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Grapevine New Music Picks: CYBER, Dr. Gunni & More
Dear reader, there’s a new issue of the Grapevine out on the streets of Reykjavík (and its neighbouring towns, and in select Króna stores outside the capital area). Among the music articles you may find are an interview with electronic duo CYBER…
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Track By Track: Dulræn Atferlismeðferð By Kött Grá Pjé
Rapper Kött Grá Pjé’s Dulræn Atferlismeðferð is mystical, groovy and true to the heart Debuting as a solo artist 10 years ago, Kött Grá Pjé recently released his most mystic album yet. Out on August 16, the feline-loving rapper joined forces with…
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Wide Awake: Punk Pioneers Purrkur Pillnikk Star In A New Documentary
In August 1982, punk rock four-piece Purrkur Pillnikk played their final show at the Melarokk festival in Reykjavík. Their short, tight set featured five new songs emanating a power and drive that “had rarely been better,” as the newspaper Tíminn would write. …
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Happy Songs For Happy People: Dr. Gunni Keeps The Fun Going
Gunnar Lárus Hjálmarsson, aka Dr. Gunni, is a true local legend. Initially the driving force behind Icelandic cult indie collectives S.H. Draumur and Unun in the 1980s and ‘90s, he’s also a renowned tastemaker whose audience has no age limits. His children’s…
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Grapevine New Music: Kaktus Einarsson, Supersport!, Lúpína & More
You know, there’s so much music that gets released every single day. We’re lucky that an enterprise such as the Reykjavík Grapevine exists to help you sift through all that information and deliver you the best stuff. And we do it every…
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An Enduring Collaboration: JóiPé & Króli Kick Off Söngvaskáld
It’s been seven years since JóiPé & Króli became an overnight sensation. Their 2017 single B.O.B.A became the country’s most-played song, rushing the then-18-year-olds under the national spotlight. The song’s popularity was well-deserved, mixing modern-day hip-hop production in between snippets of musician…
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Grapevine New Music: Múr, MC Myasnoi, Baggalútur & More
Dear Grapevine reader, there’s a new issue of your favourite magazine out on the streets of Reykjavík today. The issue’s cover feature profiles the quiet yet massive success of Reykjavík-based label, collective and publishing company INNI Music, and their ever-growing list of…
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Grapevine New Music: Teitur Magnússon, Hildur Guðnadóttir, Oyama & More
It is. The freakin’. Weekend. So take a break from staring at the screen pretending to do work, pop your earphones in, and check out our new music picks. We’ve got Oyama’s smokin’ new single, some string strokes and strums from zen-pop…
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A Mountain For A Muse: Stórval Was An Eccentric Art Icon
Stefán V. Jónsson (1908-1994) — popularly known as Stórval — is an eccentric icon of the Icelandic art canon. His works have long been revered by devoted fans and curious onlookers alike. He achieved an almost mythical status in his lifetime, and…
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Premiere: Oyama Return With New Song ‘Cigarettes’
Shoegaze is a genre that never goes out of style. Oyama are an Icelandic quintet who started making dreamy guitar music long after the genre’s initial wave had broken, but they found an audience for their early releases: an EP called I…
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Track By Track: Litli Dauði / Stóri Hvellur By Biggi Maus
Biggi Maus is the solo project of Birgir Örn Steinarsson of Maus, Króna, and Bigital. In this track by track, he talks us through his latest solo LP, the ‘80s new wave-inspired Litli Dauði / Stóri Hvellur. Hear it at biggimaus.bandcamp.com. Litli…
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Mánudjass Jams On: Reykjavík’s Legendary Jazz Night Thrives At Le Kock
Every Monday at around half past seven, a hum of anticipation fills the space of downtown burger joint Le Kock. Heroes of the Reykjavík jazz scene, MÍT students, tourists, and general music enthusiasts all grab a drink and cram into the booths…
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Score-Core: Conductor And Composer Eímear Noone Levels Up At Harpa
“We like to be on the cutting edge, but we live in a place that’s so old. We live surrounded by history and living history,” says Eímear Noone, about her native Ireland. “And I feel like Iceland is like that.” Acclaimed for…
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The Spaces In Between: Masaya Ozaki’s Musical Worlds
As one of the most photographed countries on the planet, it’s easy to communicate what Iceland looks like — even what it feels like. But what does Iceland sound like? For Masaya Ozaki, a composer and audio artist based in Reykjavík, the…
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Grapevine New Music: Mukka, Magnús Jóhann & Óskar Guðjónsson, Amor Vincit Omnia & More
It’s a worthy, however futile, attempt to bring an umbrella to Iceland. For dainty Europeans, an umbrella is no more hassle than carrying a pair of sunglasses — and equally utilitarian. In Iceland, the umbrella market never really took off because of…
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Track By Track: Keli – Ást & Keli
The solo venture of Hrafnkell Hugi Vernharðsson, Keli strikes a distinctly different tone from the boisterous jams of his party outfit Celebs. Here, Keli is stripped back and bare, a folksy foil to the glittering, energetic persona he projects while on stage…
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Kaktus Einarsson Talks Love, Healing, And His Second Album ‘Lobster Coda’
Three years after his debut solo album, Kick The Ladder, Kaktus Einarsson returns with a record that gives his prolific career a new start. Named Lobster Coda, the collection of eight tracks can be treated as a transition from one phase of…
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Track By Track: TRPTYCH’s Ajna Invites Listeners On A Journey
The solo project of Daníel Þorsteinsson of Maus and Sometime fame, TRPTYCH has gone from strength to strength since its conception in 2015, releasing a steady stream of dark electronic sounds that manage to build and organise into immersive worlds. With Ajna…
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Just Lighten Up! Pale Moon Reminds You To Have Fun
Pale Moon is the husband-wife duo of musicians Árni Guðjónsson and Natalia Sushchenko. The pair released their sophomore album Carpets, Cables and Sweaty Hearts, on July 19. “Someplace warmer than here,” is the first thought that springs to mind when listening to…
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A Sonic Adventure: Mary Lattimore Leads The Line At Extreme Chill 2024
Extreme Chill is an annual festival whose roots extend to coil around a certain set of underground sounds and vibes. Its broad remit includes expansive ambient soundscapes, cosmic drones, avant-garde composition and the wild edges of experimental electronica. The event has evolved…
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Norðanpaunk Forever: Ten Years Of Iceland’s Best Festival
It was Merchant’s Day Weekend 2024 when the independent DIY underground music festival Norðanpaunk turned 10 years old. This great weekend shall not be soon forgotten, no matter how much Prosecco was chugged from a large plastic bottle in front of a…
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RÁN Waves The Flag: Inside Margrét Rán’s Joyous 2024 Pride anthem
“I really hope the listeners get the feeling of being in the crowded Pride parade, dancing and waving our glorious flag surrounded by colourful people and atmosphere,” Margrét Rán says of “Gleðivíma,” the song she wrote for this year’s Reykjavík Pride. Giddy…
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Track By Track: The Bobby Sands Showtime Special By Bobby Sands
This Is Bobby Sands’ World, You’re Just In It A self-contained story of a late-night show by the impeccable Bobby Sands, The Bobby Sands Showtime Special is a wild ride from beginning to end. With references to ‘70s cop films, high-adrenaline 8-bit…