From Iceland — Nóra: Er einhver að hlusta

Published August 10, 2010

You start a band with your mates. Your band has umpteen members with instruments such as violin, harp and washboard. Then someone asks you what your band sounds like. And the first words you’ll say are “oh, a bit like Arcade Fire.” Congratulations, you’ve just made the official ‘World’s fucking laziest music comparison’.
But this comparison is perfect for Nóra’s album, ‘Er einhver að hlusta’. They’ve realised it’s not about having thirty members all playing the Hurdy Gurdy. Instead, it’s all about an expansive, ambitious sound with sweeping highs and melancholic lows. Epic Lo-Fi, if you will.
And it is certainly a stormer. Each track contains simple yet immediate melodies, linked with muscular percussion, slivers of sampled electronica and clear, strong vocals. Soft, intimate moments abound (‘Prentvillur’), but they’re not afraid to tear it up now and again (‘Sæfarinn Ólons’).
Oh, and any new bands best pay attention to songs such as ‘Horft inn’ to get a lesson in how a song should build up to a proper climax.