Explore – Page 4 – Reykjavik On Stage

Keeping a finger on the pulse

Explore - page 4

Keep Your Finger On The Pulse! #02

Published on 13/12/2018 in Explore/Issue #2 by Stína Satanía

Words by Stína Satanía It’s that time of the year again: Iceland Airwaves is coming! It’s simply the biggest sonic feast for the Icelandic music scene, and us fans can feel our pulse rising to dangerous heights from sheer excitement. We’d all love to be able to clone ourselves just for this one week, just to be able to see all of our favorite artists. Here are a few acts that you absolutely shouldn’t miss in the on or off venues: (more…)

Hildur: My 10 Most Influential Icelandic Albums Of All Time

Published on 12/12/2018 in Explore/Issue #2 by Stína Satanía

Photo by Saga Sig Singer, songwriter and producer Hildur is best known from the pop ensemble Rökkurró, where she played cello. She also toured a lot with pianist and composer Ólafur Arnalds. Hildur then decided to continue her vibrant, decade-long music career on her own and released a debut EP last May, entitled Heart to heart. Her positive music gained her a lot of attention both in her homeland and internationally. We are glad to present 10 of the most influential Icelandic albums of all time carefully chosen by Hildur. (more…)

Sometimes Hearing Is Believing

Published on 11/12/2018 in Explore/Issue #2/REVIEWS by Stína Satanía

Words by Wim Van Hooste The review was originally printed in Reykjavík On Stage (Issue 2) Ruddinn was once a solo project of einzelgänger Bertel Ólafsson. Today he teams up with vocalist Heiða Eiríksdóttir (Unun, Hellvar, heidatrubador) to produce some more electronic music in his studio in suburbia Hafnarfjörður. On this fourth Ruddinn album, More music than music (Möller Records), every song is dominantly driven by the crystal clear vocals of Heiða. The long player has a more mature feel than the previous releases, Ruddinn (2006), 2 (2008) and I need a vacation (2012). The latest sounded like Unun was attending an eighties Britpop party with The Human League, New Order and Pet Shop Boys, remixed by the GusGus of the ‘90s. The opener ‘Invisible world’ reminds me of the best of U2. The title track oscillates around the sun setting at the horizon. You can pump up the volume…

All The Kinder Versions Of Mammút

Published on 11/12/2018 in Explore/Issue #2/REVIEWS by Stína Satanía

Words by Stína Satanía The review was originally printed in Reykjavík On Stage (Issue 2) The Icelandic five-piece Mammút mix a high emotional depth with a thick and dark rock sound on their fourth album Kinder Versions, released on 14 July via the London-based Bella Union. The band signed to the foreign label last year, making Kinder Versions their long-awaited international breakout. This release also brings another change, with only English lyrics on the album, a first for the band. Mammút sprang to life in 2003. The band evolved into a quintet and quickly became a fixture of the local scene. In spite of numerous sonic changes over the course of their career, they steadily grew in power and personality. With a spectacular fourth album, Mammút are now ready to shake the world with the ambling basslines of their prehistoric steps. The highest quality is here, from the very first…

I Love The Sound Of Breaking Glass

Published on 11/12/2018 in Explore/Issue #2/REVIEWS by Stína Satanía

Words by Wim Van Hooste The review was originally printed in Reykjavík On Stage (Issue 2) Especially when I’m lonely, I need the noises of destruction (Nick Lowe, 1978) GlerAkur (Glass Field) is the moniker of Elvar Geir Sævarsson, the sound designer at the National Theatre of Iceland. Down in the basement bar of the theatre, composer Elvar and friends (the longplayer was recorded with 4 guitarists, 2 drummers and 1 bassist) blended a full album featuring fierce and cinematic music. The hypnotic drone, metal riffs, eery ambient and post-rock make up a quadripoint where quality quantums meet. The album was released by the German label Prophecy Productions on 21. July 2017. One year earlier, GlerAkur’s debut EP, Can’t You Wait, saw the light of day. The EP was nominated for a Kraumur Award, one of the few Icelandic music prizes. A Rolling Stone magazine journalist, attending Iceland Airwaves Festival…

