amiina is based in Reykjavík Iceland. At present the band counts six people – Edda Rún Ólafsdóttir, Hildur Ársælsdóttir, María Huld Markan Sigfúsdóttir, Sólrún Sumarliðadóttir, Magnús Trygvason Eliassen and Guðmundur Vignir Karlsson (aka Kippi Kaninus).
The group’s origins go back to the late 1990s, when four girls studying string instruments at the Reykjavík College of Music formed a string quartet. The group started out playing classical music, but increasingly moved on to play all sorts of music with various bands in Reykjavík.
In 1999 the quartet joined Icelandic band Sigur Rós on-stage. The collaboration continued for over a decade, with amiina contributing strings to Sigur Rós’ music on tour and in the recording studio on the albums ( ) , Takk and Með suð… and Valtari.
In 2007, drummer Magnús Trygvason Eliassen joined amiina on tour, adding percussion to the band’s textures. Early 2008 a collaboration between the electronic artist Kippi Kaninus and amiina was established while preparing a show together for the Reykjavík Arts Festival. The merging of Kippi Kaninus’ electronics and rhythms with amiina’s sounds and Magnús’ percussion became the starting point for more established collaboration between the six musicians.
amiina’s releases include AnimaminA (2004), followed by the single “Seoul” (2006), the full-length album Kurr (2007), a Lee Hazlewood collaboration on a 7” vinyl Hilli (at the Top of…) (2008), the limited release EP Re Minore (2009), Puzzle (2011) and The Lighthouse Project (2013). The band is currently working on new material they hope to release in 2014.
November 2
23:00 Gamla Bíó
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