New Year Eve Party Playlist 2025/2026 Nyårsaftonens spellista

Time to end another year and look forward to the next. 2025 has, frankly, been a sh-t year for the world and in Finland - but a year of fast and interesting transformations - and moves - for me. I hope for a little more time to chill in 2026, and, hopefully, much more peaceful times in the world, more democracy, justice, care for others and freedom for all. No all in new year party this year, just softly chillin’, but of course a new year party playlist!

Det är dags att avsluta ännu ett år och se framåt mot ett nytt. Ärligt talat, 2025 har varit ett sk-t år för världen och i Finland - men ett år med snabba och intressanta förändringar och flyttningar för mig. Jag hoppas få lite mera tid att chilla 2026 och, förhoppningsvis, en mycket mera fridfull tid för världen, mera demokrati, rättvisa, omtanke om andra och frihet för alla. Ingen all in nyårsfest i år, chillar soft istället, men en nyårs-party playlist blir det ändå, såklart!

Peace on Earth! Frid på jorden!

Here is my New Year Eve Party Playlist 2025/2026. Preferably to be played from approx 21 to (almost) 00 turn of the year 2025/2026 (with links for you to videos for almost all songs). Or anytime you like.

Här är min nyårs-spellista, bäst från ca 21 fram till tolvslaget 2025/2026. Eller närhelst du känner för det.

Happy New Year/Gott Nytt År/Gutes Neues Jahr/Onnellista Uutta Vuotta!!!🎉

NEW YEAR EVE PARTY PLAYLIST 2025/2026

Intro: Fridays For Future/Rebekka Karijord & Jon Ekstrand

Welcome To The Show/Laleh

Endzeitstimmung (Live 2024)/Die Fantastischen Vier 

Wir Kommen In Frieden/Feine Sahne Fischfilet

Ilonalle (Sydänlupaus)/Heikki Kuula

Super Sense Block Party (Live Medley) (12”)/Die Fantastischen Vier

Hamburg City (MC)/La Boom

Nie Wieder Krieg/Thomas D

Overcome (The Recapitulation)/RX Bandits

Wann Strahlst Dub/Erobique & Palminger

Radioaktivität (Francois Kevorkian Remix) (12”)/Kraftwerk

Wagging Tongue (Live Mexico City)/Depeche Mode

Hamburg Calling (Live Brotstock 2023)/Fettes Brot

Passing Strangers (Set Movements Live)/Ultravox

Im Arsch (PFL RMX)/Jan Delay

Geboren Um Zu Sterben/Tristan Brusch

Waiting For The Great Leap Forwards (Live)/Billy Bragg

Reeperbahn Dub/Udo Lindenberg feat Jan Delay

The Grosser (Live Brotstock 2023)/Fettes Brot

Nordisch By Nature (Live Brotstock 2023)/Fettes Brot

Come And Get Your Love/Redbone

Pizza (Live 2025)/Antilopen Gang

Super Sense Block Party (Live Medley) (12”B)/Die Fantastischen Vier

Arbeitstitel: Aller Achtung (Instrumental)/Eins Zwo

 

#3/6 Jahre Institut

Kirchturmkandidaten (Live mit der WDF Big Band)/Jan Delay

When The President Talks To God/Bright Eyes

Mach Die Augen Auf/Nena

All You Fascists Bound To Lose/Ghetto 84

Beate Zschäpe Hört U2 (Live 2025)/Antilopen Gang

Where Is The Love?/The Black Eyed Peas

Love (Eimsbusch Dynamite Deluxe RMX)/Patrice

Jein (Live Brotstock 2023)/Fettes Brot

Arbeitstitel: Aller Achtung/Eins Zwo

Liebes Logbuch (Instrumental)/Eins Zwo

Flashbacks (CD-EP)/Niemals

Stay (Live 1979 No Nukes)/Springsteen E Street Band

Everything Counts (Live Mexico City)/Depeche Mode

Zusammen (2022)/Die Fantastischen Vier feat. Clueso

 Lev Nu Dö Sen/Miss Li

Take On Me (The Final Concert Live)/A-Ha

I hear wonderful (live) things 2025!

 (I see) Wonderful things, said Howard Carter when he found the grave vault of Tutankhamun. A travesty of that here and now could be: I hear wonderful things 2025. And many of them on newly released live albums.

Brotstock, a tripple live album by Hamburg hiphop legends Fettes Brot, is out this year. A great celebration of the unfortunately final Fettes Brot concert, from 2023. RSD 3LP vinyl version is on tripple-colour vinyl, cool. A magnificent live album, with all hits, and then some,  included. Jeun is a fine, groovy start and one of my favorite segments is Hamburg Calling followed by a magnificent The Grosser, that really makes your body move. And of course Nordisch by Nature does so too, but the vibe is great throughout. The album title is also wonderfully fun, so tongue-in-cheek. A beautiful last statement from the ”Fat Breads”. And bonus info: König Boris has also released a book ” FC St. Pauli - eine Liebeserklärung”, in 2025. Early bird signed copies could be bought at FC StP club shop on Reeperbahn. So Cool.

And who can neglect Depeche Mode? M and Memento Mori: Mexico City (live) were both very high on my waiting list this Fall, both the 4LP version and the 2 Blueray + 2 CD version. One of the most important bands on my radar, and they didn’t disappoint this December. M is the movie version, and the only regret is that they could have played out more widely with the Mexican theme, perhaps prolonged the film with 15-20 mins to get some more depth into the material between the live scores. Fine as it is, it could have been even better. Especially as the whole concert material is  also available as such in the same package, and a great concert film it is too. 

Yes, the vinyls and cd:s are also stunning, great new songs performed live and some very cool and refreshed versions of classics like Everything counts. Showstarter My Cosmos Is Mine was a surprise (on the tour), but opened strongly for a refreshed DM concert experience. Too sad that the concert that I had tickets to on the Memento Mori tour was cancelled, but instead a free DM club night was organized for fans and that surprisingly turned out to be one of the best club night experiences ever. Danced for five hours straight. And had so fun that I nearly didn’t mind that the concert was cancelled. DM fans form a great community. 

