Grapevine Playlist: Högni, Sturla Atlas, Indridi, Sólveig Matthildur & More

With festival season in full flow and new releases coming thick and fast, here are some of the latest Icelandic tracks that have been catching our attention.

Indridi – Undiraldan
The debut album by solo artist Indridi, ‘Makril’, has been out for a while now, but he recently unveiled a lyrical and wistful video for the track “Undiraldan,” presented by the exciting new label Figure Eight, alongside a scorching electronica track called “Turbone,” out now on his Bandcamp. The two tracks form a stark contrast; there are interesting things ahead from Indridi, it seems. JR

Högni – Komdu Með
GusGus and Hjaltalín star Högni Egilsson has unveiled the first track from his debut solo album with the Erased Tapes label. The song’s a grand offering, with sonorous choral melodies, scattered beats, and a confident, soulful lead vocal. The album, ‘Two Trains’, follows in October. JR

Unexplained miseries & the acceptance of sorrow by Sólveig Matthildur

Solveig Matthildur – Unexplained Miseries I
Solveig Matthildur is a musician you might know from Kælan Mikla. Her debut solo album is something to behold—deep, spacious synths roll around with echoing beats, and her voice is nothing short of stunning, bringing to mind electronic-goth-shoegaze stars like Zola Jesus and Tamaryn. You can download it for €5 on Bandcamp, and read more here. JR

Sturla Atlas – I Know
Sturla Atlas is all about pop earworms—those songs you find yourself singing in the shower even when you swore to yourself you didn’t know the lyrics. “I Know” is no different. The upbeat dance ballad is guaranteed to be the summer banger you’ll hear at every party and bar for the next few months. So get a head start: learn that chorus now. Singing along is always cool. HJC

Morðingjarnir – Djamma
Iceland is not known for upbeat feel-good rock. Enter: Morðingjarnir. “Djamma” translates to “party,” and this anthem is the best soundtrack for an innocent rager while you crack one open with the boys. The tune definitely has a touch of the dad rock, but what’s so wrong with dad rock? Most men will become dads, especially in Iceland, where there’s some sort of societal fear of condoms. HJC

Lífið er refsing by xGADDAVÍRx

Harðir Tímar Kalla á Hart Áfengi – xGADDAVÍRx
xGADDAVÍRx has more attitude than the bastard lovechild of Teresa Giudice and Fran Drescher—with a traditional hardcore touch—and “Hard times call for hard liquor” is their masterpiece. It’s a 134-second anger carol that will make you want to dye your hair green and get a lot of shitty anarchist tattoos. It’s stressful in the most addictive way—much like shitty anarchist tattoos. HJC