laugardagur, desember 31, 2011

Bogomil Font "Speak low" Video

Bogomil Font (aka Sigtryggur "Sugarcube" Baldursson)
"Speak low"

Worm is Green Demo Mix 2012

Worm Is Green (Demo mix 2012) by Worm Is Green

Ben Frost "Stomp" in the Scanner RMX

Ben Frost
"Stomp" (Scanner Remix), a track on the Yule 2011 compilation of Bedroom Community
If you buy something in December (hurry up) @ Bedroom Community website you get it for free!
Full track list:
Puzzle Muteson — Will You Love Me Tomorrow
Nico Muhly — Once in Royal David's City
Daníel Bjarnason — Spindrift / Montauk in February Remix
Valgeir Sigurðsson — Flesh and Wine and Firewood
Ben Frost — Stomp / Scanner Remix
Nico Muhly — The Holly and the Ivy
Ben Frost — The Gravity of Numbers
Daníel Bjarnason — Air to Breath / Montauk in February Remix
Sam Amidon — How Come That Blood / FM Belfast Remix

The Best Icelandic Albums of 2011 - The List of Fréttatíminn

I collaborated to make this list in Fréttatíminn made by Dr. Gunni:
Fréttatíminn

fimmtudagur, desember 29, 2011

Rokk í Reykjavík / Rock in Reykjavik Video Competition 1982*2012


Rock in Reykjavik / Rokk i Reykjavik Video Competition 1982-2012 from wimvanhooste

Þórir Georg Jónsson "Skiptir engu"

Þórir Georg (Jónsson)
"Skiptir engu"
Skiptir engu by Thorir Georg

FM Belfast "Happy Winter"

FM Belfast
"Happy Winter", a song feat. on their 2nd album "Don't want to sleep" (2011)

The Best Icelandic Albums of 2011: The lists by website Rjóminn & Iceland Bob

 
Rjóminn published a TOP 20 of Icelandic albums @ Arslistinn 2011
1. Sóley - We Sink
2. Sing Fang - Summer Echoes
3. Björk - Biophilia
4. Ham – Svik, harmur og dauði
5. Nolo - Nology
6. Ben Frost & Daníel Bjarnason - Sólaris
7. Jóhann Jóhannsson - The Miner's Hymns
8.-10. Ofvitarnir - Stephen Hawking/Steven Tyler
8.-10. Low Roar - Low Roar
8.10. Helgi Hrafn Jónsson -Big Spring
11.-13. Þórir Georg - Afsakið
11.-13. Ragga Gröndal - Astrocat Lullaby
11.-13. Mugsion - Haglél
14.-17. Sólstafir - Svartit sandar
14.-17. Of Monsters and Men - My head is an animal
14.-17. Lay Low - Brostinn strengur
14.-17. Fist Fokkers Emilio Estavez
18.-19. GusGus - Arabian Horse
18.-19. ADHD - ADHD2
20. FM Belfast - Don't want to sleep 

Iceland Bob published his list @ Reykjavik Sex Farm

miðvikudagur, desember 28, 2011

Tricky feat. Björk "Keep your mouth shut" on "Nearly God" (1996)

Tricky feat. Björk
"Keep your mouth shut", a song feat. on Tricky's album "Nearly God" (1996)

More Tricky in Iceland in the Icelandic Music Museum

Árstíðir Ljóð í sand" @ Icelandic National TV (14. November 2011)

Árstíðir
"Ljóð í sand" on Icelandic National TV

Sóley Stefánsdóttir feat. in 2 Year Anniversary Documentary about Ja Ja Ja Music

Sóley and others featured in this documentary of The Line of Best Fit

Ja Ja Ja - Two Year Anniversary Documentary w/ French Films + Marit Larsen + Sóley from The Line Of Best Fit
Ja Ja Ja Music

Back to the 80s: Tappi Tíkarrass "Dúkkulísur"

Tappi Tíkarrass
"Dúkkulísur"

The Best Icelandic Albums of 2011 - The List of Dr. Gunni

This is the Top 10 of Icelandic Albums of 2011 according to Dr. Gunni:
1. Snorri Helgason – Winter Sun
2. Lay Low – Brotinn strengur
3. GusGus – Arabian Horse
4. Hellvar – Stop that Noise
5. Ham – Svik, harmur og dauði
6. Mugison – Haglél
7. Reykjavík! – Locust Sounds
8. Sykur – Mesópótamía
9. Hljómsveitin Ég – Ímynd fíflsins
10. Saktmóðígur – Guð hann myndi gráta

Berglind Ágústsdóttir "Lullaby"

Berglind Ágústsdóttir, together with Jóhann Eiriksson of Gjöll and Reptilicus fame
"Lullaby"
  lullaby by berglind agustsdottir

þriðjudagur, desember 27, 2011

Vicky's album "Cast a light" feat. in David "Rolling Stone" Fricke's The best under-the-radar albums of 2011

Vicky – Cast a Light (Vicky Music)I only caught part of one of this Icelandic quartet's Airwaves shows, but it was long enough to hear what is now one of my favorite songs of the year: "How Do You Feel?", rusted-glam seduction with striking hints of Johnny Thunders' grinding fuzz and Siouxsie Sioux's vocal voodoo in guitarist Karlotta Halldórsdóttir's blackened crunch and singer Eygló Scheving's plaintive cry. The rest of Cast a Light, made and released independently by the band, is just as tough and alluring and worth the hunt. You can start at iTunes.
"Feel good"

"Gold"


Buy the album @ Gogoyoko


Read more: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/blogs/alternate-take/the-best-under-the-radar-albums-of-2011-20111223#ixzz1hl9vhqcV
Read my review of the album here

Geir Ólafsson og Furstarnir "Við Hoppum"

Geir Ólafsson og Furstarnir made a children's album "Amma er best"
"Við Hoppum" (We Jump)

