Tag Archives: Iceland Airwaves

Iceland Airwaves recap part 3- the rest

So now that I’ve covered the new bands I was excited to see, and the bands I always look forward to seeing, I can discuss the rest of the festival. This year there was a lot of Pylsa eating, beer and vodka consumption, and Northern lights! until this last trip, I have never seen the Northern lights, so this definitely was a treat, and one I actually just enjoyed, without snapping a pic.

Really, there were only two non-Icelandic must sees for me, Anna Von Hausswolff and Zola Jesus. I went out of my way to make sure I was going to see both, and with the packed crowd I lucked out that Samaris was right before the Anna Von Hausswolff show at Gamla Bíó. Anna Von Hausswollf, put on an incredibly haunting performance. she and the band with their intense harmonization and emotional drumming was just as amazing as I expected. The venue was so packed I was surprised NOT to see people hanging from the rafters, but I may have missed them from not being able to look up for fear of stepping on someone below. It certainly was packed, and the onslaught of photographers in the beginning did not help with the crowded situation.

And this brings up one of the few issues I had with Airwaves this year, the aggressive photographers. Not all were this aggressive, but there were a few who went completely overboard to get a pretty picture. I applaud the quick and stern email Airwaves sent out after this reminding photographers that the festival is for all people attending, not just the press, and that it was absolutely not OK to use a flash directly into the face of performers, but until this email, it was common to see this happening to artists and the crowd:

This picture was the beginning of the Show, as you can see, even the artist is flinching away from the insanely close use of a flash, and the amount of people using it. And unfortunately, if you were in the first couple of rows, a line of photog-ass was your view. The lighting made for a tough show to shoot, But as this picture shows, these guys were insane with trying and they continued through almost two complete songs. Stopping only after a certain fan of Anna’s, out of awe of her music I’m sure, climbed on stage and proclaimed her love for the music by laying down right next to Anna’s keys and flashing metal signs.

Kimono at Bar 11

Alison from Kimono at Gamli Gaukurinn

Kimono, oh dear sweet Kimono. I admit, I saw them three times in total. First show was Bar 11 before Metz, second at Gamli Gaukurinn, and I saw half of their final set at Lucky Records the next day. Kimono are an old staple in Iceland, one could argue they’ve influenced a lot of music in their time, so it was great to see them live again.

Their gigs certified they still have it. Heavy instrumentation, with just ever-so-slightly aggressive vocals trudging through the the set. The band was kind enough to play my favorite song, The Wire (I’m sure it was all for me) at all three gigs, and someone paid tribute to Alison’s paying tribute at Anna Von Haussenwolffs performance at Gamli Gaukurinn by laying down center stage and flashing metal signs while soaking in Kimono’s heavy beats.

They also introduced a few new tracks that they have been working on, including a dance number, well as dance number as Kimono can get, Think a modern Les Savy Fav. It excites me that they are working on new stuff. These guys are another band that personifies the Icelandic music culture. They’ve been playing for well over a decade, and as dedicated and serious as they are about their task, they still take the time to have fun on stage, and they also display that natural ability to include the audience in that fun, cracking jokes, heckling back and just overall having a good time playing music they love. And they have no fear about working on new stuff that may differ from the old. It’s an epic work ethic they have, and I’m all the more excited about it.

And of course, Zola Jesus. She came to Iceland with a brand new band. If she hadn’t told the audience they were new, I don’t think we would have noticed as they played a wonderful set at Gamla Bíó. Zola was full of her typical energy and after jumping off stage barefoot, she spent a good time serenading audience members, jumping on chairs, and whipping her mic chord around barriers like a seasoned cowboy lassoing a bull. As I’m a bit biased when it comes to Zola concerts, it was good to read that not just I was impressed with her set. I’m glad Iceland got to see her.

Really, there is so much more one could write about, and there are so many more pics that I could share. Iceland Airwaves yet again delivered a fantastic festival and Iceland proved to be the ever amazingly Martha Stewart of sovereign hosts.

