Monday, February 05, 2007

Skateb?rd




This is Skateb�rd's (aka Baard L�demel; in English, it's "Skateboard") first full length, released on his own, freshly-launched imprint, Digitalo Enterprises -- with marketing and distribution support from his friends at Kompakt. Skateb�rd is another fascinating member of the remarkable Bergen, Norwegian music scene: the same magical home of Sondre Lerche, Kings Of Convenience, R�yksopp and Annie. This offbeat lad began his adventure in music upon the release of his 2002 debut Skateboarding Was A Crime (in 1989) on the Tellektro imprint. Conjuring a blend of retro-electro, techno, and even instrumental hip-hop, Skateb�rd made a massive mark on the dance community, and also as a member of the Norwegian hip-hop act Side Brok. He has gone on to release a steady string of treasured releases on Keys Of Life/S�hk� and the cult label Sex Tags Mania. On Midnight Magic, Skateb�rd lifts his middle finger to the standard dance music formula and creates one of this year's most engaging and utterly satisfying full lengths. Midnight Magic indiscriminately moves genre to genre from each song in the most comforting of ways. Craftily-created haunting synths and ethereal melodies harken to the romance of '80s pop, however Skateb�rd conjures a musical matrimony of the last 30 years of electronic music history and makes songs that are shaped for our time -- right NOW.

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