Into The Groove And Back: SYKUR Sweeten Sónar Reykjavík

Some people—the ones that have had a real impact on your life—never really leave you. It’s true of long gone grandparents, it’s true of first loves, and it’s true of SYKUR.

The exuberant electro-pop band that gave us iconic dancefloor hits like “Viltu Dick”, “Messy Hair” and “Reykjavík” never truly left. They’ve been busy since their last LP came out in 2011 with solo projects and writing new material, some of which made it onto the stage at their periodic live performances. Nevertheless, the release of their new single “Loving None” almost felt like they were staging a comeback.

Like a huge dam

“We’ve always been active in the past seven years,” band member Kristján Eldjárn explains. “We’ve been writing a lot of new stuff that we hadn’t gotten around to recording yet, and now that it’s finally happening, it’s just such a relief. It feels like there is this huge dam, and all of these songs have been piling up behind it, and now they’re finally bursting through.”

Finally releasing “Loving None” felt like a necessary step, after years spent working on new material in private. “Yes, the sooner we can release the new stuff, the better,” says Agnes Andradóttir, the band’s firebrand frontwoman. “If we keep pushing but never release anything, it would just get harder and harder with time.”

Purely SYKUR

Though the journey has been long, SYKUR have performed new tracks along the way, getting feedback and sanding off the raw edges. “We’ve been playing the material that’s going into the new LP for a long time now,” says Kristján.

“We amp each other up in a feedback cycle that ultimately ends in some craziness.”

“Our previous albums were written in the studio as we went, but the stuff that we’re releasing now is going to be more polished. It’s gone through more feedback cycles. So we kind of figured out what works and what doesn’t in a live setting, before actually going into the studio.”

It’s no wonder their newest track “Loving None” has a more mature feeling to it, whilst still surfing the crazy electro-dance vibe Sykur are known for. Agnes Björt’s singular, sensually raucous vocals power through digital percussions and captivating melodies in a song that feels familiar but fresh at the same time. It’s a pure SYKUR-rush.

Lose yourself to dance

“Loving None” is bound to be a hit in the sea of new material that SYKUR will be performing during electronic music festival Sónar Reykjavík. While their music is always a kick of pure energy, their power is best conveyed to the audience in a live setting, where Agnes’ incandescent energy fires up the crowd. “When you’re performing you get into this kind of groove and you can’t not lose yourself,” she explains.

“We get excited because the audience is having so much fun, and the audience is having so much fun because we’re getting excited,” Kristján laughs. “We amp each other up in a feedback cycle that ultimately ends in some craziness. I just love it.”

Follow SYKUR’s adventures on their Instagram page @sykurtheband. Get Sónar Reykjavík tickets here.