Maybe A Swan Song: Hipsumhaps At Harpa

Fannar Ingi Friðþjófsson, best known as the mind behind Hipsumhaps, might be about to sing his last.

On November 12th at Eldborg in Harpa, Hipsumhaps will be giving a performance that for Fannar, may ring out the coda of his musical career, and will most certainly be the final act of Hipsumhaps’ latest album, ‘Lög síns tíma’ (‘Songs of their time’). In fact, the concert itself was conceived while the album was being made.

“While we were making the second album, I started to set goals for myself and the project, what opportunities I wanted to create for us,” he tells us. “I got this idea that I wanted to throw big concerts; concerts that would cover all the lost opportunities from the pandemic, following the first album. We really didn’t get that many opportunities to follow up on our first album. We had been postponing the same concerts three times, and I just really wanted to set the bar high. I felt like we were creating a unique sound, and a big sound. We started thinking about the sound of the album within the context of Eldborg in Harpa. To get this huge stadium vibe.”

‘Songs of their time’ indeed

In addition to being the final time it is played live, the concert will be, according to Fannar, “the best experience you will get of this album”—but it goes beyond that.

“I’ve been reminded that the most valuable thing that we have is time. So I’m just going to have a good time.”

“On January 1st, the album will not be available anymore on streaming platforms,” he says. “So it serves its purpose of being ‘lög síns tíma’. Until January 1st, you can buy a digital copy of the album on our website [hipsumhaps.is] where we are raising money for the Iceland Wetlands Fund. That’s one of the themes on the album, and one of my core values: matters of nature and climate change. I wanted to do something special to send positive messages related to the topics on this album.”

Pulling the album was not exactly a difficult decision for Fannar, and his reasons could not be more fitting.

“I think it’s interesting just to let go of some project,” he says. “Letting it go for me, this project is so filled with emotions; not just the music but also the process behind it all. I’m really just ready to let go of all the focused attention that this project has given me. I’ll always be rich off the learning curve that this project has served me, and I will take it with me to the next project.”

Having a good time

But can we expect more music from Fannar? As it is now, anything goes.

“I’m just thinking in ideas right now,” he says. “They’re not necessarily in sound and music. They’re also visual concepts. I’m looking forward to challenging myself, but that’s for the long run. I think it’s also necessary for me to take a step back and just think about other things for a while. I’ve been reminded that the most valuable thing that we have is time. So I’m just going to have a good time.”

You can buy tickets to the concert, and buy a digital copy of ‘Lög síns tíma,’ at hipsumhaps.is