JA JA JA!!
JA JA JA, an exciting new monthly club night in London showcasing the best emerging talent from the Nordic countries, will feature four bands selected by Radio 1's Huw Stephens for the opening night on 19 November.
Listen to and buy I Was A King releases here
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The night, which from the Norwegian side is coordinated by Music Export Norway, aims to provide a strong independent platform where new ‘export ready’ artists across multiple genres are able to showcase their music to key British music industry professionals, media, tastemakers and punters alike.
The first Norwegian act to hit Ja Ja Ja's stage is noted outfit I Was A King.
The Nordic region has a long tradition of punching way above its weight on the international music scene. While the Nordic scene has certainly made its mark on the international commercial world (think acts like Abba, A-ha, Aqua, The Rasmus, Bjork and Sigur Ros) the Nordic countries have fostered a wealth of innovative music talent to great international recognition and acclaim.
In recent years the Nordic scene has come into its own as act after act have broken through from all the separate countries: The Hives, The Cardigans, Jose Gonzales, The Knife and Fever Ray from Sweden; Röyksopp, Kings of Convenience and Datarock from Norway; Jori Hulkkonen, Jimi Tenor and Pan Sonic from Finland; Mew, The Ravonettes and Trentemøller from Denmark; and Björk, Sigur rós, múm and Emiliana Torrini from Iceland.
The central London venue will be The Lexington, with a launch party spread across both floors on November 19th featuring live performances from Kira Kira, I Was A King and TV Off. The bands for this show were selected from a shortlist by Huw Stephens of BBC Radio 1 Introducing.
Having only been in existence for a few years, Norwegian outfit I Was a King has quickly gained recognition from the media, musicians, and fans alike. Front man Frode Strømstad has been said to have a unique gift of creating addictive melodies that hold distinctive roots to the 60's, distorted through a 90's indie scene filter.
The new album "I Was a King" features collaborations from Emil Nikolaisen (Serena Maneesh ), Sufjan Stevens, Daniel Smith (Danielson) and Gary Olson (Ladybug Transistor) . The album was recorded at Marlborough Farms (Brooklyn, NY) and mixed by Nick Terry (Primal Scream, The Libertines, Klaxons ).
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ja-Ja-Ja-Music/146891539927?ref=ts
http://www.musicexportnorway.no/
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