Now, on formally released live album and film(s) from the tour, we hear and see DM, currently only a (power)duo, but well-assisted on stage by two great veteran live band members, sounding amazingly fresh. 

A must, no less.

A third new live album out now is Antilopen Gang and their Anti Alles Aktion Live. Interestingly, their controversial political hit Oktober in Europa is not included, perhaps not performed during this tour. Nevermind, it is still a great live hiphop/punk album. Antilopen Gang has combined these genres successfully on studio albums and now show how great the combination also works live. Pizza and Beate Zschäpe Hört U2, Weg Von Hier and Muttertag, are among the impressive highlights, before it all ends in an intense live finale, Anti Alles Aktion. 

Potent, powerful and highly entertaining.

A wonderful catalogue live find from 2021 must also be mentioned. Springsteen E Street Band, performing live on legendary No Nukes festival 1979. I’ve had it on vinyl for years, but this Fall bought the Blueray/2CD version that first came out in 2021. And this is just mindblowing stuff. Bruce and the band are exceptional live artists, personally I have seen them live on three occasions, all superb performances. But this really is exceptional stuff. This is right up there with the very best. Before the megastardom of Born in the USA, when Bruce was big but not yet the biggest rock star, the band already was  among the very best. Frenetic energy, strong showman- and musicianships and the pure happiness of performing live results in a stellar set. And all for a good cause too. My personal favorite moment is when they invite Jackson Browne & co on stage for a spectacular version of Stay. 

Yes, please, stay, just a little bit longer! 

Well worth hearing - and seeing.

Many music pearls for this Christmastime were live (on album), but not all.

A most certain coming classic is the impressive compilation album King Size Dub Hamburg. And already a rarity. Both the LP and the double-cd are limited to 500 ex. Prices will rise. Not only because it is limited, but because it is sooo good. Many will want this album. Many will need this album.  Even more will not yet know that they would want and need this album. Brilliant. Magnificent stuff, and lots of it. Vinyl version is only a single album, not covering more than half of CD one. That’s why I opted for the double CD version, as many of the best dubs are not on the vinyl. Had it been a 2 LP set, I would have bought that. But, in retrospect, I probably still should have bought the single vinyl LP too. 

Tracks from this compilation, and these live albums, will most likely be heard on my playlists in 2026.

 

Danke, Hamburg, Thank you

 Leaving Hamburg just before Christmas leaves me with a Finnish feeling in my soul, you know, a vibe and song that is strong on minor chords. Sad, even sentimental, but melancholy with a Northern twist.

My home away from home, I use to say.

Hansestadt Hamburg. 

An open, friendly, supercool, liberal-minded and cultural city, a musical metropolis. 

Really, what’s there not to like.

Last weekend in Hamburg; Gluhwein with friends at the Christmas market on Allendeplatz in Rotherbaum and  fondue dinner in Ottensen with closest friends, friendly abschied until next time by great staff at cozy, supercool plattenläden. Wonderful kinos, shops and, especially, the people. Goodbye Hamburg, for this visit, I miss you already. 

Had also time to visit Berlin and Bremen, including cool districts Neukölln and Viertel. As always worthwhile to visit record store Black Plastic in Bremen and check out a cool pop-up art exhibition, this time near Checkpoint Charlie in Berlin. And of course highly interesting to walk the streets of Neukölln.

I bring with me from Hamburg some great music, cool clothes and inspiring books and journals. As well as new knowledge on learning and urban culture and transformation. Like on every other visit. And, as always, a part of my heart is left in HSH, HanseStadt Hamburg. 

Bis nächtes mal!

To all my friends - here, there and everywhere!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Frohe Weinachten und ein Gutes Neues Jahr!

God Jul och Gott Nytt År!

Hyvää Joulua ja Onnellista Uutta Vuotta!

Hiphop is the new punk

 Hiphop is the new punk.

Just when most of rock, pop, and yes, even punk, seems to have lost momentum and mostly resemble money-machines without substance, we have to rely on hiphop for some punk attitude. Social commentary is otherwise rare and mostly something that only 60+ artists seem to think about, so, where are you, young rebels, rebellious youth? The world is crumbling and you are silent? 

At least hiphop continues the important vital function as critical voices for democracy, diversity and social justice. They report from run-down neighborhoods and districts where mainstream media only visits to demonize, if ever. Hiphop reports from these districts, they are the news channels from within, and from everywhere.

Bands like Antilopen Gang even produce double-albums with hiphop and punk. An important band, Antilopen Gang.

Bands like Waving The Guns, in turn, are hiphop through and through, but also fabulously and totally punk in attitude. 

Yes, Waving The Guns. 

What can you say? 

Brilliant hiphop. Voices from the underground, and from the unheard, forgotten masses.

Have all their albums. Great on vinyl. The cd-versions are also superb value for money, for example double cd with old WTG albums Eine Hand Bricht Die Andere and Totschlagargumente. For 9,90 €! 

Wish they would publish their raps (texts) with the albums. This is serious, strong stuff, delivered with attitude and force, set to catching grooves and beats.

Feine Sahne Fischfilets performed live in Hamburg in December, a Rostock punk band with a great trumpet soloist. The trumpetist also did a fine hiphop rap during the set. Another way to celebrate the connection. And everybody cheered.

Hiphop is the new punk.

Eins Zwo Delay and what else? - och vad mera?

 Eins Zwo is a legendary hiphop-duo from Hamburg. I bought their great debut album on cd earlier, but even cooler is the fantastic double-vinyl with instrumental tracks of the record. Have only seen it once in store, in Groove City, where I listened to it, and, wow, it is so insanely good that I bought it. Expensive, yes, but so fu—in great. Full party mood, grooves that makes you move, and keep on moving, amazing stuff. Also bought their debut maxi, Sport, but on cd, also good, of course.

There just is something about Hamburg and hiphop. Also found Jan Delay’s Mercedes-Dance box set (2 CD + DVD). The fine original album I have in both LP and CD-version, and even an limited two-disc version, but this one includes many fine remixes and live tracks. Like Christmas candy for me.

