It’s print day here at Grapevine HQ, with our recent cover feature exploring the wonderful intricacies of the Icelandic Ring Road. If you’re on the road yourself, why not treat yourself to a hand-crafted curation of Icelandic summer tracks — a callback to a previous cover feature. As summer vacations roll in, Icelandic artists take some time off to perform the rvarious festivals around the country. In light of this, here are some tracks you might have missed in the previous month, neatly collected in a handy little playlist.
Hoym — Lög frá Farbraut
Released June 6
Charming North Atlantic trio Hoym released their debut EP with limited fanfare, rather resting on the laurels of their six-track record. Consisting of Faraoese Elinborg Pálsdóttir and Lea Kampmann, and the Icelandic Katrín Helga Ólafsdóttir — K.óla — the three have formed a tight friendship over the course of Nordic music export activities. What results is a minimalist, acoustic-driven cocktail of Nordic hygge and Atlantic dread. JB
Benjamín Gísli — Schweigaards Gate
Released June 20
In late June, pianist Benjamín Gísli released his debut solo album. Having previously collaborated with the Benjamín Gísli trio, the eponymous musician has made a name for himself in the Norwegian jazz scene. Schweigaards Gate is a testament to his current home of Oslo, named after his residence in which he recorded, mixed, and produced the release. A collection of 14 compositions, they mix Icelandic folk melodies with cinematic passages, creating a stellar debut release for the young artist to build on. JB
Rams — Guttered
Released June 21
Oh, so you thought ‘00s-inspired classic rock was out of fashion? Iceland’s latest rock band RAMS begs to differ. Sporting shiny leather jackets in their promotional photos, RAMS plays music in a similar vein as KALEO. Loud guitars and allusions to drugs seem to be the subject matter of their recent single “Guttered”, which sounds like it’s fresh from the garage. After reviewing footage from their TikTok account, we’ve concluded that Jesse Plemons has taken up a side gig as the band’s drummer. JB
Of Monsters and Men — Television Love
Released July 1
The world has gone without Of Monsters and Men for five years. Is there any chance we could make that 10? It’s been two years since lead singer Nanna went solo with How to Start A Garden, spurring curious rumours about the band’s potential demise. Finally unveiling the product of their “five-year quiet evolution”, the celebrated indie-folk group releases “Television Love”. Sonically, it sees no radical departure from the band’s ubiquitous 2010s folkie hey-ho sound, blending into the cookie-cutter songwriting one expects from the world-renowned music icons. Our verdict: just listen to My Head is an Animal and pretend that finger moustaches are funny again. JB
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