Keeping a finger on the pulse

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Kira Kira – Alchemy & Friends

in Explore/Issue #3/REVIEWS by

Words by Bartek Wilk Photo by Therese Precht Vadum The review was originally printed in Reykjavík On Stage (Issue 3) The title of Kira Kira’s fourth studio album speaks volumes. Alchemy & Friends, for me, offers a way to pass through a magic door to a fairy-tale world, yet not an entirely unfamiliar one. The artist behind Kira Kira, Kristín Björk, has been creating unique compositions with a special atmosphere for a long time. However, I must admit, her new album is a step towards more affordable music. Personally, I find it a good direction. Kira Kira had made us accustomed to musical experiments, compositions that did not necessarily take the shape of songs, tracks based more on sounds than melodies. But things have changed. Alchemy & Friends is filled with melodies, and of course they are kept in the right atmosphere. In many places, they are filled in with…

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Rokkað á Hvanneyri

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GlerAkur And Katla: Prophecy Productions Invades Iceland

in Explore/Issue #3 by

Words by Wim Van Hooste The German label Morr Music and the English label One Little Indian have signed numerous Icelandic artists and released a lot of music made in Iceland in recent decades. But there is a new label on the horizon releasing music by brand new Icelandic artists: GlerAkur’s wall of guitars and volcanic duo Katla. We had the opportunity to chat with members of both bands, Elvar and Gummi, respectively. But first, we will put the spotlight on the label. Prophecy Productions Prophecy Productions is a German record label, founded in 1996 by Martin Koller, as a mail order service. Proud of its unconventional and unique approach to music, ranging from black & dark metal, progressive rock, indie rock, shoegaze, electronica & ambient to neofolk & neoclassical. The label has also been publishing books since 2002. (more…)

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Rokkað á Hvanneyri

(Pistillinn var skrifaður fyrir Tengivagninn á Rás1 og birtist þar, miðvikudaginn 14. ágúst 2019.) Falið í Borgarbyggð með tæplega 300

Don’t Leave Me This Way

in Explore/Issue #2 by

Words by Wim Van Hooste Reykjavík On Stage had a chat with Arnar Guðjónsson, a 39-year-old musician, producer and sound engineer based in Reykjavík. Arnar has been playing in various bands since the age of 13. In 2001, he formed a band called Leaves who released four albums over the next years. As of late, Arnar has been writing music for films, TV shows and commercials, all the while producing albums and songs for a bunch of other musicians and bands (Kaleo, Quarashi, Axel Flóvent, Dream Wife, Ensími, Pollapönk, Skálmöld and HAM to name a few). Hi Arnar! Your solo album Grey Mist of Wuhan was released in 2016. Can you tell us how it came to be? It was heavily inspired by China, isn’t it? I’ve done a few tours in China over the last 6 years. First with Bang Gang and then later with Leaves. I visited Wuhan…

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Rokkað á Hvanneyri

(Pistillinn var skrifaður fyrir Tengivagninn á Rás1 og birtist þar, miðvikudaginn 14. ágúst 2019.) Falið í Borgarbyggð með tæplega 300

Q&A w/Pan Thorarensen

in Explore/Issue #2 by

Words by Bartek Wilk Photo by Ómar Sverrisson Pan Thorarensen is a man who works on different musical fronts. Born in 1981, he has made history in Icelandic music with abundant album releases and various side projects. Along with his father Óskar Thorarensen and composer Þorkell Atlason, he created a significant electronic project called Stereo Hypnosis. This is just one example. Playing as Beatmakin Troopa, Pan Thorarensen combines slow, relaxing electro and energetic jazz in a unique way. Moreover, he is a co-founder of the fantastic project Ambátt that represents a marriage of the genres of jazz, rock, post-rock and ambient. Besides being a composer and musician, Pan is the organiser of Extreme Chill, the first pure electronica music festival in Iceland that kicked off in 2009 in Hellissandur. For eight years, Extreme Chill has showcased many internationally renowned musicians as well as talented Icelandic artists. More than a festival,…

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Rokkað á Hvanneyri

(Pistillinn var skrifaður fyrir Tengivagninn á Rás1 og birtist þar, miðvikudaginn 14. ágúst 2019.) Falið í Borgarbyggð með tæplega 300

Sólstafir – the Autumn Tour

in Explore/Issue #3 by

Words by Bartek Wilk Photograph by Falk-Hagen Bernshausen Sólstafir’s autumn tour encompassed 31 shows in almost all corners of Europe. In Cracow, the only gig in Poland, the band gathered a room full of people, who knew not only the titles of all their songs but also all the lyrics. The interactions between the band and the audience were phenomenal! It created an amazing atmosphere! It turns out that not only Sigur Rós or Kaleo can sell out a concert a few weeks in advance. Sólstafir is the undisputed star of Icelandic music abroad. Happily, I went for my first meeting with the band – and it will certainly not be the last! Warm-up Before discussing the headliner, I must pay homage to those who opened the show in Cracow. Unfortunately, despite driving on the highway as fast as I could, I missed part of Árstíðir’s performance. I did, however,…