And, there is also something about Stuttgart and hiphop. Especially Fanta4, Die Fantastischen Vier, genre giants and just great music. Also on my last German trip, to Hamburg, I bought a Fanta-album, this time triple-vinyl Heimspiel, a fine live album from their 20th anniversary concert (2009). They also have a new live album put out in 2025, Long Player on tour, which I have on cd and dvd, and it too is worth to have on vinyl.

And, if you have the chance, the December number of Musikexpress (1/26) includes a fine cd, Mixtape 2025, that is almost worth the price in itself, eight strong tracks from the year that is soon ending.

Enjoy.

Eins Zwo, legendarisk hiphop-duo från Hamburg. Nämnde jag köpt deras första album på cd, suveränt. Men ännu häftigare är nog dubbel-vinylen med instrumentalspåren av samma album. Har sett det exakt en gång, på Groove City. Och lyssnat i butiken, så sjukt bra, så jag köpte det. Dyrt, ja, men helt fantastiskt, otroligt bra. Fullt drag, fullt party, lyfter, lyfter. Blev också inköp av deras debut-maxi, men på cd, Sport. Bra, förstås.

Det är något med Hamburg och hiphop. Köpte också Jan Delays Mercedes-Dance boxversion (2 CD + DVD), normalalbumet har jag förstås från förr på både vinyl och cd och som en limiterad 2-disc version. Grymt album. Boxen bjuder på en hel del fina remixar och livespår. Det är julgodis för mig.

Det är nåt med Stuttgart och hiphop också. Fanta4, Die Fantastischen Vier, är genrens giganter. Har blivit ett Fanta-album (fina trippel-vinylen Heimspiel, som starkt dokumenterar bandets 20-årsjubileum 2009) också på senaste Tysklandsresan till Hamburg.

Och får ni chans att köpa december-numret av tyska Musikexpress (01/26) så kan det nästan vara värt det bara för medföljande fina cd:n Mixtape 2025. Åtta sköna spår från året som snart är till ända.

Njut.

Jaco, anti-war and Kraftwerk - while waiting for Depeche

 A new live album by Depeche Mode is out right now, December 5th. An interesting concert from Mexico City during the Memento Mori tour. Also out is the M film, with the concert. Needless to say, I bought both the 4 LP-box and the 2 Blueray + 2 CD-box. However, I will give it a few listenings and watchings before doing a review. So, I will be back shortly! In the meantime, there are some other ”not so new but new to me” nice music finds to report.

Jaco Pastorius: Truth, Liberty & Soul - Live in NYC 1982 - came out on remastered 2 CD with an impressive booklet already in 2017, I bought it in November. Jaco was for bass players what Jimi Hendrix was for guitar players. An unbelievable talent, a genius. Of course he is center stage here, but it is a wonderful jazz big band performing and a truly great concert. Should have bought it years ago, happy to hear it now, and from now on. An essential jazz recording by the true Mr Bassman. Breathtaking stuff.

Compilation albums can easily be a combination of hits and misses, same with theme albums. If you want to hear an important anti-war album, which is not that very well-known but comes with a multitude of great tracks I can recommend the wonderful Body of War - Songs that inspired an Iraq war veteran. A tripple-LP album that is truly amazing. War Veterans Against the War is behind it and a superb list of artists and songs are included; from Springsteen, Neil Young, Roger Waters, Pearl Jam and Lennon to Bad Religion, Public Enemy, Rage Against The Machine, System of A Down, Dilated People, Bouncing Souls, and Tori Amos. Eddie Vedder & Ben Harper plays No More Live, which is sort of the title song here. Spellbinding from starting ballad Hero’s Song by Brendan James to ending Day After Tomorrow by Tom Waits. Perhaps the best album I have heard this Fall. Great stuff.

Found also some nice german hiphop when visiting some of the great record shops in Hamburg, where prices can be significantly lower than in Finland. And, of course, the supply is fantastic! Visited also a record fair there, but, sadly, it was one of the worst ever, had difficulties finding even one really interesting record. Made the finds at Zardoz, Freiheit & Roosen, Filmgarten this time, and even Media Markt, that really has an impressive width of new records and films. But for the real vinyl finds it is the cool genuine record stores that counts most and they are quite a few in Hamburg. Zardoz and Groove are the best, Filmgarten the friendliest, and Freiheit & Roosen is also a must, but I have also had many great times at Plattenrille, Michelle and Fischkopp. And it doesn’t end there. I truly love Hamburg as a music metropolis, a world center of music.

I already bought Thomas D:s latest mini-album Mega D on cd during summertime, but it is so great that I had to have it on vinyl, in the limited RSD edition, unnecessary expensive of course, but superb. Nie wieder krieg is possibly my favorite song in 2025. Just like the Tocotronic song with the same song was best song in 2024. Got the point? 

Classic Eins Zwo’s first album is very expensive on vinyl but I found a limited cd for a tenner, and did not hesitate. Great album, a real german hiphop classic. I found that and about ten other interesting hiphop albums at Zardoz, someone obviously had a winter clearout of wonderful german hiphop albums and cd-maxis, including Fettes Brot, Fanta 4, Funf Sterne Deluxe, Schnabel & DJ Meru, Beginner and Denyo 77. I’m certainly not complaining.

A great box set, Ultravox’ classic album Lament (on 7 cd + 1 dvd) gives you all you could possibly want or need of Lament. Not too expensive and very interesting. Original album in two mixes, lots of remixes, and 2 cd’s live, plus an audio-dvd. A nice Christmas present for Ultravox-fans.

And at last a nice 12” maxi from 1991, Kraftwerk: Radioaktivität, with some great mixes from Francois Kevorkian and William Orbit. Yes, it is cool remixes of the Radioaktivität/Radioactivity version on The Mix album, so it is the more modern anti-nuclear version of the great classic. Kraftwerk played live in Helsinki this winter and in Berlin next week, sadly I was not there and will not be there, but I have seen them twice live. Memorable concerts indeed, but now it is only Ralf Hutter left of the greatest, classic line-up. True legends, and this 12” is, of course, magnificent. Bought in Helsinki, where there are also some excellent record shops, like Black & White, Keltainen jäänsärkijä and Levykauppa X. The latter is quite expensive, but also a place where you can make nice finds, especially in their Kallio shop, where there are more interesting used records. Stupido, Music Hunter and Goofin’ can also be worth a visit.

