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Meet Me In Osaka, Meet Me At The Fair: Iceland At The Osaka World Expo
World Expos, also known as World Fairs, are huge international events that happen every five years. Staged in different cities around the globe, participating countries construct elaborate pavilions and host national days showing off their technology, industry, and culture for hundreds of…
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Grapevine New Music: GusGus, BSÍ, Farao & More
If this ain’t a heatwave, I don’t know what is. With so much quality music out this year — and it’s only May — it doesn’t matter whether the summer will be warm or cold. These tunes are primed to bring the heat into…
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In The Mood For Experiments
Young punks Geðbrigði talk their Músíktilraunir win In early April, the final night of Músíktilraunir (Icelandic Music Experiments) brought forth a winner, following four nights of semi-finals. Four-piece pungarokk collective Geðbrigði won first place, followed by the second and third places given…
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O Brat, Where Art Thou?
Daniil’s growing popularity reaches its peak Breaking through with the record-breaking single “Ef þeir vilja Beef” in 2023, Daniil has been a favourite heartthrob amongst the burgeoning Gen Z. Now fully cemented in his position as one of Iceland’s most popular music…
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Pan Thorarensen Experiments, Or Rather, Adventures
On a date with a local tastemaker Few names have been as instrumental to the electronica scene of Reykjavík as Pan Thorarensen. Though starting as a teenager in hip-hop, his multi-decade project Stereo Hypnosis (founded with his father, Óskar Thorarensen), needs little…
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Derek Piotr Is Looking For Iceland’s Oral Traditions
Multi-genre musician and dedicated folklorist Derek Piotr is travelling to Iceland in the next week to work on his ongoing “Fieldwork Archive.” A formidable collection of over 1.000 field recordings of folk songs, Derek is constantly adding to this archive of the…
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Grapevine New Music Picks: Gróa, Gugusar, Soffía & More
As Justin Timberlake sang in NSYNC’s chart-topping single, it’s gonna be May — and it is! Welcoming warmer weather, more sunlight, and a seasonal buzz in the capital, we at the Grapevine are preparing for our bi-weekly publication calendar. Starting May 9,…
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Grapevine New Music: Daði Freyr, Króli, Salóme Katrín & More
Holy smokes, summer’s here! We’ve reached the time where selfies taken from rooftop bars and balconies start to fill our collective social media feeds. Start preparing for burnt faces proliferating onto the Reykjavík sidewalks, occupying every single square metre of available sunlight,…
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Grapevine New Music Picks: Laufey, Virgin Orchestra, Skrillex & Jónsi, & More
It looks like there’s a divide forming within the Reykjavík noise scene, as a festival rivalling Þórir Georg’s RVK Noise Fest announced their existence earlier this week. To be honest, we didn’t know the noise crowd was big enough to harbour any…
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New Podcast Northern Rising Debuts With Virgin Orchestra
Ever feel like you’re stuck listening to the same, repetitive podcasts, where people yap nonstop about boring stuff? Say no more, and go check out this brand-new miniseries covering Icelandic music. Spotlighting Iceland’s breakout artists, Northern Rising offers a glimpse into the…
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Sonic Extremities: A Preview Of RVK Noise Fest
Þórir Georg books purely harsh noise at R6013 “Noise just keeps becoming more and more interesting to the point where it becomes the only interesting thing,” Reykjavík music legend Þórir Georg tells me in the basement of 12 Tónar. April 12-13 will…
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Track By Track: Rykfall By Myrkvi
When The Dust Settles Starting his music career with the indie-pop band Vio, Magnús Thorlacius’ solo project debuted with the 2020 album Reflections. In late February, Myrkvi’s release Rykfall came out, reflecting the artist’s personal journey of self-realisation. Rooted in Vio’s songwriting…
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LÍM Builds Rhythm That Sticks
Independent electronic label LÍM is redefining Iceland’s underground music Iceland’s electronic scene may be small, but LÍM isn’t holding back. In a city with few spaces for underground music, the label is stepping up and releasing tracks you won’t hear anywhere else.…
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Towering Voices Of Theremin: Hekla Releases Turnar
Theremin master Hekla opens up a new dimension with Turnar A spectral pitch opens theremin-master Hekla’s latest album Turnar. Reverberating the ghostly wails of what once was, a loud, nerve-shaking sub-bass tilts the listener out of their comfort zone. It’s a powerful…
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Spacestation Live Review: Nothing But Stomps And Chants
Tuning Into A Local Station Over the last couple of years, Spacestation transformed from a jingle-jangle unit with stylishly scruffy outfits to one of the coolest bands in town. Their debut album Reykjavík Syndrome, exploring the quintet’s uneasy relationship with their place…
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HAMPARAT Live Review: “A Yellow Weather Alert Experience”
On March 21, perennial rock band HAM teamed up with the synthesiser-based group Apparat Organ Quartet for a once-in-a-lifetime performance dubbed HAMPARAT. This is what it felt like. A female voice semi-whispers through the layers of white noise sounds as if it…
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Track By Track: fyllt í eyðurnar By Elín Hall
Elín Hall’s latest EP wrestles with breakup in every shape and form It’s safe to say that Elín Hall’s name is on everyone’s lips. If she isn’t portraying Vigdís Finnbogadóttir on national television or Bubbi Morthens in the theatre, then she’s probably…
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On The Beat: Two Beats Ahead Live! Podcast Series
R. Michael Hendrix’s podcast series is a space for all to understand their fellow creatives better Michael Hendrix sits beside Klemens Hannigan on a bright yellow couch to ask him about craftsmanship. Most associated with HATARI, Klemens is a renowned musician currently…
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Machine Gun Etiquette
Trailblazers HAM and Apparat Organ Quartet Melt Into HAMPARAT On March 21, members of HAM and Apparat Organ Quartet join forces as Iceland’s newest supergroup: HAMPARAT. When two cult collectives unite, the effect might be akin to a suddenly occurring natural phenomenon.…
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Video Premiere: Jelena Ciric Releases “Love Song”
Jelena Ciric has been a definitive namestay in Reykjavík’s folk scene for years. In February, she released her first follow-up to her critically-acclaimed EP Shelters Two, the wonderfully crafted “Love Song”. Today, she releases the accompanying music video. Jelena’s song and accompanying…
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Grapevine New Music Picks: Ólafur Arnalds & Loreen, Spacestation, Árný Margrét & More
AHHHH. That’s the sound of us welcoming these signposts of the oncoming spring. Have you noticed that it’s actually daylight when you wake up; the tweeting birdsong, and the hubbub of people out and about? It’s March baby, so put on your…
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A Sonic Farewell To Futuregrapher: Skynvera’s Seven-Hour Tribute To Árni Grétar
Celebrating the legacy and influence of Futuregrapher Describing the impact of Árni Grétar Jóhannesson, aka Futuregrapher, is no easy task, but on Tuesday, February 25, at Gamla Bíó, the love for him was undeniable. It was a true testament to the artist’s…
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Grapevine New Music: Birnir & Daniil, Hasar, Júníus Meyvant & More
We’re getting into the pinnacle of the Icelandic calendar of traditions. It’s the upcoming trifecta of Bolludagur, Sprengidagur, and Ash Wednesday — or the advent of Lent. Although they don’t fall within the jurisdiction of official holidays, in the hearts and minds…