If you want to know about how a band you dug did, the Grapevine blogged about EVERY on-venue show this year on their Airwaves dedicated blog space. Their presence and that blog were an amazing thing this year and a great addition to the festival experience, maybe I’m just partial because they flattered me by publishing my blog/article on supporting the local Icelandic musicians, but no, it’s an extremely well put together blog about the festival over all, and you have to give Grapevine major props for the hard work they put into it. You can see all my photos from Iceland Airwaves here, or by clicking on one of the pictures above.

It’s weird to end a blog post without my four weird questions, so I leave you with one of them, answered while some mocking was being done about the questions I ask, by Kjartan from For a Minor Reflection:

What animal would you be, and what song would you sing? A raccoon, because raccoons are the coolest animal.. And Total eclipse of the heart, because that would be the coolest song for a raccoon to sing…..

Iceland Airwaves recap part 2 – annual fun and off-venue

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There are certain bands and events that have become staples of Iceland Airwaves for me. I almost look just as forward to these events as I do the festival itself.

Off venue performances are key to the daytime schedule. Scaled down and sometimes more intimate; these performances happen in record shops, coffee houses and even retail outfits playing to the street. Available to everyone in Reykjavik, not just the wristbanded folk, it’s a good opportunity to see the bands play smaller sets. This year there were over 200 Icelandic artists playing the approximate 650 performances.

Pétur hallgrimsson and John Grant at Kvosin

I caught a laid back John Grant set. John Grant is a big sweetheart so seeing him at an off venue is made even more special as his quick wit and charming demeanor really shine. His keyboardists was sick for the performance so it was just him and Pétur on stage. That strong baritone voice that could melt rock combined with Pétur’s extremely talented guitar made the Kvosin basement show fantastic. We even got a teaser off the new album as during a keyboard snafu, he made up a new tune about evening time murders and broken keyboards.

I also caught Ghostigital at an off-venue event. I fucking love this band, consisting of Einar Örn Benediktsson of Sugarcubes, and Curver Thoroddson, an amazing mixer who has worked with bands such as Kimono and Sigur Rós, these two always put on amazingly chaotic shows. Every year Einar Örn is in rare form precisely spazzing out with a microphone, ranting about being alone and fuzzy televisions, all while Curver is at the helm tweaking knobs and distorting the mic making a perfect concoction of organized and blissful chaos.

The gig happened at the top Harpa with the sun setting through the prisms of glass while Einer Örn began in a mexican wrestling mask that was quickly shaken off revealing a face with multitudes of expression topping off their quick but potent set. I’m pretty sure everyone walked away very satisfied they saw them, I definitely was.

Another band I always seek out is FM Belfast. Over the years they have become more and more known to the world off the Iceland rock, and their shows are energetic interactions. Árni, Lóa and crew really know how to throw a party, and this year was no exception. From making 500+ people crouch on their knees mid set, to streamers and a pre-emptive depanting on stage, these guys know how to include the audience in on all the fun.

Entire Harpa audience on the ground

I was really impressed with Árni Vilhjálmsson this year as he brought that ability to naturally interact with the audience to both Nini Wilson and FM Belfast. With two completely different bands and atmospheres, his natural ability to break down that performer/audience barrier is spectacular.

Æla is another guilty pleasure of mine. And as of yet, they’ve never disappointed. Typically cross-dressed, they are a band that definitely could not do a super bowl halftime event. Copious amounts of nipple slippage, riding on the backs of the crowd as they sing away, and tux stripping to reveal a dress-clad singing member are all standard fair at an Æla gig.

at one point in the night, the band declared their love for, and pleaded for all the homosexuals in the crowd to come dance with them at the front of the stage. Æla is fun and reminds me of the ole punk-rock standard of just rock out with your cock….

There is another festival that runs parallel to Airwaves, and it was at Bravó this year. RafWaves is the love child of Ísar Logi Arnarsson and this year with over 30 local artists and DJ’s spread over two nights it was a great way to fill in and end both nights. If the crowds get to be too much for you on the main drag and you just want to let your hair down and dance, I suggest you check out their website and plan to attend next year.

yet again, these annual performances did not disappoint. the off-venue crowds were quite a bit larger this year, so I did have to miss a few performances I would have liked to have seen. But over all my list was checked off and I didn’t go without at any point.

