Reykjavík On Stage

Funeral And Rebirth

Published on 14/12/2018 in Explore/Issue #1 by Stína Satanía

Words by Stína Satanía Photo by Sigga Ella (www.siggaella.com) HEIÐRIK first drew my attention in 2013 when the amazing Faroese artist Eivør released a video for her song True Love, directed by a certain Heiðrik á Heygum. I quickly learned that this Faroese citizen currently based in Reykjavík has many feathers in his cap – he’s a visual artist, film director and musician. After I discovered his incredible sense of fragility and the thrilling dark atmosphere of his previous works, I couldn’t wait for his album Funeral, released in Iceland last September. When he was signed on independent Polish label FONOBO this spring, I seized the opportunity to have a chat with Heiðrik about the sonic and visual aspects of his work. The interview was first published in Polish on the website MuzykaIslandzka.pl. When I say Poland, what comes to your mind? My crazy wonderful friends from Poland [laughter]. Then…

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The Icelandic Corner of Melodica Festival

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

Words by Stína Satanía Photo by Sigurjón Már The international Melodica Festival is a unique musical feast that gathers together emerging singer-songwriters from different parts of the world to expand the community and support the artistic network. Pete Uhlenbruch developed the concept of the festival in Melbourne, Australia, at the end of 2007, and it quickly spread overseas. Now, Melodica takes place in different cities around the world, such as Hamburg, Aarhus, Berlin, Paris, Vienna, New York and, of course, Reykjavík. This year, the festival celebrated its tenth Icelandic anniversary at Kex Hostel with three full days of music. (more…)

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Bedroom Community

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

Words by Bartek Wilk Looking through Bedroom Community’s catalogue, you will simply find 30 releases. The first from the label was Nico Muhly’s Speaks Volumes, released on 25th November 2006. And the latest one is from Ben Frost — The Centre Cannot Hold (29th September 2017). But there is much more to the story of this world-renowned collective. The beginning We have to go back to 1997 to Breiðholt (literally ‘wide hill’) in the suburbs of Reykjavík, Iceland. Since the 1970s, Breiðholt has been a community full of youngsters, working class people and non-Icelandic immigrants. That’s the place where Valgeir Sigurðsson started Greenhouse Studios. And that is where it all began… During the next few years, Greenhouse Studios was where Valgeir began recording and collaborating with other great artists from different parts of the globe, like American composer Nico Muhly. They met in the New York studio where both were…

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Crass, White Punks On Hope

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

Words by Wim Van Hooste They said we were trash Well the name is Crass, not Clash They can stuff their punk credentials Cos it’s them that take the cash What’s the link between the label/band Crass and Iceland? Let me try to explain… What about Crass? No cult of personality In 1977, the English collective and punk rock band CRASS was formed. These ‘pur sang’ anarchists promoted anarchism as a political ideology, a way of life and a resistance movement. The anarcho-punk movement of CRASS was about the punk subculture, advocating direct action, animal rights and environmentalism. The ‘Do It Yourself’ punk ethic approach was used in all of their leaflets, sound collages, albums and movies. So you could see CRASS as a sort of ‘art punk’, well known for their anti-war, anarchist, feminist and anti-consumerist graffiti. (more…)

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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…)

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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…)

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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…

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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…

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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…

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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…)

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Keeping a finger on the pulse