The soundtrack of the Vietnam War - in a large cd-box form

 A documentation of epic proportions.

Yes, it is an absolute mammoth-size project. 13 + 1 (songtext) CD:s and a heavy, over 300 pages, A4-sized book. And still only a portion of the 4000 songs that are said to form the total amount of Vietnam war-connected songs.

But it is, and will most certainly remain, the ultimate compilation of Vietnam War-related songs, including an impressive essay on the war and the music, discussing their significance in and for America. Interesting in a time when the US again is connected to very controversial and imperialistic politics and a time when the reactions in music are still fragmented and small compared to the 1960’s and early 1970’s. That said, this major compilation, Next Stop is Vietnam (1961-2008), is not new but an archive find. Neither is it a one-sided compilation, it is not an overview of Vietnam war-critical music, even though a lot of critical songs are present. Here is also many songs supporting the US, the overseas war campaign, and of course the veterans and soldiers. In that way it is perhaps an even more interesting overview, trying to represent the whole spectrum of songs, even some much later songs specifically about the Vietnam war, like Paul Hardcastle’s 19, are included. This heavy (in content but also physically in pure weight) box set is produced by Bear Family (based in Germany) and their strong links to country, hillbilly, rock’n’roll and old school americana means that this sector is especially well covered. If anything, I would have enjoyed a larger segment of songs from Black America, more soul, funk etc, but some essential and more obscured works are present. Also sad that for example CCR:s Fogerty-written anti-Vietnam war songs are only included in Paul Revere-performed versions, as Bear Family could not get license for the original versions. I have those songs on original albums anyway, but Revere’s versions are new to me, and quite fine too. However, these are minor flaws in a very impressive collection. Included are many hard-to-find songs, extremely seldom heard, as well as very well-known classics, like Masters of War or Where have all the flowers gone or Soldier Boy.

I guess for most it really is overkill to buy a box like this, but it certainly gives an interesting and wide perspective from one of the most controversial periods of political song writing, the late 1960’s and early 1970’s. However, it also makes you think how much we really need popular culture that dare to make a stand and comment what is going on, today, in our world and sinister times. There is much to comment in music in these times, so why is there so few political comments in song? Trumpism and its war on knowledge, learning, free speech, courts, universities and traditional allies, right wing extremism, terrorism, Genocide in Gaza, Russia’s brutal war on Ukraine…

This box set documents a time when music was on the forefront of commenting society. We need voices and songs that take a stand. And democracy means we can have different views, just like the songs from different viewpoints in this ambitious box set. A goldmine for music lovers, and historians, and everyone that wants to understand American society just a little better. The Vietnam War was a major trauma for the US, its heritage is still felt today. And this impressive box set documents the soundtrack of that conflict. Peace!

Neukölln Unlimited + Rude Boy

Here’s two films I rediscovered this summer:

When I last visited Berlin I spent much time in different interesting districts, like highly gentrified Prenzlauer Berg, walked 36 km(!) in one day, but sadly missed to do a visit in Neukölln, which also was and is on my to do-list. It is now on an even shorter shortlist. I later bought the interesting film Neukölln Unlimited on dvd, but ironically in Munich, when I visited there in late June. It is not a new film, but it is interesting, with focus on the lives of a lebanese family in the Berlin district, including bureacratic problems with permits and worries about the demanded income levels for being allowed to stay, but also includes happier, lively moments, like breakdance performances in front of a hugely appreciative crowd. An interesting and relevant movie, well worth seeing and discussing, especially today, in an increasingly xenophobic world.

And talking about interesting, the Special Edition of classic punk film Rude Boy - The Movie, starring The Clash, is another fine picture. Could be said that the storyline, as in most music movies, is rather weak, but The Clash performing live in many clips is great stuff. The special version on dvd is my choice, as it includes remastered footage and sound, and a replica of the wonderful original 40 page promotional fanzine. Plus many special features, like Clash live in Munich with 7 songs, and various interviews.

A nice package.

Två  fina filmer att återupptäcka:

Den relevanta Neukölln Unlimited skildrar en libanesisk familj i Berlinstadsdelen, deras utmaningar och stress med uppehållstillstånd och inkomstgränser, men också glädjeämnen och lokala stjärnstunder som breakdansare. En viktig film som belyser en invandrarfamiljs vardagliga utsatthet och osäkerhet i en alltmera främlingsfientlig tid.

Rude Boy -The Movie kopplar till legendariska The Clash och inkluderar flera fina liveklipp. Storyn är, som i de flesta musikfilmer, ganska banal, men live-klippen med Clash är energiska och lyfter filmupplevelsen. Särskilt filmens special edition på dvd rekommenderas, eftersom den också inkluderar en replika av den fina 40-sidiga promotions-fanzine som ursprungligen följde med. Ett fint paket.

Wir sind die Roboter - läsvärd tysk Kraftwerk-bok

 Uwe Schuttes aktuella bok Wir sind die Roboter - Kraftwerk und die Erfindung der elektronischen Pop-Musik finns tills vidare bara på tyska, så den som inte behärskar språket får ge sig till tåls. Vi som läser tyska (någotsånär hyfsat i alla fall) kan däremot njuta av ännu ett verk om de stora och viktiga elektronik-musik pionjärerna Kraftwerk. Första upplagan utkom i november 2024, så boken är färsk, om än inte helt pinfärsk.

Boken är, enligt författaren Schutte (med umlaut), ett försök för honom själva att begripa sig på Kraftwerk och att dela sina insikter och avsikter med andra. Han säger direkt att han också prioriterar läsbarheten och därför försöker undvika fikon- och fackspråk där han kan. Följden är också en läsupplevelse där texten löper väl.

Författarens gruppering av Kraftwerks klassiska album är också något för fans och experter att diskutera. Schutte kopplar ihop albumtrion Autobahn, Trans Europa Express och Tour de France, som alla behandlar rörelse i olika former, och står för en framåtsträvande maskinell-motorisk musik. Albumen Radio-Aktivität och Computerwelt exponerar däremot ambivalens, enligt Schutte, medan Die Mensch-Machine och dess koncept representerar en helt egen kategori.