Free Music: All 7oi albums free for a week

You can download all 7oi's stuff here for a week

Polarkreisrock- Islands pulsierende Musikszene: A Teaser

Polarkreisrock- Islands pulsierende Musikszene
A documentary about the Icelandic music scene 
Regie: Jonas Niewianda & André Schäfer 
ARTE | 52 Minuten

Back to the 80s: Vonbrigði "Ó Reykjavík"

Video Competition Rock in Reykjavik 2.0 1982*2012
Every Icelandic musician, every musician living in Iceland, everybody on Earth is invited to bring a tribute to the Rokk í Reykjavík Rockumentary made by director Friðrik Þór Friðriksson in the period 1981-1982.
Put a video on Vimeo or YouTube between 1. January and 31. March 2012 with the tags “Rokk”, “Rock”, “Reykjavík”, “Reykjavik”, “Tribute”, “2012” and “Contest”.
Best Videos will be screened @ Gaukurinn venue on 24. May 2012 between 18:00-19:30. Jury = Icelandic Music Mob/Maffia & friends
It would be nice if every musician donates 1000 IKR (a birthday gift) to make a CD & DVD about this tribute competition & concert.
Donations on the Save Ice Bank account.
Rock on, mates!!! Viva Rock in Reykjavik!
Vonbrigði
"Ó Reykjavík"

Toggi "Smart Bundle"

Toggi, the singer/songwriter has been a quite influential figure on the Icelandic music scene for the last 5 years, or since the release of his debut album "Puppy" late in 2006. A partnership with Iceland‘s brightest local pop star, the gay disco icon Páll Óskar resulted in two songs for the platinum-selling 2007 album „Allt fyrir Ástina“. A few months later, Icelands indie-darlings Hjaltalín covered one of those songs, called „Þú komst við hjartað í mér“ and it became an instant classic.

Since 2008 Toggi has been recording his sophomore album along with his band. The new material has a bigger, more dynamic sound to it than his debut album, and takes quite a different direction lyricly. While Puppy was more sincere and sweet, the new material has more humour in it and packs a heavier punch. It touches on darker themes, such as domestic violence, sexual abuse, insecurites, death and of course, the Icelandic economic crisis but always from an unusual perspective and with a bit of tongue-in-cheek humour. Since the summer of 2008 Toggi has released 6 singles of the new album, all of which have met with great success at Icelandic radio stations. Toggi‘s sophomore album; the 14 track "Wonderful Secrets" was released in Iceland on 4. November along with a 12 song digital album titled "Private Confessions & Clumsy Poetry", consisting of acoustic versions of popular songs, demos and b-sides.
"Smart Bundle"

Inside Bilderberg "Exegesis" Video

Inside Bilderberg
"Exegesis"

mánudagur, desember 26, 2011

Your Top 5 of Icelandic Albums of 2011

I want to publish a TOP 10 of Icelandic albums of the I love Icelandic music blog followers. Send me an e-mail with your personal Top 5 albums of 2011 made by Icelanders before 31. December 2011:
icelandicmusic AT skynet.be

Back to the 80s: The Fall "Backdrop" @ Austurbæjarbíó, Reykjavik (6. May 1983)

The Fall Live @ Austurbæjarbíó on 6. May 1983
"Backdrop"

More about The Fall & Mark E Smith in Iceland in my virtual Icelandic Music Museum

Mugison's 2nd Concert @ Harpa, Reykjavik (22. December 2011)

 See Mugison's 2nd concert on 22. December here

Snorri Helgason & Mr Silla "Mockingbird" Live @ KEX Hostel (13. December 2011)

Snorri Helgason & Mr. Silla Live @ KEX Hostel 13. December 2011
"Mockingbird"

Ladylex "Demo 1"

Ladylex, a solo project of Alexandra Ósk Sigurðardóttir of Hellvar
  Demo 1 by Ladylex

sunnudagur, desember 25, 2011

Futuregrapher "Bosnía"

Futuregrapher
"Bosnía",  song from the EP "Acid Hverfisgata"

Worm is Green "The Politician" Tonik Remix

Worm is Green
"The Politician" in the Tonik RMX

Hildur Guðnadóttir & Jóhann Jóhannsson rehearsing @ Jacobijner Church, Leeuwarden, The Netherlands (November 2011)

Hildur Guðnadóttir & Jóhann Jóhannsson
Rehearsal @ the Jacobijner Church @ Leeuwarden, during the "Explore the North" Multidisciplinary Cultural Festival, held on 25-26. November 2011

Ruxpin "Above sea level"

Ruxpin
"Above sea level

Herbert Guðmundsson "Can't walk away" Tonik Remix (2008)

Herbert Guðmundsson
"Can't walk away" in the Tonik RMX

Gang Related "My last name" @ Kastljós

Gang Related Live @ Kastljós
"My last name 

Eldar "Dropi í hafið" @ Kastljós (14. December 2011)

Eldar Live @ Kastljós 14. December 2011
"Dropi í hafið"

Ólafur Arnalds "Fyrsta"

Ólafur Arnalds
"Fyrsta", first of the "Living Room Songs" (2011)

laugardagur, desember 24, 2011

The Funerals "The Power of Pathetic" Live @ Icelandic TV

The Funerals Live @ Skjár 1
Trio Thorgeir Gudmundsson, Ragnar Kjartansson and Vidar Hákon Gíslason
"The Power of Pathetic"

LEGEND "Violence"

LEGEND
"Violence"

Back to the 80s: Q4U "Snjohvit"

Q4U
"Snjohvit"

Warcollapse goes Purrkur Pillnikk "Óvænt "

Rokk i Reykjavik 2.0
Swedish Warcollapse covered Purrkur Pillinkk's
"Óvænt", featured on the 12" EP "Crap, Scrap And Unforgivable Slaughter Vol. 2"

The original in Rokk i Reykjavik (1982)

