Tag Archives: Music

An announcement of sorts

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Theory of Whatever records

towlogo (2)

So I’ve gone and started a record label, Theory of Whatever Records (TOW for short.)  It’s something I’ve always wanted to do after leaving the music world a decade ago, and this just seemed to be the right time.  The goal of the label is to get music we dig out in the music realm so others can dig it as well.  We’ve got some great things coming up for the rest of 2014 and 2015, it’s all rather exciting.  I’ll still post on here as I enjoy writing about the new Icelandic bands out there, and it won’t matter what label they are on, but it may be less frequent depending on how crazy life gets.

You can visit the new label website here, and you can can find us and/or like us on Facebook here.   Now for a shameless plug:

We are rather excited and humbled that our first is none other than kimono.  I have had a music crush on this band for many years and we are excited that we get to release their new single here in the states as well as at Iceland Airwaves 2014 where they will be performing.

kimono’s Specter is an earworm, it’s still got that minimalish-heavy feeling that makes kimono so great, but there’s a new almost dance factor that will stick in your head for days.  and the B-side is a cover of the great Icelandic band Þeyr’s  “Rúdolf.”  the album artwork is by  Sigurður Angantýsson, not only an artist, but in the band the Knife Fights.  You can see more of his artwork here.

kimonologo

The single, a 7″ 45 vinyl record,  will be released in US on November 11th.  until then it will be available at kimono gigs in Iceland, including Iceland Airwaves. The single will be accompanied by a digital download, but of course.

If you’re going to be at  Iceland Airwaves and you want to reserve your copy to be picked up during the festival, or you want to pre-order your copy for the US Release, you can go ahead and do it here.

 

So here’s to adding another chapter with the help of a fantastic band.

 

Icelandic Artists of Airwaves 2014

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airwaves14It’s almost time, and tickets are almost gone, so I would suggest getting off your duffer and getting them.  Iceland Airwaves 2014 is around the corner, and of the 215 or so bands performing this year, 145 of them are Icelandic.

I’ve sorted the musicians loosely by genres, very loosely.  Don’t judge, there are a lot of bands that walk the line between categories, but I think I’ve done an alright job of making it easy for you to find something you’ll dig.   Clicking on the band name will take you either to a blog post I’ve done on the musician, or to a page with their music or more info.  To see the full international list of all artists at the festival and for more info, check out the Iceland Airwaves website.  And you can purchases packages for the festival here, at Iceland Air.

Last year’s band list is located here, and if you are new to Airwaves and want to learn more, here is a list of my previous posts on the festival.  Here, you will find my recap posts of last years festival as well.

So here are the Icelandic bands so far:

Electronic / Dance / DJ

Ambátt Árni² Berndsen DADA
Disa dj.flugvél og geimskip DJ Margeir East of my Youth
Exos FM Belfast Fufanu FURA
Futuregrapher Ghostigital HaZar Hermigervill
Housekell Kött Grá Pje Kippi Kaninus LaFontaine
Lily the Kid M-band Nolo Prins Póló
Ruxpin Samaris Skurken Stereo Hypnosis
Sykur Tonik Thor Vök
Yamaho

Experimental / Atmospheric / Non-dance Electronic

Auxpan Einarlndra Gervisykur Good Moon Deer
Kiasmos Krakkkbot Octal Reptilicus
T.V.Thoranna Björnsdóttir & Valtýr Björn Thors Vindva Mei Yagya

Indie Rock / Rock / Disco

1860 Agent Fresco Ásgeir Benny Crespo’s Gang
Bird Boogie Trouble Brain Police CeaseTone
Halleluwah Hide Your Kids Himbrimi Júníus Meyvant
Just Another Snake Cult Kajak Kiriyama Family Lára Rúnars
Leaves Low Roar Lucy in Blue Mafama
Mammút Ourlives Oyama Pétur Ben
Rökkurró Rúnar Þórisson RVK Soundsystem Sin Fang
Sometime Steinar Una Stef Uni Stefson
Útidúr Védís Hervör The Vintage Caravan Vio

Jazz / Folk / Reggae / Singer/songwriter

Amabadama Árstíðir Atónal Blús Geislar
Hafdís Huld Hymnalaya Íkorni Kaleo
Klassart Kría Brekkan Lay Low Moses Hightower
Mr. Silla Mugison My Bubba Ojba Rasta
Ólöf Arnalds Sindri Eldon & The Ways Sísý Ey Snorri Helgason
Sóley Valdimar Var Ylja
Þórir Georg Ylja