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Rokkað á Hvanneyri

(Pistillinn var skrifaður fyrir Tengivagninn á Rás1 og birtist þar, miðvikudaginn 14. ágúst 2019.) Falið í Borgarbyggð með tæplega 300

Finger On The Pulse #03

in Explore/Issue #3 by

Words by Stína Satanía Warmland As the Warmland duo is a combo of such experienced musicians and producers as Arnar Guðjónsson (Leaves) and Hrafn Thoroddsen (Ensími), the band sets the bar of expectations quite high. They have played together in Bang Gang, but with their new project, these partners in crime bring to the world warm and sunny music in a pop style which in an elegant way blends 70s pop, 80s mood and elements of drum and bass. The silky vocals of Arnar add lightness to this package. The duo promises to release a debut album pretty soon and we can already enjoy three tracks: ‘Lyda’, ‘Unison’ and ‘Overboard’. Facebook: warmlandofficial www.warmlandofficial.com (more…)

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Rokkað á Hvanneyri

(Pistillinn var skrifaður fyrir Tengivagninn á Rás1 og birtist þar, miðvikudaginn 14. ágúst 2019.) Falið í Borgarbyggð með tæplega 300

Bella Donna Elíza Newman from Lavaland

in Explore/Issue #3 by

Words by Wim Van Hoose Photo by Gísli Kristjánsson Among the many distinct qualities of Icelandic music, the greatest is diversity. This is embodied in Eliza Geirsdóttir Newman, who is a singer-songwriter, violinist, ukulele player extraordinaire (!!), music teacher and dreamer from the Reykjanes peninsula of Iceland. She conquered the local music scene 26 years ago with Kolrassa Krókríðandi/Bellatrix. So far, she has immersed herself in different projects including four solo albums, and she shared with us some of her stories. When did music come into your life, and when did you start to sing? For as long as I can remember, there was always a lot of music playing in my house; either my dad would be playing the guitar or there would be records playing. I started attending music school in Keflavík when I was six years old, first playing the recorder and then moving on to the…

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Rokkað á Hvanneyri

(Pistillinn var skrifaður fyrir Tengivagninn á Rás1 og birtist þar, miðvikudaginn 14. ágúst 2019.) Falið í Borgarbyggð með tæplega 300

Var In The Land Of Cherry Blossoms

in Explore/Issue #3 by

Post-rock band VAR’s debut album, which is filled with sonic, emotional and delicate musical landscapes, was actually released first in Japan and subsequently in their homeland. Therefore, it is not surprising that the band travelled almost 9,000 kilometres one way to greet their Japanese fans. In the following, bass player Egill Björgvinsson talks about the adventure in the Land of Cherry Blossoms and the feedback that Japanese listeners gave to the band. How did you get the opportunity to go on tour in Japan? We had released our album Vetur in Japan on Rimeout Recordings in December 2016, and we were asked the following autumn if we would be interested in coming over for a tour at the end of 2017. When an opportunity like that knocks on the door, it’s really hard to say no, and for us it was a no-brainer. (more…)

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Rokkað á Hvanneyri

(Pistillinn var skrifaður fyrir Tengivagninn á Rás1 og birtist þar, miðvikudaginn 14. ágúst 2019.) Falið í Borgarbyggð með tæplega 300

Q&A w/Mosi Musik

in Explore/Issue #3 by

Words by Bartek Wilk Mosi Musik is an independent band from Reykjavík, Iceland. Their electronic music combines a stylish mix of electro beats with soul, hip hop, pop and R&B. It began in 2013 as a one-man project by Mosi (whose real name is Ingi Þór Tryggvason), who is not only a musician but also a music producer, writer, graphic designer and event planner. Mosi Musik released their debut album, I Am You Are Me, on 25 April 2015 and soon followed that up with an EP, I Am You Are Remix, on 17 June 2015. Three music videos were released along with the album. In 2016, they released a single called ‘Weekend Out’. Their new album is slated for release, and we can expect more live shows from Mosi Musik this year, as they have confirmed their participation in Secret Solstice 2018. First of all, I wanted to ask,…

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Rokkað á Hvanneyri

(Pistillinn var skrifaður fyrir Tengivagninn á Rás1 og birtist þar, miðvikudaginn 14. ágúst 2019.) Falið í Borgarbyggð með tæplega 300

Norður Og Niður – Iceland´s Unmissable Festival

in Explore/Issue #3 by

Words by Stína Satanía Photograph by Juliette Rowland Most of us immediately associate Iceland with Sigur Rós or the Icelandic Queen of Innovation in Music, Björk. Certainly, they are responsible for promoting the country to the outside world. Unsurprisingly, when the members of Sigur Rós organised and curated their own festival on their home ground in Reykjavík, the celebration was a massive success, attracting festivalgoers from 50 countries, all of them fans of Sigur Rós. It is undeniable that this legendary Icelandic band has assembled an amazing community over the years. (more…)

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Rokkað á Hvanneyri

(Pistillinn var skrifaður fyrir Tengivagninn á Rás1 og birtist þar, miðvikudaginn 14. ágúst 2019.) Falið í Borgarbyggð með tæplega 300

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