The Grapevine gets a ‘sleazy thanks’ in the sleeve but we’ll not be influenced by such blatant arse kissing. Actually, no flattery is required because Exile Republic is pretty good, offers of filth or not. The opening blast of ‘Credo’ is pure…

It was recently explained to me, when having dinner in a nice restaurant, that a ram’s testicle is best eaten “when in season”. I took this to mean that the delicacy should be consumed when the ram was about to embark on…

Whilst Gogol Bordello seem to have the international monopoly on high-energy folk, using what might be described as a cynical find-a-niche-and-play-up-to-it approach, Stórsveit Nix Noltes have taken a less obvious route with their debut album. They rely heavily on traditional Balkan folk…

With a name like a spaghetti Western and songs such as ‘Drifter’ and ‘Hillbilly Purgatory’, you’d imagine the Tommygun Preachers to come across sonically like a posse of unwashed outlaws who found time to make some good ‘ol guitar music in-between jumping…

Hraun have taken a fair bit of stick from various corners of the Icelandic press. The issue most have with the band is that they aren’t trying to be different or unique and this often arouses an instant, and sometimes legitimate, form…

+ Sigur Rós’ new release mostly finds them moving away from their trademark ethereal soundscape of long build-ups, breakdowns and crescendos, towards a more traditional pop-song formula. It is also the first Sigur Rós album I’ve really enjoyed since Ágætis Byrjun. This…

Benni Hemm Hemm has reached a large number of fans with his brass-laden acoustic pop on his previous two albums. After a successful collaboration project with Swede Jens Lekman, Benni Hemm Hemm now returns with Murta St. Calunga, his third studio album.…

Grjóthrun is best described as authentic Icelandic folk-rock. It has never been a music genre that inspires me with pride in my cultural heritage, but let’s focus on the positive: 1) I enjoyed the song Jónas, not least because the lyric was…