It’s time to announce the amazing news that Rule Of Thirds will be released in Japan! The album is out this month on the great label Vinyl Junkie!
We just finished a great tour of Russia. It was very nice to discover the places and hospitality of this huge country. Definitely one of the most exciting experiences of my twenty years as a musician. We played Saint Petersburg, Kirov, Izhevsk and Moscow and did interviews for lots of big and small TV, radio and press including Saint Petersburg Times, Moscow 24, MTV Kirov, Rocklab radio etc. Special thanks to Alex Kelman for the great tour managing.
As a final thing I embed the exclusive acoustic bonus track we recorded at the Tanned Tin Festival in Spain in February. Maybe not our biggest moment. It kind of makes it obvious to me why I chose to go for a big electronic sound for the record, but the songs work on acoustic guitar, too. They’re just not as azure blue…
I now have eight fabulous contributions for the remix album due this spring. I’m amazed about the level of quality of the songs. They have all blown my mind and I can’t wait to hear the last couple of tracks that are under work. I don’t want to reveal all the acts that have taken part of the project but the cuts by Harald Björk and Simian Ghost are already out there via sneak premieres.
I also want to pay my great respect to Vlad Stoian over at Warmer Climes for the exclusive remix EP of the track Little Confusions that he compiled for me as a Christmas gift! It includes some highly advanced work by some of the most accomplished producers in Romania. Minus, Res Es, Hazy Memories, Kapnobatai and Heion: Once again big thank you! And Vlad: Love ya bro! The whole EP is available for free download here! Check it out and get inspired by the great talents of Romania.
I haven’t written about this that much but in my first entry ever I declared my love for dolphins and that in that I showed a true love of the ocean. There’s been several interviews where I’ve been asked about this. Well. I was born on the west coast of Sweden near a sandy beach. I’ve travelled the world from Australia to New Zealand, to Indonesia to Thailand, to the USA, to Venezuela, to Mexico, to all of Europe. Always looking for something… One reason for my touring is that I want to go everywhere. I’ve got a deep fear of missing out.
I go to SPA’s a often as I can find the time in the cold Swedish winter and in the summer I go to the beach more often than most people. I usually make a joke about it. That I’m part man part seal. I was just in Berlin and went to the amazing Liquidrom SPA where they play ambience music in the main room. There’s an echo in the acoustics that intensifies the mood. You can listen above and below the surface. It was almost a transcendental experience. I have to return there soon.
Where is this long entry leading? Well. I’m a big fan of relaxing, the ocean, swimming pools and, naturally, also balearic and ambient music. It’s my way of relaxing when there’s too much stress and the last year especially I have found some amazing old and new ambient records. I’m even thinking about recording an ambient record. Here’s some inspiration.
I’m very honored to have been invited to play live on the opening of legendary photographer Steve Schapiro’s exhibition at Fotografiska. Steve Schapiro has taken the photos for classic films like The Godfather, Taxi Driver and Midnight Cowboy and has a resumé of loads of famous photos of Martin Luther King, Bobby Kennedy, Muhammad Ali and other legends. I will bring a band, of course, and for this very special occasion we will have projections on three walls!
And here’s the beautiful flyer designed by Richard Ankers.
In other news I just signed up a Bandcamp page and Last.fm. Just to be there. And there’s been some new great reviews like this in Pennyblack Music.
Last but not least I announce a whole bunch of new gigs! See you soon! <3
120316 Stockholm, Fotografiska, Steve Schapiro exhibition opening
120404 Russia, Sankt Petersburg, Fish Fabrique Nouvelle
120406 Russia, Kirov, Gallery Of Progress
120407 Russia, Izhevsk, Story Bar
120408 Russia, SBST Radio Show, radio live
120408 Russia, Moscow, Zavtra Club
120418 Finland, Turku, Dynamo
120419 Finland, Helsinki, Bar Loose
120420 Finland, Jyväskylä, Jyrock
120421 Finland, Lahti, Seurahuone Night
120503 Göteborg, Jazzhuset, Klubb V
120614-16 Hultsfredsfestivalen
I’m very happy to announce that Azure Blue will be performing at Hultsfredsfestivalen this summer. This is the most legendary Swedish summer festival, complete with a camping ground near the lake Hulingen in the beautiful woods of Småland. It takes place June 14th-16th. The lineup is already mind blowing with confirmed acts The Stone Roses, The Cure, The Cardigans (who will play Gran Turismo), The XX, M83, James Blake, Mumford & Sons, Justice, Bat For Lashes and Bear in Heaven. And there’s plenty more to come! Here’s my artist page on the site.
One week ago I won the Swedish independent Grammy award Manifest for Best Pop 2012! Manifest started in 2003 as an award for artists releasing on independent labels. SOM (Swedish Independent Music Producers) started this manifesto against the Swedish Grammis (our Grammy) because they had included commercial factors into the jury’s criterias. So politically I really like what SOM and Manifest stand for.
I don’t want to blow my own horn too much about this because competing in music is a bit strange, and the three other nominees were my friends Jonathan Johansson, Loney Dear and Korallreven. I think they are all fantastic. And when I look at who the previous winners have been I feel very humbled. Those artists are so amazing. Winners in Best Pop since the start:
2003 The Embassy
2004 The Knife
2005 Jens Lekman
2006 The Embassy
2007 The Radio Dept.
2008 The Honeydrips
2009 Frida Hyvönen
2010 El Perro Del Mar
2011 Anna von Hausswolff
2012 Azure Blue
Unfortunately I was in Spain so I couldn’t accept the award personally when the gala took place at Nalen in Stockholm. You can read about all the winners here. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank Manifest, SOM and the jury for the honour! Below is a picture of my co-producer Midnight Ruler accepting the award.
