Airwaves is almost here, so it’s homework time. It’s time for part seven of our monolithic guide to 48 local bands playing the festival for the first time in 2017.
Plúsvídd
Formed of Xylic & Daveeth, Plúsvidd makes melodic, spacious, fun electronic music with an acid twist. Their tunes so far vary between slow, minimal darkness and up-tempo happy bitcore, and they’re at their best live—check them out if you need to wake up.
Phlegm
Another runner-up in the Músiktilraunir contest, Reykjavík two-piece Phlegm brought some searing hardcore noise-rock to the table. Expect furiously distorted riffing, apoplectic drums, and a heavily bearded man shouting in Icelandic.
PRANKE
Fans of BATTLES might enjoy the two-man power-noodling of PRANKE, who complicate their compositions with eccentric guitar solos and twitchy timing changes, roaring onto the stage like a home-built drag car with a stuttering engine.
Rari Boys
If you prefer your music with extra Xanax, go see the Rari boys. Their music is almost inhumanly chill—great for when you want to daze out but probably not the best for a pre-game. Have fun, but be careful not to depress yourself too much.
ROFOROFO
Somewhere in a swamp copse of trees at midnight, you’ll find ROFOROFO, tripping their balls off, channeling Syd Barrett and and the trippiest moments of The Beatles’ back catalogue, with orchestral arrangements that sound like they’re sinking into the sea. Nice.
Röskva
One of the founders of Reykjavík Weirdcore collective, and one half of the duo Tanya & Marlon, Röskva identifies as a shaman witch whose performances are electronic ceremonies. The results? Mysterious, pulsing, spacious electronic music. And magic. Maybe.
These guys are absolutely not fucking around. ROHT is a wall of sound punk-thrash-noise-hardcore car wreck metal disaster whose five-track self-titled EP clocks in at just under ten minutes long. Good shit, this.
Skaði Þórðardóttir
A producer and performer known for her punk-electro drag performances, Skaði came up through the local Drag-Súgur variety night, which has blossomed into a rich breeding ground for new underground performers. Expect dark glamour and pounding, twisted synth-pop. JR
One of the faces behind the MYRKFÆNI alt-music organisation, Sólveig Mathildur’s solo work is a beautiful, soaring take on gothy electronic shoegaze, with spacious, echoing synths and a powerful, singular lead vocal. Absolutely one to watch.
Special-K
Katrín Helga’s first solo album explores the difficulties of a life saturated with anxiety, high expectations, and too little time. The angst of Generation Y has never sounded so appealing, blooming in full poetic beauty through Katrin’s nightingale-like voice.
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