föstudagur, febrúar 20, 2009
Movie Score by Sigur Rós Keyboardplayer Kjartan
Kjartan Sveinsson is set to write the original score to "Ondine", a new film by Neil Jordan. In addition to Kjartan’s score, a few songs by Sigur Rós will appear in the film.
fimmtudagur, febrúar 19, 2009
Interview with For a Minor Reflection by It's a trap
Interview by Vasilis Panagiotopoulos
For A Minor Reflection have got a very mature sound, especially if you take into consideration that these guys are only 19 years old. References to Explosions in the Sky and Mogwai are unavoidable, but already being compared to such established acts is a big achievement for these young Icelanders. Last autumn they supported in 15 concerts across Europe fellow countrymen Sigur Rós. It's a Trap! went out for a drink with them and discovered that apart from good musicians they are very friendly and down to earth chaps.
How did you guys form?
Kjartan Holm (Kjarri), guitar: We basically started in 8th grade, when we were 13. Jói and I started this heavy metal duet in his garage with long hair and stuff. Elvar came and played bass. Then Guffi came.
Guðfinnur Sveinsson (Guffi), guitar: (Laughs) We met during a strip poker game! He invited me then to a band practice...
Why did you name the band 'For A Minor Reflection'? What does it mean?
KH: It actually doesn't mean anything. I don't remember actually how it was conceived. We thought "reflection" was a cool word and we wanted to use it.
What is exactly on the cover of your album?
KH: It is supposed to be a sun.
Jóhannes Ólafsson (Jói), drums: We drew it together.
How do you write your songs? Is there a standard procedure?
JO: There is no standard procedure. There is no method I guess, but we do it together eventually, but the idea maybe comes from Kjarri first and then we build around it and make the song structure around his ideas.
KH: We maybe write a song in two days but it takes like 50 years to develop it.
How was the experience of playing with Sigur Rós?
KH, JO: It was very surreal.
JO: We didn't realise what we were doing until we came home.
Which is the largest gig you did with them?
KH: In Alexandra Palace in London. It was 8500 people two nights in a row.
And without them?
KH: We played this gig in Iceland for 500 Japanese people on a large cruise ship that was sailing around the world.
Do you prefer the big gigs or rather more intimate settings?
KH: When we play in really small bars in Iceland in front of 200 people, when it's packed it has a really good character.
JO: On the other hand, it's fun playing on a very large stage.
KH: It's two different things I would say.
Would you ever consider getting a singer?
KH: We've been actually discussing that. We are going to make some experiments next week; if it fails we'll just stay instrumental.
Do you accept the post-rock tag?
KH: We really don't care.
How do you feel about the emerging Icelandic scene and what do you think sets the Icelandic music scene apart from the rest of Scandinavia?
KH: Iceland is pretty well known for these "weird" bands like Sigur Rós, Björk and múm. But Iceland has these really good heavy metal and hardcore punk scene, really big scene. And it seems to be turning into some indie rock scene. So Iceland is not only the ambient stuff.
Are there any other Icelandic artists you respect and admire?Elvar J. Guðmundsson, bass: Ólafur Arnolds. He's getting big in Germany and all over the world.
KH: And Sigur Rós of course. My favourite Icelandic rock band is Sudden Weather Change. They are kind of big in Iceland, but nobody knows them outside.
What are you currently listening at home?
KH: We really don't listen to the same music. I like hardcore, post-rock, jazz, Icelandic blues.
GS: I listen to Coldplay a lot.
KH: Yeah, Guffi is the sensitive one.
How did the economic crisis impact your life and music?
GS: (Laughs) We all live in the streets. We get food from the government.
How are the recordings for the second album going? When is it going to be finished?
KH: We are working on it. Hopefully we will start recording later this year.
Are you going to have a different approach this time?
JO: The last time we recorded an album was in a garage, small studio, we did it all live in the first take, and it only took us 6 hours. We were mixing the whole night before the day we released it.
Any plans for the future?
