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Music

Øya Festival

We got some tastemakers to pick their top 5 Øya artists.

Before the Olympics began we were pretty worried these three weeks in London would be seriously shitty. I mean, the games were bound to be a colossal international fail and East London was going to be mobbed. Well lo and behold the city is pretty much empty and the games are going okay, in fact they are actually pretty entertaining, mostly as we keep winning those round, shiny things. Still even victory, free bar stools and extra road space gets dull fairly fast so with nothing else going on here Noisey decided to go see what the deal is with music festivals in Norway. A nation that is far removed from the balls-ed up EU zone so it has an insane standard of living and a currency that is strong (wtf?!)

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Norwegians are also beautiful, and apparently go to festivals with intentions other than replacing all the organic material in their bodies with manufactured chemical concoctions or drinking their gallons of cheap cider and rolling around in the mud. Øya festival takes place in Oslo this week. They have an epic line up of international acts big and small: Bjork, Odd Future, Florence and the Machine, Black Keys, A$AP Rocky, Chromatics, Frank Ocean, Jessie Ware, Refused and St Vincent to name a few. However having zero knowledge, like none, about the music that goes down in a well functioning society in the far north of Europe we thought we'd better get some recommendations in from some musical bods as to what Norwegian acts to scope out between swimming in the fjords and perving on the natives.

Here they are:

Digby - Mixmag

Digby is senior writer and disco editor for the dance music magazine Mixmag. He also runs the Mixmag DJ Lab, which live streams the world's best DJs on MixmagTV every Friday at 4pm. Look out for an Øya Mixmag DJ Lab special in the near future!

Todd Terje (Øya Playlist) 'Snooze 4 Love' and' Ragysh' were two of the biggest tunes from last year – drop the latter in a set and you know people will go crazy. Easily one of the most talented producers and DJs around who can effortlessly mix disco, techno, house and electronic pop. Big!

Lindstrøm (Øya Playlist) and Christabelle As disco editor of Mixmag how I could I not say Lindstrom? I remember seeing his partner in crime Prins Thomas at Bestival many years ago when the cosmic disco sound was starting to take hold and it was epic. Lindstrøm has always pushed things forward, going through a Jean Michelle Jarre stage and his work with Christabel has resulted in some interesting tracks. Apparently she improvised most of her lyrics in the studio, would be cool if she does the same live.

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Ane Brun (Øya Playlist) 'Headphone Silence' is one of my favourite all-time house cuts: Dan Ghenacia recently dropped it in Mixmag's DJ Lab and it went off. She has a really distinctive voice and I'm sure that live she will be mesmerizing.

Ost and Kjex (Øya Playlist) first came to my attention with the track 'We Got A Ticket….' off their album Cajun Lunch. Innovative electro with quirky vocals and great production. Never seen them play live so eager to check them out.

Anana I love beatless soundscapes, pure walls of ethereal sound, and this is what Anana specializes in. Think Sigur Ros, but more feminine. Listening to her tunes transport you the Fjords on a cool crisp winter day. It'll be amazing to hear her perform in her natural element.

Max Blau – Paste Magazine Editor

Sondre Lerche - It's pretty difficult to resist Sondre Lerche's music--he's an infectious, sincere and poignant musician. More than that, he's consistent. Having exhibited album after album for the past decade, he's become one of Norway's great contemporary pop songwriters. His music generally speaks for itself better than anyone else--just turn tracks to "Private Caller," "Two-Way Monologue" or "Domino" for examples. Øya Playlist

Drape - Last year, Oslo shoegazers Drape released an impressive five-song EP that shimmers somewhere among Broken Social Scene's louder moments, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart's rhythms and The Besnard Lakes' dynamics. While the quintet--comprised of Ketil Myhre, Eirik Kirkemyr, Hanne Olsen Solem, Lars Kristian Boquist and Even Hafnor--have only been together for two years, there seems like they've been together for much longer than that. Øya Playlist

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Mikhael Paskalev - If Mikhael Paskalev plays his cards right, he could have a chance to find himself somewhere alongside Of Monsters and Men and The Tallest Man on Earth as one of the next big Scandinavian folk acts to cross over the pond. It's not hard to envision one of Paskalev's infectious numbers--particularly "I Spy"--taking off with the right audience. Øya Playlist

Dig Deeper - Channeling the likes of Neil Young, 13th Floor Elevators and Jason Molina, Dig Deeper channels the heart of Americana's ethos across the Atlantic Ocean. With their 2011 EP, Yet You Give Me (The Blues), the Bergen/Oslo rockers convincingly do as their name suggests, particularly with their lead single "Memphis." Øya Playlist

Pow Pow - Pow Pow's electronic instrumental music evokes the essence of bands like LCD Soundsystem, M83 and The Chain Gang of 1974. Their name may be coincidentally the same the one of James Murphy's songs, but there stirring build ups and layered synths aren't as they take listeners to new heights. Øya Playlist

AND THE REST…

Faith Silva – Gorilla VS Bear

1. Philco Fiction (Øya Playlist)

2. Young Dreams (Øya Playlist)

3. Pow Pow (Øya Playlist)

4. Highasakite (Øya Playlist)

5. Susanna (Øya Playlist)

Vincent Clery Melin - Cooperative Music (UK)

1. Lindstrom Øya Playlist

2. Highasakite Øya Playlist

3. Todd Terge Øya Playlist

4. Ane Brun Øya Playlist

Jon Coombs - Jagjaguwar

1. Lindstrom Øya Playlist

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2. Todd Terje Øya Playlist

3. Sondre Lerche Øya Playlist

4. Heyerdahl

5. Puma Øya Playlist

Sam Mumford - A&R Manager RCA/Sony

1. Todd Terje Øya Playlist

2. Sondre Lerche Øya Playlist

3. Michael Paskelev Øya Playlist

4. Lindstrom Øya Playlist

Stephen Richards - Lucky Numbers records

1. Dråpe Øya Playlist

2. Young Dreams Øya Playlist

3. The Gin & Tonic Youth Øya Playlist

4. Bushmans Revenge Øya Playlist

5. Todd Terje Øya Playlist

Ross Allen - Island Records (UK)

1. Disaster In The Universe

2. Susanne Sandfer Øya Playlist

3. Lindstrom Øya Playlist

4. OST & KJEX Øya Playlist

5. Distance

Lyle Hysen – Bank Robber Music / House Of Hassle

1. Highasakite – can they deliver on the epic, buildy & hooky live? Øya Playlist

2. Mylittlepony – with a name like that they have a lot to live up to! Øya Playlist

3. Casa Murilo- supervisors like the same bands they like. Øya Playlist

4. Death By Unga Bunga – the return of rock continues. Øya Playlist

5. Sondre Lerche – I work with him already. Øya Playlist

Flora Wong - Dazed Digital

1. [Disaster In The Universe](http:// http://www.nrk.no/urort/Artist/DisasterInTheUniverse/default.aspx)

2. Anana

3. Heyerdahl

4. Nabovarsel

5. SUNSWITCH

Pete Jarrett - Record of the Day

1. Ane Brun

2. Mikael Paskalev

3. Susanne Sundfør

4. Philco Fiction

5. Årabråt