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Serena-Maneesh - The Year In Review: Serena Maneesh
Serena-Maneesh : The Year In Review: Serena Maneesh
15th December 2010

Artist: Serena Maneesh
Title: S-M 2: Abyss In B Minor
Cat No: CAD3X07
Release date: 22nd Mar 2010

"incredibly intense wall of sound... worth the wait." - Uncut (4/5)
"Pop sensibility hidden within feed-back-laced art-noise rock, a blend of the abrasive and tender."
Independent (4/5)
"Put your trust in Serena Maneesh and they will reward you by making you feel powerful - nearly omnipotent - yet simultaneously sedate."
Drowned In Sound (8/10)

Serena-Maneesh released their new album, S-M 2: Abyss In B Minor in March 2010, their debut for 4AD and follow up to the release of their self-titled LP in 2006. The making of the new album began in 2008 when they went underground to record in a cave on the outskirts of Oslo. Once recorded, they then worked on it further with Nick Terry and Can associate René Tinner, who set about mixing the results – spending an incredible eight days on each song. The end result was a concise eight tracks spread over just 38 minutes and 45 seconds. There is more on the making of the record here.

Touring the album across North America and Europe throughout the year, the band also released a limited edition 12" in October that sold out immediately. A three track remix EP, it featured reworkings of album tracks from Stereolab, Melchior and Lindstrøm and artwork from up and coming Norwegian visual artist, Andreas Tellefsen.

Reflecting on the past 12 months, Emil had this to say:

"Greetings/reports from the underground. Working on my sister Elvira's new record now, having returned from our second coast-to-coast US tour of 2010. Looking back, I finally ended up somehow reaching some kind of completion point with the second SM record. Not bad concerning my hopeless time habits and perception. I guess, no top 40 radio hits with this one either. But it has certainly taken us to many new wonderful worlds, since. And even more to come."

S-M 2: Abyss In B Minor is out now on CD, LP and download.

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