Airwaves ’13 recap part 1-The new

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Pétur Ben at KEX

Now for the recap on Airwaves, Yes initially I was going to do a day by day, yes I was ambitious. No, after day 1, it didn’t happen. So, I am going to do a couple blog posts on stuff that was new to me, and stuff I dug.

To start off, Kudos to the Iceland Airwaves staff and crew. This was the smoothest I’ve seen it run, and I really appreciate how much help they are, even to us small potatoes that dig music and blog about it out of fun and not as our careers. So, thank you guys for another great year.

As with all 5 years that I’ve attended, there was good, and there was notsogood. The high points out numbered the rare low points and it’s easy to call this my favorite music festival of the year.

One of the highlights was the off-venue schedule being added to the app. It really made picking a band during the middle of the day a lot easier, and if the off-venue performance you wanted was too crowded, it was easy to pick something else. And this year that became more important than in the past, as it seemed the off venues were packed almost all the time, and quick changes of plans were necessary.

DJ. flugvél og geimskip

My goal was to focus on Icelandic bands that I had not heard before, I relied heavily on the suggestions other Icelandic musicians and friends, and regardless of their genre I made an attempt to see them play. I did make an exception to my rule in order to see Zola Jesus, FM Belfast, and John Grant. But all the other bands on my schedule were Icelandic, and/or bands I had seen once or twice. And with over 200 of them rarely did I have a time where I couldn’t find something to see.

Top 3 new bands I had not seen before were Boogie Trouble, Oyama, and Hudson Wayne. Oyama was on my list based on the blog I did about them, and Boogie trouble was a must see, as a lot of Icelandic friends and musicians recommended I not miss their gig.

Boogie Trouble at Hressó

Boogie trouble’s upbeat music came in second only to their lead singers energy and charisma. She was laughing, dancing around the place, and the entire band jammed away at both gigs I attended. Two entirely different crowds for those shows, and yet the band created the same party like atmosphere in both situations. They played the first day I was in town at Lucky Records, and again at Hressó near the end of the festival. Well worth the recommends they received, and their cover of Britney Spear’s Toxic is not to be missed.

While so called “shoe-gazing” music isn’t typically my jam, I was excited to see Oyama, as I like the music I’ve heard and was interested to see how their live show would turn out. I also saw Oyama twice, once in front of the 12 Tónar shop at Harpa, and once at the Amsterdam bar the last night of Airwaves.

Oyama rockin the walls of Harpa

The off-venue gig at Harpa turned scandalous, as the band was just too wild and crazy for the stone cold walls, and as their music filled the event hall, it breached the serenity of the Ólafur Arnalds Symphony experience, causing a panicked man to whisper pleas into Úlfur’s ear to stop briefly to allow the symphony to end in peace. Ok, not that dramatic, but the band did have to stop briefly, you can read more about it here.

Oyama at Amsterdam

At both sets the band played energetically and together, the smaller set at Harpa was definitely more mellow than the on-venue set at Amsterdam. And at the Amsterdam set I was really impressed with Júlía, who obviously was having issues with her voice, and yet it came out strong, non-wavering, and almost pitch perfect the entire set. the Amsterdam set was more rowdy, and there was nothing shoe-gazing about the guitar and bass trio break-down during one of their first few songs. I highly enjoyed the new tracks they premiered during their set.

Hudson Wayne at Iðnó

Hudson Wayne gets a golden star as being one of the only bands I’ve ever heard at Iðnó where I thought the sound quality was great. They were so spot on it would be hard to believe they were Icelanders and not from the Mid Western part of the U.S. They appeared to be having almost more fun than the audience. So, aside from the over-priced beer at Iðnó, I stayed the entire set and really enjoyed myself. Was very glad to finally hear them play.

Pétur Ben at KEX

I’ve seen Pétur Ben perform before, but not the newer darker catalog he has, and not with a full band. So it was great to make it to Kex and hear him play full on. Even though the new album is quite a bit darker, the music came off strong and I really dug the new live tracks.

Once again, Kex Hostel had KEXP hanging around, doing live streams of the music during the entire festival. If you want to hear the live sets they recorded, I suggest heading over here to give them a listen. They all work incredibly hard every year exposing new acts and bringing music from Iceland to the United States.

