From Iceland — Grapevine New Music Picks: Elíza Newman, Atli Örvarsson and BART!

Grapevine New Music Picks: Elíza Newman, Atli Örvarsson and BART!

Published October 14, 2022

Grapevine New Music Picks: Elíza Newman, Atli Örvarsson and BART!
Photo by
Sjoerd Knol

Ohhhh it’s Friday baby, AND it’s a sunny one. Celebrate by putting some great new music in your ear holes!

All these tracks—and so many more brought to you by The Grapevine over the past twelve months—are available in our New Music Picks 2021-22 playlist.


Elíza Newman – Ósýnileg

“Ósýnileg” is a track from Elíza’s upcoming fifth solo album. Translated as “Invisible,” the song is a call to all women, especially those who feel unseen in society. It was particularly inspired by the #MeToo movement. Borderline ballad and a rock song, “Ósýnileg” looks at what it means to be a woman today. Lyrics are what makes this song great.IZ


Atli Örvarsson – 7 Cycles

Atli Örvarsson’s new album is like diving into a pool of cool water; immediately soothing and enveloping. The experienced composer (he’s the man behind the soundtrack for ‘Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga’, in case you didn’t know) delivers sentimental moments through delicate piano riffs and emotional string arrangements. There’s a definite tendency in Icelandic neoclassical music at the moment to take simple piano phrases and create repeating, building variations on them: Atli certainly falls into this vein but his music is no less effective for sticking with the trends. It’s a beautiful album, and fans of Ólafur Arnalds will find a lot to love here. JG


BART – NONTENT HEAT

BART is an odd but interesting addition to the roster of lovely indie publisher, post-dreifing. While post-dreifing have previously focussed heavily on indie rock acts, BART is an experimental electronic artist. His new song, “NONTENT HEAT” is a hip-hop song—think Tyler, the Creator on harder drugs. The song is inventive, original, tests your limit and is just overall exactly what anyone needs on a sunny Friday in October. Go BART! VG


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