Really... P3 Guld?

It is the traditional night celebrating Danish music. I hold the utmost respect for our national radio, DR. As readers know, the channel P6 Beat is a favorite of mine - so is the good old electronica show UngaBunga. DR is the major player in breaking music in the Danish music environment.

However, as illustrated by this years show and its winner, Marie Key, they are also, I guess, part of the reason why Denmark is not say, Sweden, when it comes to a music environment.

The show wasn't really very good this year. The attempt to catch Danish family-"hygge" in a concert-hall filled with party-minded musicians, crossed the line to embarrassing now and then. Oh well. Be that as it may.

However, precisely because of DRs position, it is from my perspective a disaster that low-key (sorry), cosy, slightly boring Marie Key won the main prize over the exuberant, vibrant, blitzing Efterklang - who, by the way, are already internationally renowned.

Semi-quoting, the P3 prize is given to the performer or band who "might very well become the next great star in Danish music."

No, Efterklang is not easy-listening music. It may not exactly be pop. I've seen them described as indie-pop in reviews on BBC and in Pitchfork. But judges of P3: Do you really, truly believe that in a few years we will be talking about Marie Key as a great star as compared to Efterklang? How do you define a "star" in a manner that excludes a band who is already known and reviewed widely around the world, and that tomorrow will play the first of two sold out concert in Royal Albert Hall, London?

Let's end this rant with some music. As readers know, I love all the cracks and hickups that happen in live music, so lets hear the protagonists live.

Without further ado in fairly recent performances, Marie Key:


Vs. Efterklang:


To the honored judges of P3 Guld, Yao Ming has something to say to ye:


EDIT: Typos. 'Cause I'm sloppy, when I'm irritated.

And... we're back to French House

We interrupt the attempt to try to convince anybody that I listen to anything else than French house, to bring you a fresh set from the Ed Banger 10 years-in-business party by none other than Justice!


I'm just listening to it now, myself, and there's some interesting stuff - we are, for instance, treated to a progression from a remix of Justice's own D.A.N.C.E. into Junior Senior's good old Move Your Feet, and back into a remix of Justice's Canon.

A quite 'rave-ish' set from my initial listening, but suits well enough for keeping the pace up in my hacking (in the "coding for fun"-meaning, not the "accessing others servers illicitly").

Fuzzy Boxed Lo-Fi

Ok, ok.

French house is not all I listen to these days (although Kavinsky has his first album out, and Breakbot's most recent is excellent - go listen!)

I tripped over this...

... the other day, in the YouTube-related's when I was grooving The Kills, The Dead Weather, and The Black Keys with my kid brother.

They are the Unknown Mortal Orchestra. I really dig the fuzzy, boxed sound they've got going. His voice is just another instrument in the attack of lo-fi sound. And I like the groove the drummer is laying down.