Þeyr in Iceland - Guess Again & The Catalyst

Þeyr & Jaz Coleman of Killing Joke in Iceland
"Guess Again" & "The Catalyst"

GusGus "Deep Inside" Gluteus Maximus RMX

GusGus in the Gluteus Maximus Remix
"Deep Inside"

Vicky "Bloodparty" Acoustic @ Airwaves 2011

Vicky Acoustic set @ Airwaves 2011
"Bloodparty,  a song from their 2nd album" Cast a light"

Back to the 90s: Mínus "Kolkrabbinn" Live (1998)

Merry Christmas from Mínus 
"Kolkrabbinn" (Live 1998)

Merry Christmas - Gleðileg jól

Merry Christmas 
Gleðileg jól

Agent Fresco "Anemoi" and "Eyes of a Cloud Catcher" Live @ Akureyri

Agent Fresco Live @ Akureyri
"Anemoi" and "Eyes of a Cloud Catcher"

Mammút "Leggdu Mig I Salt" Live on KEXP Radio @ Iceland Airwaves 2011

Mammút Live on KEXP Radio, Seattle @ Iceland Airwaves 2011
"Leggdu Mig I Salt"

Mugison "Kletturinn" Live @ Church @ Húsavík

Mugison @ Húsavíkurkirkja
"Kletturinn"

Snorri Helgason & Mr Silla "Caroline Knows" Live @ KEX Hostel (13. December 2011)

Snorri Helgason Live @ KEX Hostel, Reykjavik on 13. December 2011
"Caroline knows"

Oddkrist & Inside Bilderberg "Obláta" - An Extract

Oddkrist & Inside Bilderberg 
"Obláta"

Rokk í Reykjavík (1982)

Rokk í Reykjavík was a documentary directed by Friðrik Þór Friðriksson during the Icelandic winter of 1981-1982 and released for the local television the same year.
With this documentary, Friðriksson showcases the alternative music scene through several performances of the post punk and New Wave most important bands at that time taken from different concerts and accompanied by, some times, short interviews with musicians, and it portrays the lifestyle of the Icelandic youth faced to the establishment and advocated to anarchy, who were trying to find their own identity.
Rokk í Reykjavík is today considered as one of the most important documentaries about the Icelandic music culture and it included several important bands. For instance, Tappi Tíkarrass, a punk band led by vocalist Björk Guðmundsdóttir contributed with two of their works: “Hrollur” and “Dúkkulísur”. The New Wave band Þeyr, today considered as one of the legendary Iceland bands of the early eighties, is featured here with their songs “Rúdolf” and “Killer Boogie”.
It is also worth of mentioning, the presence of Einar Örn Benediktsson’s punk group Purrkur Pillnikk, which appeared with two tracks: “Ovænt” and “Gluggagægir”.
Other important artists featured here are Bubbi Morthens with his band Egó, Fræbbblarnir, Grýlurnar, and the renowned Sveinbjörn Beinteinsson with his chanting of “Rímur”, among others.
As this film was the first Icelandic work in Dolby Stereo, it brought innovation to the Icelandic film industry. With Íslenska kvikmyndasamsteypan as the distributor, Rokk í Reykjavík was released in VHS format. The soundtrack to this film was released as a double LP compilation by Hugrenningur in April 1982. The image cover for this release depicts singer Björk from (at that moment) Tappi Tíkarrass on stage.








föstudagur, desember 23, 2011

Hellvar Acoustic Set Live @ Reykjavik Downtown Hostel (December 2011)

Hellvar Acoustic Live set @ Downtown Hostel, Reykjavik
"Setlist: "Speedmental", "Give Me Gold", "Play With Dice", "Falsetto", "Ræ Ræ Ræ" and "Stop That Noise".  Songs from their first album "Bat out of Hellvar" and second album "Stop that noise" (Kimi Records) in an acoustic form, now featured on the acoustic album "Noise that stopped". And one new song "Ræ Ræ Ræ", not feat. on 1st or 2nd album.

fimmtudagur, desember 22, 2011

Sóley Stefánsdóttir Off-Venue Live @ Iceland Airwaves 2011

Sóley Stefánsdóttir (of Seabear fame) Live @ Airwaves 2011

FM Belfast & Prinspóló "Partíþokan"

FM Belfast & Prinspóló
"Partíþokan"

Prinspóló "Niðrá strönd" Live @ Balcony TV, Poland

Prinspóló @ Balcony TV, Poland
"Niðrá strönd"

Emiliana Torrini 'Heartstopper" Live @ Davos, Switzerland

Emiliana Torrini Live @ Swiss Singer-Songwriter Festival Songbird @ Davos, Switzerland
"Heartstopper"

Professional Party People FM Belfast

FM Belfast

Svanur Herbertson "Long live the king"

Svanur Herbertson, the son of Herbert Guðmundsson
Gulli Briem on drums, Halli Þorsteins on bass guitar & Stefán Magnússon on guitar.
"Long live the king"

Ólöf Arnalds & Skúli Sverrisson "Sudden Elevation" Live

Ólöf Arnalds & Skúli Sverrisson
"Sudden Elevation" @ the concert @ Café Flóra, December 2011
Video by Iceland Chronicles

Björk "Thunderbolt" Live

Björk
"Thunderbolt"

Björk

Lay Low @ Lexington, London on 10. January 2012

 The Line Of Best Fit 
present
LAY LOW + special guests TBA
10. January 2012 @ 8 pm 
@ The Lexington, London N1 9JB
Lay Low is the alter-ego of Icelandic singer-songwriter, Lovísa. She was born in London to a Sri Lankan father and an Icelandic mother but moved at a young age to Reykjavik. Her debut album, Please Don’t Hate Me, was an instant hit in Iceland 2006 achieving gold status within 8 weeks. The following year she won the Icelandic Music Awards for best singer.
Lay Low has worked on several theatre and film projects as well as creating music with her rock band, Benny Crespo’s Gang. In 2008 she moved on to record her second solo album in London, Farewell Good Night’s Sleep with legendary producer Liam Watson and received huge critical acclaim as a result. Lay Low will be showcasing new material when she hits London 10 January before playing at the Eurosonic showcase festival in Holland. A rare opportunity to see a truly special artist.

