Words by

John Rogers

@jhnrgrs

Iceland Airwaves have completed the festival’s 2015 lineup with a bang, announcing no less than 120 new additions to the already packed programme. Watch their fancy new announcement video (made by the one and only Ingibjörg Birgisdóttir):

The best known name in today’s announcement is likely electronic pop band Hot Chip, whose return performance was announced last week in lieu of Björk’s cancellation. Making their way back to the festival eleven years after their breakthrough performance in 2004, Hot Chip appear on the back of new album ‘Why Make Sense?’, which has been picking up positive mentions in the music media of late.

There are some more eye-catching overseas artists in the huge list, including Warp Records star Lonelady, who released her second album ‘Hinterland’ earlier this year. From Italy come Joycut, a two-piece band that play a joyful amalagam of kraut-rock, post-rock and experimental electric music with a strong rhythmic element from their double-drums setup. Fans of the avant-garde will be happy to see one half of Cocorosie, performing under the Janet/Beyoncé-style singular name Bianca; those with a penchant for indie-pop will be happy to see the wry, heartfelt music of Danish big-band Dad Rocks! tucked away in the lineup.

The Icelandic bands announced span the music spectrum. From evergreen festival mainstays like FM Belfast and Sin Fang to new-kids-on-the-block Vaginaboys and Gangly, the cream of the Icelandic crop will once again be on display. Incomers will no doubt be happy see the breakout simmering techno of Kiasmos in the lineup, with the dance-party maelstrom of Sykur and the jagged, ever-changing electronic improvisations of Good Moon Deer ticking the boxes for all kinds of electronica fans. From veteran punk-noir quartet Æla to decade-hopping debutantes Dream Wife, the lineup is representative of that rich tapestry Icelandic musicians are always busy weaving.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvU63MFTmr8

Tickets for the festival are still available here.

Here’s that announcement in full:

Tuff Love (UK)
Agzilla
Amit
Andri Már
Andy Shauf CA)
Anna B Savage (UK)
Arni Vector
Arnljótur
Art is Dead
Ave (FO)
Bárujárn
Beneath
Bianca (US)
Bistro Boy
Blaue Blume (DK)
Brilliantinus
BRNS (BE)
Börn
Cell7
Chastity Belt (US)
Cheddy Carter
Chili and the Whalekillers (AT/IS)
Dad Rocks! (DK)
DALÍ
Daveeth
DJ Elvar
Dream Wife
Döpur
EAST OF MY YOUTH
Elín Helena
Epic Rain
Exos
Flo Morrissey (UK)
FM Belfast
Formation (UK)
French for Rabbits (NZ)
FURA
Gangly
Geislar
ghostigital
Good Moon Deer
Great Mountain Fire (BE)
Grúska Babúska
Gunnar Jónsson Collider
H.dór
Halleluwah
HAM
Helgi Valur
Hide Your Kids
HIMBRIM
Hjaltalín
Holly Macve (UK)
Hot Chip (UK)
Hymnalaya
Jack Magnet Quintet
Jafet Melge
JoyCut (IT)
Jóhann Eiríksson
Jónas Sen
Just Another Snake Cult
Justman
Kiasmos
Klassart
Kött Grá Pjé
Lonelady (UK)
Lord Pu$$whip
Lucy in Blue
Mafama
Magnús Leifur
Mankan
Manu Delago Handmade (AT)
Meat Wave (US)
Mikael Lind
Mike Hunt
Milkywhale
MIRI
Momentum + Malneirophrenia
Mosi Musik
Mógil
Mr. Silla
Mr.Signout
My bubba
Nao (UK)
Nordic Affect
Oculus
Odinn
Ohm
Ojba Rasta
Oyama
Par-Ðar
Plasmic
Porches. (US)
Serengeti by President Bongo
Red Barnett
Royal
Ruxpin
Rúnar Thórisson
Samúel Jón Samúelsson Big Band
Severed
Shades of Reykjavík
Sin Fang
Sindri Eldon & the Ways
Sinmara
Sisí Ey
Skelkur í bringu
Skurken
SMURJÓN
Snooze Infinity
Stafrænn Hákon
Stereo Hypnosis
Sykur
Telekinetic Walrus (US)
The Drink (UK)
The Vintage Caravan
Thor
TRPTYCH
Vaginaboys
VAR
Verveine (CH)
Waage
When ‘airy met fairy (LU)
Yagya
Yamaho
Þórir Georg
Þórunn Antonía og Bjarni
Æla