Samaris

Sadly, the one set of new artists that turned out not so well was the Samaris show at Gamli Bio. There were massive tech issues from the beginning, and the band looked really out of sorts and discombobulated in their performance. I wish I could have seen them at another gig, as I was really excited to catch their act. So until I do see them again, I am holding off judgement on their live act.

Nini Wilson at Harpa

Last but not least by any means, another great new band was Nini Wilson. Comprised of Örn Ingi Ágústsson from Seabear on guitar, Árni Vilhjálmsson of FM Belfast doing vocals and guitar, and Björn Stefánsson on drums. Their music was made public only days before the festival, and yet there still was a near full venue waiting to hear what they had to offer. After taking a moment to relax via a bottle of Lavender oil, which they passed around for the crowd to inhale, Nini Wilson began a very tight set of Folk-ish rock, moving through the set entertaining themselves and the audience with quips about being naked, not being naked and of course, a few rock guitar solos intermixed. Very entertaining and I wish the set had been longer as it was one of the more enjoyable ones of the festival. Can’t wait to hear what else they have in store.

You can click any picture above to see my entire photo set from Airwaves this year.

Golly gee, I’m in the Grapevine Ma

Day 1

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Officially day one of Iceland Airwaves. For me, it started with Vigri and ended with FM Belfast, and a lot in between. I took a fair amount of pics, and instead of flooding my blog with them, I have created a set for Airwaves on my Flickr Account.

Vigri’s off-venue set at Backpackers was a good way to start. Now a 4 piece, they played some of their old catalog, and even with sustainability issues, the endured. They mentioned a new album in the works, and played a few new tracks, most notable was the set ending “I Follow,” a longer track with a great build up and fantastic ending.

Next up was the Kimono off-venue show at Bar 11. They also had a few new songs to try out on the crowd, there is more of an electronic element now and I quite like it.

They ended the set with a remixed extended version of Black. and by remixed and extended, I mean Kjartan thundered away on drums for a very long time while Alison and Gylfi laughed about not playing.

Next up was Metz, I had gone outside for a brief minute after the Kimono show, and when I returned to see Metz the basement was so packed people were on the stairs huddled down trying to see. Sitting outside I could hear them and it was nuts. Luckily I got in to see the last track, and as people were being tossed up into the ceiling the band was sweatily bouncing around the stage.

After Metz, it was back upstairs to hear Kajak play. Very energetic duo with keys and a Korg. Trippy lyrics backed by dance and rock beats, the windows were rattling from all the energy.

This ended the off-venue part of the day for me, and it was time to quickly grab a Pylsa and head over to the YLJA gig.

I went in the wrong door and ended up at DJ Flugvél og Geimskip’s show. She was so happy and as I stayed for a few songs I couldn’t help but smile. Very high pitched voice and dance beats, with fog and a rotating light ball, very creative and entertaining.

YLJA was next door. A 5 piece consisting of 2 chanteuses surrounded by three talented guys. Very soothing folk rock, and they played well together.

Next, after a brief musical intermission with friends, we headed off to see Þóranna Dögg Björnsdóttir. It was a audio visual set with a large backdrop of morphing images combined with audio cues. Relaxing and surreal.

Stroff was next, these guys were on my list of bands to see. Very 90’s west coast America feel to them and with only a few technical issues they played a great set at Amsterdam.

After Stroff back to Harpa we went, it was time to see FM Belfast, we were a bit late so we had to sit in the back of the crowd, but FM Belfast was doing what they do best, throwing a party. Masses of people jumping up and down, in the photo above you can actually see the masses crouched down on their knees eagerly waiting for the band to cue them explode into dancing happiness. There were streamers, confetti and sorts of mayhem. They always seem to have a lot of fun, and they did not disappoint last night.

My top 10 must see bands for Iceland Airwaves 2013

Kimono:

I love this band, they skipped out last year, but I’m glad they are back and I can’t wait to hear the new stuff. It is rumored there may be an electronic element sneaking into the set. How to describe them, think modern Wire with a twist. Prog-metal if you want to get all fancy and the like, or perhaps just don’t describe them and tell people to go and listen for their own damned selves.

