Grapevine New Music Picks: múm, GRÓA, Elín Hall & More

Our latest issue is now out on the streets of Reykjavík. In a cover feature illustrated by visual artist Baldur Helgason, writer Alma Mjöll Ólafsdóttir covers the increasing importance of alternative media such as podcasts and the parallel rise of the Brosphere. Luckily, in this Friday new music roundup, there are no bros… unless you mean that “bros” on your face (“bros” means smile in Icelandic). The issue also covers Hildur Guðnadóttir’s latest project Osmium, and the man-made mechanical music found on their debut. For more Icelandic music, check out our Spotify playlist. One day, maybe we’ll all start sharing physical mixtapes again.

GRÓA — Drop P
Released June 6

Drop P by GRÓA

Audacious punk trio Gróa release their long awaited LP Drop P. Delivering one of the most intriguing intro lines to an album (“I got birdshit on my cap, one big fat splash, fat splash on my hat, birdshit on my hat”), it sets the tone for a delightfully twisted, aggressive release. Now mostly writing in English, Drop P’s linguistic choices seem to create a more experimental space previously unseen with Gróa. Sonically heavier than their previous work, Gróa has entered a thrilling trajectory. JB

Elín Hall — Heaven to a Heathen
Released June 12

Much like Gróa, triple threat Elín Hall embarks on a new chapter, releasing her first-ever English-language single “Heaven to a Heathen.” In this unfamiliar territory, Elín does not seem out of place, drawing on the breadth of other Icelandic artists predominantly singing in English. The early works of Emiliana Torrini comes first to mind, as Elín’s songwriting is inspired by alternative rock of a similar era. With select dates in the UK this summer, Elín is scheduled to open for The Smashing Pumpkins in Reykjavík on August 26. JB

Emma — Halidome
Released June 12

Halidome by Emma
Atmospheric folk band Emma are one of the more exciting acts coming out of Iceland these days. Mixing post-rock elements with their folk-based instrumentation, Emma sounds like an emotive incorporation of Sigur Rós and Bon Iver. Halidome is their debut LP, featuring an average song length of about seven minutes. Long, crescendoing tracks rise and fall throughout the 60-minute runtime, each more interesting and layered than the next. JB

múm — Mild at heart
Released June 18

The band that gave rise to an entire generation of Icelandic hipsters and defined the sound of Iceland around the turn of the century, múm have returned with a new album announcement. On September 19, the group is set to release their forthcoming album History of Silence — their first since the 2013 Smilewound. Leading the announcement, “Mild at heart” is tender, careful composition featuring electronic and analogue sounds, fully encapsulating that heartwarming feeling only múm can conjure up. JB

Osmium — Osmium
Released June 20

OSMIUM by OSMIUM
The latest project featuring no other than Academy Award winner Hildur Guðnadóttir, Osmium is the latest supergroup on the block. Comprising musicians Sam Slater, Rully Shabara, and James Ginzburg, Osmium’s debut is a whirlwind of violently mechanical noises framed within an atmospheric — almost metal — soundscape. Despite its heaviness, members Hildur and James describe the lighthearted environment which surrounded the album’s production in this article. JB