Vidare ser han digitaliseringen som en vattendelare, en brytpunkt mellan analoga och digitala verk, och noterar The Mix, Techno Pop och Expo-2000 ep:n, som alla faller inom den senare kategorin.

Nu har jag bara lyft fram några poänger, från inledningskapitlet. Kanske årets semesterbok 2025? Har inte läst till slut ännu, så vem vet, men definitivt en kandidat. Det kan jag redan säga.

Wir sind die Roboter - Kraftwerk und die Erfindung der elektronischen Pop-Musik is the title of Uwe Schuttes new book, first published in November 2024. It is only, at least for now, available in German, but readers that know German (at least on a quite ok-level) can enjoy a well-written and fairly easily read book (one more) about the mighty electronic pioneers Kraftwerk. Schutte describes the book as a try for himself to better understand Kraftwerk and to share his insights and purposes with other people. He does an interesting grouping of the classic Kraftwerk-albums. Autobahn, Trans Europa Express and Tour de France here forms a trio of albums concerned with movement in different ways while Radio-Aktivität and Computerwelt expose ambivalence. Die Mensch-Machine in turn represents its own category. Schutte also see the divide between analogue and digital as the essential and main divide, and put The Mix, Techno-Pop and the Expo-2000 ep in the latter category. There is much to discuss for fans and experts, already in the Introduction chapter.

Is this the Summer vacation book of the year 2025? Possibly. I have not finished reading it yet, but who knows? I can at least already say it is a candidate.

Reading is Power! Att läsa är makt!

Lite retro album i hettan - Some retro albums in the Summer heat

 Överfull sommar just nu. Uppemot 30 grader igår, 31 idag, och prognosen de närmaste härnäst 33, 34, 36, 36 - och sedan 21 på fredag. 😅

Overfull Summer, about 30 degrees yesterday, 31 today and the coming days it will be 33, 34, 36, 36 - and then 21 on Friday.

Hot now, Summer in the City!

Shoppade lite bra ny-gammal musik igår, först på loppis på Karlsplatz och åkte därefter och sökte upp en cool kombinerad skivhandel-vinotek-cafe. Loewen Records, cirka 12 S-bahnstationer från Hbf, var ett fynd. Lejonshopen var en kul bekantskap, inte jättestor, men med bra produkter, trevlig service och good vibes. Köpte en cool t-shirt också. Och god musik att söndags-chilla till i skuggan,  idag. 

I shopped som fine old-new music on fleamarket at Karlsplatz yesterday and continued then to seek out a combined recordstore-vinoteca-cafe some 12 S-bahnstops from Hbf.

Loewen Records was a winner. The lionshop is not large, but had great products, friendly service and overall good vibes. I even bought a cool t-shirt there. And great music to chill to in the shade on Sunday, today.

So put on the f—cking lautsprecher!

I Stuttgart kan man förstås inte förbigå stadens stora söner, legendariska Fanta4, Die Fantastischen Vier. Deras strålande färska live-album Long Player On Tour har jag tidigare nämnt. Idag är trippel-cd:n Heimspiel från bandets 20-årsjubileum 2009, live från Cannstatter Wasen, precis så bra som man kunde förvänta sig. 2024 firade de 35 år och är still going strong. Respekt. 

Mera hiphop, tack, med Marterias Zum Gluck In Die Zukunft, ett fint album från 2010. Med gäst-inhopp från bl.a. Jan Delay och Casper. Bäst: Alles Verboten, med en alltför aktuell titel.

Mars Sessions 2 av Thomas D and The KBCS (från 2024) köpte jag visserligen redan tidigare i veckan, men den sitter bra på söndag. Bäst är fina Es Wird Regen Geben, som passade temamässigt perfekt för vårvädret men känns avlägsen i denna superhetta. Nej, det känns inte som om det kommer att börja regna snart (det utlovas till torsdag kväll enligt yr.no), men låten svalkar i söndagshettan. Krieger hörs i två versioner idag, här den senaste, som soloversion.

Mera chill blir det med Söhne Mannheims och deras Kompass (från 2023), perfekt för söndags-chill i värmen och med aktuella spår som Moral - Album Edit (lyssna på introt!) och suveräna Kompassnadel. Också inköpt tidigare i veckan, när MediaMarkt hade utförsäljning på vissa album för en femma styck. Ett fint fynd.

Två amerikanska loppisfynd, albumen The Roots: Phrenology (2002) och Beastie Boys: To The 5 Boroughs (2004) är dagens icke-tyska inslag. Genomlyssnas medan tankarna går till demokratins fall och förfall i T.rump-land. Idag är det väl bara en tidsfråga innan man börjar mäta skallar igen (Phrenology) i pseudovetenskapliga Trump-land. Det är hårda tider även i den fria världens (tidigare) epicentrum New York. Undrar vad ett To The 5 Boroughs album skulle behandla 21 år senare. Beastie Boys kunde kanske göra en uppdaterad ögonblicksskillnad i dagens New York, i Trump-land?

Köpte pinfärska C-kassetten Golden Rules: The Originals 1 på Loewen Records, men blir tvungen att spara lyssningen till senare. På kassett-konvolutet kan man läsa Bringing Soul Back To The People, 100% True Notes och Support Your Local & Global Community. Låter lovande.

Back to Deutsch. Fettes Brots Demotape (2001) tar oss nästan ett kvartsekel tillbaka. Då var det första comeback-albumet för hamburgarna.

Söndagschill avslutas idag som det börjat, med Fanta4. För 30 år sedan (1995) kom höjdaralbumet Lauschgift. Med klassiker som Populär, Sie Ist Weg, Was Geht, Michi Gegen Die Geschellshaft och, tyvärr alltför dagsaktuella, Krieger. Det här albumet håller ännu.

Fred!

In Stuttgart you can’t get past the City’s great sons, hiphop-legends Fanta4. Die Fantastischen Vier. Their latest, great livealbum Long Player On Tour (2025) has already been mentioned earlier. Today, the trippel-cd Heimspiel, from Fanta4’s 20-year anniversary live at Cannstatter Wasen, is precisely as great as could be expected. Last year they celebrated 35 years and are still going strong. Respect.

