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The Quiet Music Men: Hugar Create Chilled Classics
Musical duo Hugar have been a creative partnership for 10 years now, a fact that seems to take the individuals in question—Bergur Þórisson and Pétur Jónsson—by surprise. “Time flies! I’m quite shocked,” says Pétur, when reminded. “Should we start to plan an…
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An Icelandic Noise: Dance Music, Wild Sounds And Gentle Folk
What does Iceland sound like? Perhaps it’s an odd question to ask about a big chunk of rock in the North Atlantic. But if you’re in tune with the sound of nature—or the nature of sound—then perhaps not. Over the last two…
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The Cold Light Of Night: Kælan Mikla Have A Dark New Universe To Share
The mercurial Kælan Mikla defy description in many ways. Although it might appear that many of the band’s motifs and themes could be huddled together under the big black umbrella of “goth”, that just seems too simplistic. Not to mention somewhat reductive.…
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Grapevine Music News: Laufey, Bríet And A Eurovision Ding-Dong
Three stories from the music news desk at Grapevine Towers… Laufey Jazz wunderkind Laufey Lin—who established an enviable international profile on social media through posting home performance videos during lockdown—played on American TV show ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ last month. The appearance was…
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The Grapevine’s New Music Picks: Árný Margrét, Possimiste and ZAAR
This week: a new song from emerging folk star Árný Margrét, a new collaborative video from stargirl Possimiste and a new song from ZAAR, (erm…. which rhymes with “star”!). These little beauties—and so many more brought to you by The Grapevine over…
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The Grapevine’s New Music Picks: Bríet, russian.girls and Kaśka Paluch
This week: a new track and video out today from Bríet, russian.girls give out the dark and moody and Kaśka Paluch blends progressive house, archive folk and Icelandic storms. These little beauties—and so many more brought to you by The Grapevine over…
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The Grapevine’s New Music Picks: Power Paladin, Salóme Katrín and Pale Moon
Iceland’s newest pandemic restrictions, announced today, mean that that we’re unlikely to be going out to see bands any time soon. So here are a few excellent new tunes to see us all though yet more domestic confinement. These little beauties—and so…
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Track By Track: An Intimate Journey with Axel Flóvent
Axel Flóvent’s newest album, ‘You Stay By The Sea’, has been attracting a lot of international attention—and for a good reason. It’s a beautiful journey through his inner life, from overthinking stuff (we have all done that) to friendship that slowly fades…
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Renaissance Man: Magnús Jóhann
Magnús Jóhann is a tad late for his Grapevine interview. Not rockstar late, you understand, although given his emergent position in the Icelandic music scene he could probably pull that kind of crap and get away with it, if he wanted. But…
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Grapevine Grassroots: Live Track And Interview With Inspector Spacetime
The next emerging act to feature in our look back at the Live From Reykjavík festival is Inspector Spacetime. The energetic dance music trio made one of the best Icelandic albums of last year, and have been making the room bounce wherever…
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The Grapevine’s New Music Picks: Vök, Hugar and Brynjar Daðason
With that pesky pandemic limiting our ability to go out and see music played live, it’s a good thing that 2022 is starting strong with new releases to see us through yet more domestic confinement. The below musical gems—and so many more…
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Video Of The Year: Máni Sigfússon for Kælan Mikla’s “Hvítir Sandar”
Kælan Mikla are a band with a very particular visual aesthetic, and it came as no surprise to the awards panel that one of last year’s strongest videos was theirs. Their track “Hvítir Sandar”, which translates as “White Sand”, is a collaboration…
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Reykjavík Grapevine Music Awards: Shout Out To Minningar
Every year, the Grapevine Music Awards give a shout out to someone who has made the musical world a better place over the preceding 12 months. But for 2022, we’re highlighting a project that set out to make the actual world a…
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Artist Of The Year: Inspector Spacetime
Inspector Spacetime materialise unexpectedly in the middle of the Grapevine Awards party, and tumble out of their time-travelling British phone box. We suspect that they’d actually set the controls for late nineties London clubland—their spiritual home—but once it dawns on them that…
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One To Watch: Sucks To Be You, Nigel and Árný Margrét
The grassroots in Iceland is lively in the time of COVID-19 and therefore, the panel couldn’t decide what to pick. So, why limit yourself? The panel decided to go for one band and a solo artist this year. First. It sucks to…
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Song Of The Year: Vesturbæjar Beach
The song Vesturbæjar Beach by BSÍ is not only our Song Of The Year. It is, in some ways, the most telling song about the COVID year of 2021. It describes awful summers in Iceland, as well as the will to do…
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Album of the Year: Sóley & kef LAVÍK
Album of the year: Mother Melancholia by Sóley ‘Mother Melancholia’ is a dark, deep exploration into the feeling of the end of the world, imminent death and destruction, as well as the complexity of a feminist riot surging within the heart of…
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You Should Have Heard This: Sunna Friðjóns
Listening to Sunna Friðjóns’ new album, ‘Let the Light In’, is to be transported to another world. The mystically flowing songs evoke scenes that are easy to retreat into when you feel the need to escape this pandemic-infused reality for a moment.…
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The Grapevine’s New Year Musical Picks: Ólafur, Gyða and Rafnar
So it’s the last week of 2021. And with one ear on the upcoming hectic shenanigans of New Year’s Eve, we bring three gentle musical gifts from the frosty north to calm your spirit. As ever, you can enjoy the musical gems…
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Grapevine Grassroots: Live Track And Interview With Laufey
Reykjavík native Laufey has been charming YouTube audiences ever since she started posting home videos of her solo musical performances during pandemic lockdown. Singing jazz classics and her own compositions—while accompanying herself on cello, guitar or piano—she built up a huge following…
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Grapevine Christmas Music Picks: All The “Gleðileg Jól” You Could Possibly Pack Into A Playlist
It’s the last Friday afternoon before Christmas Eve. And if you’re not imposing festive cheer on your office party by blasting our top choice of Icelandic Christmas tunes then you clearly hate Santa, and all the little Yule Lads. And you’ll get…
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Grapevine Grassroots: Live Track And Interview With Árný Margrét
The Reykjavík Grapevine is collaborating with the Live From Reykjavík festival to bring you four exclusive interviews and live tracks from up-and-coming Icelandic acts. In this episode we are delighted to introduce you to indie-folk artist Árný Margrét. Árný Margrét, a young…
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Grapevine New Music Picks: Júníus Meyvant, Hanna Mia Brekkan and Ljunggren/Sverrisson
This week we’ve got three more musical non-Christmas crackers for you, with love from Iceland. Well if you want Mariah Carey telling you what she wants for Christmas, and Wham! complaining about last Christmas, then you probably know where to go… and…