KH: Hopefully we can work as musicians. That's our main goal.
www.myspace.com/foraminorreflection
Source:
www.itsatrap.com/?n=29221
Icelandic Music Awards 2008: The Winners
Íslensku tónlistarverðlaunin fyrir verk ársins 2008
Last night 18. February 2009 these were the winners of the Icelandic Music Awards 2008:
Höfundur ársins/Composer of the Year
Sigur Rós – for writing the songs of "Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust"
Tónverk ársins/Composition of the Year
"Ora" – Áskell Másson
Lag ársins/Song of the Year
"Þú komst við hjartað í mér" – Toggi/Bjarki Jónsson/Páll Óskar
Tónlistarflytjandi ársins/Concert of the Year
Anna Guðný Guðmundsdóttir – "Tuttugu tillit til Jesúbarnsins" by Olivier Messiaen
Rödd ársins/Voice of the Year
Emilíana Torrini
Popp/rokkplata ársins/Pop/Rock Album of the Year
"Með suð í eyrum við syngjum endalaust" – Sigur Rós
Sígild og samtímatónlist/Classic & Contemporary Music Album of the Year
"Fordlandia" – Jóhann Jóhannsson
Djass/Jazz Album of the Year
"Fram af" – Ómar Guðjónsson
Bjartasta vonin/Brightest hope
Agent Fresco
www.youtube.com/v/trjSxPIYRTg&hl&fmt=18
Myndband ársins/Video of the Year
Last night 18. February 2009 these were the winners of the Icelandic Music Awards 2008:
Höfundur ársins/Composer of the Year
Sigur Rós – for writing the songs of "Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust"
Tónverk ársins/Composition of the Year
"Ora" – Áskell Másson
Lag ársins/Song of the Year
"Þú komst við hjartað í mér" – Toggi/Bjarki Jónsson/Páll Óskar
Tónlistarflytjandi ársins/Concert of the Year
Anna Guðný Guðmundsdóttir – "Tuttugu tillit til Jesúbarnsins" by Olivier Messiaen
Rödd ársins/Voice of the Year
Emilíana Torrini
Popp/rokkplata ársins/Pop/Rock Album of the Year
"Með suð í eyrum við syngjum endalaust" – Sigur Rós
Sígild og samtímatónlist/Classic & Contemporary Music Album of the Year
"Fordlandia" – Jóhann Jóhannsson
Djass/Jazz Album of the Year
"Fram af" – Ómar Guðjónsson
Bjartasta vonin/Brightest hope
Agent Fresco
www.youtube.com/v/trjSxPIYRTg&hl&fmt=18
Myndband ársins/Video of the Year
Björk & Encyclopedia Pictura for "Wanderlust"
Album Cover of the Year
Kate vonHarreveld & Helgi Þórsson for "Demoni Paradiso" (Evil Madness)
Album Cover of the Year
Kate vonHarreveld & Helgi Þórsson for "Demoni Paradiso" (Evil Madness)
mánudagur, febrúar 16, 2009
Helgi Rafn Jónsson on Tour in Scandinavia & USA in February & March 2009
Helgi Rafn Jónsson is on tour to promote his New AlbumThe upcom
February
Feb 14 Debas
Feb 18 Klubb
Feb 19 Herrg
Feb 20 Semif
Feb 26 Huset
Feb 27 Musik
March
Mar 1 Vega w/
Mar 4 TBA Reykj
Mar 8 The Roxy w/
Mar 9 Cafe du Nord w/
Mar 10 Tripl
Mar 20 SXSW w/
Mar 22 Schub
Mar 24 Highl
www.myspace.com/helgijonsson
In The Spotlight @ IMX: Sin Fang Bous - Interview with Sindri
Sin Fang Bous a.k.a. Sindri Mar Sigfusson, is traditionally known as the founder/frontman of Icelandic sensations Seabear. Though Seabear began as Sindri’s one-man project - he self-released the debut “Singing Arc” (2004) on his own – the project has gradually grown to encompass anything up to seven members.