Morðingjarnir "Jólafeitabolla"

Morðingjarnir
"Jólafeitabolla", a Christmas song

The Best Icelandic Albums of 2011 - The Lists

Fréttablaðið
Iceblah
1. Sóley - We Sink
2. FM Belfast - Don't Want to Sleep
2. Björk - Biophilia
4. Sin Fang - Summer Echoes
4. Of Monsters & Men - My Head Is An Animal
6. Reykjavik! - Locust Sounds
7. GusGus - Arabian Horse
7. Lockerbie - Ólgusjór
9. Hellvar - Stop That Noise
9. Snorri Helgason - Winter Sun
9. Mugison - Haglél
9. HAM - Svik, harmur og Dauði

Fræbbblarnir "Ótrúleg jól"

Fræbbblarnir
"Ótrúleg jól"

þriðjudagur, desember 20, 2011

Motion Boys "Hold me closer" Live @ Kastljós

Motion Boys
"Hold me closer"

Bogomil Font "Jólavals"

Crooner Bogomil Font (aka Sigtryggur "Sugarcube" Baldursson)
"Jólavals", a song featured on the Christmas album"Majones Jól"

Berglind Ágústsdóttir goes Springsteen "I'm on fire" - New song "Monster"

Berglind Ágústsdóttir
Video by Joseph MΔRZOLLΔ
http://josephmarzolla.com/
"I'm On Fire" : Berglind Agustsdottir's Vocal remix of "Teenage Color" by College.
Lyrics by B.Springsteen
Special Effect Editing : Jose Santos
Special thanks to Thorbjorg Jonsdottir, Lee Lynch, and TITO - Chinatown ConneXion L.A -
RASSGAT PRODUCTION, Los Angeles 2011
"I'm on fire"

"Monster"
monster by berglind agustsdottir

Tonik "Snapshot Two"

Tonik
"Snapshot Two" (Captain Fufanu remix)

Kviksynði

Kviksynði
Guðlaugur Halldór Einarsson
Music: "Be Forever" (Captain Fufanu Remix of Oculus)

Björk's Biophilia Educational Program in Iceland 2011

Björk's Biophilia Educational Program is doing a tour around Iceland the next 3 years

Biophilia Educational Program in Iceland 2011 from Biophilia Educational Program

Skurken "Laufabraud"

Skurken
"Laufabraud" Christmas Song
Skurken - Laufabraud by Raftonar

sunnudagur, desember 18, 2011

Ólafur Arnalds ft. Arnór Dan of Agent Fresco "Old Skin" (Live @ Harpa)

Ólafur Arnalds ft. Arnór Dan Live @ Harpa, Reykjavik
"Old Skin"

Björk Live @ Glastonbury (2007)

Björk in concert @ Glastonbury anno 2007

Ólafur Arnalds Live in the Lobby concert @ Reykjavík Downtown Hostel (7. December 2011)

The 2nd full Live in the Lobby session with Ólafur Arnalds. Filmed @ Reykjavík Downtown Hostel on 7. December 2011.

FM Belfast "Underwear" (EFE Remix)

FM Belfast
"Underwear" (EFE RMX)

Helgi Björnsson "Ammæli" (Birthday) cover

Helgi Björnsson covered The Sugarcubes
"Ammæli"

Tricky feat. Hafdis Huld "Cross to bear"

Tricky feat. Hafdis Huld
"Cross to bear", a song featured on Tricky's "Knowle West Boy" (2008)

laugardagur, desember 17, 2011

Murya "It's Christmas time"

Murya (Guðmundur Ingi Guðmundsson)
"It's Christmas time"
Murya - Its Christmas time by Raftonar
More information @ Raftonar

Ghostigital Live @ Nordic House (17. December 2011)

Ghostigital Live @ Nordic House, Reykjavik today @ 12:34
Setlist
1. Dark in here
2. Don't Push Me
3. Bursting
4. Trousers

ghostigital [nordic house] from ghostigital
Ghostigital

Mugison "The Pathetic Anthem" Live @ Græni Hatturinn

Mugison
"The Pathetic Anthem"

Mugison

Yule 2011: Bedroom Community Christmas Compilation

 
Bedroom Community made a special Christmas compilation album with previously unreleased material; Yule 2011. Like least year, the album will be free to download exclusively with every purchase made through the web store throughout December.
The album contains previously unreleased music by Valgeir Sigurðsson, Ben Frost, Nico Muhly, Sam Amidon, Daníel Bjarnason and Puzzle Muteson, including remixes by Scanner, FM Belfast and Montauk.
  • Puzzle Muteson — Will You Love Me Tomorrow
  • Nico Muhly — Once in Royal David's City
  • Daníel Bjarnason — Spindrift / Montauk in February Remix
  • Valgeir Sigurðsson — Flesh and Wine and Firewood
  • Ben Frost — Stomp / Scanner Remix
  • Nico Muhly — The Holly and the Ivy
  • Ben Frost — The Gravity of Numbers
  • Daníel Bjarnason — Air to Breath / Montauk in February Remix
  • Sam Amidon — How Come That Blood / FM Belfast Remix
The name derives from the Icelandic "yule lads" - the thirteen mischievous santa clauses, sons of Grýla, who were said to eat children and steal stuff.

