Highlights & Interviews
Bodebrixen (Denmark)
Entering the world of Bodebrixen, means entering the lives of Andreas and Aske. Two Danish boys, whose hearts beat for music that makes you want to dance and smile, and acknowledge your true geeky self.
The boys met in 2006 at a jazz summer camp. As they decided to team up, they entered MySpace, and within three weeks they landed a record deal. In the following period, Bodebrixen had a lot of media attention.
The music is placed in the tension field between I’m From Barcelona and The Whitest Boy Alive. The song writing in Bodebrixen takes a lot of inspiration from Swedish song writing tradition, and the craftsmanship of writing good, simple songs.
In 2008 they released their self-titled debut album. Now they are re-releasing it for a hungry, international crowd, remixing the sound and adding even more power to the pop. The recent concerts at the SPOT-festival in May 2009 and Roskilde Festival in June 2009 has also resulted in an evenly joyous crowd of audiences and critics. Bodebrixen is ready to conquer the international music scene.
The Good The Bad (Denmark)
The Good The Bad are neither just good, nor bad - and they’re definitely not ugly. They’re three Danish desperados, bringing the finest New School Surf & Flamenco to the worthy masses. In fact, their lip-trembling, bone-rattling, hip-shaking dirty cool has been increasing the birth-rate in Denmark by the day ever since their own explosive conception just one year ago.
That’s why in such a short time, TGTB were invited to play Roskilde Festival, German showcase festival Popkomm in Berlin and a Christmas mini-tour in London, followed by a quick jaunt to Norway. In 2009, after more English fun at Liverpool Sound City, Hop Farm Festival and a Harley Davidson European Rally in Latvia, TGTB rocked THE KILLERS aftershow party after their Royal Albert Hall gig in London.
When they’re not touring Europe, The Good The Bad can be found blowing the faces off people in their native city of Copenhagen, where they’ve impressed the more established underground scene and gained a firm fan-base.
For people out t...
Vuk (Finland)
Finnish-American artist Vuk performs some unique music, weaving sonic strains into a rich, colorful tapestry of experimental rock, Balkan vocal music, meticulously layered organ harmonies, exuberantly inventive instrumentation and polyrhythmic walls of Vodou percussion. Ja Ja Ja exchanged some words with her.
For people out there that have never heard of you. Give us three reasons why they should?
Because I think it's safe to say that our sound is pretty unique, because we will broaden your musical horizons, and we promise to surprise you in the best of ways.
Tell us a little about where you're from. Do your surroundings affect the music that you create?
I myself am from quite a few different places and come from a multicultural family. I grew up mainly in Helsinki, New York and Paris, but have always considered Finland to be my spiritual home. It's also where my band is based. I think that being in between places and cultures for most of my life has helped me to acquire an ease in crossi...
Ungdomskulen (Norway)
Norwegian trio Ungdomskulen - Frode Kvinge Flatland, Kristian Stockhaus and Øyvind Solheim - wanted to rock on a regular basis and so they did. After writing a bunch of songs in their fish house studio in Bergen, they recorded their debut album Cry Baby which was released in 2007 to widespread acclaim. Ja Ja Ja caught up...
Since the release of Cry Baby, Ungdomskulen has toured the globe, including two UK tour with their biggest fans, Young Knives and shows at CMJ and SXSW festivals in the US.
For people out there that have never heard of you. Give us three reasons why they should?
1.Because we bring the free-range prog-noise in the most delightful way.
2.Because we answer to no man.
3.Because it´s better sooner rather than later.
Tell us a little about where you're from. Do your surroundings affect the music that you create?
We are all located in Bergen on the West coast of Norway.
It´s the second biggest city in Norway, but its still a pretty small one, it´s...
Simon Raymonde (Feb 2010 Curator)
Simon Raymonde is an English musician and record producer. He is the son of arranger and composer, Ivor Raymonde. In 1984, Raymonde became the bassist of the Cocteau Twins, filling the void left by the departed Will Heggie. He remained in the band until its dissolution in 1997.
Raymonde's debut solo album, Blame Someone Else, was released in 1997, and featured contributions from both Elizabeth Fraser and Robin Guthrie of Cocteau Twins.
Since 1997 Raymonde has been MD of the Bella Union record label, and has signed all the label's acts including Abe Vigoda, Fleet Foxes, Beach House, Andrew Bird, The Dears, Laura Veirs, and Explosions in the Sky, Midlake and Stephanie Dosen.
He has also acted as producer on many records, including Clearlake's Cedars, James Yorkston's Moving Up Country, The Duke Spirit's Cuts Across The Land and The Open's Silent Hours. He also worked on the Fionn Regan album The End of History, which was nominated for the...
Sudden Weather Change (Iceland)
Sudden Weather Change are a five piece band from Iceland, who don't whine in made-up languages or run around naked in forests (well, they might actually do the latter). Where indie music in the last decade has moved slowly away from the early 90s alternative rock ethic (no computers! no classical instruments! lots of guitars and noise!), Sudden Weather Change embrace that ideology and turn up their amps to make sure the three guitars and bass feedback like crazy.
