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Sep 11, 2019 By Dom Gourlay The Raveonettes

This weekend, Under the Radar heads over to Copenhagen for the 25th birthday party of one of Denmark’s most innovative record labels. Channelling the spirit of independence throughout its 25 years of existence, Crunchy Frog has provided a launch pad for some of Denmark’s most internationally acclaimed musical exports. From putting on Mew’s earliest shows to putting out The Raveonettes seminal Whip It On EP back in 2002, they’ve championed the finest Danish music and succeeded in bringing it to a far wider audience. With an eclectic roster that’s never specifically focused on any one particular genre or sound, Crunchy Frog have continually unleashed a diverse array of artists on a burgeoning, worldwide audience.

Initially founded in 1994 by the four members of Copenhagen based alternative rock band Thau, Crunchy Frog has become something of a “go to” place not only for new artists, but also by way of its associated publishing arm (Crunchy Tunes) and promotions agency (Bobkat).

The seven strong team headed by Jesper “Yebo” Reginal prides itself on giving all of its artists full creative control, and after spending a quarter of a century doing just that, this weekend’s richly deserved anniversary bash provides a fitting opportunity for all and sundry to celebrate one of the industry’s most heart warming success stories.

The main event is taking place on Saturday September 14 at Copenhagen’s Pumpehuset venue and featuring bands from Crunchy Frog’s roster both past and present. Along with several muted special guest appearances along the way, the bands already confirmed-POWERSOLO, Eggstone, Shiny Darkly, ONBC, D/troit, Felines, The Malpractice, I Am Bones, Bidt, Hands of Light, Sista Bossen, and The Tremelo Beer Gut with more expected in due course-will all play mini-sets of their own while collaborating with each other throughout the course of the event.

There are also DJs, a buffet, and special anniversary themed beverages, along with a limited edition, hand numbered double LP for all attendees entitled And Now For Something Completely CRUNCHY and featuring 16 brand new recordings from the label’s current roster. With pre-parties taking place the day before at The Mudhoney-of which Crunchy Frog are part owners-and Alice, which features live sets from Apparat Organ Quartet and Triple X Snaxxx including a guest appearance from Mew’s Jonas Bjerre and a secret afterparty to be announced on the day, it promises to be one hell of a weekend!

So without further ado, here are five essential Crunchy Frog releases every music fan should own.

Junior Senior: “Move Your Feet”

Undoubtedly the best known of all Crunchy Frog’s releases having been a worldwide hit back in the summer of 2003 where it reached number 3 on the UK singles chart among others. Initially released the previous summer, “Move Your Feet” launched the careers of duo Jesper Mortensen and Jeppe Laursen and while Junior Senior would only go onto release two albums and a handful of singles before splitting in 2008, both members have enjoyed successful careers as songwriters, musicians, and producers in their own right since.

D/troit: “Soul Sound System”

Formed in 2010 out the ashes of garage rockers The Breakers, D/troit take the traditional Stax Records template and turn it into a revitalised 21st century force. The band’s debut EP Do the Right Thing came out to widespread critical acclaim in 2015, but it was this release two years later that cemented them as one of Denmark’s finest musical exports. As a precursor to the album of the same name, this title track launched D/troit to an international audience in style.

The Raveonettes: Whip It On EP

Another pivotal release, both for the label and band itself, is The Raveonettes’ debut EP. Released in the summer of 2002, Whip It On epitomized the primitive rock and roll sound of the day, fusing garage rock, surf, and shoegaze with a punk sensibility. Clocking in at just over 21 minutes in total, its eight tracks revealed The Raveonettes as one of the most important bands of their generation. Since then, the duo have put out eight studio albums while collaborating with numerous other artists in the meantime, including The Brian Jonestown Massacre and Dum Dum Girls. However, this remains among The Raveonettes’ most treasured recordings from the band’s extensive back catalogue.

Shiny Darkly: Shiny Darkly EP

With a sound that could easily have emerged from northern England in the late ‘70s and a look straight out of London’s Batcave at the turn of the following decade, Shiny Darkly were a welcome anomaly in Copenhagen’s underground guitar scene. This EP introduced them in the summer of 2012 and while the band’s sound has evolved since then, each of the six pieces here still stands out immeasurably above many of their peers from that era and since.

18th Dye: Amorine Queen

This experimental noise tinged trio originally formed in the early ‘90s. Fuelled by a shared love of bands like Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr., and My Bloody Valentine, 18th Dye released two highly revered albums in the middle of that decade before calling it a day in 1999. However, it was after reforming six years later that Crunchy Frog became their next home, and 2008’s third album (and first for Crunchy Frog) Amorine Queen is widely regarded as the trio’s best. Sadly, the band split for good soon after leaving behind a near flawless epitaph in their wake.

www.crunchy.dk

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