Keeping a finger on the pulse

Reykjavík On Stage - page 3

Bella Donna Elíza Newman from Lavaland

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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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Var In The Land Of Cherry Blossoms

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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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Q&A w/Mosi Musik

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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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Norður Og Niður – Iceland´s Unmissable Festival

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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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Red stars, blues and vodka (on stage in Moscow)

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Words by Alexandra Tskhovrebova The career of Icelandic blues rock band Kaleo is skyrocketing. In a very short time, the band has gone from playing venues in Reykjavík to performing around the world. After being signed to the legendary Atlantic Records, the band moved out to Austin, Texas, and released the debut album A/B in 2016, which has sold over 800,000 copies worldwide. Unsurprisingly, Kaleo spent almost all of 2017 touring. Alexandra wrote about her impressions of Kaleo’s live show in Moscow. (more…)

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It Might Get Loud – Smells Like (Pink Street) Boys

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Words by Stína Satanía The review was originally printed in Reykjavík On Stage (Issue 3) If you have never listened to the self-proclaimed loudest band of Iceland, let me give you a littledirection on how to wake up your neighbours on a Saturday morning with their latest bunch offurious punk rock songs. In October 2017, Pink Street Boys released the explosive Smells Like Boys on vinyl. The band took the local music scene by storm when they emerged under this name in 2013, and their garage punk smell, indeed, wafted across Iceland’s borders, resulting in asuccessful tour of the UK and continental Europe last year. Smells Like Boys might get loud. The album proves that the Pink Street gang is no less vicious andrebellious than when they released their first cassette in 2014 (Trash from the Boys), and they won’t allow anyone to keep them down (try it at your…

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A Dream Within A Dream

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Words by Wim Van Hooste The review was originally printed in Reykjavík On Stage (Issue 3) It has been three years since Epic Rain released their debut album, Somber Air,on the Lucky Records label. The band is the outlet of vocalist Jóhannes Birgir Pálmason. The departure of male co-vocalist Bragi has left more space for the vocal chords of singer Ingunn Erla Sigurðardóttir. The music is rooted in underground and alternative hip-hop, but in more recent years, Epic Rain began including aspects of cabaret, dark folk, country and blues in their music. Epic Rain’s lyrics are evocative and haunting, describing in picturesque detail persons and their thoughts and actions in a menacing and mad world. Surprisingly, Dream Sequences  opens with the pumping instrumental track, ‘Dream Sequence 1’, driven by Maggi’s percussion. Magnús Trygvason Eliassen is without a doubt the most eruptive drummer boy of the island (collaborator/member of ADHD, amiina,…

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Mimra – Sinking Island

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Words by Stína Satanía The review was originally printed in Reykjavík On Stage (Issue 3) Sinking Island, a new album by MIMRA, is a fascinating treat on the subject of vocal experiences. Hidden under the name MIMRA, singer, producer and composer María Magnúsdóttir offers powerful and dramatic vibes. Her electro-acoustic folk pop arrangements are bold and rich, and her beautiful voice is indeed striking. María has been active on the local music scene – especially the jazz scene – for quite some time. Her previous experiences with electro-pop duo Early Late Twenties gave her a base to work on her own, more electro-acoustic, material. MIMRA’s solo debut, Not Your Housewife, was released in 2009 to rave reviews. The next album took her a few years to complete. Sinking Island, as it would ultimately be titled, took shape in the Netherlands and England, and eventually became her master’s thesis in popular…

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The Jazzy Queen of Spades

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Words by Stína Satanía Most Icelanders first heard about Sólrún Mjöll Kjartansdóttir in 2012. At the age of 16, she participated in a famous young talents contest called the Battle of the Bands (Músíktilraunir) in Reykjavík. In the 30-year-long history of the competition, it was the first time that a girl was crowned best drummer of the competition. (more…)

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Q&A w/Birgir Jón ‘Biggi’ Birgisson

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Words by Bartek Wilk Photo by Nadia Gottfried Birgir Jón ‘Biggi’ Birgisson – head sound engineer at Sundlaugin Studio Sundlaugin is one of the most famous recording studios in Iceland. How do you feel holding the responsibility for such a remarkable place in your hands? Do you feel any pressure? No pressure, no. I feel really proud about all the great music that has been made here in the past 15 years, I think we have managed to make a great place for musicians to create in so…. yeah. Proud would probably describe it pretty well. (more…)

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