After putting out the glorious “The Ghost That Carried Us Away” in 2007, Sindri has once again returned to his solo origins, renaming himself Sin Fang Bous to release “Clangour”. Recorded and self-produced in his home studio, it sounds like he had a lot of fun making it.
More electronic and upbeat than Seabear, it’s full of Animal Collective-style pop melodies, an esoteric rainbow of sounds and a savvy balance of the accessible and the experimental. IMX meet the maestro ofclangourous pop…
So first of all, what’s the story behind the mysterious name?
I wanted to have a name that didn’t mean anything so I made it up. Sin because of Sindri, Fang because I felt some of my teeth looked like fangs and Bous because I needed a last name. It is of course a way too long and complicated name. No-one can remember it or knows how to pronounce it. I pronounce it Sin Fang Bous (booze).
Did you have an idea of what you wanted to do with Clangour or did you just dive in headfirst?
I just recorded lots of stuff. I didn’t know how it was going to turn out but that was one of the thoughts behind it. I did lots of random improvised stuff and then of course only used a tiny bit of it. I think at some point I wanted to make a really chaotic pop album.
And do you think that’s what you’ve achieved now it’s done?
I think I’m pretty happy with it. I haven’t listened to it in a while though because after the recording/mixing/mastering process you're so sick of it. I'll listen to it in a couple of years and then I'll know if I’m happy with it.
It sounds like you had access to a lot of instruments…you must have an interesting studio. Or did you borrow some from other Seabear members too?
Well I've been collecting instruments for a while so most of the instruments I played were mine but yep, I used some of the instruments the guys had in my studio.
You seem to enjoy playing with found sounds and eccentric noises - where does that particular passion stem from?
When I started out trying to make music I didn’t play any instruments. I had some sound editing programs on my computer and was always recording stuff on my Minidisc player and playing with the sounds. I actually used lots of that stuff on the album.
Did you play everything on the album?
Yes. That was one of my rules for this album. Lots of my friends are musicians and its pretty easy to get them to play for me, but I wanted to see if I could make a whole album with me playing everything. I’m not the best percussion person in the world so it was a challenge but fun.
It sounds like you fulfilled some kind of personal mission with Clangour…
One of the foundations of this album was the sentence "listen to your crazy voice". I heard an artist say this in some DVD interview when I was in art school. I can’t remember his name but he said he always tried to listen hard to his crazy voice when he was making art. I think everyone has a crazy voice somewhere in the back of your head and I tried to listen to it when I was making this album. I also wanted to be a bit brave with my voice so i was singing a bit above my range and doing all sorts of experiments with it. And I wanted to play all the instruments myself on the album. I had lots of little missions on this album.
Soppy question I know, but who would you regard as your main influences, musically or otherwise over the years?
I’m not sure what my influences are as I don’t think about it that much. I always try to do music that I think I would want to listen to myself. The first thing I remember really loving was Michael Jackson. I was pretty obsessed with music as a child. I listened a lot to hip hop and rap and as a teen I listened to the whole post rock thing a lot. Now I listen to lots of old and new music. I follow music blog sites and stuff like that but I also listen to my vinyl records a lot.
What were your favourite Icelandic records of 2008; and what are you most
excited to hear in 2009?
There were lots of great ones… Sigur Rós, FM Belfast, Skakkamanage… and more. I've got high hopes for 2009 - Hjaltalín and Kimono I’m sure will deliver great albums.
What’s 2009 gonna bring?
I’m touring as Sin Fang Bous in Europe during May/June, and I think a few dates in the US. I’m working on a new album and maybe it will be out in the end of 2009 if I’m really hard working. Seabear will release an album and an EP in the fall/winter. There will also be some festivals this summer, in Europe and a US tour when the album comes out.
After putting out the glorious “The Ghost That Carried Us Away” in 2007, Sindri has once again returned to his solo origins, renaming himself Sin Fang Bous to release “Clangour”. Recorded and self-produced in his home studio, it sounds like he had a lot of fun making it.
