News editors: Mikael Kahrle & Johan Carlsson

New record for successful Arvika Festival

Ministry on stage.
Photo by: Mikael Kahrle (Release)

• The Arvika Festival 2003 was sold-out with 15 000 paying visitors. This is a new record but the organisers are not sure they want the festival to grow more.
The fireworks during Björk's show on Thursday was stopped after two persons were lightly injured. The French fireworks firm went ahead with the effects without permission from the people in charge and the police will investigate the matter.
DAF cancelled their show on short notice after Gabi Delgado seriously broke his right hand. He was scheduled to undergo surgery today and his hand will need at least six weeks.
- We are extremely sorry. We hope we can come next year, DAF says in a statement.
Last year Ohgr cancelled their show after Nivek Ogre broke his arm.
Read our Arvika report. /Mikael Kahrle

A stylistically different Front Line Assembly

Rod S..., sorry, Bill Leeb. A new Delerium shot.

• A short report from Rhys Fulber gives us the new Front Line Assembly album "Civilization" will be the moodiest and most melodic FLA work to date.
- It's musically and vocally Bill's and myself's most inspired work together yet, stylistically different but still familiar for long time FLA fans, he says. /Mikael Kahrle, Johan Carlsson

No best of release this year for Nitzer Ebb
• The Nitzer Ebb best of "Body of Work 1984-1997" is now scheduled for a February 2 2004 release, according to Mute Germany. /Mikael Kahrle, Alex Veronac

Kraftwerk album slightly delayed - again
• Capitol in Germany and Sweden both report the EU release date for Kraftwerk's new album (now called "Tour de France Soundtracks") is moved again, from July 28 to August 4. We are all curious if plans for a possible tour will be revealed soon. /Mikael Kahrle

All set for M'era Luna

Camouflage.
Photo by: Mathias Botor

• The line-up for this year's M'era Luna Festival on August 9-10 in Germany's Hildesheim is now set. Among the headliners we find Camouflage, Deine Lakaien, Apoptygma Berzerk, Project Pitchfork, Killing Joke and Melotron. /Mikael Kahrle

Male or Female live dates
• Male or Female have extensive touring plans. A musician called Elko Blijweert helps the two Front 242 members live with prepared visuals by Rod Chong (Speed Tribe) live this summer in Gent (Belgium), Lille (France) and Bolzano (Italy). More European dates are expected to be announced with Japan after. A US tour is in preparation between October 7-22. The Patrick Codenys project Red Snipers will be support in Belgium and Italy. /Alex Veronac

Electric Gathering update
• Stockholm's Electric Gathering (August 30) tells us they have added Boytronic, Malaise and Ordo Rosarius Equilibrio to the line-up, where we already find Laibach, Arcana, Blutengel, Fair Sex, The Invincible Spirit and others. A new co-headliner will follow every week. /Mikael Kahrle

More Tinitus to the people
• The Stockholm Tinitus electro festival will this year take place at Münchenbryggeriet on November 15. The line-up is yet to be presented but we know eight bands will perform on two stages. The ticket sales start on August 4. /Mikael Kahrle

Client on the roads prior to releases

Client. Now with heads.
Photo by: Joe Dilworth

• Before the releases of Client's second single and their debut album, the English ladies are on the roads for both live and DJ assignments. They play in London tonight and dates in Belgium, Portugal, Estonia, The Czech Republic, Switzerland, Spain, Turkey, Germany, USA (DJ set with Andy Fletcher) and Italy awaits.
"Rock and Roll Machine" will be delivered on July 29 (North America) and August 4 (Europe). The album "Client" on August 18 (Europe) and August 26 (North America). /Mikael Kahrle

Arvika Festival countdown

• On Thursday, it's time for the most relevant Scandinavian festival, Arvika. Release will as usual be present (this year Mikael, Lotta, Johan, Kalle) and expect a report afterwards. A late change in the program: Ladytron replaces Goldfrapp. It's unclear if Arvika will be sold-out this year, but on the other hand there is room for more visitors this year. The weather seems to be fine on Thursday and Friday, but fear rain on Saturday... /Mikael Kahrle

