5. Medieval Week in Visby

Visby is a really old town on one of Sweden's two big islands, Gotland. One week in august per year (since 1984) they have had a Medieval Week where there is everything from a big market, jesters, jousting, shows and activities all fitting into the theme. Walking around the streets of Visby during that week was magical as most people are dressed accordingly and I found myself feeling like I was missing something by not wearing similar clothing. My mother's side of the family is originally from Gotland so going there for the first time this summer was a bit like finding an old piece of yourself. But the events and market awoke something else in me that even my wife commented on not recognizing.

Somewhere between buying a horn to drink beer from to throwing an axe, I felt completely content and at home. It all came to a real climax sitting outside the big walls of Visby on a recliner in the grass watching a live show with Corvus Corax while drinking beer and eating vegetable soup and bread. The night sky was filled with stars and I could have stayed there forever. For all the shows and parties I've been to over the years, having to deal with music that were good to poor and everything in between. This was an experience that was so tailored to my interests and likes that it just solidified itself as one of the best summers of all time.

4. Kavinsky - OutRun

2013 was a year filled with retro 80's nostalgia. And by the looks of things, it's not entirely out of style yet. From Blood Dragon to Kung Fury and even our resident Game Of The Year videos were infected by it. One of those things that I really latched on to this year was Kavinsky's debut studio album OutRun. It has the perfect mix of 80s action themes with modern electronic music. I haven't found anything quite like it, and it's an album that I'll probably keep coming back to for years to come.

3. Gravity

The movie I would use as an argument for going to the theaters will always beat your television. It's the first movie I have seen that has made space actually seem BIG. I can't really describe it much better, I was just in awe for most of that movie. It reminded me of how small we really are, a thought that I keep having whenever I look up at the stars. We're all really really weak and insignificant in the grand scheme of things. But the movie was obviously more than that, and I thought Sandra Bullock made one of her performances in her career.

2. Evil Dead

Some people doesn't like remakes. I am one of those people. But this movie seem to have kept it's essence but still built it's own thing. But this movie is so fun. It's the first movie I actually bothered to go to the theaters by myself just because I had no one to go with. And man, that last big scene. I am sure everyone in that theatre thought I was crazy, was laughing myself to tears.

1. Fejd - Nagelfar

I am a big fan of nordic folk music influenced metal (or metal in general that flirts with norse mythology), so it came to no surprise to me that Fejd's latest release would fall right into my wheelhouse being more folk music than metal, really. It was the album that along with Corvus Corax's album Sverker really put the whole summer into a "fuckit, I am growing a real beard until next summer" sort of summer. So far, so good. Been saving this sucker since late August, by the time vacation comes around this year I'll need a ship and free men to raid the shores of Europe with.