Grapevine New Music: Kiriyama Family, Paddan, K.óla & More

Imagine this: You’re blasting down Hverfisgata on an electric scooter on this fine afternoon. The wind is almost blowing you away. Your jacket is too warm for summer, yet too light for winter and you can’t decide whether it’s hat weather or not. What’s missing? Of course, a perfect soundtrack. We’ve got you covered with a selection of the newest Icelandic music to go along with your urban adventure. Follow our playlist to stay up to date.

Kiriyama Family — …LP3
Released April 1

Back for the first time since 2017, Kiriyama Family released their third LP in early April. Not ones to rush into things, the band sends out a new album every six years on average. Taking their time seems to work well for the band, who manages to really harness the good stuff on …LP3. Producing shuffling electropop, jazzy beats and dreamy melodies, Kiriyama Family has hit the homerun. According to my calculations, we can expect a new album from the band in 2030. JB

Paddan — Bug
Released April 5

When two icons of Icelandic punk and experimental pop come together, Paddan happens. Made up of childhood friends Birgir Mogensen (Kukl) and Sigtryggur Baldursson (The Sugarcubes, Kukl), Paddan is a sonic powerhouse. Their debut single “Bug” is an eclectic composition of sticky rhythms, Talk Talk-esque guitars and graceful krautrock. JB

Julian Civilian — Tölum saman í september
Released April 11

Julian Civilian’s latest single title could work well as a standalone sequel to Green Day’s “Wake me up when September Ends”. “Tölum saman í september” (Let’s talk in September) is the latest addition to the group’s string of lighthearted indie tracks. The band’s take on jangle pop and the ensuing bright, carefree sound will certainly put a spring in your step. JB

K.óla — How much would it change?
Released April 12

K.óla is releasing a new album soon. I repeat: K.óla is releasing a new album soon. “How much would it change?” sees Katrín Helga Ólafsdóttir — a.k.a. K.óla — move in an interesting direction. Firstly, she sings in English, something the artist hasn’t done since her days in the teen alt-pop band Milkhouse. Secondly, in contrast to her previous material, there’s a clear absence of electronic instrumentation. Here, K.óla opts for classical guitars, woodwinds and piano. A stray electronic guitar can be heard in the background for added fullness. I can’t wait for more. JB

Juno Paul — Down To Clown
Released April 12

Our favourite slacker Juno Paul says what we’re all thinking in his latest track. “Down To Clown” is a raging 00’s rock track, driven by an explosive drum machine and distorted bass. On the first listen, one might think that Juno’s chorus is a call for help. “I feel so down. I feel so down,” he sings with a hint of autotune, only to finish his thought. “I feel so down to clown.” Juno Paul almost had me fooled there. JB

Inki — Silverlight
Released April 12

Imagine the biggest, most blissful chorus you can imagine, where time and space are nothing and you sustain on music alone. That’s the feeling Inki’s recent “Silverlight” gives off. The juxtaposition of the chorus’ major chords and the melancholic lyrics create notions of nostalgia, loss and missed opportunities. This is Inki’s last single release before her forthcoming LP Thoughts Midsentence, for which she’ll throw an album concert in Tjarnarbíó on May 3. JB