Clicking the band name above will take you to my blog on them, they have one of the most extensive soundcloud pages you will find:

Apparat Organ Quartet:

Even with the missing member from last year’s festival, Apparat Organ Quartet consistently put on one of the best shows of the festival. If you have never seen them play I highly suggest you do so as I’ve yet to hear anyone new to them dislike their sound. Clicking on their name will take you to my blog post on them, and here is Konami:

FM Belfast:

Yes I saw them earlier this year, but in their native land this band really cranks out a party, it’s typical for other musicians to magically appear and dance on stage with them, and they are one of those bands that really gets the crowd going. I’d suggest you go with clean underwear, as chances are you’ll be dancing in them by the end of their set. Best gig I’ve seen was at the infamous NASA, hoping they try and top it this year.

Clicking on the name takes you to my blog post on them, and this olld video is still a favorite of mine:

In the Company of Men:

Diversity is key at this festival, and these bat-shit crazy monkeys really know how to throw down on stage. It’s organized chaos and very Dillinger Escape Plan-ish. Can’t wait to see them live. The title above takes you to my blog-post for more info, and here’s a video

Samaris:

Recently signed to One Little Indian records, and with a new album comprised of their E.P’s, I’m very curious to hear how they sound live.

Zola Jesus:

On Sacred Bones Records, Zola Jesus never fails to amaze. She’s a force to be reckoned with and her hauntingly good music is going to be a treat for the Icelandic scene.

Ghostigital:

Seriously, if you haven’t seen these guys play, make this a priority. Curver and Einar örn are staples and their show is awesome crazy. I try to see them whenever I can, they have crazy instruments, a crazy leader, and a baby blue trumpet. How could you not want to see it

Oyama:

A band of many bands, Oyama’s roster includes members from a lot of other bands you will hear this week. They put on a great show, and you do not want to miss it. Click the band name for my blog post on them, and listen here:

Amiina:

Amiina never fails, with their creative implementation of items as instruments, haunting voices, and endless supplies of charm you really need to take a breathe and take in an Amiina gig.

Lay Low:

Nancy Sinatra and June Carter apparently had a love child when we weren’t looking. If her song writing and soothing voice doesn’t get you, her snake charming personality will. Doesn’t matter if she’s in front of a massive crowd, or singing for 5 people in a shack smack dab in the middle of Reykjavik, she is definitely someone you want to experience while at the festival. She has a slew of new songs, and I’m excited to hear them. You’re absolutely NOT going to hate her.

Ok, I’ve got to stop, I promised myself only 10. But it was a tough choice as there are plenty of other acts worthy of mention. Dikta, Tilbury, Pétur Ben, Moses Hightower, Mammut, Momentum, Hudson Wayne etc..etc… Nini Wilson is also a band you should look out for. I’m not going to spoil it, but they consist of members from other well known Icelandic bands.

I’m going to be blogging every morning after the festival, and I hope to see you up there.

Snorri Helgason

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I’ve always talked of the hard work Icelandic musicians put into their craft. Snorri Helgason is the personification of this. He tours more than humanly possible, constantly collaborates with other Icelandic musicians, and has been been part of programs such as Taste of Iceland and Iceland Airwaves every year. He works hard, very hard, and we the listener are the benefactors.

Snorri’s career started with his band, Sprengjuhöllin. They released three great albums, all of which won awards and were well received by the Icelandic public, including one single that lasted 27 weeks in Iceland’s music charts.

Continuing to evolve, he released his first solo album I’m gonna put my name on your door which was also well received. Ironically, the title track from the album speaks of settling down, quite the opposite direction Snorri has taken, and combined with the final track When a good thing dies, the audience is left somewhat misled about the future of Snorri Helgason.

The album itself is smooth; perfect for a rainy day or relaxing road trips. Reminiscent of Nick Cave and Harry Nillson his ability to modernize that 70’s soulful folk makes for an enjoyable album trip, one of my favorite songs on the album is Don’t let her.