Punk / Metal / Hardcore

AMFJ Beneath Börn Conflictions Dimma
Döpur Elín Helena Endless Dark Grísalappalísa In the Company of Men
Kimono Kontinuum Kælan Mikla Mass
Momentum Muck Ophidian I Pink Street Boys
Strigaskór nr 42 Svartidauði

Hip Hop / Rap

Alvia Islandia CELL7 Emmsjé Gauti Epic Rain
Gísli Pálmi IntroBeats Lord Pusswhip Reykjavíkurdætur
Shades of Reykjavik Úlfur Úlfur Young Karen

Other stuffs or really hard to classify

Ásta F Sigurðardóttir – Poet Eiríkur Örn Norðdahl – Poet Icelandic Symphony Orchestra
Inferno-5 Kira Kira – Musician Óbó – Musician
Sigurbjörg Þrastardóttir – Poet Sjón -Poet

The Soundcloud playlist for Iceland Airwaves 2014:

Legend

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legend (origin of photo unknown)

Story has it that Legend began on a drunken night of brain-synced tomfoolery between two old friends in a studio which lead to the creation of the track ‘Devil in Me‘.  After finding its way quickly up the Icelandic charts, these friends, Krummi Björgvinsson and Halldór A Björnsson called themselves Legend, and created an album of winterishly dark and stormy synth-pop.

Krummi’s been on the scene for years, Probably most known for his band Mínus, the first Icelandic hardcore band I heard as a youngin’, and one of the first hardcore bands ever signed outside of the Icelandic realm.  He’s a busy man also known for his art, and his solo projects such as DÖPUR.  Halldór has done film and play soundtracks, as well as jingles for commercials.  He’s also an active producer and genius on the keys.  The two have been friends for quite sometime.  Previous to Legend, the two worked with Daníel Ágúst of GusGus on a country style project called Esja.

Some say there is a fine line that’s not to be crossed between Industrial pop-synth and heavy-industrial.  It’s refreshing to hear a band that calls bullshit on that theory and proves you can have both.  Their music reminds me of dark stormy Winter-ish days, yet there is a lighter side of pop floating in and out of the songs like moving clouds that threaten to reveal the sun every so often.  In my opinion, they have expertly crafted music that takes the best of both worlds creating the perfect stormy soundtrack.

fearless

Fearless, their first album, follows that interwoven, layered formula.  One gets the sense of dark, crisp, winter nights with darker songs, such as Sister, Fearless, and my favorite track with it’s deeper vocals, Violence:

And you have the lighter breath of fresh air moments, with the more pop-ish tracks such as Sudden Stop, Lust, and City which is one of the most pop tracks on the album:

The album ends with one of the lightest tracks on the album, Traveling blind, akin to the transition of winter into spring.  While I love the album, you have to see these guys live.  Krummi is a performer through and through, and puts on one hell of a gig.  Always high energy, always a little crazy, always fun.

legendlive

2015 is going to be an insane year for Legend and Co.  Legend is working on their second release,  DÖPUR and AMFJ are doing a split cassette, and Krummi’s new new project KÓBRAKAT is in the works.  If that isn’t enough, Mínus is hoping to finish an album they’ve been working on for 3 years with a hopeful release sometime in 2015.

You can follow Legend on Facebook, and listen to them on Soundcloud.  Krummi was nice enough to answer my 4 questions:

1. What is your favorite place to play at in Iceland? –I really don´t have a favorite place anymore because many venues have been closed down so they (bloodsucking yuppies) can build more hotels. These venues were so important for the music scene. It´s a shame but hopefully there will be new venues in the future, then maybe i will have a favorite place to play again.

2. If you combine all of your favorite colors (for you, add your band mates if you would), what do you get? –Black and Blue

3. What are 3 of your favorite little known bands of Icelandic origin? –Börn, Icarus and AMFJ

4. If you could be any creature playing your favorite song, what would the creature be? And what is the song. –I would be a recluse spider also known as Fiddle-backs playing Isolation by Iggy Pop.

