Serena-Maneesh

Serena-Maneesh
File:Serena Maneesh live.jpg Serena-Maneesh playing live in Australia. From left: Eivind Schou, Einar Lukerstuen, Emil Nikolaisen, Hilma Nikolaisen, Øystein Sandsdalen
Background information
Origin	Oslo, Norway
Genres	Alternative rock, shoegazing, indie rock, noise pop
Years active	1999–present
Labels	4AD, Smalltown Supersound, HoneyMilk, Hype City, Playlouder
Associated acts	120 Days, Silver, Loch Ness Mouse, Årabrot, Royal
Website	www.serena-maneesh.com/
Members	Emil Nikolaisen Aadne Meisfjord

Serena-Maneesh (previously spelled Serena Maneesh, sometimes shortened to S-M) is an alternative rock band from Oslo, Norway.

Biography

The team of musicians who each contribute to the band's sound is organized around its protagonist and songwriter Emil Nikolaisen.

Important sources of musical inspiration are The Velvet Underground, My Bloody Valentine, Amon Düül, The Stooges, Swans, Spacemen 3, Spiritualized, Stereolab, Royal Trux, Neu!, and Antonio Carlos Jobim. In late 2005, the band toured Europe in support of The Dandy Warhols. In early 2006, Serena-Maneesh landed the opening gig for British band Oasis during its UK tour. They supported Nine Inch Nails on the Australia/Japan leg of their 2007 world tour.

The highly acclaimed self-titled debut album was released on the Norwegian record-label HoneyMilk in the autumn of 2005. In December of the same year, the Norwegian vinyl label Hype City released an LP print featuring two exclusive tracks, and the Spanish indie distributor Touchme Records published the CD. In March 2006, the band announced its transfer to the Playlouder-branch of the Beggars Group established in Europe (UK, Germany and Italy), North America (United States and Canada) and Oceania (Australia). In June 2006, the band released an international edition of its self-titled album (both CD and LP) through the international label Playlouder.

The long-awaited second album Serena Maneesh 2: Abyss in B Minor was released in March 2010 on the renowned British independent label 4AD. According to Nikolaisen, it sounds like a "rock'n'roll chamber of magic."

Band members

Current members:

• Emil Nikolaisen – vocals, guitar
• Ådne Meisfjord – electronics

Previous or associated members:

• Hilma Nikolaisen – bass
• Øystein Sandsdalen – guitar
• Tommy Akerholdt – drums
• Lina (Holmstroem) Wallinder – vocals, percussion, organ
• Sondre Tristan Midttun – guitar
• Håvard Krogedal – organ, cello
• Eivind Schou – viola
• Anders Møller – percussion
• Einar Lukerstuen – drums
• Ann Sung-An Lee – vocals, percussion, organ
• Marcus Forsgren – bass
• Jennifer P. Fraser – bass
• Marco (Hautakoski) Storm – drums

Discography

Studio albums

• Serena Maneesh (2005)
• Serena Maneesh 2: Abyss in B Minor (2010)

EPs

• Fixxations EP (December 2002 – CD; 22 September 2003 – 12", Norway)
• Zurück: Retrospectives 1999-2003 (20 June 2005, Norway)
  • Enhanced CD; HoneyMilk Records (HONEY019)

Singles

• "Drain Cosmetics" (12 June 2006, United Kingdom)
  • Enhanced CD; Playlouder Recordings (PLAYR7CD)
  • 7" vinyl; Playlouder Recordings (PLAYR7S)
  • 12" vinyl; Playlouder Recordings (PLAYR7T)
• "Sapphire Eyes" (2 October 2006, United Kingdom)
  • CD; Playlouder Recordings (PLAYR12CD)
  • 7" vinyl; Playlouder Recordings (PLAYR12S)
• "Ayisha Abyss" (18 January 2010, United Kingdom)
  • 12" vinyl, b/w: "Call-Back from a Dream"; 4AD (BAD 2941)

Split singles

• Serena Maneesh / The Parkas: Singles Club No. 4 7" (2004) – Australia, Low Transit Industries LTID012
  • "Drive Me Home the Lonely Nights"
• Serena Maneesh / Blood on the Wall 7" (February 2006) – United States, Insound
  • "Sapphire Eyes" (Serena-Maneesh Refix)

Appearances on compilations

• "Blues Like Beehive" on Ŏya Festivalen: Oslo 08-10 Aug 2002 (1 May 2002, Norway)
  • CD; Øya Festival
• "Leipziger Love Life" on The Pet Series Volume 1 (20 July 2002, Netherlands)
  • CD; Sally Forth Records (SF1059)
• "Drive Me Home the Lonely Nights" on Counter Culture 05 (23 January 2006, United Kingdom)
  • 2CD; V2/Rough Trade Shops (VVR1037732)

Music videos

• "Drive Me Home the Lonely Nights" (1 May 2003), written and directed by Ola Bratt
• "Drain Cosmetics" (4 June 2006)
• "I Just Want to See Your Face" (12 March 2010)
• "D.I.W.S.W.T.T.D" (7 Oct 2010)

Media links

Serena Maneesh LP

• Drain Cosmetics promo Hi-Fi QuickTime for Win/Mac

"Drain Cosmetics" SP

• Sapphire Eyes (Refix) legal MP3

External links

• Official website
• Urban Pollution Interview
• Drain Cosmetics PodCast
• Official Myspace
• Subculture Magazine's review of "Serena Maneesh"
• Serena Maneesh@HoneyMilk (domestic label)
• Serena Maneesh@HypeCity (domestic label)
• Serena Maneesh@Beggars US (USA label)
• Serena Maneesh@Indigo/Beggars Group (German label)