Next came Winter’s sun. This is my favorite of his albums to date. There are hints of 50’s rock and soul on tracks such as 99 songs, and splotches of blues on The Butcher’s Boy. Spending time in Iceland during a Christmas break, Snorri was playing music with Sindri Már Sigfússon from Sin Fang and they decided to put an album together. With Sindri producing and Snorri playing the album is a perfect of example of adding more without adding too much. Vocals are more sharp and energized, there are more instruments, and more people backing him up, such as Mr. Silla from Múm, and Sóley.

One of my favorite tracks from Winter’s sun, Mockingbird, reminds me of a Motown era jam. Very smooth, with a rock influenced beat underneath lullaby vocals backed up in a do-wappish manner.

Recently released, Snorri’s new album, Autumn skies keeps the strong instruments, but from the two tracks available to stream, the vocals have slightly shifted back towards the mellow smooth folk of the first album. I particularly like the sound of Kveðja. You can listen to both new tracks, as well as a slew of his back catalog on his Soundcloud page. You can purchase the new Autumn Skies CD from the Record Records music shop, and his previous two albums are on Gogoyoko for listening or purchase pleasure.

To learn more and keep up with him, visit his website or Facebook page. He’ll be performing at Iceland Airwaves this year and he always puts on a fantastic show, I suggest you check it out.

Iceland Airwaves 2013

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Typically I stay away from categorizing bands, as I find the lengths some people go to box a band in silly. But now that the final list of bands for Iceland Airwaves 2013 is out, I wanted to make an easier way for you to learn more about, and listen to the Icelandic bands that will be performing.

Of the 216 or so bands at this year’s Airwaves, 150 of them are Icelandic. With everything from a national symphony to death metal, electro-pop to hip-hop, you’re pretty much covered with things to listen to.

So, I have very loosely divided the bands into 5 different groups. Hip Hop, Composers and classical, Hardcore and all the metals, Electronic/Dance/close-to-dance, and the last, but definitely, largest group I will just call rock+, it consists of reggae, funk, blues, rock, harder rock, indie-er rock etc..etc…

As anyone can look up a band’s website, I had a process for picking which links to use. If I’ve written a piece on them the link will take you to that blog post. If not and they have a Gogoyoko or Soundcloud page, the link will take you there. After that it’s either their website or facebook page. I believe most the bands will take you to a page where you can stream at least some of their music.

If you don’t have a Gogoyoko account yet, I strongly urge you to get one. It’s free, and you can create your own playlists to share what you find, but more importantly, a great deal of the bands linked via gogoyoko have their own playlists making it easier for you to hear the songs they really like from all their albums. Like I said, it’s free and takes little to no time to sign up, so just do it. Think of it as an Icelandic Spotify account that actually gives back to the artist.

After the list of bands you will find both the Spotify and the Soundcloud playlists for all Airwaves artists. And, clicking here will take you to the full Schedule so schedule away.

If I’ve missed a band, or you feel strongly that a band should be classified differently let me know. And now, for your researching and listening pleasure, here are the bands, in order from smallest to largest table:

Hip Hop

Cell7	Emmsje Gauti	Epic Rain	Kött Grá Pje
Original Melody	Ramses	Ulfur Ulfur

Classical/Composers

Biggi Hilmars	Daníel Bjarnason	Iceland Symphony Orchestra
Jónas Sen	Nordic Affect	Skuli Sverrisson
Þóranna Dögg Björnsdóttir AKA Trouble	Úlfur Eldjárn	Saktmodigur

Hardcore / Metals

Æla	Agent Fresco	AMFJ	Angist
Blood Feud	Dimma	Endless Dark	In the Company of Men
Kimono	Kontinuum	Momentum	Muck
Ophidian I	Sign	Skepna	Sólstafir
Strigaskór Nr 42	Svartidauði	Trust the Lies	Wistaria

Electronic / Experimental / Dance

Apparat Organ Quartet	Árni²	Aux Pan	Berndsen
Björk Viggósdóttir A.K.A. Lala Alaska	Bloodgroup	Captain Fufanu	DJ AnDre
DJ Flugvél og Geimskip	FKNHNDSM	FM Belfast	FutureGrapher
Ghostigital	Gluteus Maximus	Hermigervill	Housekell
Kajak	Kippi Kaninus	Kira Kira	Legend
M-Band	Magnoose	Nolo	Nora
Oculus	Pedro Pilatus	Prins Polo	Quadruplos
Oculus	Reptilicus	Sísý Ey	Skurken
Sometime	Subminimal	Sykur	Tanya & Marlon
Terrordisco	ThiZone	Tonik	Vök