Lisa Gerrard's film score out now

• "Whale Rider" (4AD), Lisa Gerrard's original movie score is out and available just about everywhere on planet Earth. Her music can also be heard in other movies such as "Gladiator", "Ali", "Insider", "Mission: Impossible 2" and "Heat". This new release is Lisa's first effort at composing an entire soundtrack on her own and it is a remarkable musical journey. Fans of her solo albums will not be disappointed although those who enjoyed Dead Can Dance's unremarkable final two studio albums had best give this one a miss. /Peter Marks

"Immerse yourself in giant mammoth megabuildings"
• This fall, Dance.com will release the new Male or Female (Front 242 side project) "primitive reflections twisted in sound" DVD+CD. It's described as "a 2½ hour surround sound journey through a distopian, fantastical environment". It features an interactive mode whereby you can "immerse yourself in giant mammoth megabuildings as you control the enigmatic 'Pixelman' character". /Alex Veronac

Triggertrax from Hamburg
• New Hamburg label Triggertrax is currently looking for new artists and welcome demos.
- Triggertrax is on the way to become a dance-oriented electro label later this year. One of the first releases will be Pocket Orchestra, a German minimal electronic project which is very song oriented, Hayo Panarinfo (Triggertrax, Boytronic, U96) tells us.
The company web site isn't up yet so we will have to do with a plain old snail mail address: Triggertrax Recordings, Eulenstrasse 70A, 22763 Hamburg, Germany. /Mikael Kahrle

"Tour de France" in USA on August 5
• The new Kraftwerk album "Tour de France 03" will be released by Astralwerks, not Capitol, in the US and they have scheduled a later release date: August 5. Check out their official Kraftwerk Flash page with music sample and the "Tour de France 03" video page at the official Kraftwerk site. /Mikael Kahrle, Niclolai Wassmann

Neue Deutsche Welle and old DAF in movie

• On Wednesday, the German movie "Verschwende deine Jugend" premiers nationwide. It is a comedy drama about the Neue Deutsche Welle scene.
Münich 1981. Harry is 19 and works in a bank. But he also calls himself manager for an unknown band called Apollo Schwabing with his friends Vince, Melitta and Freddie. They believe they will be huge. But how? Harry gets an idea and advertises they are about to play support act for an already huge band, DAF. But DAF don't know about it.
The movie features DAF live and elsewhere (played by actors) and music by DAF, The Human League, The Cure and many more. The main song is a newly written tune called "Sorglos" by Die Sterne. The OST CD "Verschwende deine Jugend" was released yesterday.
Check out the official web site for trailer, photos, story, music, CD info and more. /Jens Krause, Mikael Kahrle

Kraftwerk album slightly delayed

• The Kraftwerk "Tour de France 03" album (CD and DLP) is moved one week to July 28. The single (CD and 12") with the same title is still expected on Monday, but the product manager at Capitol Sweden tells us he has not yet seen any sign of the release. The four track single includes "Tour de France 03" in four versions called "Etappe 1", "Etappe 2", "Etappe 3" and "Long Distance Version 2".
The Kraftwerk section at Capitol Germany has sound clip links for all four tracks but they didn't work when we clicked them.
Expect a Kraftwerk competition at Release soon. /Mikael Kahrle

Female Polish darkwave singer goes solo
• The first ever solo record from DeCoy (vocalist for Fading Colours) is entitled "Zlota Skala" (Big Blue Records/Dark Vinyl). This album is nearing completion and is being recorded near Warsaw at an unknown studio as this is written. All lyrics and even some music have been composed by DeCoy herself for "Zlota Skala". An autumn release is planned for this work.
There still is no release date for Fading Colours' new album "Come" however, although the band will perform at the Castle Party (July 26-27) in Bolkow, Poland. /Peter Marks