emiliana Torrini Davidsdottir, grew up in a town near Reykjavík, her italian father owns and operates a well-known Italian restaurant in Iceland where she used to waitress Emiliana joined a choir at the age of 7 in which she sang soprano until she went to opera school at the age of 15. She became well-known in Iceland in 1994, when, aged 17 she won the song competition of junior colleges in Iceland, singing "I Will Survive".

From 1994 to 1996 she released three albums in Iceland, Spoon (with a band of the same name), Crouçie d'Où La, and Merman. She has been a member of Icelandic artist collective GusGus, and contributed vocals to several songs on their debut Polydistortion (1996).

Her breakthru came with this, her 1999 " Love in the Time of Science" (produced by Tears for Fears' Roland Orzabal). In 2002
Torrini was able to sing Gollum's Song, the end theme of Peter Jackson's film The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers when fellow Icelander Björk backed out due to pregnancy. In 2005 she released the album Fisherman's Woman featuring the singles "Sunnyroad" and "Heartstopper." In 2006, Torrini was nomimated for the Icelandic Music Awards held in Reykjavík in four categories: Pop Album of the Year, Song of the Year (Sunnyroad), Singer of the Year and Video of the Year (Sunnyroad, She won all except Song of the Year.



01 - To Be Free (3:25)
02 - Wednesday's Child (3:54)
03 - Baby Blue (4:05)
04 - Dead Things (4:25)
05 - Unemployed In Summertime (3:46)
06 - Easy (3:21)
07 - Fingertips (3:43)
08 - Telepathy (4:00)
09 - Tuna Fish (3:12)
10 - Summerbreeze (3:48)
11 - Sea People (1:12)
Xs
12 - Baby Blue (Ray and Christian mix) (7:30)
13 - Easy (Tore Johansson videomix) (3:06)
14 - Fingertips (Mice Parade remix) (4:42)
15 - Slowblow (2:03)
16 - I Really Loved Harold (3:48)
17 - Ruby Tuesday (4:49)
18 - Tomorrow (3:48)
19 - Merman (3:03)
20 - Frank Mills (2:17)
21 - Gollum's Song (from OST Two Towers) (5:48)

Emiliana @ Base
Emiliana @ MySpace
Emiliana @ Amazon

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* All downloads are in * ogg-7 (224k) or ^ ogg-9(320k), artwork is included , if in need get the nifty ogg encoder/decoder here !

Stage 32, Ireland Pats Day

Stage 32, We're still in Ireland and would you believe it, on St. Patrick's Day (March 17) the formal national holiday on which Ireland celebrates its patron saint, St. Patrick. In recent years the celebrations in Dublin have been extended to a week-long event called St Patrick's Festival, encompassing a spectacular fireworks display (Skyfest), open-air music, street theater and the traditional parade. It started to become a big feastday for the Irish , after those that emigrated wanted to display their heritage, and started parading thru the streets of Boston, Chicago and New York, on march the 17th, St Patricks Day. Well the idea caught on and after 270 years its became a global event for Irish Expats and everything relating to Ireland. Leprechauns not withstanding , of course it started of as a catholic thing. The Bishop, and former slave, that managed to elude the druids and convert the pagans to christianity, the story about snakes is a reference to the paganism that worshipped them. As the story goes he used the shamrock to explain people about the trinity (father, son , holy ghost). Well goodluck to the irish !
 

The music today is a crossection again, starting with The Undertones, who's Teenage Kicks kept John Peel going , i came across an EP of Stiff Little Fingers and a rarety by Wings - Give Ireland Back To The Irish, packaged together, all vinyl rips btw. Cruachan,  folk metal yes, Energy Orchard is another band from the northern part of Ireland, great music-wrong name-great for a techno trance outfit, HAL was the established musicpress hype of 2004 and well if only the world wasnt such a mess, Thin Lizzy would have made some sense of it, and im sure Phil Lynnot would create a Jailbreak riot, alas not to be anymore. The Thrills 2nd album turned out to be ok, but the next one must clich it for them. Lunasa , cant do with a class act folk band. I conclude
 with one of the biggest upcoming bands of the moment, Snow Patrol, they seem to be jinxed so lets cross our fingers for them.

