AFFICTIONADOS: THIS IS WHAT IT IS

In Malmö, Sweden, Carl Nordström is a DJ and Producer disguised under the name Affictionados. His latest album, "This is what it is" is an eight-track journey into the mind of a producer who can't make up his mind about what genre he falls into. What artist can, after all, label himself?

The album feels like a film score with its mystic quality and fusing of genres. If I were a director I would want to make Carl's music work in my film. It's so gracious with a very listenable quality that mass audiences would immediately understand. Directors of the world, take note.

Naturally, I have listened to "This is what it is" on repeat like most of Carl's other work which is a great combination of soul, jazz, blues, funk, folk, world and hip hop. All of his work loops and loops in my head, stirring my imagination. Throughout the heavily curated and layered album, Christine Owman makes guest vocal appearances adding a mysterious, slightly haunting element to the whole package.

My favourite track would have to be "My Mind Goes" featuring Swedish hip hop artist Bracey Hansun. It is the most unexpected song on the album but doesn't feel out of place. Bracey Hansun raps about coffee a lot in this song for reasons unbeknownst to me.

For Carl, the intention is not to sound like something specific but rather to make new music without limits and boundaries. If “soundscapes” was ever a genre, then this would be what it is.

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Affictionados on Facebook
Revolving Records
Christine Owman on Facebook

Christine Owman in Toronto for Indie Week:
October 13 (tonight) at Nocturne (550 Queen Street West), 11:15pm, $6
October 14 at Free Times Cafe (320 College Street), midnight, $10
October 15 at The Peacok (365 King Street West), 12:45am, $10

ACNE OR DEATH: DRESSES $200 & UNDER

Realization of the day: The most I want to spend on a casual dress is $200, and I would like to avoid polyester. The dress would be special, not an item you wear every day, and something you cherish for decades.

$200. Not always, just once in a while. This is coming from someone who is usually broke, and whose mother is a seamstress. This is also coming from someone who goes to Fabric Land to touch natural fabrics and says, "Yes, I WILL learn how to cut patterns better! Yes, I WILL avoid polyester for life! Fuck paying for clothes! I just need a personal tutor..."

I start to online window shop when I receive a 40% off email from Swedish designers and master drapers Acne. In reality, I don't think I have ever purchased a dress for $200 except as a bridesmaid this summer. Clad in clementine, the dress was perfect was it not polyester and satin. I would wear it out in a heartbeat, and I managed to keep it wine-stain-free. But you know, in case I ever get a real job with a real salary, I would consider these Acne dresses. Only two of them contain polyester, but the styles are irresistible. Clad me in tencel, silk, modal, and wool! See also: rayon, linen, cotton, cashmere...

I am 5'0", by the way, unlike most sultry Swedes who model Acne clothing. Will my body find chemistry in the clothes? My credit card can only tell.


$162, 100% tencel; $174, 100% polyester


$90, 100% tencel; $102, 100% tencel


$190, 100% silk; $174, 100% polyester

Click on images for a direct link to the Acne Outlet, if you dare.

KILL HANNA

Joe Wright’s Hanna is a film about a girl raised in a remote forest of Finland whose father is an assassin. After spending her formative years in the forest, she decides she wants to see the world. But she cannot leave Finland without consequence; if she leaves, she will be followed by intelligence agents who want to kill her. Will she stay in hiding forever living with her dad, or will she choose to experience life, and possibly, death?

Why I loved Hanna:

Because this thriller is far from boring and cliché, and features more content than action

Because the Chemical Brothers created the soundtrack and it is amazing

Because Cate Blanchett plays a fabulous bitch in green Prada heels

Because 16-year-old Saoirse Ronan (Hanna) is a gorgeous, talented actress who fits the role of badass teen and sheltered ambiguous European living in a cave

Because Hanna is a fucking badass female protagonists who beats the shit out of everyone

Because if I was a pre-teen/teenager, I would have loved this film and wanted to be like Hanna

Because Hanna’s resilience comes from somewhere beyond her father’s trainings, and the truth is shocking

Because the film is not stationary in Finland – it takes place around Europe and thus ignites a mini-travel flame inside of me

Because the costumes for the Finnish parts of the movie are noteworthy

Because scenic tundra is exciting and rare in such large Hollywood productions; yay for the Arctic circle!

Because there is a British family in the film that provides the greatest of comic relief

Because, dude, I need to find out where they shot the scenes with the abandoned theme parks so I can go there

Because thrillers with female protagonists are just much more interesting and refreshing. More films with female protagonists that rule: Kill Bill (Uma Thurman), Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Noomi Rapace), Kick-Ass (Chloe Moretz), Alien (Sigourney Weaver)

See the trailer for yourself:


The only thing missing was Alexander Skarsgard. I just felt like he should have been in this film.

YO SOY CONANDO

Well, I am really sad that Conan O'Brien has left NBC's late night line up. Conan has been there for me throughout high school and university, from a time where I had no friends to a time where I had all the friends in the world. I remember being online and watching Conan in high school, and then furiously typing "AHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHA" to a few of my friendly Conanites every time he said something hilarious (which was a lot).