More hiphop, then, with Materia and strong album Zum Gluck In Die Zukunft (2010), with for example Jan Delay and Casper on the guestlist. Best track: Alles Verboten, a  too contemporary title.

I bought Mars Sessions 2 by Thomas D and The KBCS (2024) earlier this week, but it works well this Sunday. Es Wirt Regen Geben is the best track, but no, it will not start raining very soon (on Thursday evening, according to the weather service yr.no) Thematically, this track feels out of place in this super-heatwave, but it makes Sunday-heat feel slightly cooler. Krieger is heard both here, in a new solo version, and later.

More chill is promised with Söhne Mannheims and their Kompass (2023). Perfect for Sunday-chill in this heat, with cool contemporary cuts like Moral - Album Edit (listen to the intro!) and superb Kompassnadel. This album was also bought earlier this week, when Media Markt slumped away some albums for five euro each. A great find.

Two American fleamarket-finds are the only non-German albums listened to this Sunday, The Roots: Phrenology (2002) and Beastie Boys: To The 5 Boroughs (2004). Thoughts go out to the decline and decay of democracy in T.rump-land when listening to these albums. It may only be a question of time before they start measuring sculls (Phrenology) again in a pseudo-scientific Trump-land. These are hard times also for the (former) epicenter of the Free World, New York. I wonder what a To The 5 Boroughs-album would contain now, some 21 years later? Beastie Boys could perhaps make an updated snapshot from contemporary Trump-land New York?

I bought fresh c-cassette Golden Rules: The Originals 1 at Loewen records, but unfortunately will have to listen to it at a later date. The cassette cover states Bringing Soul Back To The People, 100% True Notes and Support Your Local & Global Community. Sounds promising.

Back to Deutsch. Fettes Brot’s Demotape (2001) take us back almost a quarter of a century. Then, a first comeback-album for the Hamburgers.  

Sunday chill ends today as it started, with Fanta4. 30 years ago (1995), succesful album Lauschgift was published. With classics like Populär, Sie Ist Weg, Was Geht, Michi Gegen Die Geschellshaft and, unfortunately too contemporary titled, Krieger. 

Peace!

Summer Playlist Against War

The first months with Donald Trump back in office have been as catastrophic and turbulent for the world - and America - as could have been anticipated in worst case - and then some.

In these dark times of wars and different war-mongering autocrats, genocide in Gaza and frontal attacks on democracy, free speech and free science, good and decent values needs to be defended, not to mention Peace, badly needed in our time. 

So we don’t forget, here’s 

 A SUMMER PLAYLIST AGAINST WAR

The Imperial March (Darth Vader’s Theme)/The Empire Strikes Back Soundtrack

War (7”)/Edwin Starr

 Where Is The Love?/Black Eyed Peas feat. Justin Timberlake

Give Stupidity A Chance (12")/Pet Shop Boys

Dumhet är inne i år/Dan Hylander

California Uber Alles (Live)/Dead Kennedys

War Is Hell/T.S.T. 

Wozu Sind Kriege Da?/Berenike

Wir Ziehen In Den Frieden (Live)/Udo Lindenberg feat Kids On Stage

Living With War/Neil Young

Fight The Power (2020 Remix)/Public Enemy w Guests

Stop The War Now/Edwin Starr

When The Innocent Die/Anti-Cimex

Crazy World/Scorpions

Moral (Album Edit)/Söhne Mannheims

Mitä Tänään Koulussa Opit/Pelle Miljoona & Avoimet Ovet

So Much Trouble In The World/Bob Marley

Where Have All The Flowers Gone/The Kingston Trio

Ain't No Such Thing As Superman/Gil Scott-Heron

Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots, Pt 1/The Flaming Lips

Heart Is King-Save The World (Knife Party Remix)/Axwell-Swedish House Mafia

Sie Brauchen Keinen Führer/Udo Lindenberg

(We Don’t Need This) Fascist Groove Thang/Heaven 17

Everybody Wants To Rule The World/Weezer

Nie Wieder Krieg/Tocotronic 

Ingen soldat/Lars Winnerbäck

En Sång Till Modet/Mikael Wiehe

Sång Till Friheten (Akustisk Live)/Björn Afzelius

United/Judas Priest

Chillin’ to good Music on Midsummer Sunday

 Midsummer Sunday is for chillin’ to good music! At least if it is plus 34 and sunshine outside.

Midsommar-söndagen är gjord för att chilla till bra musik, särskilt om det är plus 34 och solsken utanför.

My Midsummer playlist got slightly modified when repeated yesterday, that’s what happens when you give it another go. Something you forgot just needs to be in, perhaps replacing something else, and the play order may be slightly modified too, in the heat of the moment. 

Min midsommar playlist blev lätt modifierad när den spelades igenom igår igen, det är sånt som händer när spellistor körs igen. Någonting man glömt bara måste in, och kanske ersätta någonting som åker ut. Spelordningen kanske också modifieras lite, om det förbättrar eller bara känns rätt i stunden.

Men söndags-chill är någonting annat, bara slappt lyssna till album i solskenet (eller snarare i skuggan). Idag, utomhus i skuggan, är Miles Davis That’s What Happened 1982-1985 (The Bootleg Series Vol. 7, 3 CD) perfekt cool i hettan. Och rekommenderas starkt.

Sunday, then, is something else, casual listening to albums in the sun (or rather shade). Today, outside in the shade, Miles Davis That’s What Happened 1982-1985 (The Bootleg Series Vol. 7, 3 CD) is just perfectly cool in the heat. Strongly recommended.

Had the opportunity to visit Munich recently and bunked up some nice albums for the weekend. And at Tommies in Stuttgart I found some cool Depeche 12”s, French versions, and limited coloured vinyls (yes, the Route 66 mix was on one). 

Still, a bigger surprise was the great record dept in fancy department store Ludwig Beck in Munich. Amazing record department, especially concerning jazz and classics, but also great on all kinds of popular music. Currently they had a Guns ’N’ Roses campaign with unique t-shirts etc. I found for example a signed Feine Sahne Fischfilet lp (new album Wir kommen in Frieden), plus the before mentioned Miles 3CD box and another Miles-album, live from Berlin 1969. The music dept. was so good that I had to visit twice. You have been here before today, right? said the friendly seller, in German, and continued, good that you have found something more. 