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Irish Pots of gold..

The Undertones - The Undertones (79)
Stiff Little Fingers - Listen EP (82)
Cruachan - Pagan (04)
Energy Orchard - EN (90)
HAL - Hal (05)
Thin Lizzy - Jailbreak
Thrills, The - Let's Bottle Bohemia (04)
Lunasa - Sé (six) (06)
Snow Patrol - Final straw (03)

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The Undertones - The Undertones (79 * 51mb)

The Undertones formed in Derry, Northern Ireland, in 1976. Their debut EP, Teenage Kicks, was released by Belfast record shop owner Terry Hooley on his Good Vibrations label in September 1978. The song captivated Britain's top DJ, John Peel, who played the song on the BBC air. This attracted a deal from Sire Records Company, which released the band's debut LP in April 1979. That fall, Undertones earned kudos as a support act on the Clash's American tour.
A second LP, Hypnotised, was recorded and released in 1980, followed in 1981 by their first LP for EMI, Positive Touch.

The Sin Of Pride was released in 1983, shortly before the Undertones split up in the summer of 1983 after a series of summer festival gigs. Feargal Sharkey launched a short-lived solo career
, while the O'Neills won critical plaudits -- but little sales -- for their tough-minded political band, That Petrol Emotion. Hopes of re-forming the original lineup for John Peel's 50th birthday fell apart after the O'Neills' father died. The first new album in 20 years, Get What You Need, was released on September 2003.

 

01 - Family Entertainment (2:37)
02 - Girls Don't Like It (2:10)
03 - Male Model (1:55)
04 - I Gotta Getta (1:54)
05 - Teenage Kicks (2:26)
06 - Wrong Way (1:24)
07 - Jump Boys (2:36)
08 - Here Comes The Summer (1:37)
09 - Get Over You (2:37)
10 - Billy's Third (1:57)
11 - Jimmy Jimmy (2:39)
12 - True Confessions (2:23)
13 - (She's) A Runaround (1:47)
14 - I Know A Girl (2:34)
15 - Listening In (2:22)
16 - Casbah Rock (0:44)

The Undertones @ Base
The Undertones @ Base2
The Undertones @ YouTube

The Undertones @ Amazon

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Stiff Little Fingers - Listen EP(82 * 38mb)

A late addition, Stiff Little Fingers are a punk band from Belfast, Northern Ireland, formed in 1977. They started out as a schoolboy band called Highway Star (named after the Deep Purple song), doing rock covers, until they discovered punk. They split up after six years and four albums, although they reformed five years later, in 1987. Despite major personnel changes, they are still touring and recording as of 2007. Jake Burns, their lead singer, is the only member to have been with the band during all its incarnations.



01 - Listen (4:13)
02 - Sad-Eyed People (3:51)
03 - That's When Your Blood Bumps (3:41)
04 - Two Guitars Clash (4:25)
Xs St.Patricks Day Bonus
Wings - Give Ireland Back To The Irish (3:40)
Wings - Give Ireland Back To The Irish version (3:43)


SLF @ BaseSLF @ YouTube

SLF @ Amazon

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Cruachan - Pagan (04 * 81mb)

Cruachan probably took their name from the ancient city of the same name, which was the capital of the old Irish kingdom of Connacht. they mix Celtic music, history and mythology with black metal. Cruachan's black metal influence, however, has become diluted in recent releases, and most fans only consider their first album Tuatha Na Gael to be black metal, recent work has become more melodic, with softer vocals, courtesy of Karen Gilligan, who joined after the release of Tuatha Na Gael. There is more of a metal sound to Pagan (as compared to The Middle Kingdom and Folk-Lore), very similar to the sound of their first album Tuatha Na Gael. However, there is still plenty of folk sound to it. That is probably what makes this release the most versatile: it can please the most diehard metal fans, but also those fans who have grown to love the folk aspect of Cruachan.