More electronic and upbeat than Seabear, it’s full of Animal Collective-style pop melodies, an esoteric rainbow of sounds and a savvy balance of the accessible and the experimental. IMX meet the maestro ofclangourous pop…
So first of all, what’s the story behind the mysterious name?
I wanted to have a name that didn’t mean anything so I made it up. Sin because of Sindri, Fang because I felt some of my teeth looked like fangs and Bous because I needed a last name. It is of course a way too long and complicated name. No-one can remember it or knows how to pronounce it. I pronounce it Sin Fang Bous (booze).
Did you have an idea of what you wanted to do with Clangour or did you just dive in headfirst?
I just recorded lots of stuff. I didn’t know how it was going to turn out but that was one of the thoughts behind it. I did lots of random improvised stuff and then of course only used a tiny bit of it. I think at some point I wanted to make a really chaotic pop album.
And do you think that’s what you’ve achieved now it’s done?
I think I’m pretty happy with it. I haven’t listened to it in a while though because after the recording/mixing/mastering process you're so sick of it. I'll listen to it in a couple of years and then I'll know if I’m happy with it.
It sounds like you had access to a lot of instruments…you must have an interesting studio. Or did you borrow some from other Seabear members too?
Well I've been collecting instruments for a while so most of the instruments I played were mine but yep, I used some of the instruments the guys had in my studio.
You seem to enjoy playing with found sounds and eccentric noises - where does that particular passion stem from?
When I started out trying to make music I didn’t play any instruments. I had some sound editing programs on my computer and was always recording stuff on my Minidisc player and playing with the sounds. I actually used lots of that stuff on the album.
Did you play everything on the album?
Yes. That was one of my rules for this album. Lots of my friends are musicians and its pretty easy to get them to play for me, but I wanted to see if I could make a whole album with me playing everything. I’m not the best percussion person in the world so it was a challenge but fun.
It sounds like you fulfilled some kind of personal mission with Clangour…
One of the foundations of this album was the sentence "listen to your crazy voice". I heard an artist say this in some DVD interview when I was in art school. I can’t remember his name but he said he always tried to listen hard to his crazy voice when he was making art. I think everyone has a crazy voice somewhere in the back of your head and I tried to listen to it when I was making this album. I also wanted to be a bit brave with my voice so i was singing a bit above my range and doing all sorts of experiments with it. And I wanted to play all the instruments myself on the album. I had lots of little missions on this album.
Soppy question I know, but who would you regard as your main influences, musically or otherwise over the years?
I’m not sure what my influences are as I don’t think about it that much. I always try to do music that I think I would want to listen to myself. The first thing I remember really loving was Michael Jackson. I was pretty obsessed with music as a child. I listened a lot to hip hop and rap and as a teen I listened to the whole post rock thing a lot. Now I listen to lots of old and new music. I follow music blog sites and stuff like that but I also listen to my vinyl records a lot.
What were your favourite Icelandic records of 2008; and what are you most
excited to hear in 2009?
There were lots of great ones… Sigur Rós, FM Belfast, Skakkamanage… and more. I've got high hopes for 2009 - Hjaltalín and Kimono I’m sure will deliver great albums.
What’s 2009 gonna bring?
I’m touring as Sin Fang Bous in Europe during May/June, and I think a few dates in the US. I’m working on a new album and maybe it will be out in the end of 2009 if I’m really hard working. Seabear will release an album and an EP in the fall/winter. There will also be some festivals this summer, in Europe and a US tour when the album comes out.
99. Song of the Week: Sólstafir's "Köld"
Nearly 100 weeks of posting Icelandic artists: brand new songs and classical songs. This week it's time for some Icelandic metal music, for the Sigur Rós of the metal scene: Sólstafir.Sólstafir's song 'Köld" is the Song of the 99. Week.
www.myspace.com/solstafir
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