The Bodies "Where are the bodies" (2000) - Rokk i Reykjavik / Rock in Reykjavik Video Competition in Iceland Review Online

The Bodies
a band featured in the rockumentary Rokk í Reykjavík (1982) with 2 songs. Also this song:
"Where are the bodies"




Winners of Kraumur Fund 2011

The 6 winners are:
  • ADHD - "ADHD2"
  • Lay Low - "Brostinn Strengur"
  • Reykjavík! - "Locust Sounds"
  • Samaris - "Hljóma Þú" (ep)
  • Sin Fang - "Summer Echoes"
  • Sóley - "We Sink"

fimmtudagur, desember 15, 2011

Heiða "103. Mars" & "Ekkert sé" Videos

Heiða, now in Hellvar, although best known as Heiða i Unun
After the end of Unun she made her first solo album "Svarið" (Japis, 2000).
Here are the videos of 2 of the songs feat. on this record.
"103. Mars"

"Ekkert sé"

sunnudagur, desember 11, 2011

Sigur Rós "Popplagið" (INNI)

Sigur Rós  
"Popplagið"  from INNI

Ben Frost "Poking Holes In Your Research" - "A horizontal fall" - "We Don't Need Other Worlds, We Need Mirrors"

Ben Frost  
"Poking Holes In Your Research"

Ben Frost feat. Amiina
"A horizontal fall"

Ben Frost & Daníel Bjarnason
"We Don't Need Other Worlds, We Need Mirrors"

Singapore Sling "Never Forever" Unofficial Video

Singapore Sling
"Never Forever"

The Go-Go Darkness "Re-Install My Heart"

The Go-Go Darkness
"Re-Install My Heart"

How to pronounce Icelandic musicians

The Sugarcubes = Sykurmolarnir

Björk Guðmundsdóttir


Einar Örn

Sigur Rós

Ólafur Arnalds

T-World "Oh"

T-World (Duo Birgir Sigurðsson & Magnús Guðmundsson)
"Oh", featured on the Compilation "Egg '94"

Christmas Songs

Morðingjarnir feat. Þórunn Antonía
"Þú komst með jólin til mín"

Nögl
"Snjókorn Falla"

Björk 
"Jólaköttinn" (Christmas Cat)

The Sugarcubes
"Birthday" in the William & Jim Reid of the Jesus and Mary Chain Christmas Eve Mix

Bogomil Font (Sigtryggur Baldursson of The Sugarcubes)

Sunday Morning Music

Ensími

Morðingjarnir

Morning After Youth

Beck feat. Þórunn Antonía

laugardagur, desember 10, 2011

Legend "City" Live @ Gaukurinn Video

Legend
"City"

Reptilicus "Shrimpy Dog"

Reptilicus
"Shrimpy dog", feat. on "Temperature of blood"& also featured as track Nr 11 on the World Domination or Death Vol. 1 Compilation (Bad Taste, 1990)
We do not know what Bad Taste is. 
Therefore we present to you another taste in Icelandic music. 
World Domination or Death. 
Know what I mean gringo.

Páll Óskar / Paul Oscar "Megi það byrja með mér" Official Music Video Unicef 2011

Páll Óskar / Paul Oscar
"Megi það byrja með mér" Official Music Video Unicef 2011

Gang Related "Jesús Jólasveinn"

Gang Related
"Jesús Jólasveinn"

fimmtudagur, desember 08, 2011

Reykjavik! "Hellbound Heart"

Reykjavik!
"Hellbound Heart"