Rock / Indie Rock / Reggae / Blues / funk / etc..etc…

1860	Amaba Dama	Amiina	Árstíðir
Aragrúi	Ásgeir	Bárujárn	Bellstop>
Benny Crespo’s Gang	Bob Justman/a	Boogie Trouble	Borko
Caterpillarmen	Dikta	Dísa	Eldar
Elín Ey	Emiliana Torrini	Fears	For a minor reflection
Gang Related	Grísalappalísa	Grúska Babúska	Halleluwah
Hellvar	Hjaltalín	Hudson Wayne	Hymnalaya
Jan Mayen	Hjaltalín	Jóhann Kristinsson	John Grant
Kaleo	Kiriyama Family	Kjurr	Lára Rúnars
Lay Low	Leaves	Lockerbie	Loji
Love & Fog	MAMMÚT	Mono Town	Moses Hightower
múm	Nini Wilson	Ólafur Arnalds	Nolem
Ojba Rasta	My Bubba	Myrra Rós	Oyama
Pascal Pinon	Pétur ben	Ragga Gröndal	Retro Stefson
RetRoBot	Rökkurró	Runar Magnusson	Samaris
Samúel Jón Samúelsson Big Band	Sin Fang</a	Sindri Eldon & The Ways	Snorri Helgason
Sóley	Stafrænn Hákon	Stroff	The Wicked Strangers
Þórir Georg	Tilbury	UMTBS	Útidúr
Valdimar	Vigri	Valdimar	Vintage Caravan	YLJA

,
and here is their Spotify playlist:

1860

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For me, 1860 is a breathe of indie-folk fresh air. Constant melodies that capture the energy of the music without having to over use dominant banjos or volcanic-like explosive choruses that out live the song itself. 1860 does a great job of focusing on the composition of the song and each track tends to have it’s own consistently strong presence.

What started out as a side project in 2010 by Ottar G. Birgisson and Hlynur Juni Hallgrimsson, has become a 5 piece full time gig with Hlynur Hallgrímsson on vocals and mandolin, Ottar G. Birgisson on vocals and acoustic guitar, Johann Runar Thorgeirsson with the electric guitar, Gunnar Jonsson on electric bass and vocals, and Andri Bjartur Jakobsson on drums and percussions. All members of the band are known for adding instruments and innovating new ways to create sounds.

On 1860’s first album, Sagen, the band displays variety while notching out their own vibe in the indie-folk genre. Tracks like Orðsending að austan have lively guitar on the upswing, piping on the high end, and smooth vocals throughout, and other tracks like Love & Lime have a homey feeling of such bands like the french chanteurs Revolver, reminiscent of sitting around the house playing music with friends. I wasn’t able to embed the video, but I suggest you check out this: Love and Lime

I also have to give nod to the song, Snæfellsnes, it’s a great track, and any song about the area I dream to retire to deserves recognition.

On July 30th, their new album, Artificial Daylight will officially be released to the masses. Two singles from the album are available on Gogoyoko and Soundcloud, and the album will be available at Gogoyoko and Icelandmusic.com on July 30th. While the tracks available are less folk and more indie, the solid melody and strong vocals I dug in the first are very much present. as well as on Gogoyoko, the tracks are available on Soundcloud. I truly believe this is going to be an incredible successful album, you heard it here first.

The band has a website, and you can find them on Facebook as well as Gogoyoko. They also were kind enough to answer my four questions:

1. What is your favorite off-venue Airwaves, or Icelandic joint to jam at? We’re pretty laid back guys, so we play a lot of shows at Café Rosenberg on Klapparstígur. It has a really nice mellow vibe to it. Faktorý is also wonderful, but now it’s gonna be leveled to the ground to build a hotel. Which sucks.

2. 2. If you combine all of your favorite colors (for you, add your bandmates if you would), what do you get? Cosmic latte, for sure. The average colour of the universe.