Futuregrapher

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futuregFuturegrapher, otherwise known as Árni Grétar, is a staple of the weirdcore scene in Iceland.  Multiple layers of trippy broken beats combined with the atmospheric noise he’s famous for recording, his music is known to cause spontaneous outbreaks of dancing when played.  This result isn’t limited to just the crowd of onlookers, but Árni himself is known to break out violently into his cooky style of dance behind all the knobs and buttons on stage:  Exhibit 1 of his awesome dance style can be seen on the song he did with Guðjón Heiðar:

Partnering up with fellow musician, Skurken he owns the Icelandic record label Möller records which gets it’s name from the famous Icelandic singer Helga Möller from the 70’s band Þú og ég.  Möller is an electronic label with other Icelandic acts such as Skurken, Bistro Boy and Subminimal.  Futuregrapher is also famous for his remixes, including the following remix of Samaris’s Viltu Vitrast  And Kimono’s newest release Aquarium:

Futuregrapher is working on a new album, SKYNVERA, it would be his second after 2011’s LP, aptly called, LP.  As it gets more and more expensive to do a proper release, it’s kind of cool that artists can pre-sell the album as crowd sourcing to get their music out.  And Arni has a lot of music, love and hugs to give out, as well as other goodies if you’re willing to help him get the new project up and going.  So go here to his Karolina fund campaign, read what he has to offer and help him out.  At the very least, you’ll get a hug.

He has quite the extensive Soundcloud page, his Instagram account is active (ftrgrphr), and you can find more about him on Facebook.  See him live if you can, because it’s always a party.  He was nice enough to answer my 4 questions:

1.  What is your favorite place to play at in Iceland:  Drangsnes – and Kaldalón, Harpa

2.  If you combine all your favorite colors, what do you get?  Pink

3.  What are 3 of your favorite little known bands of Icelandic origin?  LaFontaine, Snooze Infinity, Modesart

4.  If you could be any creature playing any song, what is the creature, what is the song?  Gizmo – and the song will be ‘Aja’ by Steely Dan.

gg

 

 

 

 

Ásgeir with Connor Youngblood at Great Scott

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asgeir

Anytime an Icelandic band comes to Boston, I do everything I can to be there.  As it so happens, the Ásgeir gig this last Friday coincided with my new purchase of a much faster camera lens.  So, I was able to practice and catch a great gig, two birds…one stone kind of thing and the like.  You can click any of these pics to see the actual photos on my Flickr account.

The gig was at Great Scott, a bar in Allston famous for hosting acts rather late in the night.  FM Belfast played there last year also to a sold out crowd.  It’s a simple set up, but the sound is typically good, and the beer and vodka rather cheap.

connoryoungblooc

Connor Youngblood opened for the band.  He’s a youngin’ out of Dallas Texas often seen on stage with multiple instruments strapped around him.  His pedal boards were impressive, and so was his ability to shift between the sounds and loops he created during his songs.  There is very little out there on him, but I did find this interview, and his website. (which could use an about me section.)

Ásgeir and his band of motley fools were next.  Filling the tiny stage to it’s capacity and beginning the soothing songs he’s famous for.  We luckily got to hear a few songs in Icelandic, and he did a very smooth, high pitched version of Heartshaped box a little more than halfway through his set.  The girls, and a few guys, were swooning and it made taking photos nearly impossible as the crowd was all but sitting in the band’s lap on the stage.

TrioasgeirI have to say that I loved his drummer, and even though the lighting wasn’t very good and he was in the dark a lit of the time, it was fun to watch him play.

I still have quite a bit of practice to get the hang of the new lens, there were noise issues, and a prime lens takes some getting used to.  But the concert was great, and good times were had.  So, thank you to Ásgeir‘s management for the opportunity to snap some shots, and thanks to  Ásgeir and Connor Youngblood for a great gig.

It was a fantastic Iceland music snack before ATP Iceland, which is less than a month away.  But that’ll be an entirely different post.

 

Brighter days -FM Belfast

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FM_Belfast-Brighter_Day-hires

FM Belfast are back with another high energy album just in time for Summer, Brighter days. somehow, they’ve found time between a plethora of individual side projects to put together a fantastic album. Lóa Hlín Hjálmtýsdóttir has her Lóaboratorium project, Árni Vilhjálmsson is in the acting group Kriðpleir, most recently acting in a play called Tiny Guy. Árni Rúnar Hlöðversson is making synths and controllors for his side project Plúseinn, Örvar Þóreyjarson Smárason’s been busy with Múm and even the dancer, Egill Eyjólfsson, spends his non FM Belfast hours as a bureaucrat for Brussles for EFTA. As if that’s not enough, they have been touring globally for quite a while now. So really, when do they find the time?…

It begins like any FM Belfast record should, sharp stops and high energy beats about Brighter days, Deloreans, ears and Gold. But then comes a surprise. A smoother, more layered track called “Holiday.”