01 - Michael Collins (3:51)
02 - Pagan (5:08)
03 - The Gael (4:02)
04 - Ard Ri Na Heirann (5:03)
05 - March To Cluain Tairbh (2:00)
06 - Viking Slayer (4:15)
07 - 1014 AD (3:36)
08 - Some Say The Devil Is Dead (3:13)
09 - 1000 Years (3:51)
10 - Lament For The Wild Geese (1:28)
11 - Erinsong (5:19)
12 - Summoning Of The Sidhe (3:00)
13 - The Fall Of Gondolin (7:46)

Cruachan @ Base
Cruachan @ YouTube
Cruachan @ Amazon

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Energy Orchard - EN (90 * 88mb)

Energy Orchard were an Northern Irish guibased rock band of the late 1980s and early 1990s, from Belfast. Fronted by Bap Kennedy (brother of Irish singer-songwriter Brian Kennedy). Musically, Energy Orchard could be described as an Irish folk/rock/pop combination. But they aren't just taking old traditional songs and putting a faster beat behind them or just playing them with an electric guitar. They're taking those musical stylings and rhythms, throwing away some stuff, retaining the rest, pushing the result through the modern influences of rock, jazz and blues to create something really unique. They've got a great bluesy feel to them; the soulful harmonica that permeates the album just sounds wonderful..

Their first single, Belfast, which was their most succesful song reaching 37 in the UK charts. The first album, Energy Orchard, was released to some critical appreciation, but with some reservations about it being overproduced (producer was Mick Glossop), somewhat diluting the band's raw live sound. Subsequent albums compensated for this, the 1992 release Stop the Machine, 1993's Shinola (released on Essential Records), Pain Killer (1995) and a 1996 live album.

Despite extensive touring, the breakthrough to mainstream success eluded them, the band were dropped in 1996 and subsequently disbanded, though Bap went on to have some success with a solo career.



01 - Belfast
02 - Somebody's Brother
03 - Lion
04 - One, Two Brown Eyes
05 - King of Love
06 - Sailortown
07 - Walk In Love
08 - This House Must Fall
09 - Sweet Irish Rose
10 - Hard Street
11 - Good Day To Die
12 - Belfast (Instrumental)


Energy Orchard @ Amazon

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HAL - Hal (05 ^ 96mb)

Paul and Dave Allen, the Irish brothers at the forefront of quartet Hal, harmonize like the Beach Boys (Dave -vocals/guitar and Paul - vocals/bass), Stephen O'Brien (keyboards, occasional guitars and backing vocals) and Steve Hogan (drums) formed in 2003. HAL was signed to Rough Trade Records following a bidding war with several major labels.

Their first single, Worry About the Wind was released in 2004. This single was very well received in press and many claimed that HAL would become the band of 2004. Their debut album, "Hal" was one of the best reviewed albums of 2005. Their singles "What a Lovely Dance" and "Play the Hits" feature prominently on Match of the Day and World Cup 2006. The band also released a double 7" single with UK Indie band: The Magic Numbers. HAL contributed their song Keep Love As Your Golden Rule to this single. And more love from the musicpress; The Irish Post Best Newcomer Award 2005, Best Irish Album of 2005 in the Irish Independent, Nr.1 album van 2005 in French music magazine MAGIC. Yes nobody can deny they yearn for the good old days with beautiful harmonies like the Beach Boys and The Beatles delivered, retro is all over these 11 tracks like white on rice. Happy music with melancholy just around the corner...

After a short tour through England, Ireland, Europe and Japan, the band went back into the studies at the end of 2005. Their highly anticipated second album is expected to be released in 2007.



01 - What A Lovely Dance ( 3:50)
02 - Play The Hits ( 3:21)
03 - Keep Love As Your Golden Rule ( 3:54)
04 - Don't Come Running ( 3:27)
05 - I Sat Down ( 4:26)
06 - My Eyes Are Sore ( 5:22)
07 - Fools By Your Side ( 4:03)
08 - Worry About The Wind ( 4:06)
09 - Satisfied ( 3:18)
10 - Slow Down (You've Got A Friend) ( 3:00)
11 - Coming Right Over ( 4:33)

HAL @ Base
HAL @ MySpace
HAL @ Amazon

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Thin Lizzy - Jailbreak (76 * 80mb)

Thin Lizzy was founded in late 1969 in Dublin, Ireland, by Lynott, guitarist Eric Bell, electric organist Eric Wrixon and drummer Brian Downey. Wrixon was gone by early 1970, and tiring of the limited possibilities in Dublin, the group relocated to London in 1971.Signing a contract with Decca Records, Thin Lizzy's first hit came in 1973, with "Whiskey in the Jar", a version of a traditional Irish song. However, the group initially had problems matching the success of "Whiskey..."

