Local music from Denmark, Germany, Czech Republic and the Netherlands.

April 17, 2006 8:44 AM

Looking for amazing local music from Denmark, Germany, Czech Republic and the Netherlands.

In a week, I'm taking off on a whirlwind tour of Europe incuding stops in Denmark, Germany, Czech Republic and the Netherlands. As I've done in trips to other foreign lands, I love finding a small music store and finding some of those local musical treasures that wouldn't necessarily make it across to me in Canada. So, I was hoping AskMe may be able to point me in the direction of some excellent local bands...

Since I'm sure it'll be asked, I'm a fan of your general indie fare with a penchant for more mellow folkie stuff and cheery pop music, but I will give anything you love a chance, from harder rock and psych music to rap and country or whatever you can throw at me. Basically, if you think it's good, I'd love to hear it.

(A side note: Any good places or stores to find music/wander around in Copenhagen, Prague, Hamburg or Amsterdam? Let me know...)

posted by evadery to media & arts (13 comments total)

There's a bunch of electrofolky stuff on Slnko Records, out of Slovakia, which you should be able to find in Prague. Psi Vojaci is a terrific - and well established - kind of dark folk-rocky Czech band, and I really like the czech hip-hop crew Nase Vec - kind of DJ Spooky-like...

Erdmobel is a really appealing, mellow German band.
posted by Marquis at 9:33 AM on April 17, 2006

Regarding Danish bands, I like the following: Kashmir, Mew, Tiger Tunes, Junior Senior. If you're not averse to Danish lyrics, Under Byen is very original. Tys Tys is weird jazzy stuff, but good fun. And there are many more but right now I'm blanking (I've also been out of the loop for a time now).

As for good music shops, you can get fairly good deals in Guf and TP Musik (both chains with outlets all over town), but I personally like Baden Baden a lot.
posted by AwkwardPause at 9:36 AM on April 17, 2006

Perhaps more "roots" than what you're looking for, but here's Czechomor.
posted by omnidrew at 10:20 AM on April 17, 2006

I should have mentioned - lyrics in English or any other language is ok. Thanks so far...
posted by evadery at 10:21 AM on April 17, 2006

These are some great Belgian artists, they are available in Dutch recordstores as well:

• Laïs (vocal folk)
• Mauro Pawlowski & The Grooms (rock)
• Admiral Freebee (pop/rock)
• Buscemi (funky danceable stuff)

posted by koenie at 10:30 AM on April 17, 2006

As far as Dutch bands go: check out zZz.
posted by koenie at 10:31 AM on April 17, 2006

The Knife are a really wonderful swedish band - sort of creepy but very pretty electronic rock would sort of describe them. (I'm going to assume that Swedish stuff shows up in Danish record shops... I've been to both places but not done much record-shopping while there.) Other Swedish acts of note would be Jens Lekman (mopey mellow guitar indie) and Moonbabies (sound a lot like a more rocking My Bloody Valentine). Note - all these acts can also be found in hip North American record stores.
posted by chr1sb0y at 10:35 AM on April 17, 2006

As for German stuff, I really enjoy Xavier Naidoo, who is quite popular. There are also rap acts like Die Fantastischen Vier (The Fantastic Four) and DJ Tomekk (a white as white can be Polish guy who apparently used to date Li'l Kim!). Also check out P.R. Kantate, who does fun dancehall-type music that you definitely wouldn't get in Canada. He's from Berlin, and even has a whole song about Berlin subway stations.
posted by EnormousTalkingOnion at 11:49 AM on April 17, 2006

Fantastic Danish music (some of which was also mentioned by AwkwardPause) in no particular order:

Mew - melodic indie rock. Look for And the Glass Handed Kites.
Mikael Simpson - singer songwriter with an electronic twist. Look for De ti skud. Danish lyrics.
Kashmir - rock. Look for Zitilites or No Balance Palace.
Under Byen - hard to describe but you can download some stuff from their website. Very distinct female vocal lead. Look for Det er mig der holder træerne sammen or Samme stof som stof. Danish lyrics.
Veto - indie rock.
Spleen United - dark electronic indie rock. Sounds a lot like Depeche Mode.
Jomi Massage - noisy indie rock.
Diefenbach - indie/post rock. Look for Set & Drift.
epo-555 - indie rock.
posted by sveskemus at 1:20 PM on April 17, 2006

A couple more Danish acts worth a listen: Blue Foundation (electronic), Slow Train (electronic), Junior Senior (happy pop -- maybe you know them already), The Raveonettes (noise rock).
posted by sveskemus at 1:30 PM on April 17, 2006

Seconding:
Mew
Die Fantastischen Vier

If you want to hear something... different, listen to the recently very popular "Watskebeurt" (what's going on) by De Jeugd Van Tegenwoordig (Kids these days)
posted by phrontist at 2:21 PM on April 17, 2006

Second recommendation for zZz - in fact, I can't praise them highly enough. Sleazy, dirty, sexxed up hammond organ'n'drums freak-out rock.

When in Amsterdam, check out De C&D, Koningsstraat 52. Right next to the red light district. It's a cool second-hand store owned and run by Elisabeth Esselink, aka Solex.

If you find yourself in Berlin, stop at Gelbe Musik - an awesome, super-pretentious minimal record shop selling weird and obscure stuff from all over Europe.
posted by nylon at 3:17 PM on April 17, 2006

Blackmail (Indie/Alternative) is a german band I personally like very much, especially the record Friend or Foe. I think your in luck stopping in Hamburg. Last time I was there, I was surprised how many of those "High Fidelity"-like record shops Hamburg has.
posted by donut at 7:01 AM on April 20, 2006