The Latebar

If we are to conclude anything from the Jelling Musikfestival 2016 it could be at least three different things. First thing is about the festival’s ability to create an uniquely convenient, pleasant and all over relaxing atmosphere of any pop-rock festival in Denmark. The second is about the management’s talent for always finding one or two international names to make the otherwise little borough of Jelling stand out. The third and for Danes very important surely is – the country still produces young new talents with a capital ‘T’.

Being a dedicated fan of a band or artist often means you are on a ceaseless hunt to collect everything ever published by your idol. I like to consider myself above and beyond such groupie-like nonsense. But… The other day something made me – a seasoned man – scream out like a hormonally imbalanced teenage girl.

Melodic mystical dark power-pop in bright colors. What do you call a style mixed of heavy rock guitar, electronica extend, heavenly pop melodies with a strong yet vulnerable female vocal on top?

One day away from the 27th Jelling Musikfestival and the beginning of the festival season in Denmark. We know most Danes will go only for what they already know, and thereby miss half of their ticket’s worth. So we at Latebar thought it necessary to help our fellow countrymen find new bright stars (or Sparks) in Jelling 2015.

This post was supposed to be about the British pop legends Erasure, their new album ‘The Violet Flame’ and their December 10th gig in Aarhus, Denmark… But though the album is the best Erasure studio-album in a decade and their performance in Aarhus was totally flawless in every aspect, we are still a bit numbed in awe of another duo. The name is ‘Shelter’ and we think it’s safe to say, they made a lasting impression in Denmark.

“Finally!” some might cry out in relief. One of the most promising bands in Denmark these days, Magnolia Shoals, is about to release their debut album. In February 2015 the growing crowd of followers scattered around Europe can add nine new songs to the already cult hits “Looking for Love in Mengele” and “I Will Roam Again” from the 2011 EP ‘Life Danced in the Flesh’, when the band’s first full studio album ‘Tenants’ is released.

The summer in in Scandinavia is running out. But looking back at what was probably the most warm and sunny summer in the past couple of decades one thing sticks out. The collaboration between two of Denmark’s most prominent young contemporary singer-songwriters and the EP that followed their joint-venture.

Even though the bandmembers of the Danish electro-rock trio Carpark North, Lau Hojen, Soren Balsner and Morten Thorhauge are only in their early thirties, they’re slowly turning into well-established veterans on the stage. Currently the band is touring Denmark with their new album ‘Phoenix’ – and as usual the band conducts their gigs as if it were their last.

How often do you come across an entire album of songs that never were meant to be released? Well, here is one – Danish pop band Nice Little Penguins presents ‘Songs – that didn’t make it’. A collection of 15 “old” songs hand-picked by the band members.

On January 20th 2014 ‘Apian’ released the song ‘Breathless’. It was followed by a video featuring the artist symbolically wandering around the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art north of Copenhagen. Maybe seeking a bit of sanctuary at the internationally renowned museum from the numbing brutality in the surrounding world, Apian here explains the inspiration for ‘Breathless’.