Pitchfork: Exclusive: Serena Maneesh Sign U.S. Record Deal

Exclusive: Serena Maneesh Sign U.S. Record Deal

Hear ye, hear ye! Behold the power of hype: Norway's beloved noise-dream harbingers Serena Maneesh have just inked a record deal with brand-new label PlayLouderecordings. (What a mouthful.) And rejoice, fair citizens tired of gazing at $20+ import invoices: their 8.6-receiving self-titled debut arrives Stateside at last May 23.

PlayLouderecordings is the offspring of London-based media website / digital label PlayLouder and UK indie conglomerate the Beggars Group (home to the Beggars Banquet, 4AD, XL, Too Pure, MoWax, Matador, Mantra, and Wiiija labels). Serena Maneesh are Playlouderecordings' first signing, although PlayLouder.com has previously treated its readership to several digital singles, including the Serena Maneesh track "Drain Cosmetics", released on Monday.

Now that the deal's in the can, the real work begins. Having scouted New York earlier this year, Serena Maneesh will take the U.S. by storm in March, including four gigs at SXSW. Catch their waves of sonic bliss amid waves of blog-happy hipsters. Les gigs:

02-15 London, England - Hoxton Bar & Grill *
02-17 Trondheim, Norway - Samfundet
02-18 Volda, Norway - Studenthuset Rokken
02-22 Kristiansand, Norway - �stsia
02-23 B�, Norway - Kroa
02-24 Bergen, Norway - Hulen
02-25 Stavanger, Norway - Folken
03-02 Oslo, Norway - John Dee
03-06 New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom
03-07 Northampton, MA - Iron Horse
03-08 Boston, MA - TT the Bear's ^
03-09 Philadelphia, PA - First Unitarian Church %$
03-10 Columbus, OH - Little Brothers %
03-11 Chicago, IL - Empty Bottle %#
03-12 St. Louis, MO - Vintage Vinyl (in-store)
03-12 St. Louis, MO - Creepy Crawl
03-13 Oklahoma City, OK - Conservatory
03-14 Denton, TX - Hailey's
03-15 Austin, TX - Emo's &
03-16 Austin, TX - Emo's
03-16 Austin, TX - The Victory Grill
03-17 Austin, TX - Club De Ville
03-19 Los Angeles, CA - Spaceland @+
03-20 Los Angeles, CA - Spaceland @
03-21 San Francisco, CA - Bottom of the Hill
03-23 Portland, OR - Holocene
03-28 Chicago, IL - Empty Bottle
03-30 Toronto, Ontario - Lee's Palace
04-01 Brooklyn, NY - Northsix
06-02 Copenhagen, Denmark - Stengade 30
07-04 Kristiansand, Norway - Quart Festival
07-21 T�nsberg, Norway - Slottfjell Festival
07-22 Flekkefjord, Norway - Fjellparkfestivalen
08-04 Andalsnes, Norway - Raumarock Festival =

* with Carina Round, Untitled Music Project
^ with Charlene
% with Psychic Ills
$ with Relay, Mahogany
# with Dirty on Purpose
& with �And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead, Of Montreal, Field Music, Voxtrot, Kiss Me Deadly
@ with We
+ with Say Hi To Your Mom
= with Turbonegro