The diary of David, a just-turned-30 Brit living in Norway
So far I've introduced you to Datarock, Erlend Øye and Sondre Lerche, all three of which I've had some great feedback on. Long overdue it might be, but it's now time for the next in my Discovering Norwegian Music series. And this bunch of kids are real gems. Introducing... Team Me. The first time I heard them I instantly thought of the Polyphonic Spree, followed by Patrick Wolf and Sufjan Stevens, and hell, I'll say it, even a little drop … [Read more...]
I'm a music man. I don't play an instrument, I can't sing, but I listen. A lot. Spotify, Soundcloud and YouTube are as much a part of my daily routine as breakfast and there is rarely a quiet moment in my apartment. On this blog I've written a series of posts about Norwegian artists, such as Sondre Lerche, Erlend Øye and Datarock. Discovering new music (whether new to me or new to the world) has always been a passion, but sometimes it's good to … [Read more...]
During my first weekend in Tromsø, I was determined to get under its skin. For a town of just 69,000 people it punches well above its weight in musical and cultural circles and I wanted to find out what makes it tick. Tromsø is a famous breeding ground for electronic music. Artists such as Röyksopp, Bel Canto and Mental Overdrive found their feet here and the city hosts the annual Insomnia techno festival. Check out this video for a little … [Read more...]
Introducing Sondre Lerche, maker of LOVELY POP ALBUMS. In 2001 he was a fresh-faced singer-songwriter from Bergen releasing his debut album Faces Down. Eleven years and several albums later, he's still a fresh-faced singer songwriter from Bergen. Some people have all the luck. His first three albums demonstrated his technical ability to construct the perfect pop song, none more so than Two Way Monologue. The video is quite cute too. … [Read more...]
Following up Street Posters I! … [Read more...]
Erlend Øye may not be an instantly recognisable name, but he's a Norwegian musical legend. In my eyes, the Norwegian Jarvis Cocker! An integral part of the Bergen Wave, his career has ranged from folk to full-blown electronica, perhaps my two favourite genres of music. He was the driving force behind Kings of Convenience and The Whitest Boy Alive as well as releasing a successful solo album and collaborating on numerous other … [Read more...]
I’ve liked Datarock for some time but had no idea they were Norwegian until I came here. Their raw electronic rock excites my nerve endings and makes me throw shapes in the shower. And on the balcony. And on the T-Bane. And on Ryanair. And on... you get the idea. Datarock are one of the closest bands I’ve heard to what my mythical group “David and the Keyboards” would sound like. Close, but not the same. I'd have more keyboards, … [Read more...]
People who know me personally will know my love for music. I DJ’d at university, ran my own club night for three years, helped out with Oxjam Brum and even dabbled in journalism by writing a short-lived music blog. I’m a big fan of festivals and gigs too. Since moving to Oslo, I’ve been trying to find the heart of the music scene here and, well, I’ve struggled. To many Norway conjures up images of black metal and while that scene still … [Read more...]
Oslo in the summertime, nobody can fall asleep I'm staring out the window from my bed At 4 AM the sun is up Look, the sky is peppered with sea birds And with crows all cackling Up in tre ten Heimdalsgate Me and Nina making fun of footballers In Rudolph Neilson Plass I practice my Norwegian on poor befuddled waitresses Who shake their heads, completely at a loss Oslo in the summertime, the streets are strangely quiet Because everyone's away … [Read more...]
He writes here about his new life in Norway: his observations and experiences, the language and culture, the people and places. [Read More …]
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