Conan is my anti-depressant pill; everything he says and does makes me laugh (even when I am in the worst mood and am really tired), not to mention his lanky physique. Not only is Conan hilarious but he is handsome as hell. I think it's all those chic suits he wears. This world is such an injustice sometimes - I don't understand how stupid people like Jay Leno succeed and smart people like Conan have to leave an entire television network. I guess Conan is too good for NBC (except 30 Rock and the Office because they are brilliant).

In the last week of Conan's shows, I noticed how super-racy he was, just like he used to be at the 12:35am time slot. How amazing was it that Robin Williams gave the finger to NBC like 10 times on the third-last Conan show? I love the support for Conan. He is the only late-night TV show host worth watching in my opinion, whereas Jay Leno is like the Mike Bullard of America: UN-FUNNY. I love Conan and I will miss him. I wish him all the best and I hope he returns to late-night television again so I can giggle a lot. Oh, and the best Simpsons episodes of all time? Yeah, they were written by Conan.

Although I haven't seen every single episode ever (not even close), some of my favourite moments include the masturbating bear and the "desk rides". Fuck, would I give anything to go on a Conan desk ride. Also, I love the comparison between Conan and the Finnish PM (who is a woman) - they look very alike.

I came home early to watch Conan's last show and was super-sad when he started choking on his words. He didn't deserve any of this. The last lineup was stellar: Steve Carrell, Neil Young, Will Ferrell doing a musical performance with various artists such as Beck and ZZ Top, featuring Conan on guitar. Mad cool. I wish there were more funny interviews, but the music was satisfactory.

Who knows where he will be after this? Perhaps in my arms, Conan, perhaps you will be in my arms :'(

NEW IN MUSIQUE

Annie: Don't Stop



ACHTUNG fans of electro of the Scandinavian, particularly Norwegian variety: get on this album! Annie is redefining electro with her latest album Don't Stop and I clearly can't stop (listening to it). It's got hints of Röyksopp and Robyn with undertones of dancing to fashionable house music at Culture Box in Copenhagen circa 2008. Beginners should start out with the tracks “I Don’t Like Your Band” and “Songs Remind Me of You”. Great poppy vocals, jumpin’ beats, and Ladytron-esque vibes. I LOVE it!

The XX: Self Titled



And now for something completely different, the XX. Why does this album remind me of Sonic Youth with a tinge of R&B? Is it the awkward-kinda-there-Kim Gordon-meets-pop vocals? Anything that reminds me of Sonic Youth is generally amazing; I think it's the combination of vocals and gloomy, calculated guitars. Therefore, this album = yes. Just yes, yes, yes, yes, YES!

Otis Redding: The Very Best of Otis Redding



Not exactly "new" in music, but definitely newly appreciated by me! I just can’t get over the greatness of “Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay”, one of the greatest songs ever written. I have been listening to this album day in and day out. It warms my winter blues and compliments deceptively sunny days where it's below 0. I love the way he revamps doo-wop songs like “My Girl” into intense soul jams with his killer vocals. Otis is the king of soul. He brings the funk into my life. Not a big deal at all!

Motown: Various Tracks



So, in lieu of Otis Redding (who was actually on Stax Records, not Motown!), Motown has been on my listening list for the past couple of weeks. I am reminded by how great late-50s and 60s music is at a class I'm taking notes for called "The History of R&B, Soul, Funk and Rap". It's the best class I am taking notes for by far. Each week the professor tells us insane stories about the music biz back in the day and how pretty much everyone died (Florence Welch, Mary Wells, Tammi Terrell etc) or became really greedy (Record Company owners, Diana Ross). I've only attended lectures after the doo-wop period, but man, I'll never forget sitting there typing out the stories of how Diana Ross was a huge bitch and yet still remains one of the greatest vocalists of the 60s. Growing up listening to Alan Cross's "History of New Music" radio show, I can't help but appreciate and love the history of music and its shaping of music today.

Peter Bjorn & John: Living Thing



If you go back to the very first entry of Too Rude, you will see that I was obsessed with “Nothing to Worry About” by Peter Bjorn & John (AKA Peanut Butter and Jam) off the album “Living Thing”. Now I have this album on repeat. There is something I like about its annoying and repetitive sound. Listen-worthy tracks: "Blue Period Picasso", "I’m Losing My Mind", "It Don't Move Me". The track "Living Thing" reminds me of Africa, so that one's pretty good too.

SCANDI REDUX

This month's musical redux goes out to the early winter we have been facing in the Greater Toronto Area this October. Apparently mother nature decided to skip out on autumn and was just like, "Whatevs. Ya'll can start hibernating now". There's nothing that will keep us warmer than the delicious dance tunes of the following people.

Kid Kishore/DJ Hvad is a DJ based out of Copenhagen who is known for his eccentric mixes that incorporate Bollywood, Punjab breakcore, hiphop and nauseating sound effects all into one. A little geometric and a little politically incorrect, he puts on a live show that you kind of have to dance to. Hvad?