Next time I visit Munich I will be back. Ludwig Beck is situated at the beautiful Marienplatz, which in itself is definitely worth a visit.

Hade möjlighet att nyss besöka Munchen och bunkrade upp några bra album för helgen. Och vid Tommies i Stuttgart fann jag några coola Depeche-tolvor, franska versioner och limiterade färgvinyler (jepp, Route-66 mixen fanns med på en). 

Men en större överraskning var den superba musikavdelningen på flashiga varuhuset Ludwig Beck i Munchen. Superb avdelning, speciellt välförsedd på klassiskt och jazz, men också utmärkt på populärmusik. För tillfället hade de en Guns ’ N’ Roses-kampanj, bl.a. med unika t-shirts etc. Köpte bl.a. en signerad Feine Sahne Fischfilet-lp (nya albumet Wir kommen in Frieden) men också bl.a. tidigare nämnda Miles-cd-boxen och ett annat Miles-album, Live i Berlin 1969. Skivavdelningen var så bra att jag besökte den två gånger, och den vänliga expediten i kassan noterade: Visst har du varit här tidigare idag, på tyska och vidare, fint att du har funnit något mera. 

Nästa gång jag besöker Munchen kommer jag tillbaka. Ludwig Beck ligger vid vackra Marienplatz, som definitivt är värt ett besök i sig själv. 

Midsummer Playlist 2025

 Dear All! Happy Midsummer to you all! Both the Weather and the music was hot and great on Midsummer Eve! And Midsummer day is the longest day of the year. Here is my playlist for this year’s Midsummer Eve! Enjoy!

En riktigt Glad Midsommar till er alla! Solvarmt väder och het musik hottade up Midsommaraftonen! Och Midsommardagen är årets längsta dag. Här är min Midsommar Playlist för årets afton. Njut!

Midsummer Playlist 2025

Endzeitstimmung (Live)/Die Fantastischen Vier

Denn Sie Wissen, Was Sie Tun/Tocotronic

Jugendwort Des Jahres/Waving The Guns

Bleib Am Leben/Tocotronic

Man Tut Was Man Kann/Waving The Guns feat. Fatoni & DJ Joaf

Man Tut Was Man Kann (Instrumental)/Waving The Guns feat DJ Joaf

Ernten Was Wir Säen (Live)/Die Fantastischen Vier

Nie wieder Krieg/Thomas D x Flo Mega & The Kbcs

La Playa/Deichkind

Ahnma/Beginner feat Gzuz & Gentleman

Bye Bye Berlin/Tocotronic

When I Come Around (BBC Session)/Green Day

Wurge Es Hoch/Waving The Guns

Au Revoir/Mark Forster feat Sido

Brimful Of Asha (Norman Cook Remix Single Version)/Cornershop

St Pauli ( Live)/Jan Delay & Disko No 1

Wie Weit (Live)/Die Fantastischen Vier

In Diesen Zeiten Tanzen/Waving The Guns feat Lappalie

Tied Up In Nottz/Sleaford Mods

Satellitenstadt (Live)/Nena

Traumtänzer Und Schönmaler/Antilopen Gang

Schwerter Zu Schusswaffen/Waving The Guns

Hitisn (Live)/Die Fantastischen Vier

Never Felt So Free/Free Orbit

Which Side Are You On?/Billy Bragg

Arm In Arm/Thomas D x Flo Mega & The Kbcs

Brothers In Arms (Live)/Dire Straits

99 Luftballons/Nena

Ghetto/Unxplaied

Coldplay & Nazis/Waving The Guns (Youtube link didn’t work)

Fur Immer Solidarity (7”)/United Sound Crew

Manchmal/Waving The Guns

Hammerhart (Denyo 77 Remix)/Absolute Beginner

Route 66 (Casualty Mix)/Depeche Mode

Keep On Dreaming/Free Orbit

Urlaub Von Urlaub/Deichkind

Weg Von Hier/Antilopen Gang

The Model (Extended)/Kraftwerk

Alles Gut/Jan Delay

Zusammen (Live)/Die Fantastischen Vier

Music for Midsummer

With approximately two weeks to midsummer weekend it is time to think of a soundtrack to The Summer Weekend in the Nordics. 

Had one of this year’s greatest Music experiences thus far on the last day of May, a great Jan Delay concert in Schleyer-halle in Stuttgart. What energy! Music to dance to, sweat, sing, enjoy. Wonderful end of Spring and beginning of the Summer months!

Here are some of the great music finds this spring, new and old, that will enrich coming Summer Playlists, and the soon upcoming Midsummer Weekend!

Best box set this far 2025 is without a doubt Eine Stadt wird Bunt - Hamburg Hip-Hop History 1989-1999. It contains a multitude of rare and cool cuts and Skits, presented on 3 LP:s and the scene is also greatly presented in text and cool pics in the 90-page LP-format booklet. Absolutely spectacular.

Die Fantastischen Vier: Long Player on tour - Live in Stuttgart 2024, is also freshly out for this summer. Legendary hip-hop crew Fanta4 show here, on 2 CD and Blue-ray, that they still can bring the roof down, with a superb show from Stuttgart, filmed last December. Especially Enten Was Wir Säen is sensational and spectacular, but Fanta4 keep energy levels very high throughout.

And talking about Fanta4, their Deluxe Edition vinyl version of Captain Fantastic includes, on a very cool usb-stick, a fine live set from around Germany, documenting the Captain Fantastic tour 2019. Also included is an original piece of the tour Buehnenvorhang, quite unique idea.There is also an earlier, nice exclusive CD-box of Captain Fantastic (Hitisn Hit Edition) where, except the album, a DVD with videos, documentary plus an extra CD with fine remixes are included. Great is also an included Hitisn scarf. Nice sets, both, commemorating one of Fanta4:s best albums. 

And if you happen to visit a used records shop, don’t hesitate if you see Fanta4:s double-12”maxi Populär. There are some great remixes on that maxi-ep.