3. What are 3 of your favorite little known bands of Icelandic origin? We are going to name three amazing bands that were huge but are little known outside of Iceland today: Mánar, Trúbrot og Jet Black Joe

4. If you could be any creature playing your favorite song, what would the creature be? And what is the song? Awesome question! We have to go with Treebeard from the Lord of the Rings singing “Leikur að Vonum” by Mánar (an incredible Icelandic 70s song about brotherly love conquering hate)… either that or Van Morrison’s “Jackie Wilson Said (I’m in Heaven When You Smile)”.

Amiina

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Most of us were introduced to Amiina when the quartet went gigging across the globe with Sigur Rós. Now a 6 piece, Amiina consists of the original 4; Edda Rún Ólafsdóttir, Hildur Ársælsdóttir, Sólrún Sumarliðadóttir, María Huld Markan Sigfúsdóttir and two male members, Magnús Trygvason Eliassen and Guðmundur Vignir Karlsson.

Famous for their creative use of everything from saws to harpsichords, and the ability the members have in casually drifting from one instrument to the next in a single track, their music can be described as more of an atmosphere than sound. A serene, happy and peaceful atmosphere leaving the listener with a smile.

in 2007, Kurr was released. It was their first full length after their time with Sigur Rós and with ambiance and classical overtones it became a strong indicator that the band would have no issue standing on their own.

To me, one of the most fantastic things to come of that album was the collaboration with Lee Hazelwood on Hilli. This track was made more special as to the best of my knowledge, it’s the last thing Lee Hazelwood did before passing away. There is something cool in thinking about an old Okie-Louis boy who had worked with likes of Nancy Sinatra hanging his hat with a grin at the completion of this moving collaboration.

Puzzle, the second full length, strongly reminds me of driving across the mountainous deserts of Utah and Arizona at twilight with my hand sticking out the open window making waves. What are we waiting for? is one of my favorite tracks on the album, and tracks such as Sicsak really stick out with their heavier electronic presence. The album is heavier and more full, but that ambiance of peacefulness still shines through.

Amiina’s latest and greatest is the Lighthouse Project. Back in the day of their quartet, the band created a concert specifically designed to be played in Lighthouses. Fast forward a bit and the band resumed their quartet role and toured Iceland playing Lighthouse to Lighthouse. When they decided to record these Lighthouse versions of the songs, they recorded it concert style live in the studio to try and emulate that cozy concert feel.

You can learn more about the Lighthouse Project, as well as purchase it in different sets from their website. They have Puzzle and The Lighthouse Project on Gogoyoko if you would like to listen to the albums in their entirety, and of course you can always follow them on Facebook.

The band was very nice and answered my 4 questions, here are their answers:

1. What is your favorite off-venue Airwaves, or Icelandic joint to jam at? Well, there isnt really a place where you can jam at, but our favorite off-venue show was probably the one we did at a record shop called Havarí. That was a nice place. Sadly they had to close (like a lot of clubs and shops in Reykjavík these days…) but that show was great!

2. If you combine all of your favorite colors (for you, add your bandmates if you would), what do you get? Probably something out of this world, never before seen color. Or some kind of black reddish type of color. Or whatever. Colors are nice!

3. What are 3 of your favorite little known bands of Icelandic origin? Sin Fang are good. ADHD are good. Samúel Jón Samúelsson Big Band are nice. Oyama are good.

4. If you could be any creature playing your favorite song, what would the creature be? And what is the song. An eagle whistling Blue in Green by Miles Davis…

Ragnaar's Icelandic Music Blog

Icelandic musicians and the music they play

Tag Archives: Iceland Airwaves

Iceland Airwaves recap part 3- the rest

Iceland Airwaves recap part 2 – annual fun and off-venue

Airwaves ’13 recap part 1-The new

Golly gee, I’m in the Grapevine Ma

Day 1

My top 10 must see bands for Iceland Airwaves 2013

Kimono:

Apparat Organ Quartet:

FM Belfast:

In the Company of Men:

Samaris:

Zola Jesus:

Ghostigital:

Oyama:

Amiina:

Lay Low:

Snorri Helgason

1860

Amiina

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