Grapevine New Music Friday: Joey Christ & Alvia Islandia, Bjarki, Róshildur & More

Did you miss this? Getting a curated selection of new music to experience while you go about your thing? Do we need to specify this was hand-picked by a human? Bleep, bloop, we’ll be cleaning up robot goop with our machine oil-stained hands when the time comes. In the spirit of the season, Valentine’s Day releases have influenced this week’s list. Hope you’re in a romantic mood!

Joey Christ & Alvia Islandia — TRIP
Released February 7

Hip-hop artists Joey Christ and Alvia Islandia team up for the track “TRIP”, out last week. Having laid low for a while, Alvia Islandia’s comeback into the music scene is as explosive as her Instagram profile. Rap royalty Joey Christ spits out the majority of the rhymes here. Accusing and fierce, “TRIP” is a track that’ll keep spinning on Prikið long after those swinging lights are out. JB

Bjarki — A Guide To Hellthier Lifestyle
Released February 7

Techno producer Bjarki Rúnar Sigurðsson is no stranger to blowing off the roof of the various clubs he’s performed in around the world. Just recently, he brought his raving performance to Harpa, imbuing the pristine opera house with his stylistic grittiness. His latest album takes a satirical and introspective look at modern wellness culture, mixing in elements of AI and futuristic approaches to his DJ repertoire. JB

Róshildur — Tími, ekki líða
Released February 12

Time is a fickle thing. It passes by with the blink of an eye when you’re having fun — and trudges drudgingly in times of boredom. Composed during a long-distance relationship, artist Róshildur wrote her latest track anxious about an impending goodbye with her partner. Manipulating loops and recordings, Róshildur creates an alternate dimension parallel to the song’s linear structure. It’s hard to say goodbye, eh? JB

Annalísa — Hvern andardrátt
Released February 14
Artist Annalísa is not a newcomer to the arts scene, having worked across theatre, music and film for several years. First releasing music in 2019, Annalísa crops up from time again to remind us of her talents. “Hvern andardrátt” is a melancholic track on the periphery of electronica, connecting the topic of love to Icelandic nature. JB

Jelena Ciric — Love Song
Released February 14

Sometimes, things are as straightforward as they seem — as is the case for Jelena Ciric’s newest “Love Song”. Here, the Iceland-based Canadian artist relies exclusively on her voice and tender piano to provoke a visceral emotion. The song’s simplicity is a brave announcement of the artist’s confidence, leaving you with a heart-wrenching longing for more. JB

In case you missed it in recent weeks, here are five more great releases you should check out:

Snorri Helgason — Borgartún
Released January 28

Elín Hall — fyllt í eyðurnar (live from Hljóðriti)
Released January 31

Celebs & Sigga Beinteins — Þokan
Released January 31

Páll Óskar & Benni Hemm Hemm — Allt í lagi
Released January 31

COLLAB, RÁN & Birnir — Fallegur dagur
Released January 31