my plastic JonBenet doll

As I was looking for info on Veltpunch, that a friend recommended me tonight, I came across the band below.



Four member Japanese band my plastic JonBenet doll plays some nice indie rock with the two girls providing the vocals. It seems they formed in summer 2004 and begun playing live in late spring 2005, but I might be wrong as I don't really know any Japanese...

If you like the song below you should definitly hear their other songs, so go visit Veltpunch's homepage and check out the "B-side" section. There you'll also find songs from six o'minus and some highly recommended nice instrumentals from Camel Life ^_^

Summer Pepper Lonely Hearts Club Girl

Electric Eel Shock

Japanese Rock'n'Roll band Electric Eel Shock has been touring the world the past couple of years and more. A friend's boyfriend interviewed them after they played in Stockholm a couple of weeks ago, so she thought I should check them out. I did. And while I think their music is ok I like the band itself a lot more. They seem like three awesome guys with a great attitude towards themselves and their music. Go learn more about them on their homepage! And of course listen to the song linked below :)

Do the Metal

Warehouse

Here's something as rare as a recommendation originating from one of my sisters - she has an internet pal with a girlfriend who's brother plays in a band...



Had it not been for my sister telling me Warehouse came from Swedish town Halmstad, I would definitly have guessed that these guys were American beacuse of their alt rockish, sometimes Lifehouse reminiscent, style.

The song below is taken from Just another lastone and all songs from that album are, with one exception, available in full mp3 versions from their homepage. Go listen to them and also take the chance to hear some of the short samples for the even better songs included on Subject to change.

Bounce

Elin Sigvardsson

As I mentioned her in my last post, here's one of my favorite singer/songwriters.



Elin Sigvardsson was the first artist ever produced by one of Sweden's most acknowledged artists, Lars Winnerbäck. While I prefer her first album over her second, which she produced herself, her songs are all great on album and very nice to hear live.

The song below is a Christmas themed song where she's only accompanied by acoustic guitars. To get a better chance of understanding why I like her music so much - go visit her homepage and check out some of the music vids ^^

Love Me without Heart

Hera

I'm so sorry for the lack of updates... But here's something new I discovered while checking out what my last.fm neighbours were listening to ^^



Icelandic/New Zealander Hera Hjartardóttir makes folkpop that instantly had me think of Elin Sigvardsson. Her core audience seems to be in Iceland and while still in her early twenties she has already released four albums - three in English and one in Icelandic.

The song below was the one that appears to have sparked the interest in her music as it was featured in the acclaimed Icelandic movie "The Sea".

Itchy Palms

I Was A Teenage Satan Worshipper

Today I first listened to the music from a band with one of the most awesome band names ever...



I don't know much about I Was A Teenage Satan Worshipper. I only know they're Finnish, and as my understanding of the Finnish language is extremly limited I can not understand anything of the little information I think I might have found... At least music is universal and they sing entierly in English :p

Their style of music is probably best described as electropop. It's sweet and if you like the song below you should go visit their mikseri page and get any of the other 18 songs ^_^

Surfer Rocket Girls! (left click)

Orange

More Download.com findings ^^



Orange is a four member group from the Philippines. So far they have released one self titled EP under a Creative Commons license on Triad Records. Their style and female vocals makes me think of a rockier Mojofly, so check them out!

One Burgundy Place (left click)

Korean music at Download.com

I have probably missed this for ages, but while searching for some Brazilian post-punk (intrigued as I hadn't heard the term "post-punk" before) I surprised found myself at download.com's music section. I've been getting programs off downloads.com for as long as I've had my own computer, but it wasn't till today that I discovered the music section. Here's three short presentations of some of the music from Korea that I found there. (click subheadings for direct links ^^)

Pop Store

Most of you have probably heard of PopStore before. They have free samples on just about every place where one can share own music for free and their 2003 demo Open Your Mind has spread over the world through various p2p applications since the release. Their style is basicly pop punk - all of PopStore's songs are recommended if you're into that kind of music ^^

Code Y

Code Y released their debut EP, Circle, in summer 2004. All songs on there are also available on Downloads.com, but as I haven't heard the actual EP I wouldn't know if there's any difference. There's a mellow touch to all of the songs and it really appeals to me ^^ They're all nice, but I'd like to recommend Star (별). Oh, and don't forget to check out their website (make sure to allow popups!) - it's really neat :p

Gomuband

Out of the Korean music available at Download.com I will most likely end up listening to Gomuband the most. It's all nice and simple instrumentals with a couple of acoustic guitars, I love this kind of music. Try any song and enjoy!

