Articles by: Grayson Del Faro
Axlar-Björn: The Tale Of Iceland’s First Serial Murder
Folktales did true crime long before podcasts Despite the current global obsession with gritty crime dramas and true crime documentaries,…
Wedding Bells And Wretched Smells: Three Folktales On Courtship, Marriage, And Beyond
So the endless onslaught of toxic positivity and shameless materialism that defines the Christmas season has long since ended but…
Not-So-Winter Not-So-Wonderland: A Translation And Summary Of Two Icelandic Folktales On Surviving Until Spring
If you’re reading this, congratulations. You’ve made it past the winter solstice, the darkest part of the year, and the…
Black Orchids And White Spaces: Vónbjørt Vang On Winning The Nordic Council Prize For Literature
“Nobody’s going to read it,” Faroese writer Vónbjørt Vang told herself as she began to write the poems that would…
Dark Days And Darker Imaginations: Iceland Noir Brings The Big Screen To A Small Island
In 2012, crime novelists Yrsa Sigurðardóttir, Ragnar Jónasson, and Quentin Bates teamed up to create the event that would become…
Silent Night, Unholy Night
Four folktales for an unnerving Advent If you didn’t already know, Icelandic Christmas folklore is about as dark as Iceland…
Mirror, Mirror, On The Wall: Knackered’s New EP Is Looking Back At You
Tucked behind the bar in Bíó Paradís, the words “FYI I’M KNACKERED” are scrawled in squiggly sky blue text across…
Spice Up Your Life
Mabrúka brings North Africa to the North Atlantic “I went to visit my parents after living here for two years…
Reykjavík Gets Lit
The Reykjavík International Literary Festival turns 40 Although Iceland may be best known internationally for its dramatic and alien landscapes,…
All For Alfajores, Alfajores For All
Re Argentina Alfajores is selling South American sweets Carla Ines Valvo didn’t move to Iceland to sell cookies; she moved…
Deny, Defend, Deforest?
The case of Reykjavík’s trees vs. Reykjavík’s airport Trees have always been a hot topic in Iceland. Although about 40%…
Recycling Rags To Riches
ENDURTAKK is opening shop and shutting down textile waste Anyone with a sharp eye for interesting textiles might have noticed…
From Nada To Empanadas
Mijita Offer the First Taste of Colombia in Iceland When the Colombian-Canadian indie pop star Lido Pimienta played Airwaves way…
Around The World In Words
Time travel to Medieval Iceland at Arnastófnun It’s winter and you’re tired of being cooped up at home. The nights…
A Duet Of Dancers : Milkywhale On Music, Mirrors And Making A Comeback
Electropop powerhouse duo Milkywhale made a big splash in the Icelandic music scene when they were first sighted back in…
Grayson’s Saturday Night Iceland Airwaves Diary: A Slow Start & Strong Finish
My final day of Airwaves began with my own little tradition: failing to gather the energy to leave the house…
Grayson’s Friday Night Iceland Airwaves Diary: Off-Venues & Blown Minds
I started off my second day with a visit from the Ghost of Airwaves Past. Milkywhale burst onto the scene…
Grayson’s Thursday Night Iceland Airwaves Diary: Fusing Tradition & Floating Home
I eased into my first official day of Airwaves with Andervel at Lucky Records. The Iceland-based Mexican-born musician has crafted…
The Edda or Whatever: Scalding Hot Takes from Skáldskaparmál
Welcome to The Edda or Whatever, where I’m spilling the tea on Norse mythology. We’re breaking down the Prose Edda,…
The Edda or Whatever: The One Where Óðinn Invents Poetry By Drooling
Welcome to The Edda or Whatever, where I’m spilling the tea on Norse mythology. We’re breaking down the Prose Edda,…
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…
The Edda Or Whatever: Gylfaginning’s Season Finale
Welcome to The Edda or Whatever, where I’m spilling the tea on Norse mythology. We’re breaking down the Prose Edda,…
The Edda Or Whatever: The Peen-Ultimate Part of Gylfaginning
Welcome to The Edda or Whatever, where I’m spilling the tea on Norse mythology. We’re breaking down the Prose Edda,…
The Edda Or Whatever: The Son of the Return of Gylfaginning
Welcome to The Edda or Whatever, where I’m spilling the tea on Norse mythology. We’re breaking down the Prose Edda,…
The Edda Or Whatever: The Gylfa-Beginning of Gylfaginning
Welcome to The Edda or Whatever, where I’m spilling the tea on Norse mythology. We’re breaking down the Prose Edda,…