Music
Most read
Latest
-
Grapevine Playlist: GKR, Sacha Bernardson, JFDR, aYia, Hildur & More
From ambient soundscapes to aggressive metal to spacious electronica to a Frank Ocean cover, here are the latest juicy fruits to fall from the branches of the giant, mythical Icelandic music tree. It’s time for another Grapevine Playlist. Sacha Bernardson – Heat…
-
Háskar: March 30th “Doomsday Festival” Approaches In Reykjavík
An interesting event appeared on the Reykjavík radar this year. On March 30th at the Iðnó arts theatre, Svikamylla ehf.—the somewhat opaque company associated with conceptual, theatrical art-punk trio Hatari—announced a “doomsday party” called Háskar, a play on “Páskar,” which is Icelandic…
-
Track by Track: Lord Pusswhip ‘Stationz ov the puss’
The works of rapper and producer Lord Pusswhip are best described as unpredictable. Over the years, his sound has meandered all over the spectrum—from laid back vapourwave to post-emo weirdo hip-hop punk to straight up bangers. Take last month’s Sonar Reykjavík, where…
-
Sónar Saturday: Attack Of The Cucumber-Weilding B-Men
Saturday was Sónar’s finale, and Harpa filled up fast. The festival wheeled out a stellar array of forward-thinking experimental stars, up ‘n’ coming talents, and some big names of dance music. It was a night to remember: here’s what went down. Vulnerability,…
-
In Photos: Inside Sónar Reykjavík’s Friday Night Blow-Out
As well as our intrepid review team, we had a photographer-at-large documenting the halls, corridors, sound booths and stages of Sónar Reykjavík in Harpa last night. Here’s how the festival looks from the inside. Read our Sónar Reykjavík coverage here.
-
Sónar Reykjavík Friday: Beats, Sexuality, Reggaetón, Jellyfish, Immense Bass
After the opening night off-venue parties, Sónar Reykjavík kicked off last night at Harpa will the full festival programme. Here’s what went down, as told by the Grapevine review-team-at-large. Fresh-air feeling Sónar Reykjavík always brings fresh air to the halls of Harpa.…
-
Sónar Warm Up: Atonal Noise, Berlin Electro & Proper Techno
Our writers went into the breach last night to check out the warm-up night for Sónar Reykjavík 2018. Here’s what they discovered. My first night at Sónar Reykjavík 2018 was a journey from light towards darkness. The first stop was at the…
-
Electric Dreams: Russian.Girls On Creativity And Friendship
Mystery shrouds russian.girls. Guðlaugur Halldór Einarsson’s project formed some years ago, initially as a creative outlet for his solo experiments. Two diverse albums were released under its name last year—the wry and pulsating ’Sisters & Brothers, Vol. 2’ and cynically gloomy ‘To…
-
Grapevine Playlist: Pusswhip, Alvia, Ben Frost, Sunna, Allenheimer, Rari Boys & More
Holy moly! More hot, steaming geysirs of gleaming, sulphurous, fresh Icelandic music spurting out of the internet, and right into your ears! Yup: it’s the Grapevine playlist. Fivefiles EP by Allenheimer Allenheimer – Megas Music scene veteran Atli Bollason returns with a…
-
Step Your Pusswhip Up: Lord Pusswhip On Trying To Be Somebody
Since his humble beginnings as DJ Pusswhip in 2012, Þórður Ingi Jónsson, aka Lord Pusswhip, has carved out a reputation for his particular brand of cool weirdo post-emo hip-hop. The past twelve months have been particularly kind to his Lordship, paying off…
-
Artist Playlist: Jónbjörn’s Ten Top Icelandic Cuts
Westfjords-born, Berlin-based DJ and producer Jónbjörn is one of the minds behind the Lagaffe Tales electronic music label. His solo work explores ‘90s IDM, acid breaks, and deep house. Having released on international labels like Neo Violence and D.K.O., his next release…
-
Into The Groove And Back: SYKUR Sweeten Sónar Reykjavík