Kleerup has my heart. I'm honestly the biggest fan of Kleerup's pop-infused beats that are catchy as hell. He could orchestrate a Coca-Cola commercial with debut track "Hero". Other favourite tracks include "Until We Bleed" featuring Lykke Li, "With Every Heartbeat" featuring Robyn, and "3am" featuring Marit Bergman.


Familjen still brings it. We recently celebrated our one-year anniversary of me purchasing Det Snurrar I Min Skalle (The spinning in my head). I'm surprised he hasn't gained fame in North America yet but that's probably because he sings in Swedish. Oh, and be sure to check out his remix of "If I Had a Heart" by Fever Ray on the Myspace page. Impressed!


The Touch have gotten a little shaky over the years but if you are into electro and possibly Ed Banger then The Touch is worth a listen. I could never find their album because I think they are strictly for da club.


CFCF (aka Mike Silver) is a producer from Montreal who recently came out with the album "Panesian Nights". Funk-infused and a little Chromeo-80s-cheesy, CFCF is a hot piece of joke worthy of your attention. CFCF is for fans of Chromeo, poppin', Crystal Castles remixes, and The Drake Underground. He deserves an honorable mention here as he is the only non-Scandinavian artist featured this month under Scandi redux. Yeah, I cheated a little.

MIIKE SNOW VS. JACK PENATE

Last Wednesday I hit up Wrongbar with my partner in crime Max for a show of the Svenska invasion. Miike Snow (SE) and Jack Peñate (UK) have been touring for their latest albums and given the ridiculous amount of Scandinavian bands that are touring in Toronto this autumn, we both knew that this one was going to be a highlight. But aside from the interesting crowd that made the night Hilarious, it wasn’t anything special.

Miike Snow recently opened up for Lykke Li at her Sound Academy show in August which would explain why the show was sold out. As for Jack Peñate, well, I truly have no idea where he came from (other than England). That being said, Mr. Peñate teefed the show without hesitation. His energy was through the roof! Miike Snow played several danceable songs but the set was slow and droney with way too much “negative space” and feedback; back-to-back full songs would have highly been appreciated. I forgot how much Miike Snow doesn’t remind me of Familjen, except for that one song “Animal”. I’ll give them this; their non-ballad songs are incredibly catchy, but the lead singer who looks like Bert McCracken needs to try a couple of new things with that keyboard of his.

Overall, the night was sub-par: the crowd was expected but unexpected which shaped the overall vibe of the show. Given Lykke Li’s deserved fame, I bet that Miike Snow will follow in her steps. The Svenska invasion continues.

NEW IN MUSIC

In Vietnam it's not easy to download or stream tracks because the internet connection is not very stable, but with the help of Grooveshark streaming (best website ever) and the occasional Pitchfork visit, I have discovered new music. This is what I can't stop listening to these days.

Wildbirds and Peacedrums: Heartcore and The Snake

I discovered W&P a few months ago but I just need to mention how fucking awesome they are right now. Moreover, I can't get over how much Mariam Wallentin could totally be my doppleganger. A husband-wife duo from none other than Goteborg, Mariam's voice chill me every time because there is a tiny hint of Karin Dreijer Andersson in those vocal chords. Simplistic folk paired with raw orchestration and rolling drums make for WB&PD's original sound, which led the artists to an Årets Svensk Jazz award in 2007.

jj: jj n° 2

jj is a side project of the edgy Tough Alliance, mein lovers from Goteborg: city of love and music. After hearing only one track, I am taken aback by this project. Can't wait to hear the entire thing. Listen to "Ecstacy" which, much to my enlightenment is sampling "Lollipop" by Lil Wayne but doing it with all that Svensk class, style and grace. Ooh child.

Affictionados/Oh No, No Decks

Affictionados is not new to me. He is my friend Carl (aka Carlsgatan) from Malmo, Sweden. Back in Copenhagen, I took a class across the bridge in Malmo in which I had to interview local musicians, DJs, producers and promoters for a research project. Carl was nice enough to meet up with my group and I to spill the beans on the scene. For some reason I am really enjoying the lounge essence of his music these days and the quality of production he brings to his mixes. Not to mention, he DJs some really mean funk in the emerging cafes and clubs of Malmo. You can download his collections and single tracks here.

Phoenix: Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix

I find something sexy about Phoenix that the Strokes lost a long time ago. Maybe it's because they're French. I thought rock revival was "over" but when I listen to the latest album by Phoenix, I feel as though they bring a fresh perspective to the genre. At first not a fan, their catchy tunes grew on me because I was bored of everything else. This is their fifth full-length release, and unlike the American version of their music - The Strokes - the newest album actually sounds good. The singles "1901" and "Lisztomania" bring me back to my high school days of eating freezies on church stairways in the Annex and thinking about what Karen O is wearing.

Peter, Bjorn and John: Living Thing

I am really hooked on some of the tracks of Peter, Bjorn and John (aka Peanut Butter and Jam), god damn. I will have to hear the whole album to make a decision, though. I'm just really obsessed with their videos by my favourite director, Andreas Nilsson, especially "Nothing to Worry About", a painfully annoying and addictive song.