Reykjavík! "Hellbound Heart" from Bowen Staines

Kjarr in the Spotlight @ IMX - "Quantum Leap" Video

The Sweet is Never as Sweet without the Bitter
Kjarr - the very kúl and rather psychedelic new project by Kjartan F. Ólafsson (Ampop & Leaves) - is currently blowing our tiny minds here at IMX, and not just ours: Kjarr's eponymous debut album (downloadable here) has also been voted Album Of The Week on RUV's Poppland show, and rightly so, say we. We got in touch and asked him all about it. Take it away, Kjartan!
Hello Kjartan! How are you and what are you doing this fine day?
I’m fine thanks, snow has fallen in Glasgow which makes me very aware that it’s getting near Christmas, and also the end of the year which I feel has moved all too fast.  At the moment I’m finding some time to write greeting cards to friends in Iceland.  
You have a beautiful debut album which took over three years to record - we love the production and just the whole shebang, frankly. Tell us a bit about the process!
Thank you very much.  Yes it took a while to assemble.  Some of the songs I even wrote as far back as 2005.  I had 5 songs recorded and mixed in 2009 when I decided to start over from scratch as I wasn’t sonically satisfied.  Luckily I got a grant from FTT (the association of songwriters and lyricists in Iceland) which I could spend on more studio time, while persuading my friends Nói and Arnar (from the band Leaves) to join me.  I struggled to find time to finish it all as I was working more than full time as a teacher and youth-worker in Iceland.  I finally managed to do so after moving to Glasgow and setting up my small studio.  So last winter and spring pretty much went into doing the overdubs, vocals, guitars, omnichords etc., while some new songs kept creeping in.  I also opted to mix the album myself over here.  Doing so gave me the chance to make it sound exactly the way I wanted it but it also meant taking a whole lot of time to work on details, such as delay(echo) tails and other effects, and just generally refining the sound.  I’m very happy that it’s finally out there.  
What's your favourite track of the album, if that's not too much like asking who your favourite child is?
Well I think each track has some of it’s own offering, the music varies a whole lot.  I’m very happy with Quantum leap, as I find it somewhat a challenge to write a good uplifting song, there’s an important balance to it which I feel it comes together rather well on that one, I mean the sweet is never as sweet without the bitter. 
The one I’m perhaps the happiest with at the moment though is called “Siglt í kaf”, which can both mean to dive under the sea’s surface, and also to sink.  I’m happy with the sonic painting so to say, but it was also a case where I poured out the lyric quite instinctively or impulsively, so there’s an added sense of relief which is what the song is ultimately about.    
The video to the track "Quantum Leap" tells the tale of 'Frank', a songwriter suffering from writers' block. Autobiographical?
Well not exactly autobiographical but there are certainly similarities with me and Frank, I like running and bananas as well hehe, and I write songs.  Over the years as an artist with Ampop and keyboard player, I’ve learned to be quite comfortable in the background of my music.  Now I’ve chosen to sing my songs myself this time which kinda pushes me to the front.  I like singing, but I think there’s an overemphasis on personality in popular music, thus I liked the idea of having an alternate protagonist in the video, while remaining myself in the background.  The video is kinda playing with people’s idealized ideas about the life of a songwriter, hence Frank seems to have plenty of time for leisure, and this idea of an easier, idealized life is of course echoed in the song’s chorus “You will get away from your misery”.
We really like Ólafur Breiðfjörð's album artwork - what's the story there?
I wanted the artwork to reflect the sense of nostalgia and utopia hinted at in the music.  Thinking of folk landscape paintings and 60’s pop art, Oli created this very surreal, landscape type of picture which I feel goes perfectly with the music.
You play some of our favourite musical instruments - but what inspired you to go down the route of choosing theremins, omnichords and other such magical curios? 
It’s very much about keeping things organic. I love the sound and feel of the Omnichord, you can get similar sounds from a synth but the interface makes you do things very differently (basically you strum the omnichord).  I use the Omnichord a lot to emphasize some chord changes on the album, it’s like sprinkling something very nice onto the track.  
I’m interested in the imperfections you get from struggling with the theremin.  The eerie, heavy in vibrato and legato sounds of it is perhaps my favorite for leads.  One of my favorite movie soundtracks is Bernard Herman’s “The Day the Earth Stood Still”, which mostly features the theremin for lead lines, backed by the orchestra. It’s an incredibly expressive instrument, the slightest movement of your hands will change both pitch and volume, so it’s very difficult to keep it steady.  While a synthesizer will retain a perfect pitch (unless programmed otherwise) and you can do legato stuff on it as well, the constantly modulating and slightly off pitch sound (responding to my movement) I got from playing the theremin interests me more.  My theremin playing can be heard on the intro to Beðið eftir sumrinu (waiting for summertime) where it’s layered with piano and a tiny toy keyboard, the bridge in the song “Lottery” also features the theremin.  A very similar sound occurs in the song “Harvest” but it’s actually a Monotron, which is a tiny hand held monosynth you play with a pen on a ribbon, so almost like the Stylophone.  
Here's a funny thing - we're Iceland Music Export, and you are a LIVING Icelandic musical export, residing, as you do, in Glasgow. How did that come about? 
Yeah I moved here just over a year ago since my wife wanted to study at the Glasgow School of Art.  We knew it was a good place for us since our friends have lived here before.  The art and music scenes are vibrant, a GSA graduate just snatched the Turner price the other day, not the first time that someone from that school does so.  But for me as an artist Glasgow offers a whole lot of stimulation of course with many of the world’s best touring acts stopping by for a show.  Recently been blown away with shows by James Blake, Deerhunter and Wilco.  
We've always thought there were some pretty interesting parallels between Scotland and Iceland, not least the accent... Or is that just us being mad? 
Well I’m happy to keep rolling the R. over here.  But yes I agree.  Scotland suffers from a lot of rain which I think also pours into the nations psyche, Iceland has the deep long winters of course so we share the gloom, and the complementary sense of humor for sure.  
What's next for Kjarr?
Practising and getting ready for some live dates in 2012, while a Kjarr Remix EP will be out in January, featuring some of Iceland’s elite of Electronica producers: Hazar, Ruxpin, Tonik and Orang Volante.  Recently I contributed some vocals to the upcoming album by Asonat (which is a  collaboration between Ruxpin & members of Plastic Joy, out on n5MD early 2012).  I’ve also done some vocals for Hazar recently on a track which should be out soon.
Source: IMX
Kjarr
"Quantum Leap"

Kjarr-Quantum leap from Kjartan_Olafsson

Retro Stefson "Qween"

Retro Stefson
  Qween - Retro Stefson by retrostefson

HAM "Ingimar", "Sviksemi & "Veisla hertogans" Live

Watch HAM performing "Ingimar" here @ Visir
"Sviksemi" here
"Veisla hertogans" here

miðvikudagur, desember 07, 2011

Solstafir "Köld" Live @ Christmas Metal Fest Lichtenfels (November 2011)

Sólstafir
"Köld"

Bistro Boy "Sólstafir" Video

Bistro Boy
"Sólstafir"

FM Belfast Alternative "Underwear" Video

FM Belfast
"Underwear" Alternative Video

FM Belfast "Synthia", "Underwear" & "Frequency" Live @ Die Werkstatt, Köln, Germany (December 2011)

FM Belfast @ Die Werkstatt @ Cologne/Köln, Germany (3. December 2011)
"Synthia", a song from their first album "How to make friends"

"Underwear"

"Frequency"

FM Belfast

Prinspóló Live @ Musikcaféen, Århus (November 2011)

Prinspóló Live @ Musikcaféen @ Århus, Denmark  (25. November 2011)


Prinspóló

Sóley Live @ KEPR Radio @ Airwaves 2011

Sóley Live @ KEXP Radio, Seattle @ Airwaves 2011 
"I'll drown", "The sun is going down" and "Smashed birds" 

Pascal Pinon Live @ KEXP @ Airwaves 2011

Pascal Pinon Live @ KEXP Radio, Seattle @ Airwaves 2011
"Somewhere"

"Vandamál Ulfsins"

"Ekki Vanmeta Fjarlægðina"