Back to new records, then. Dire Straits were global mega-sellers with 80’s blockbuster-album Brothers in Arms. And we heard it so much and often back then that many simply got tired of it. For a while it also felt too outdated. But with unfortunately changed times to the worse, anti-war songs like Brothers in arms has gained new actuality again. The remastered album sounds nice, but the real deal here, with the 40th anniversary version, is a double-CD live from San Antonio at the height of Dire Straits popularity. A great live set, and well worth including in a record collection.

Another new arrival is Thomas D:s latest solo, mini-album Mega D, ending strongly with all too current Nie Wieder Krieg, but also including other good stuff for summer playlists.

If you missed unbelievably cool album Am Käfig Ruetteln by Waving The Guns first-hand, there is all reason to go for the double-CD version with original album and instrumental versions. Great album also for this Summer. Wavings new album Zwischen Wand und Tapete was out this spring and continue building Wavings reputation. The CD version also includes the fine Schwerter zu Schusswaffen EP (8 titles) as bonus. Another great album by a cool and still too underground artist. One of the best hip-hop bands in Germany and still way to unknown for the masses. There is a lot of German sounds this summer, not least because I have spent months in Germany this year, mainly in Fanta4:s hometown. 

A kick of nostalgia is provided by the jubilee verson of Nenas debut album, also called Nena. This time in double-LP (or CD) version, that, except the remastered fine original album, includes a nice bonus-record with single B-sides, international versions, as well as a few really strong live cuts from 1984-85. 

Another freshly remastered album, Free Jazz Goes Underground by Free Orbit, is also out now, and update the sounds of this legendary outfit’s album, mostly known for a young Udo Lindenberg, who plays the drums and wrote music and/or texts to most of the songs.

Antilopen Gangs wonderful double-album Alles Muss Repariert Werden is a must for this Summer and their combination of a hip-hop and a punk LP awoke reactions, mostly positive. A great album.

A bargain retro buy was the old four-cd Black Sabbath box set Under wheels of confusion 1970-1987, with most of their greatest songs and also including the Dio years. If you settle for one Sabbath compilation, this is a good price/quality deal. Another nice film + concert package is Bunch of Kunst, a film about Sleaford Mods by Christine Franz, with a bonus cd including a great complete and unedited recording live at Berlin’s SO36 club.

Tocotronic, whose Nie Wieder Krieg was one of the best songs last years and unfortunately is still all too current this year, has a new album out, Golden Years. In the Summer season fresh songs like Bleib Am Leben and Denn Sie Wissen, Was Sie Tun will be in playlists.

The Roaring Forty 1983-2023 gives a fine oversight of wonderful English singer-songwriter Billy Bragg. Songs like A New England, Which Side Are You On? and There Is Power In A Union are still totally current while song titles like The World Turned Upside Down and Waiting For The Great Leap Forwards now sadly give us new, sad associations today. 

There will of course also be some Depeche Mode songs on Summer playlists, not least inspired by a new German translation of Brian J. Cobbs book, now titled Depeche  Mode - Alle Alben, Alle Songs.

Lastly, I bought on Fleamarket a cool c-cassette boombox for 25 euro and this made me buy a few c-cassettes too. Real retro! Of the cassettes, the way, way coolest is a Hamburg hip-hop tape from Eimsbush Tapes in the 1990’s, La Boom. All tracks are by Eissfeldt and Tropf. The former is no other than Jan Delay. Supercool. And that means I end like I started, with Jan Delay, 

the circle is round.

Playlists will follow.

Midsommarmusiken 2025 tar småningom form på det som blir årets spellistor denna sommarens och årets ljusaste helg. Återkommer till listorna. Men det finns många nya och nygamla fynd som jag gjort hittills i år som kommer att vara representerade. Årets box hittills är utan tvivel Eine Stadt wird Bunt - Hamburg Hip-Hop History 1989-1999. Suveräna 3 LP och en 90-sidig booklet i storformat. Die Fantastischen Vier har gett ut en fantastisk live-pärla inspelad strax före jul 2024 i hemstaden Stuttgart. Long Player On Tour är en strålande konsert i ljud och bild på två CD och en blueray. Framhåller också gärna specialversionerna av klassiska albumet Captain Fantastic, Hitisn Hit Edition (CD-box) och Deluxe Edition (Vinylversion med fin konsert från turnen 2019 på en cool usb-sticka). Ett gammalt Fanta4 tips är 12”-maxin Populär, med flera fina versioner. Fanta-medlemmen Thomas D är i vår aktuell med fina solo-minialbumet Mega D. Och för sommaren rekommenderar jag Waving The Guns, särskilt CD-versionerna av de två senaste albumen: strålande Am Käfig Ruetteln innehåller förutom albumet också alla instrumental-spår på bonus-CD medan färska Zwischen Wand und Tapete även inkluderar EP:n Schwerter zu Schusswaffen som bonus. Superba album.

Antilopen Gangs härliga dubbelalbum Alles Muss Repariert Werden, som kombinerar en del hip-hop och en del punk, håller också i sommar.

Remastrade album med bra bonusmaterial är bland andra 40-årsupplagorna av Dire Straits klassiker Brothers In Arms och Nenas debutalbum. Den förra har en fin konsert från San Antonio på 2 CD medan den senare har en bonus-platta med b-sidor, internationella versioner och tunga liveversioner. Jazziga Free Orbits album Free Jazz Goes Underground är mest känt för att Udo Lindenberg är trummis och har skrivit text eller musik till flera spår, och albumet håller hög klass. En remastrad version är färskt utgiven.

Tocotronic har nyligen i sin tur gett ut albumet Golden Years, som också innehåller flera starka spår. Deras Nie Wieder Krieg var ju en av 2020-talets bästa låtar och Golden Years inkluderar några fina uppföljare.

Den sista maj såg jag Jan Delay live i Stuttgart, en superb konsert. Han finns med på Hamburg-boxen under sitt efternamn Eissfeldt, och han gav även ut c-kassetter med hip-hop på Eimsbush Tapes på 1990-talet. Köpte i fredags i Hamburg c-kassetten La Boom, med spår av just Eissfeldt (aka Jan Delay) och Tropf från 1997. Retro!

Spellistor följer.