All I Have To Do Is Dream

Published on 11/12/2018 in Explore/Issue #2/REVIEWS by Stína Satanía

Words by Wim Van Hooste The latest release by Sólstafir, Berdreyminn (The dreamer of forthcoming events), is the band’s sixth release in 15 years. On the previous releases, Í Blóði og Anda (2002), Masterpiece of Bitterness (2005), Köld (2009), Svartir Sandar (2011), and Ótta (2014), they ignored all genre borders, both metal and mental ones, and pushed the boundaries. The album was produced by Birgir Birgisson (Sigur Rós, Alcest) and Jaime Gomez Arellano (Ghost, Paradise Lost, Oranssi Pazuzu) at the former swimming pool Sundlaugin on the borders of Reykjavík. (more…)

Ragnar Ólafsson’s Urges (to run)

Published on 11/12/2018 in Explore/Issue #2/REVIEWS by Stína Satanía

Words by Stína Satanía The review was originally printed in Reykjavík On Stage (Issue 2) Ragnar Ólafsson is a versatile musician who has established his name on the Icelandic music scene with such bands as Árstíðir, Ask the Slave, In Siren or Lightspeed Legend. Playing almost everything from chamber folk through jazz to progressive metal, he has tirelessly surprised listeners with his numerous sonic hats. On Urges, his debut solo LP released in June 2017, Ragnar once again reveals a new face. This artwork is different from all his previous achievements and goes a long way into his singer-songwriter outfit. This solo project is perhaps a little sidestep in Ragnar’s music career. Labelled a heartbreak album, Urges is packed with emotional and intimate songs. Lyrically, darkness is everywhere. The songs are heartfelt but sorrowful and mirror dealing with changes and experiencing the lows of life. The spotlight stays on Ragnar:…

Sóley – Endless Summer

Published on 11/12/2018 in Explore/Issue #2/REVIEWS by Stína Satanía

Words by Bartek Wilk The review was originally printed in Reykjavík On Stage (Issue 2) When I think of the most fragile Icelandic artist, Sóley Stefánsdóttir is the first name that comes to my mind. I’ve been a fan of her talent since Seabear, always impatiently waiting for any new song she’s recorded. It’s been two years sinceher latest album Ask The Deep, following which EP Don’t Ever Listen came out. Incredibly good, stunningly dark, and deeply personal are words to describe the first album mentioned above. It was the quintessence of her image that I’ve painted in my mind through the years. The image of an unbelievably sensitive and empathetic person, who cares the most about the world, reaching its deepest evil. She incorporates all her personal experiences while writing her lyrics and music. I was not only truly surprised when I heard that Endless Summer was going to be…

Stick Around for Unun

Published on 11/12/2018 in Explore/Issue #1 by Stína Satanía

Words by Wim Van Hooste Photo by Björg Sveinsdóttir Hi, My name is Wim Van Hooste. I like to delve deep into the history of Icelandic music. Digging for golden oldies, silver and sulphur in the island’s musical underground is kind of fun. One of the most remarkable bands of the nineties was Unun, a phoenix rising from the ashes of The Sugarcubes. Let’s talk about them a little. (more…)

Q&A w/Árni Grétar aka Futuregrapher

Published on 10/12/2018 in Explore/Issue #1 by Stína Satanía

Words by Bartek Wilk Reykjavík on Stage takes a dive into the universe of Árni Grétar, aka Futuregrapher, half of Árni², a member of Weirdcore collective and co-founder of Möller Records label. These days you’re one of the most recognizable and well-known artists of the Icelandic electro scene. But you worked long and hard to get there. You played lots and lots of concerts and I can’t even count all of your releases. How much energy and work did you have to put in before it finally paid off? I began writing music early – at the age of 13 in 1996 – and at first it was just for fun, to try and make sense of this life. There is this music competition in Reykjavík called ‘Músíktilraunir’ and it all started there. I once got into the finals with my band, and then a year later another one of…

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