Bell left, and was replaced by Gary Moore who left too, Lynott and Downey regrouped, recruiting Scott Gorham and Brian Robertson as guitarists to make what was arguably the classic Thin Lizzy lineup.Fighting (1975) was their first album success(TL's 5th album), however the following album, Jailbreak, was their breakthrough, to this day the boys are back in time gets good air time on classic rock stations.Jailbreak is a tremendous effort from the band, Phil Lynott providing solid bass work along with his sly "ghetto" vocal, the incessant rhythmic rolling of drummer Brian Downey, a range of song styles that is rare for any artist from any decade, and of course.....there's Scott Gorham and Brian Robertson with guitar clash acrobatics throughout. A truly amazing record through and through.

During the late 1970s and early 80s, Thin Lizzy played to a rabid fanbase but was unable to break into mainstream markets. Their live shows were no-nonsense, no special effects affairs relying purely on the music and Lynott's rapport with the fans. Their critically acclaimed Live and Dangerous has been called one of the best live albums ever.

After a farewell tour in 1984, Lynott dissolved Thin Lizzy and focused on his solo career. Lynott continued his solo career, which he had begun while still with the group with the album Solo in Soho, yielding several hits, and "Yellow Pearl" (used in the early 80s as the theme tune for the BBC programme Top of the Pops-see Midge Ure). Lynott died in January 1986, a victim of drug abuse. The remaining members of Thin Lizzy (John Sykes and Scott Gorham, Brian Downey declined ) reunited in 1999 for a European tour and live album, currently, as of 2006, touring the UK and Ireland. They will support Deep Purple again in April and May of 2007 for their UK tour.



01 - Jailbreak (4:04)
02 - Angel From The Coast (3:07)
03 - Running Back (3:17)
04 - Romeo And The Lonely Girl (3:58)
05 - Warriors (4:12)
06 - The Boys Are Back In Town (4:30)
07 - Fight Or Fall (3:48)
08 - Cowboy Song (5:18)
09 - Emerald (4:04)
Xs
10 - Whiskey In The Jar (5:43)
11 - The Rocker (5:10)
12 - Sarah (2:47)
13 - Black Boys On the Corner (3:22)

Thin Lizzy @ Fanbase
Thin Lizzy @ YouTube
Thin Lizzy @ Amazon

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The Thrills - Let's Bottle Bohemia (04 * 62mb)
The Thrills are an Irish indie/rock band, formed in 2001 in Dublin. The band is made up of lead vocalist Conor Deasy, guitarist Daniel Ryan, guitarist and bass player Padraic McMahon, pianist Kevin Horan and drummer Ben Carrigan. Their big break came with their debut album So Much for the City which became an Irish number one. The four members spent a Summer on vacation in San Diego where they wrote several of the tracks for their second album, Let's Bottle Bohemia, which enjoyed similar success to the band's debut, largely on the back of the single "Whatever Happened to Corey Haim?".
The Thrills are currently recording their third album, their third full-length will be out sometime in early summer 2007.



01 - Tell Me Something I Don't Know (3:57)
02 - Whatever Happened To Corey Haim? (3:34)
03 - Faded Beauty Queens (3:40)
04 - Saturday Night (2:32)
05 - Not For All The Love In The World (4:06)
06 - Our Wasted Lives (3:46)
07 - You Can't Fool Old Friends With Limousines (3:12)
08 - Found My Rosebud (4:20)
09 - The Curse Of Comfort (3:02)
10 - The Irish Keep Gate-Crashing (3:10)

The Thrills @ Base
The Thrills @ MySpace
The Thrills @ YouTube
The Thrills @ Amazon

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Lunasa - Sé (six) (06 ^ 114mb)

The band is named after Lughnasadh, an ancient Irish harvest festival, and also the Irish word for August. Lúnasa’s self-titled 1996 debut album was considered by many to be a new chapter in the development of Irish music. By pinning traditional elements of composition and instrumentation to a fluid rhythmic undercurrent, Lúnasa achieved a new pinnacle of urgency and intricacy -– sparking off unprecedented acclaim and notoriety in the process. "The Kinnitty Sessions" was named Best Traditional Album by Irish Music Magazine in 2005..