Lazyblood Live

Layzblood Live

LAZYBLOOD live from Esther Welger Barboza

þriðjudagur, desember 06, 2011

Kraumur Award Shortlist 2011

  • ADHD – ADHD2
  • Anna Þorvalds – Rhízoma
  • Ben Forst og Daníel Bjarnason – Sólaris
  • Dead Skeleton – Dead Magick
  • FM Belfast – Don’t want to sleep
  • For a Minor Reflection – EP
  • Helgi Hrafn Jónsson – Big Spring
  • Hljómsveitin Ég – Ímynd Fíflsins
  • Lay Low – Brostinn Strengur
  • Nolo – Nology
  • Of Monster & Men – My Head is an Animal
  • Ofvitarnir – Stephen Hawking/Steven Tyler
  • Ragga Gröndal – Astrocat Lullaby
  • Reykjavík! – Locust Sounds
  • Samaris – Hljóma Þú (EP)
  • Sin Fang – Summer Echoes
  • Skurken – Gilsbakki
  • Snorri Helga – Winter Sun
  • Sóley – We Sink
  • Sólstafir – Svartir Sandar

      Mr. Silla "One Step" & "Up Down" @ KEXP, Seattle @ Airwaves 2011

      Mr. Silla
      "One Step"

      "Up Down"

      Jónsi "We bought a zoo" - Stream 2 tracks

      sunnudagur, desember 04, 2011

      GusGus "Purple"

      GusGus
      "Purple"

      Emiliana Torrini "Gun" in the RMX by Backhaus & Disse

      Emiliana Torrini
      "Gun" in the RMX
        Emiliana Torrini - Gun (Backhaus & Disse Rework) by Disse
      Emiliana's official website

      Ghostigital & Finnbogi Pétursson & Skúli Sverrisson: Aero Part II

      Ghostigital, Finnbogi Pétursson & Skúli Sverrisson
      "Aero Part II"
      Aero pt II by ghostigital
      Ghostigital's Website
      Ghostigital performs @ Nordic House 17. December 

      Mugison performing in Hotel Room @ Reykjavik

      Mugison is inspired by Iceland
      Performance @ Hotel Room @ Reykjavik

      CONCERT IN YOUR HOTEL ROOM from Inspired By Iceland

      Nordic House Christmas Calendar 2011 - Jóladagatal Norræna hússins

      Christmas Calendar @ Nordic House
      It takes place daily in the festival hall in December until Christmas. The first window of the calendar will be opened on 1. December, and the audience will then get to know about the performance of the day. The participating artists this year are among our best, but we will not disclose the order in which they perform. Therefore it's always going to be exciting to open a new window. We will for instance see and hear music, dance, reading, performance, yoga, or a game that the audience participates in.
      The calendar itself is produced in only one exemplar, and will be found in the front hall of The Nordic House this December. Ingibjörg Birgisdóttir is responsible for its design. She has many talents, being on of Iceland's most promising video artists she has produced videos to the music of Sin Fang Bous, Seabear, and múm.
      Before every performance we offer the audience non-alcoholic mulled wine and gingerbread.
      Everyone is welcome to attend, and there is no entrance fee.
      The performers are: Charlotte Bøving, Gísella & Orlando, Hellvar, Lay Low, Magga Stína, Mugison, Mundi Vondi, Ólafur Arnalds, Pörupiltar, Sóley Stefánsdóttir & Ellen Kristjánsdóttir, Blótgoðar, Bryndís Björgvinsdóttir, Ghostigital, Guðrið Hansdóttir, Yoga & apple cakes, A Christmas Game, Ólafur Arnalds, Pétur Ben, Robert the Roommate, Samaris, and Tískubloggið.
      1-23. December 2011
      @ Nordic House @ 12:34

      Jóladagatal Norræna hússins from Ingibjörg Birgisdóttir

      My favourite Bubbi Song

      My favourite Bubbi Morthens track:
      "Sem aldrei fyrr", song from the album "Lífið er ljúft" (1993)
      Lyrics & Song by Bubbi
      Suma dreymir gull og græna skóga
      og gráta þeir eiga ekki meir.
      Með gallbragð í munni brosa beiskir
      og bölva þar til sálin í þeim deyr.
      Og Júdas er verðlaus lúser
      sem lífinu hafnaði segja þeir.
      En mig dreymir aðeins þessa einu konu
      það er eldfimt loftið þar sem hún fer.
      Það er gott að elska og eiga hennar hjarta
      og hún elskar mig eins og ég er.
      Og ég veit hvar frelsið er að finna
      í faðmi hennar það bíður eftir mér.
      Og það er vont að vera týndur
      í veröld sem engar hefur dyr
      Og fyrir þá sem aldrei hafa elskað
      hlýtur tíminn að standa kyrr.
      En ég er ástfanginn
      sem aldrei fyrr.
      Jú, mig dreymir aðeins þessa einu konu
      og allan þennan þokka sem hún ber.
      Það er gott að elska og eiga hennar hjarta
      því hún tekur mér eins og ég er.
      Og ég veit hvar frelsið er að finna
      í faðmi hennar það bíður eftir mér.

      Caterpillarmen

      Caterpillarmen

      laugardagur, desember 03, 2011

      Hot Eskimos go Gling-Gló - Cover of the The Sugarcubes debut "Birthday"

      "Birthday" in a jazzy way by Hot Eskimos (2011).
      Like it or not. Gling-Gló 2.0?

