Slovenian industrial outfit Laibach has made a career of revealing militant social commentary through art and attire, and for the band’s Volk release last year, the members looked to various nations’ national anthems and crafted a dark album of geopolitical commentary (For further indication of how sinister this album is, check the track “America,” which opens with abrupt gunshot noises).

The avant-garde group will bring its controversial songs Stateside this fall, with a very brief and very rare set of tour dates around North America. Cross your fingers that mysterious visa issues don’t arise beforehand, as they so often do in cases like these.

09/22 Seattle, WA: Showbox
09/23 Portland, OR: Crystal Ballroom
09/25 San Francisco, CA: The Independent
09/26 Los Angeles, CA: The Key Club
09/28 Tijuana, Mexico: El Foro
09/30 New York, NY: Fillmore

Prepare to shake them (white) dreads. The self-proclaimed maker of electronic music and freakshow experimentation known as Bassnectar will hit the road this fall for a lengthy tour that’s supposedly to include no less than 75 dates around North America (some of which are yet to be announced). A much-loved performer at festivals, the man born Lorin Ashton will be traveling to all corners of the U.S. with live showings of his strange mix of break-beat, hip-hop, dubstep, and grindcore. Let the wobbling and womping ensue.

Pre-sale tickets are currently available through the Bassnectar site.

Dates
08/10 Salmo, BC: Sambala Music Festival
08/16 Berkeley, CA: Greet Theatre
09/05 Secret Performance TBA
09/06 Morrison, CO: Red Rocks Amphitheatre
09/13 Ranchita, CA: Ranchita Rocks 2008
09/24 Northampton, MA: Pearl Street Club Room
09/25 South Burlington, VT: Higher Ground Showcase Room
09/27 Los Angeles, CA: We the People Festival
09/29 Cleveland, OH: Grog Shop
10/01 Grand Rapids, MI: The Intersection
10/02 Milwaukee, MI: Miramar Theatre
10/03 Chicago, IL: Metro
10/04 Lawrence, KS: Granada Theatre
10/06 Columbia, MO: Mojo’s
10/08 Oxford, MS: Proud Larry’s
10/09 Memphis, TN: Newby’s
10/10 Austin, TX: La Zona Rosa
10/11 Dallas, TX Lizard Lounge
10/15 Nashville, TN: Exit/In
10/16 Huntsville, AL: Crossroads
10/17 Athens, GA: Georgia Theatre
10/18 Birmingham, AL: Zydeco
10/29 Carrboro, NC: Cat’s Cradle
10/30 Charleston, SC: The Pour House
10/31 Asheville, NC: Orange Peel
11/01 Charlotte, NC: Neighborhood Theatre
11/05 Boston, MA: Paradise Rock Club
11/06 Philadelphia, PA: Theatre of Living Arts
11/07 New York, NY: Bowery Ballroom
11/08 Washington, DC: Rock and Roll Hotel
11/14 Portland, OR: Wonder Ballroom
11/15 Seattle, WA: Neumos Crystal Ball
11/22 Vancouver, BC: Commodore Ballroom

XLR8R readers are probably familiar with the instrumental space-disco music emanating mysteriously from Norway by producers like Hans Peter Lindstrøm, Prins Thomas, and the whole Feedelity Records camp. Truly, we bask in their warped euphony. And what Norway lacks in population–about four million residents total–it makes up for in talent.

One such gem is singer-songwriter Ane Brun, an enchanting chanteuse who drops her fifth full-length (the second released in the U.S.), Changing of the Seasons, on Cheap Lullaby October 14.

Although trading mostly in folky, indie-pop numbers, Brun has allegiances with club audiences via her single “Headphone Silence,” which was remixed by Henrik Schwartz and Dennis Ferrer for the latter’s Objektivity label. A full remix project, Ane Brun Objektified, is due out soon.

Songs from Changing of the Seasons featured on Brun’s MySpace page reveal complex arrangements incorporating her fragile, Stevie Nicks-esque voice and acoustic guitar work sculpted with orchestral string touches. Brun’s music is classic A.M. radio balladry that sounds like a druggy Dolly Parton singing haunted Nick Drake tunes.

Seasons entered the Scandinavian charts at number one, and its prospects for North America have “breakout” written all over them. The album was produced by Valgeir Sigurdsson (Björk, Sigur Rós, Múm, Bonnie Prince Billy, Coco Rosie, Maps, and more). Look for Brun performing on these shores soon.

Changing of the Seasons
01 The Treehouse Song
02 The Fall
03 The Puzzle
04 My Star
05 Ten Seconds
06 Changing of the Seasons
07 Lullaby for Grown-Ups
08 Raise My Head
09 Armour
10 Round Table Conference
11 Gillian
12 Don’t Leave
13 Linger with Pleasure

Dates
10/22 New York, NY: The Living Room
10/24 Arlington, VA: Iota Club and Café
10/25 Norfolk, VA: Attucks Theatre
10/28 San Francisco, CA: Café Du Nord
10/30 Los Angeles, CA: Hotel Café
11/01 Chicago, IL: Schubas Tavern

Photo by I Made This.

Full details have yet to be announced for DJ T.‘s next full-length, but word on the street is that the producer and Get Physical co-founder, born Thomas Koch, has been hard at work in the studio, collaborating and experimenting for the upcoming album.

The first track to trickle out of these sessions comes in the form of “Outbreak,” and possibly hints at what’s to come later in the year from Koch. The single will feature the slick, streamlined house he’s known for on the a-side, then a b-side that finds him delving into Detroit techno territory.

DJs, pick this one up on August 6 via Get Physical, and stay tuned for details on a new full-length.

“Outbreak”
A “Outbreak”
B “Outbreak (True School Mix)”