Double Fish

And another artist found on Shanshui!



Zhu Jianhui aka Double Fish comes from mainland China and makes some nice electronica. His releases so far includes some EPs on Polish and Chinese labels as well as some contributions to compilation albums.

Galaxy

Covox

Today I came across the Chinese record company Shanshui for the first time...



...and there I found Swedish guy Covox! He's a chiptune composer making what he describes as "melodic high-energy romantic gameboy pop". His first album, Delete the Elite, was released this summer in Sweden and, with an extra bonus track, only a week ago in China.

This song sounds very happy and the title is awesome. Check it out and go to Covox homepage for more ^_^

Summer Fruit Dance Party

My Little Airport

It was only a question of time before I would write about them here, so as I was listening through their latest single for the first time I figured now would be a good time to do so ^^



Hong Kong duo My Little Airport makes indie-pop like no others. It's all sweet and simple with nicole singing and p playing the guitar and, more importantly, casio. I love it!

The first song below is the title track from their 2004 debut album with the same title while the second is a remix of another first album song available on the IS#3 compilation.

在動物園散步才是正經事
(The OK thing to do on a Sunday is to toddle in the zoo)
Victor, Fly Me to Stafford (Mike McGuire remix)

Sera Cahoone

And a bonus post right away since there were no posts during the weekend ^^



A couple of days ago I was introduced to Sera Cahoone through songs:illinois. Her style of music is acoustic country/folk and though I'm no fan of country the one song I've heard still appeals to me. She hasn't released anything yet, but hopefully there'll be a full album next year.

Listen to this song a couple of times if you don't like it at first. It grows on you. And the title is cute :p

Couch Song

Maximilian Hecker

As I mentioned him in the previous post, here's a guy I have not payed enough attention to till now.


Photo by Dirk Merten

Maximilian Hecker is from Germany and makes, what he calls, "melancholy pop hymns". I have been listening to some of his music through last.fm, but it wasn't till today that I realized I really like this guy's music! Most of it is quite mellow while some songs are more like electropop.

Check out his homepage for more music and lots of vids ^_^

Daylight

SIN

After a short hiatus due to a visit home I'm back with an entry on a band introduced to me by For The Eardrums last week ^^



SIN is a Norwegian duo making soft electronic music. Though I don't think they had published any material till this month both members are still fairly wellknown in the Norwegian indie scene through their previous bands such as Jaqueline (Marius Drogsås Hagen) and The Wombats (Tord Øverland Knudsen).

According to For The Eardrums, German guy Maximilian Hecker will appear on their debut album next summer so keep your ears open for more awesome material from these guys in the future!

Lost in a Span

Grizzly Bear

Now to the guys following Efterklang on tour through Scandinavia!



American Grizzly Bear started out as a duo, but I think they might be a quartet now... Unable to decide if they're freak-folk or new-folk they suggest the terms wood-tempo or comp-core to describe their genre of music. Their music is generarlly slow paced with an electronic touch ^^

You can listen to several songs and remixes and also find some more downloads from Grizzly Bear's debut album, Horn of Plenty, on their homepage.

Deep Sea Diver

Efterklang

As I decided to check out the artists coming to that nearby student place next week I heard the interesting music of Efterklang for the first time...


Heads of cabbage by Nan Na Huass

Efterklang is a 5/6/8/3 member band hailing from Copenhagen, capital of Denmark. (5 core members, 6 if counting the guy that films, 8 or 3 live depending on stage size.) Their music is slow paced and has an electronic sound to it that makes their name very suitable. Actually "efterklang" is one of the prettiest words I know, and if it's the same in Danish as in Swedish it means something like "reverberation" (though that doesn't sound even half as pretty to me...).