      More real Sugarcubes stuff in my Icelandic Music Museum
      Sugarcubes in Flemish & English press (from my scrapbook)

      Inside Bilderberg "Industrialist" (Get Me War)

      Inside Bilderberg (Georg Pétur Sveinbjörnsson, son of farmer/rimur singer/Ásatrú priest Sveinbjörn Beinteinsson)
      "Industrialist" (Get Me War)


      Artwork by WIHO featuring Sveinbjörn Beinteinsson on the right & Mjöllnir on the left
      WIHO Viking Art 2011

      Back to the 80s: Jónsi @ The Age of 12 in Æskan Magazine

      Jónsi @ The Age of 12 in Æskan (Youth) Magazine (1988)
      Thx to Dr. Gunni

      A Tribute to Rokk í Reykjavík 1982*2012 Video Competition

      The Icelandic Music Alliance
      (I love Icelandic music/Icelandic music Maf(f)ia/Icelandic music Mob)
      &
      Wim Van Hooste (WIHO)
      present
      A tribute to Rokk í Reykjavík 1982*2012 Video Competition
      called
      Rock in Reykjavik 2.0
      Part 2: The Revenge (of the Facebook Nerds)
      Every Icelandic musician, every musician living in Iceland, everybody on planet Earth, is invited to bring a tribute to a song featured in the rockumentary Rokk í Reykjavík. This documentary was directed by famous director and Oscar nominee Friðrik Þór Friðriksson in the winter of 1981-1982.
      The tribute has to filmed and be put on YouTube or Vimeo with the key words “Rock” or “Rokk” and “Reykjavik”, between 1. January and 31. March 2012.
      Every participating musician is asked to donate 1.000 IKR, to take part in this competition (= Birthday gift to the Puffin with red mohawk WIHO).
      All videos will be evaluated by an international jury.
      The best videos will be posted on the several blogs to get international exposure afterwards.
      Also the best videos will be shown at Gaukurinn á Stöng on Thursday 24. May 2012 between 18:00 and 19:30.
      Afterwards, between 20:00 – 00:00 there will be a private birthday party of WIHO at this venue. The selected, invited artists are challenged to bring a cover on stage. The bands or musicians with a very good video will also be asked to perform their track on stage of the famous venue Gaukurinn.
      The money on the Save Ice Bank account will be used to produce a DVD and CD of this tribute concert and tribute videos, to be finished in 2013.

      More information on these blogs:
      Reykjavik Rocks
      Save Ice Bank
      Rokk i Reykjavik
      Rock in Reykjavik
      Pönk 2012 Project

      Dad Rocks! Live @ BTR Studio

      Dad Rocks!
      Denmark-based Icelander Snaevar Njall Albertsson, the multi-instrumentalist mastermind behind Dad Rocks!, creates beautiful music that wavers between sparse, introspective folk and intricate, sonic bursts of orchestra rock. The straightforward guitar work is playful and the weaving arrangements are richly-textured ? seemingly perfect for his songs, whose stories often reveal perspectives from both the naive, innocent child and the wise, serious parent. Similarly, his voice is tinged with a vulnerable tenderness, despite its deep and gravelly quality.
      "Mount Modern" is the debut album by Dad Rocks!
      Dad Rocks! on Bandcamp
      About Live Studio on BTR:
      BTR Live Studio features a mix of breaking and established musicians playing exclusive sets in our studios, then sitting down for a chat with host Maia MacDonald. Maia is a musician and DJ who's been involved with the music scene for a number of years and has a knack for asking the questions that musicians actually enjoy answering.

      Dad Rocks! - BTR Live Studio [ep77] from BreakThru Radio TV

      Retro Stefson "Medallion" Acoustic @ Detektor.fm

      Retro Stefson
      "Medallion"

      Retro Stefson - Medallion (detektor.fm Akustik-Session) from detektor.fm

      Lay Low "Horfið" Live @ West Fjords

      Lay Low Live @ Westfjords
      "Horfið"

      Lay Low-Horfið from Fjölnir Baldursson
      Lay Low's Website

      föstudagur, desember 02, 2011

      GusGus Mix by Tilmann

      A Tilmann Mix of GusGus
        Tilmann's new GusGus Mix (Play it load) by tilmann
      tilmanns-new-gusgus-mix-play
      Featured tracks:
      1. Broken Bones / Hateful
      2. Monuments (Depeche Mode Remix)
      3. Hateful (feat. Aaron Carl)
      4. Hunter (Björk Remix) / Instrumental Nr. 7 (Live @ Lille, 9th March 2000)
      5. Ladyshave / Desire (Live in Washington/ Demo Version)
      6. Be brave (Model 500 Remix)
      7. Be with me
      8. Don't hide what you feel
      9. Troia (DMS Remix)/ Demo 57
      10. Over / Anthem
      11. Lust (Tonka Birthday Remix) / Mallflowers
      12. Why you wanna (Earth)
      13. Breaking down (Live in Berlin 25.9.2011) /
      14. Changes come / You already know
      15. Bremen Cowboy / Superhuman
      16. David (Ozy Mix) / David (live @ the Blue Room) / David (Album Version)
      17. Arabian Horse / Selfoss (Deepfunk unofficial remix)
      18. Program Disk (Hot Eruption 2010 Mix) / Demo 108
      19. One (Edit) / Demo 113 (Add this song) /
      20. Within you / Dance you down (Magnus Dyri edit)
      21. Unecessary
      22. On the job (album version) / On the job (live @ Roxy) / Demo 117
      23. Deep inside (live @ Nasa 6.2011)

      The Second Coming of IMX - New logo

      Not only I love Icelandic music strikes back after 5 years. Also Iceland Music Export (aka IMX) had a second coming this week, after 5 years of promoting Icelandic music/music from Iceland.
      Visit the renewed website @ IMX.
      Unfortunately Paul Sullivan left the crew. Paul: You will be missed. Thx Paul! Takk fyrir síðast.
      Best known for writing the best book in English on Icelandic music: Waking up in Iceland (Sanctuary Publishing Limited, 2003 // ISBN 1-86074-460-5).

      The 2011 Iceblah Experiment: Top 5 Icelandic albums

      You can vote for your favourite Icelandic albums of 2011. Send your Top 5 releases of 2011 to Mark Ollard of the Iceblah blog.
      markollard(at)googlemail.com

      I love numbers: > 300,000 visitors 4 years after registration

      With the Second Coming of this blog, I had a look @ my Statistics. I love numbers. More than a year ago I had about 250 visitors a day. Hope to get this number of visitors again really soon. Spread the word around the world: I love Icelandic music is back.