A musician once said: ”It’s such a fine line between stupid and clever.” That line is definitely blurred in the case of The Modern Times. The songs purvey adolescent ignorance or poignant satire, or maybe both – it probably depends on the listener. This hybrid of jangly and jagged post punk, snotty punk rock and garage-infused power pop hardly sounds like anything out there these days. This is also much to the credit of singer Magnus Vold Jensen’s unique and incisive delivery. 

With their sophomore album, Algorhythmic Dance Music, The Modern Times have signed up with Black Pop Records and upped their game to boot. The record sounds like confused Gang of Four-members arguing with Parquet Courts while The Hives beats them both to the bar. Or something like that. 

The Modern Times released their debut This Is The Modern Times in 2017, to widespread critical acclaim in their native Norway. Constant touring followed the record release, and the gang has built a reputation as a notoriously rowdy live act, converting non-believers to die hard fans mere seconds into each show.

The Modern Times - Am I Losing Touch

Mats Wawa - Sparkly Eyes

«I’m terrible at describing how my music sounds. But this is definitively more AOR than indie. At last you can say that – retro is still king.

The above quote is Mats Mentzen Wang’s humble attempt at describing the sound on his upcoming album Rock Omelette, the follow-up to 2018’s EP Scuzz. The young songwriter was unwittingly booked to a handful of showcase festivals in 2015, based on a few bedroom demos. And that’s how Mats Wawa was born – he needed a band. Now, four years later, Wang is older, and so are his musical tastes.

Call it AOR, slacker soul or just classic rock – let the listener decide. Whatever you call it, the album is chock full of tunes. From a short rock opera about French & Moland (two Norwegian mercenaries imprisoned in DR Congo), via the song “Canned Heat” which sounds like…and to the first single “Sparkly Eyes”, some of the most beautiful blue eyed soul you’ll hear this year, with strings imported from 70’s Philadelphia.

It shouldn’t surprise anyone that this record has become an eclectic collection of songs, as the following influences are named: Elton John’s Tumbleweed Connection, Laura Nyro, Lee Hazlewood, The Byrds and Jessica Pratt. Maybe that’s what Rock Omelette means. Still, the innocent naiveté that’s been Mats Wawa’s calling card, permeates the entire album, fronted by Wang’s characteristic voice which keeps it all cohesive.

Mats Wawa - Skit

Mats Wawa - Canned Heat

Mats Wawa - Green

Mats Wawa - 100 % Park

Mats Wawa - Conventional Science

Mats Wawa - French Pt.1

A song inspired by the movie "Inside Man" with Denzel Washington and Clive Owen.

Mats Wawa - Inside Job

Kynnet started as a side project from Teksti-TV 666’s Teemu Tanner one summer he was unemployed and fooled around with an 8-track recorder. Even if you don’t understand Finnish (most people don’t), the vocal delivery – buried in noise and guitars – still manages to convey an emotional depth. Of the songs Tanner says:

– "Silloin kun sä lähdit" is a pretty honest recitation about a great loss and apparently 
I seem to have some serious issues with keeping it together sometimes. There's 
still some hope there, it's not all bleeding.

– "Muutossa kadonnut" is a song about change and about disappearing without notice. Both of these songs are written in the same short period of time and they were recorded in one intense session, when The World began to crumble. In the middle of this endless quandary I really start to live. In the end, love beats everything. So why not try to summon its spirit through lo-fi speed schlager?

Muutossa Kadonnut

Silloin Kuin Sä Lähdit

Black Pop Records a new subsidiary of Jansen Records. As a pure rock, punk & power pop label, Black Pop Records wants to present the freshest bands in these genres from around the globe.

You will be served little nuggets of fuzz, choruses, rock, punk and psych, served on LP, CD, 7" and on your streaming platform of choice.

Black Pop Records

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