Some people—the ones that have had a real impact on your life—never really leave you. It’s true of long gone grandparents, it’s true of first loves, and it’s true of SYKUR. The exuberant electro-pop band that gave us iconic dancefloor hits like…
-
TOKiMONSTA On Creativity, Travel, And Playing Sónar Reykjavík 2018
Toki being the Korean word for “rabbit”—and monsta needing no translation—TOKiMONSTA is the project of Korean-American electronic musician Jennifer Lee. Beginning with classical piano in the suburbs of south L.A., and somehow ending up in the north Atlantic headlining Sónar Reykjavík, her…
-
Sónar Reykjavík: The Electronic Extravaganza Begins Tomorrow
The time has finally come! Sónar Reykjavik will be held in Harpa this weekend, and we can’t contain our excitement. After all, as one of our reporters wrote some weeks ago, “to Icelandic electronic music aficionados, the annual Sónar Reykjavík festival is…
-
Riding The Waves: GusGus On Their New Music And New Dynamic
GusGus are a pioneering entity in Iceland’s electronic music scene that barely need an introduction. This band are well known for their energetic live performances and catchy synth-driven melodies both here and abroad. Since forming in 1995 they have seen ten album…
-
Music News: ‘Vacuum’ Pop-Opera, Sólveig In Japan, Örvar Goes Solo
A new collaborative music “pop-opera” called VACUUM has been announced, taking place April 12th at Tjarnabíó. Inspired by the vacuum of space, the project was conceived and choreographed by Milkywhale singer and frontwoman Melkorka Sigríður Magnúsdóttir. It also brings together a variety…
-
Icelandic Composer Bára Gísladóttir Wins Prestigious Léonie Sonning Music Prize
Icelandic contrabass player and composer Bára Gísladóttir, who was the joint winner of the Grapevine Music Awards “Shout Out” category earlier this year alongside rapper Alvia Islandia, has won the Léonie Sonning Talent Prize. The prize is one of the most prestigious…
-
Like A Raging Storm: Daníel Bjarnason On Creating And Composing
There is something very calming about Icelandic composer Daníel Bjarnason. Daníel has just won the Harpa Award for his score in Icelandic movie ‘Under The Tree,’ which was described with great accuracy as “a physical assault on the cinematic viewer. One could…
-
Remembering Jóhann Jóhannsson
It was with a heavy heart and shocked sadness that we reported last month the death of iconic Icelandic composer Jóhann Jóhannsson. His haunting music has graced everything from television and cinema, both in Scandinavia and the world at large, culminating in…
-
Electric Dreams: Axis Dancehall Get The Party Started
Seated amongst countless disassembled synthesizers, Grétar Mar Sigurðsson and Atli Steinn Bjarnason share an interesting dynamic. Together they form genre-bending electronic music duo Axis Dancehall. The boys invited me to their garage-turned-music studio to show me their recent work, talk about their…
-
Unearthing That Frosty Vibe: Árni Has A Passion For The Decks
A real “DJ’s DJ”, Árni E. Guðmundsson is a tireless champion of other people’s music, often bringing unknown talents into the spotlight. Having started in drum ‘n’ bass and dubstep under the moniker Skeng, Árni now goes by his first name, playing…
-
Iceland’s Techno Star Bjarki: трип Down a Road Less Travelled
Flashing lights. The meditative rhythm of music blaring from stacks of speakers. A sea of people, entranced by the spectacle, swaying to the four by four beat. And up front, the DJ, Bjarki—although “DJ” is a misnomer in this case, as he…
-
Activate Sónar: Ten Must-See Icelandic Acts At Sónar Reykjavík
To Icelandic electronic music aficionados, the annual Sónar Reykjavík festival is something of a “techno Christmas.” In the long-established model of Iceland Airwaves, this Harpa-based two-day party mixes international big name bookings like Underworld with the cream of the rich and diverse…