News editors: Mikael Kahrle & Johan Carlsson

Happy New Year...
• This is the last News edition of 2004. We wish you a Happy 2005 and wish to take this opportunity to thank all you readers, writers, partners and contacts for all support. To use a cliché: We couldn't have done it without you. We end this year with more readers than ever (unfortunately with few ads - and ads are our only income). We now have around 30 000 visits each week and during 2004 far more than one million visits took place.
During 2005, we hope to finally take this site to the next level. /Mikael Kahrle

...but it will be a sad New Year's Eve
• This year ends in the worst possible way with the disaster in Asia. Of course this is a Global tragedy, but if we just take a look at our home country Sweden it is the worst disaster to strike us in modern times. Thousands of Swedes are still missing.
Release will shortly offer ad space for donation banners. /Mikael Kahrle

More Suicide reissues on Mute

The good deeds of Mute continue through new owner EMI.

• Following their rereleases of the first two Suicide albums, Mute will be reissuing the band’s oft-neglected “A Way of Life” and “Why Be Blue?”, originally released in 1988 and 1992 respectively (January 31). Much like with the previous reissues, the albums will come with an additional CD of bonus material. “A Way of Life” is coupled with a recording of a 1987 London live show, while “Why Be Blue?” comes with a recording of a 1989 Paris concert. The latter seems particularly promising since it features a whole host of Suicide songs that have never been released in studio versions. /Kristoffer Noheden

Lithium records album without record deal
• Lithium, the industrial project related to Tiamat, has recorded thirteen new songs - without a record deal. The band is currently looking for a suitable label. Lithium's old label No Fashion/MNW is not going to release the new album "due to the direction that the company will take with the new owners", all according to the band. At least ten songs will make it to the album and a mini CD will hold left-overs and remixes. /Mikael Kahrle

More N(e)ostalgia

Living on nostalgic tours.

• Neostalgia, a small Swedish synth club in Lund, expand their activities 2005 and have scheduled three big gigs at Malmö venue KB with Der Plan, Trans-X and Scotch. They will still organise their usual club nights in Lund, close to Malmö and Copenhagen. Trans-X and Scotch played Gothenburg 2004. Trans-X will perform "Living on Video" and those, hmm, other hits.
All interesting Scandinavian live dates, including Neostalgia's, at On Stage. Yes, Scandinavian, although the rest of Release covers the whole wide world. We could include all countries there, we know, but there's just too many events out there. /Mikael Kahrle

NFD through EU
• NFD (featuring members of Fields Of The Nephilim, The Nefilim and Sensorium) are going on a three-week European tour, starting January 14. The tour will take them through Germany, Denmark, Austria, Italy and Holland. /Mikael Kahrle

New Current 93 album on its way

• Current 93 are in the midst of recording their first new studio album since 2000’s “Sleep Has His House”. “Black Ships Ate the Sky” will feature guest vocals by Marc Almond, Cosey Fanni Tutti and Antony of Antony and the Johnsons. Current 93’s David Tibet reports that he hopes for the album to be out by April 2005.
With the recent folding of their distributor World Serpent leaving Current 93 in some financial difficulties, they have been struggling to complete the album. To gather more funds, they have decided to release a collector’s edition which will come with a bonus CD. It can be pre-ordered now at the Durtro web site. /Kristoffer Noheden

The Human League first in line

• The Human League were (among) the first to ever play synthpop and they are the first live act to be released for next year's Wave Gotik Treffen in Leipzig (May 13-16). The Human League can be called almost anything but goth (but of course WGT invites a wide variety of dark bands).
This vintage synthpop trio performed a short singback-only gig for a huge audience with higher expectations in Gothenburg earlier this year. But yes, we know, Phil Oakey and the girls can make excellent real shows and we hope WGT makes sure this will happen. However, this is the (otherwise impressive) festival which offered a Front Line Assembly gig with a Bill Leeb lookalike on stage (and we would still like to hear more regarding this, especially from the real Leeb, yes we do).
The Human League's live skills hopefully shows on their brand new live DVD (a review copy has yet to appear).
WGT: one booked. Some 160 artists to go. /Mikael Kahrle

Der Plan on Swedish tour
• Old Neue Deutsche Welle act Der Plan is expected to Sweden in March, according to the Gothenburg organiser Klubb Statisch/Sticky Fingers. Der Plan is scheduled for Stockholm on March 8, Gothenburg on the 9th and Malmö on the 10th.
On a side note, there is a Gothenburg indie band called The Plan with Theodor Jensen, once a member of Broder Daniel.
Rather young club Statisch flex its muscles and has also booked a number of other acts for the first half of 2005: Project-X, Komputer, Revl9n and Universal Poplab. Komputer might do other Scandinavian cities while they're at it. Klubb Statisch is open the second Wednesday each month and plays "socialist synth and German pop".
Another Gothenburg club, Klubb Killing Music, has been forced to leave its home Bommens Salonger after the owner decided to turn the venue into yet another of those fancy sports bars. /Mikael Kahrle

Analord finally released
• As of this week the brand new Aphex Twin material, going under the moniker of Analord will finally be available.
Promising to be one of the most significant set of releases done by Richard D. James in recent years, the collection will only be released through his jointly owned Rephlex label (with a possible release date of
summer 2005 for the general public shop represses). /Mike Whyte

Double album from LCD Soundsystem in January
• LCD Soundsystem, the electro punk project by James Murphy of famed production duo the DFA, have taken the step from vinyl to CD. Following the three acclaimed, and brilliant, vinyl singles “Losing My Edge”, “Give It Up” and “Yeah”, the band released new single “The Movement” last month after having signed a deal with EMI. A double album will follow on January 26. /Kristoffer Noheden

Fixmer/McCarthy headline again

Douglas McCarthy.
Photo by: Peter Åstedt (Release)

• Scandinavian Alternative Music Awards (Gothenburg, May 13) has released some new live acts: Fixmer/McCarthy, Lowe and Top Gun. Immensely popular live duo Fixmer/McCarthy has just headlined two other Swedish major events: Arvika (July) and Tinitus (November). Statemachine-related Lowe is one of the rising stars on the new wave heaven. Among the poppy Top Gun-ners we find Magnus Johanson (brother of Jay-Jay) and Tony Svensson (SAMA, Romo Night).
Howard Jones was the first SAMA name to be released a few weeks ago.
The SAMA voting starts on January 1 and this year you can also vote for best festival or club. /Mikael Kahrle

Richard 23 and Patrick Codenys tour with VNV Nation
• Coder23 is another Front 242 side-project, this time with Richard 23 and Patrick Codenys. Coder23 is embarking on a US tour with VNV Nation December 29 through January 8.
VNV Nation let people vote for the three songs they most like to hear played live during the tour here. /Mikael Kahrle

"Pornography" from Client

• The Soft Cell-ish "Pornography", taken from the album "City", is the next single from Client (January 10). The song and video features Carl Barat from The Libertines.
The first CD version will offer a radio version and the track "In the Back of Your Car". The second one comes with an extended version of "Pornography", the video clip and "White Wedding" live. There is also a 7" with the extra track "Tuesday Night". /Mikael Kahrle

Noise from the North
• There are few Swedish noise acts, but early 2005 HHH will release their debut CD "Psychic Stress Discharge" (Plutonium) with seven tracks. /Mikael Kahrle