Two more songs and several vids are available for download from their homepage - you should definitly check them out!

Monopolist

Red House

Korean Red House Studio & Entertainment has recorded albums for artists such as Necramyth and Wany and on their homepage one can listen to some "demonstration songs". In my first multi-artist post I intend to show off some of the artists in their "Soft Music" section ^^

Swimmin' Fish

Swimmin' Fish released their debut EP, JaywalKin, in the beginning of October and all demonstration songs are featured on it. Their music sounds pretty much like any other happy guitardriven rock with female vocals - I can never get enough of that ^_^

Rocket Diary

Rocket Diary, or 출입금지 (Off Limits) as they were called when they recorded their demo, released their first single in October. They describe their music as emo and ska punk on the single and I think that works for the demo songs too :p What You Want? is basicly the same as on the single, though with a piano added, while the other two songs still remain unreleased.

Band BlueIsland

Blue Island released a digital single in June this year. Their style is very Korean rock, don't know how else to describe it... As those recordings are kinda old both Blue and Life (인생) are different from the single versions, whereas my favorite, Save didn't even make it.


No direct links today. Check out the site linked first in this post for samples instead :p

binudoduk

Binudoduk, which is Korean for "soap thief", has been around since 1997 with different members. The main person behind binododuk is Nam Sung Hee who sings, plays the guitar and writes the songs. It's mostly nice acoustic, sometimes folkish, pop with female vocals ^^

The song below is taken from the first EP, Acoustic Cat, which was released in November 2004. For more EP samples as well as the full 1999 demo and some vids I'd suggest a visit to the homepage.

많이 안아주고 싶어요

Dreamboy

And then, some more music discovered because of Hello Saferide!



Dreamboy is a Swedish five member band that, according to themselves, sounds like a punkish Beach Boys from the early/mid 90s. As I no longer listen to the radio nor watch any of the music channels, unless it's for a movie or a non music related show, I didn't even know they existed till they were mentioned in Hello Saferide's blog. It seems they've been on MTV's Up North chart for a couple of weeks earlier this year with the song Uncalled For.

Uncalled For

Maias Case

First Hello Saferide, now the girl providing amazing backup vocals for her on album as well as on tour: Maias Case!



Maia Hirasawa aka Maias Case (or perhaps Maia´s Case?) has yet to release an album or even an ep, but her music still deserves to be heard. Her voice is very nice and for now it's only accompanied by an acoustic guitar, though according to her homepage she might bring some other musicians on stage in the future :)

From what I've heard all of her songs are great, so if you like the song below I advice you to take a look at the "listen" section of her homepage for more goodies ^_^

My New Friend

Hello Saferide

I just got home from a really nice gig with Hello Saferide at the student pub/nightclub next door (a journal entry about that will be posted at last.fm before the end of the weekend) and making my first real entry about her just seems right :p



Hello Saferide is Swedish Annika Norlin. The somewhat unusual name is inspired by the taxi service from a school in Willimantic (USA) she once attended.

A couple of months ago I got her incredibly wonderful song Get Sick Soon from music blog swedesplease and after playing that song over and over again I pre-ordered the album. Every song on that album is brilliant pop with sweet and sometimes funny lyrics - all of it highly recommended! I have the link for her first song here, but to get a taste of the great band accompanying her on the album you should visit her site to get more songs and watch a couple of vids ^^

Highschool Stalker

Hello World!

Hi and Welcome! I'm Anna. And a while back I decided to no longer download music against the artists' wishes - I'm stuck with free music. This way I should be able to put more focus on artists that want people to hear their music and don't mind giving a free sample of what can be found on whatever releases they hope for people to purchase. Inspired by philly (who also was the one suggesting the name I chose for this place) I decided to share some of the goodies from what I come across with the world through a music blog. This space will mainly be used to show off new found music, but some older stuff I just want people to hear will surely find it's way here too ^_^