After releasing a home-recorded EP in 2006, Sudden Weather Change have gathered huge praise in Icelandic press, as well as with any foreign tabloid writers which have been lucky enough to witness the band performing. In April 2009 they released their first full-length album Stop! Handgrenade In The Name of Crib Death 'nderstand? with Kimi Records in Iceland who went on to release the album in the rest of the world in October of the same year.
Currently, they are working on lots more songs, some of which will appear on a Sudden Weather Change/Reykjavík! split EP in 2010 and hopefully make a number...
Simon Says No (Norway)
The seeds of Simon Says No! were formed years ago, before the band was even a figment of anyone's imagination. The band recorded "Midnight Romance" and released it on cassette in late
'06, and they were lucky enough to have it picked up by Jørgen Hegstad on NRK P3, Norway’s leading radio-station, who named them “Band of the Week” on their program “Urørt" (meaning "Untouched").
Their debut EP, Ahoi de Angst, spawned the band's hit single "Sleeping Heart." According to the band, the former
song "captures the essence of Simon Says No!...shaped through time, different band members, and cold dark winters."
Simon Says No! are an outfit that have the potential to do great things - you can hear it in ways they meld their love of shoegaze with their hardcore-obsessed past. It's the passion that's in every ounce of their being that bubbles through on stage, and it's in every note of every one of their recorded songs.
For people out there that h...
Leaves (Iceland)
Formed early in 2001 The Leaves began when Arnar Guðjónsson and Hallur Már Hallsson rented a house in downtown Reykjavík. They were joined by old friends Arnar Ólafsson (guitar, vocals), Andri Ásgrímsson (keys) and Bjarni Grímsson (drums) and settled on Leaves as a band name - a reference to Five Leaves Left, the first album of English folk legend Nick Drake.
Leaves played their first gig at the Iceland Airwaves festival in october 2001. A recording contract soon followed with London based B-Unique records and then Dreamworks. The band played all over the U.K. with bands such as Doves, The Coral, Electric Soft Parade and Athlete and supported pop giants Duran Duran in their hometown Reykjavik.
Despite some changes in personnel, the band is now 8 years old, an age few bands reach in Iceland, and has developed consistently. Their new album We Are Shadows is due out next year, and is already being toted as the band's best to date.
For people out there that ...
Bloodgroup (Iceland)
Bloodgroup was formed in 2006 by Halez, Lilja, Raggi and Janus during some boring winter days on the east coast of Iceland. After a few months of writing catchy electronic dance pop, the group played at Iceland Airwaves festival. They recieved praise for a great live show, along with their terrific melodies and beats, which seemed to get even the harshest metalheads dancin’. The group evolved and got even better each time they went on stage they are now considered one of the best live acts in Icelandic music. After raising attention within Iceland and outside, the group finished their first album titled Sticky Situation, released by their own label, Sild ehf.
Their new album, Dry Land, is a product of Bloodgroups studio sessions for the last year and a half. The album will be available in record stores in Iceland now, and is scheduled to be distributed to the rest of the world early next year.
For more information on the monthly Ja Ja Ja Club Night click here…
For...
Harrys Gym (Norway)
Harrys Gym was formed in 2006 and have since toured in Norway and England, participated at In the City in Manchester, The Great Escape and by:Larm in Oslo. Harrys Gym relased the maxi single Attic on vinyl in March 2008. The release contains remixes by Diskjokke and Kjetil Ovesen (120 Days). The band’s eponymous debut album is out now, released on Hype City (Herman Düne, Serena Maneesh) in October 2008.
For people out there that have never heard of you, give us three reasons why they should?
"Not to step over any step over any boundaries, but the song I’m about to show, literally gives you an orgasmic feeling all over your body.”
From the blog of Marlene, 15 years old. Which isn’t really a reason, only very charming. Besides that, I’m told we don’t really sound like anyone else. Or, that is, we tend to sound just like the listener’s favourite artist even if it is a completely different artist with a completely different sound. In other words, we will make you feel like you do when you ...
John Kennedy (Curator, Xmas Ja Ja Ja)
To put it simply, there is hardly anyone working in the music industry that knows more about new music than John Kennedy. And as if that's not enough, he's one of the nicest people you could ever have the pleasure to meet. He's been described as "an absolute oracle of the hotly-tipped, the seer of the Next Big Thing, the guru of the soon-to-be-great and you can check out the truth of the sentiment by listening in to his X-Posure show (every Monday to Thursday from 10pm to 2am), which has developed a cult following over the years.
John's show focuses on a very wide variety of cutting edge and alternative music from a wide selection of genres, so it has been the first show ever to play (and help launch the careers of) many bands and artists over the years, and lead to John being thanked at the 2008 Brit Awards by Kate Nash. The show also features 'album playbacks' where big artsts come in to talk about and play through their new album in its entirety as an insight into their most recent work.