It’s energy brews right under the surface, like a wide river that at first glance seems to be meandering all the while the current is raging under the surface. After “Holiday”, the album takes a slight turn giving us new beats to get excited about such as the ultra heavy sounds in “Ariel”, which drops quite a bit lower than the typical FM Belfast track shaking one right out of their earbuds.

Overall, it’s fantastic. Brighter days delivers the beats we expect from FM Belfast, and gives us a new sounds to dance along to. You can listen to it, and buy it for $7 from their website. Check out their tour dates as I find them best live.  Their Youtube channel. is chocked full of videos.  And of course, follow them on Facebook.

Down to the wire

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With a little under 32 hours to go, the dream of owning all three Kimono albums is becoming more and more a reality.

Only €1000 euro to go. There is still time to contribute and receive perks such as signed artwork, signed albums and guest list status for life.

https://www.karolinafund.com/project/view/308

So help out the band and share it with all your friends.

New Airwaves Bands

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Júlía from Oyama’s green fingers dancing away

Woo-a-hoo.  Another chunk O’ bands have been announced for Airwaves 2014.  And I’m extremely pleased as there are a lot of Icelandic bands I haven’t heard yet, and the ones I have are classic.  So far, there are 61 bands that have been announced, 40 of which are Icelandic.

Click here to go to my updated my Iceland Airwaves page sorted by genre, and now with a new category for the Hardcore and Metal bands.

Non Icelandic bands include Future Islands, Farao, Emilie Nicolas, and The War on Drugs will be closing the festival with the Flaming lips.  Also, Zhala, Spray Paint, and King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard will be there.

This round of bands goes to the Icelanders though.  There are so many good bands coming, Oyama will be there.  And Rökkurró as well.  Þórir Georg, Kaleo, Endless Dark, Kippi Kaninus, Brain Police, Beneath, Fufanu, Epic Rain, Skurken, AMFJ, Kontinuum, Ophidian I, Var, Atónal Blús, Mafama, Vio, Lucy in Blue and Conflictions as well.

Links to all the Icelandic bands music will be on my Iceland Airwaves page, and you can learn more about the festival here as well as see the entire line up on the Iceland Airwaves official website.  The festival is definitely going to be another goodun!

And I leave you with Þórir Georg’s cover of Heya but Outkast. It’s an oldie, but I love it:

 

 

Knife Fights

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knifefights

Simple yet energetic and noisy, there’s a new album from a new band in Iceland; I need you to go to hell, by Knife Fights.  Consisting of Sigurður Angantýsson (Vocals, guitar), Helgi Pétur Hannesson (drums), Gunnar Petur Hauksson (Bass), and Þórir Bogason (synth and guitar.)   Knife Fights have released the perfect summer album.

I need you to go hell is chock-full of modernized noisy 90’s American west coast style rock.  A smorgasbord of The Breeders, Jane’s Addiction, R.E.M type sounds, with a dash of grunge. The opening riff sucks you right into the smooth-ish track,  Stay Forever in Doubt, and rolls along into more raw, rock/punk tracks such as Gnarbone, one of my favorites on the album.

They’re on Soundcloud, you can stalk them on Facebook, and you can listen to and/or purchase the album on Bandcamp.  It’s $10, and I promise you’ll get your money’s worth, every time I hear the thing I like it more.

siggiknife

 

As there is little out there on the band, this is my first attempt at an interview type thing.  I emailed them a bunch of questions alongside my nonsensical ones and Siggi was nice enough to reply with answers:

 

 

1. I know you’ve been around in a few forms for a year or two now, what do you officially consider your start date?  We released our first video sometime in October 2012 and had our first gig in April, 2013 so somewhere around that time I guess. This project had been gestating for a long time in my head so it’s hard to tell.

2. Can you tell me a little about how you started, and why?  It all started when I decided I was finally not shy about singing anymore or at least that I really wanted to overcome my shyness. I had slowly been learning how to play guitar in my early twenties so it took a lot of time to feel comfortable writing music and singing and stuff. I had difficulty being the focus of anybody’s attention really. By the end of 2011, I had actually written a bunch of songs or riffs and started recording them on my Macbook Pro. Really hi-fi stuff. I started sending them to my talented music friends who then offered to help me flesh it out and maybe form a band, which we did. God bless them.

