Rock my Days: "Islande, Mon Amour"

"Islande, Mon Amour"
Part 1
There’s an artistic life beyond Björk. Iceland, 300 000 inhabitants and a unique density of musicians per square meter.
A singular band first : SINGAPORE SLING and “The Curse The Life The Blood” (8mmmusik), a noisy garage rock played at a slow pace, pop riffs, wall of sounds and peaceful rage. No distinguishable local particularities but some good reasons to believe in success abroad…
PETUR BEN and “Wine For My Weakness” (12Tonar) smart songwriting, moving and long contemplative songs (the perfect “Look In The Fire“) and a great variety of styles. Seriousness and melancholy, a great sense of swing (”Something Radical” or the eponymous song) but the unpleasant Okkervil River symptom (an excellent first half of the album and then failure of inspiration and therefore disappointment)… Unfortunately.
SKULI SVERRISSON, living in New York and on this album (”Seria“, 12Tonar) host of Amedeo Pace (Blonde Redhead), Johann Johannsson, Laurie Anderson and others. Light and deep songs, contemporary perspectives and elusive instrumentals (”Nineteen Centuries“)…
OLOF ARNALDS sings on some songs on the previous album, a rather different style form her own “Vid Og Vid” (12Tonar), a delicious female voice and souvenirs from ancient times, folkish soft melodies à la Joanna Newsom, a charming troubadour also playing for Mum for many years now…
SIGUR ROS and “Heima“(DVD) : improbable concerts and vignettes of the country, from the intimate to the gigantic (on a icelandic scale!), songs played in beatiful desert landscapes as well as in oppressive cellars, fanatic crowds or neophyte ones… a great summary of the band : both majestic and human…
Part 2
This musical journey above the Arctic Circle temporary ends in Akureyri, capital of Northern Iceland and home to Kimi Records, an independent and smart label.
BORKO, a.k.a. Björn Kristiansson, and “Celebrating Life” (Kimi Records/Morr Music) : between total electronic and human spleen, crying vocals, dark brass section and humble guitars. Loops and repetitions (”Continental Love“) and an acute sense for dramas (”Hondo And Borko“, “Sushi Stakeout“), a record that needs to be play many times to be fully appreciated.
MR SILLA & MONGOOSE and their surprising “Foxbite” (Rafraf/Kimi Records), hesitating between electro (and sometimes experimental) miniatures and a more traditional folk… Many great songs (”Raggedypack“) and another record that needs patience.
On “Bat Out Of Hellvar” (Kimi Records), HELLVAR proves its good knowledge of noisy electro rock (”Ice Cream Drum Machine“), My Bloody Valentine noisy new wave (”Give Me Gold“). With a delicious voice à la Björk… a haunting evocation of a Sugarcubes resurrection…
Hellvar (as a trio) "Give me gold" @ Gaukurinn @ Airwaves 2006

One needs a masters degree in origami to fold and unflod the amazing cover of “Ein í Leyni” (Smákökurnar/Kimi Records), a very rare record by BENNI HEMM HEMM, a collective work sung in Swedish, Danish, English, Icelandic and even french (two words!). Smily choral folk with a brass section, Jensk Lekman and jazzman Bill Wells as guests, many reasons to like it and to follow this band…
HJALTALIN and “Sleepdrunk Seasons” (Kimi Records) as a great final destination : no electronic soft effects, just the magical alchemy of a natural pocket orchestra, pointillism and precise notes borrowed from Sufjan Stevens (”Traffic Music“), epics anthems with baroque instruments, Divine Comedy turning into local sagas, some Arcade Fire spirit when the music accelerates (”Selur“, “Goodbye July/Margt Ad Ugga“). A record full of life and desires…
All records are on sale on www.kimirecords.net
Thank you to Baldvin Esra
Source:
www.rockmydays.com