Five new acts added

CUT COPY (AU)
MOGWAI (UK)
LUKESTAR (N)
STELLA MWANGI (N)
COLISEUM (US)

Australian electro trio Cut Copy, the world’s most blogged-about band recently, is ready for the Medieval Park on the last day of the festival. Instrumental and post rock pioneers Mogwai will be returning to the Øya Festival on Wednesday Aug. 6. In addition, the two hot Norwegian acts Lukestar and Stella Mwangi have been added, as well as the baddest power trio the state of Kentucky has to offer, Coliseum.

CUT COPY (AU)
Cut Copy come from Melbourne, Australia, and will be taking the world by storm in 2008. Dan Withford founded Cut Copy as a solo project back in 2008, but over the years it evolved into a band. Cut Copy’s latest album, ‘In Ghost Colours’, made it to the top of the charts back home in Australia. On it you’ll find a dynamic mix of indie, new wave, and electro pop. During the past few years, the trio has been on the road with Bloc Party and Daft Punk, among others, but the guys are likely to draw a lot of attention on their own this year. Anyone hooked on LCD Soundsystem, Daft Punk, Ladytron, and New Order needs to check out Cut Copy. On Saturday Aug. 9 they’ll perform in the Medieval Park, and we expect no less than one of the greatest pop experiences of the year.

Cut Copy on MySpace

MOGWAI (UK)
The knights of post rock, Mogwai from Scotland, will soon make their second visit to the Medieval Park, on Wednesday Aug. 6. For more than ten years they’ve made instrumental music, highly inspired by the indie rock genre. People have dubbed their music “shoegazing” and “art rock”, but Mogwai have a broader appeal than that. Over the last few years they’ve toured with e.g. Pixies and The Cure. Mogwai’s songs are melodious, experimental, and challenging. Their material often alternate between loud and quiet in a manner that has made them pioneers of European post rock.

Founders Stuart Braithwaite and Dominic Aitchison met at a Ned’s Atomic Dustbin gig back in 1991. A few years later they founded Mogwai together with Martin Bulloch. In 1997, they started their recording career with the powerful album ‘Young Team’. Another definite highlight is ‘Rock Action’ from 2001, which also carries the same name as the band’s own record label. On it they’ve released their own material as well as Papa M, Torche, and Envy. Mogwai’s latest album so far, ‘Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait’, was the soundtrack to the documentary about the famous French soccer player. A new Mogwai album is expected this fall. If we’re lucky, we’ll get to hear a few samples from it when they play the park.

Mogwai on MySpace

LUKESTAR (N)
After lurking in the underground for years, Lukestar have now become Norway’s new indie faves. Since their last gig at the Øya Festival back in 2004 they’ve gained a significantly larger fan base, replaced a couple of members, and played countless gigs. Earlier this year, their second album, ‘Lake Toba’, came out, an album brimming with great pop tunes of different shapes. It received great reviews from critics after its release this winter. The album has gotten a lot of air time throughout the spring, fronted by the song “White Shade”. There’s a common consensus that Lukestar are among the hottest Norwegian acts this year, truly worth checking out. If you’re not acquainted with ‘em, take the opportunity to become so at Øya.

Lukestar on MySpace

STELLA MWANGI (N)
Stella “STL” Nyambura Mwangi is both a Kenyan and a Norwegian. Musically, she’s even more international, and in a Norwegian context she’s quite unique. Stella has been well-known in Kenya, Gambia, and Senegal for a long time, where she has also cooperated with famous artists and won prestigious awards. Back here in Norway we’re a bit slow and didn’t discover this talented rapper until a music video was made for the wicked track “Take It Back”. This led to a record contract, and after that, the hype surrounding her continued to grow, both due to her own gigs and to support gigs for i.a. Common, Talib Kweli, Slick Rick, Dead Prez, and Public Enemy.
At this year’s by:Larm festival, after a kick-ass performance at Fabrikken, our representatives confirmed that her talent is indisputable and the hype well-deserved. Our conclusion was that we simply had to book her. At the Øya Festival 2008 you’ll get to see and hear why.

Stella Mwangi on MySpace

COLISEUM (US)
Since the start back in 2003, Coliseum have been handing out generous portions of metal, punk, and hardcore whoop-ass. This trio from Louisville, Kentucky recorded their debut in a garage back in 2004. Over the next few years they released a series of smaller recordings, among others the EP ‘Goddamage’. Last year they became part of the comprehensive Relapse roster, home of i.a. Baroness, Dillinger Escape Plan, and Pig Destroyer. The result of many months of hard work was the thirteen head-bashing tracks on ‘No Salvation’, one of the most brutal highlights of last year, as far as we can hear. The album was highly inspired by both metal and hardcore, but never approaches genres like metalcore – it’s far too dirty, hairy, and sweaty for that. Guitarist and singer Ryan Patterson is the driving force of the band and makes sure that they stick to the old DIY ideals. Over the past few years, Coliseum have been on the road with i.a. Kylsea, Hot Cross, Municipal Waste, Torche, and Converge. If you’re also into bands like High on Fire, Motörhead, and Discharge, this three-headed monster should be right up your alley. Should you find yourself in need of blowing off some steam during this year’s festival, Coliseum are one of your safest bets.

Coliseum on MySpace