3. What other bands have you all been in before or are in now?  Our drummer Helgi Pétur and bass-man Gunnar are both in an awesome band called Gang Related. Helgi is also in legendary punk band Morðingjarnir and recently started playing with our pal musician Þórir Georg. Busy man really. Our newly recruited synth-and-guitar man Þórir Bogason is of course the leader of the wonderful Just Another Snake Cult.

4. Who are your musical influences?  I’d say these are my basics: R.E.M, Pavement, Bowie, Pixies, Springsteen, Built To Spill, Echo and the Bunnymen, The Cure, The Smiths… you get the idea. With Knife Fights I just wanted to make something loud and contemplative at the same time. We were conscious about not just repeating our favourite music but rather just go with whatever we feel like. We don’t really care what we sound like as long as it keeps us interested. I also think that music is very therapeutic and that you can really tell if a musician is sincere or not in their approach. That’s what unites all my favourite art is that it seems to stem from this need that we have to communicate something or other.

5. If you had to describe your style what would say?  I’d say my personal guitar style is melodic, sloppy, wired, spaced out, organic and very un-professional. Our bassist Gunnar is like a bastard child of Jaco Pastorius and Fieldy. Drummer Helgi possesses a machine-like quality while also being really organic in his approach and Þórir’s synth-playing puts Tangerine Dream to shame. Basic.

6. You’ve been playing a lot of gigs in RVK, are we going to see you at ATP or Airwaves this year?  Airwaves maybe. Depends on wether we’re deemed worthy of entrance. ATP would be amazing obviously. Buttloads of awesome bands there this year.

And of course, my nonsensical questions:

1. What is your favorite place in Iceland to play?  Harpa concert hall was really nice and grand but I think honestly Dillon Rock Bar is always the most energetic and fun. It’s all good though. I’ll play anywhere.

2. If you combine all of your favorite colors, what do you get?  Turquoise, pink and orange make this kind of dark olive green. Which is nice.

3. What are 3 of your favorite little known bands of Icelandic origin?  I’m a little biased here but I have to say Gang Related, Just Another Snake Cult and Þórir Georg.

4. If you could be any creature playing your favorite song, what would the creature be? And what is the song?  I have a deep fascination with gorillas so I’d be one of those and the song would be ‘The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite’ by R.E.M. It brings instant childhood nostalgia and mixed feelings.

Give them a listen, and if you’re around Reykjavik, keep your ears peeled as they are playing a lot of live gigs these days.

Iceland Airwaves 2014

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BOX_STRAIGHT

And so it begins, the steady, slow, and suspenseful drip of revealed artists for Iceland Airwaves 2014 has begun. Yes the festival is nearly still on the other side of the sun but names have been released and tickets are available.

Just like last year, I will be doing blog posts on the Icelandic bands involved, as well as maintaining a page with links to all the Icelandic bands music.  You can see the 150 Icelandic bands that played last year here.

Iceland Airwaves is my favorite music festival of the year. Instead of having a field or pit with robots copycompeting outdoor stages, the gigs are in actual venues spread throughout Reykjavik.  You are surrounded by musical choices from early afternoon to the early morning of the next day, in cozy joints like the Kex hostel, underground bars such as Bar 11, and of course larger event halls such as Harpa.  Yet you can stop to relax and take in the beautiful country you’re in at any time.  And while you may think going to a music festival in Iceland is cost prohibitive, Icelandair nicely wraps up package deals with prices ranging from the budget minded to the luxury seeking.

So, the first 17 bands that have been announced,  The Icelandic bands announced are: Mammút, Samaris, Grísalappalísa, Muck, Snorri Helgason, Tonik, Vök, Just Another Snake Cult and Highlands.  Bands from other parts of the world are:  East Inda Youth, Jungle, La Femme, Jaakko Eino Kalevi, Tiny Ruins, John Wizards, and Blaenavon.

flaminglipsAccording to the Iceland Airwaves website, there are two, yes TWO headlining bands.  The Flaming lips have been revealed, but we’re all going to have to wait on baited breath for the reveal of the other.  Typically band announcements get better and better as the year goes on, so starting off with this band really makes one wonder what the festival has up its sleeve.

If you want to see my photos from last year’s festival you can go here.  And if you would like to read all of my blog posts from last year’s festival go here.