Lúnasa’s sixth album Sé (pronounced "Shay-Irish for "six"), reveals the band at the top of their creative prowess. Sé was produced by double-bassist Trevor Hutchinson, the band’s trademark instrumentals are as tight, weightless and clean as ever, with a sophisticated perpendicular swing that sometimes knocks more typically straight up-and-down reels and jigs sideways. But despite the festal merriment of the dance pieces, the real standouts are the slow airs, with meandering melodies, gradually revealing themselves in full splendor. Piper Cillian Vallely, flautist Kevin Crawford, and fiddler Sean Smyth create a melodic context while introducing the alternating contributions of guitarists Paul Meehan and Tim Edey. Six years of constant touring has elevated the band’s already-formidable skill to peak brilliance, perfectly captured on Sé..

Lúnasa's concert at this years Celtic Connections festival in Glasgow will be aired on BBC4 sat 17th, St Patrick's Day at 1900 GMT. If you miss it or can't get the channel it will be available on http://www.bbc.co.uk/celticconnections after transmission.



01 - The Cullybacky Hop (4:52)
02 - Lecken Mor (4:24)
03 - Absent Friends (5:27)
04 - Loophead (3:24)
05 - Midnight in Aviles (4:40)
06 - The Dingle Berries (4:53)
07 - Black River (3:37)
08 - Road to Barga (3:05)
09 - Two of a Kind (4:35)
10 - Glentrasna (3:57)
11 - Boy in the Boat (4:53)

Lúnasa @ Base
Lúnasa @ MySpace
Lúnasa @ YouTube
Lúnasa @ Amazon

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Snow Patrol - Final Straw (03 ^ 92mb)

Snow Patrol formed in Scotland, however their members are from Northern Ireland, they started 1994 as "Shrug" by students Gary Lightbody and Mark McClelland at Dundee University, the band was performing gigs at the university and surrounding pubs before changing their name to "Polar Bear" (or "Polarbear") in late 1995. In mid 1997, they released a three-track EP, Starfighter Pilot, due to legal threats from an American band with the same name (led by Eric Avery, the former bassist of Jane's Addiction), they became "Snow Patrol". At this point, Jonny Quinn, also from Northern Ireland, joined as permanent drummer, the band released their next EP Little Hide on Belle & Sebastian's label Jeepster Records, that put some effort in to promote them. Two albums on Jeepster followed: Songs for Polarbears in 1998 and When It's All Over We Still Have to Clear Up in 2001. Sales werent what they should be and Jeepster dropped them.

The benefits came with their next album Final Straw in 2003, meanwhile another North Irishman had joined the Patrol -guitarplayer Nathan Connolly .The album was a big success and reached #3 in the UK, a year later it sold well in the US. March 2005, original member McClelland left the band, apparently over unsurmountable differences with Gary, 11 years of partnership ended, Paul Wilson replaced him on bass. A busy touring schedule not withstanding the band recorded their next album Eyes Open during 2005, it was released last spring and became UK's biggest seller of 2006.



01 - How To Be Dead (3:21)
02 - Wow (4:02)
03 - Gleaming Auction (2:04)
04 - Whatever's Left (2:39)
05 - Spitting Games (3:46)
06 - Chocolate (3:02)
07 - Run (5:54)
08 - Grazed Knees (2:55)
09 - Ways & Means (4:47)
10 - Tiny Little Fractures (2:28)
11 - Somewhere A Clock Is Ticking (4:32)
12 - Same (6:54)

diet version
Snow Patrol - Final Straw (03 * 70mb)

Snow Patrol @ Base
Snow Patrol @ YouTube
Snow Patrol @ Amazon

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* All downloads are in * ogg-7 (224k) or ^ ogg-9(320k), artwork is included , if in need get the nifty ogg encoder/decoder here !