Sofia Talvik (Sweden)
(Interview courtesy of the lovely folk over at The Line of Best Fit)
Soft, airy and graceful, Sweden’s sweet Sofia Talvik sings songs touching on themes of love and heartbreak, as well as a healthy dose of anecdotal stories from her own life. Her vocals are backed by minimal instrumentation, including an acoustic guitar, cellos, double bass, soft percussion and sometimes piano, to create melodic stories that reveal the simple world of a 29-year-old songwriter traversing an array of emotions. In 2005, Talvik released her debut album, Blue Moon, to much acclaim, followed by 2007’s Street of Dreams, on which she sings, “it’s just love, how hard can it be“, in a beautiful duet with veteran British performer, Bernard Butler.
For people out there that have never heard of you. Give us three reasons why they should?
I was the first Swedish female artist to ever be booked to the Lollapalooza festival, the biggest festival in the US.
If you like folk/p...
I Was a King (Norway) Interview
(Interview courtesy of the lovely folk over at The Line of Best Fit)
For people out there that have never heard of you. Give us three reasons why they should?
If people are into some sort of noisy guitars, loud drums and good melodies I think they would be pretty into our music.
Tell us a little about where you're from. Do your surroundings affect the music that you create?
I grew up in a small town in the south-west of Norway called Egersund. It is a very conservative place, wich I guess pushed me to be creative, and to somehow stick out from the norms. I love the place, it is by the sea, surrounded by mountains etc, but no notable music interest or supportive music scene which is sad.
If you could have played on or written any song, what would it be?
Rain by The Beatles. It is not too complicated which suits my skills pretty well, but it is such a great, great song.
How did the band come in to be...
TV Off (Finland) Interview
(Interview courtesy of the lovely folk over at The Line of Best Fit)
For people out there that have never heard of you. Give us three reasons why they should?
Because we will make you smile, dance and do crazy sort of things <3
Tell us a little about where you're from. Do your surroundings affect the music that you create?
We come from Helsinki. Of course the surroundings affect us, the wish for the summer sun keeps us indoors at the studio :)
If you could have played on or written any song, what would it be?
Jenny Wilson's "Like A Fading Rainbow", just love love love it!
How did the band come in to being? And where did the name come from?
It was a happy coincidence, we met at a café through a mutual friend. We were both looking for new things at the time and it turned out we had pretty much the same vision about music, so it worked beautifully rig...
Kira Kira (Iceland) Interview
(Interview courtesy of the lovely folk over at The Line of Best Fit)
For people out there that have never heard of you. Give us three reasons why they should?
People should just come for their own reasons. Curiosity is enough.
Tell us a little about where you're from. Do your surroundings affect the music that you create?
I was born in Reykjavík and I have lived there for most of my life. I’m sure that my homeland filters into everything I create, especially as I’m away a lot and I start to miss my loved ones and my hometown. I was in a hotel in Azpeitia, a town in the Basque country, very early this morning and I started humming to myself half-asleep some lyric fragments I realized were for my country. I got introduced then and there to a deeper love for where I come fr...
Francis (Sweden) Interview
(Interview courtesy of the lovely folk over at The Line of Best Fit)
For people out there that have never heard of you. Give us three reasons why they should?
We allow you to:
1. Sing as false as you'd like
2. Dance that strange dance you only do alone in your bedroom
3. Clap your hands out of time.
Preferably everything at the same time.
Tell us a little about where you're from. Do your surroundings affect the music that you create?
The area of Dalarna, Sweden where we live is beautiful, but boring. We are ugly, but fun.
If you could have played on or written any song, what would it be?
“In kommer Gösta” by Philemon Arthur and the Dung or ”Istället för musik: förvirring” by Bob Hund.
How did the band come into being? And where did the name come from?
We were bored and ugly ...
Huw Stephens
Huw Stephens presents the BBC Introducing shows on BBC Radio 1 on Wednesday nights: Huw Stephens' In New Music We Trust Best of BBC Introducing at 9pm-10pm and BBC Introducing with Huw Stephens midnight-2am.
Huw maintains a busy diary DJing and compering at gigs, clubs and festivals, including hosting the Radio 1 and Main stage at the Reading Festival, as well as curating his own stage for BBC Introducing at the Latitude Festival. In summer 2008, Huw can be seen on the BBC Introducing Stage at Radio 1's Big Weekend, Glastonbury, Bestival, and Reading and Leeds.
(Full bio here)
When and how did you first hear of Ja Ja Ja - and what did you think of the concept/idea?
There was talk of it at Oya this year. Jonas (Vebner, Music Export Norway) asked me to be involved with the first gig. I think it's a great idea and is a good way of showcasing a cluster of bands who would be of interest to a new audience.
What's your experience or impression of ...
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