Iceland (Lonely Planet, 7th Edition) - Fran Parnell [24]
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www.musik.is – this useful website contains links to the websites and MySpace pages of most of the underground bands currently rocking Reykjavík.
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This constantly changing line-up of new bands and sounds makes it hard to pin the scene down. Currently popular are FM Belfast (who set up their own recording label to release their first album How to Make Friends); Singapore Sling (their fourth neo-psychedelic album, the cheerfully entitled Perversity, Desperation and Death, was released in 2009); Leaves (called ‘the new Radiohead’ by NME); Trabant (who describe themselves as ‘Monty Python meets Thomas Dolby’); Mugison (introspective but tuneful songs from one man and his guitar); Múm (electronica mixed with real instruments); Mínus (whose thrashy guitars have supported Foo Fighters and Metallica); Hafdís Huld (spiky female popstress); Cynic Guru (perky pop encompassing lots of different styles); and Benni Hemm Hemm (highly rated guitar strumming with blasts of brass). Also watch for My Summer as a Salvation Soldier, poignant acoustic songs from singer Þórir.
Several of these bands were brought to a wider audience by the music documentary Screaming Masterpiece (2005), which contains moments of toe-curling pretentiousness but is worth watching to grasp the sheer diversity of Icelandic music.
Reykjavík’s music venues are ever-changing, but at the time of writing, NASA, Batteríið and Sódóma were the three major places for seeing live bands. Check the free paper Grapevine for current news. As computer-mad internet fiends, a lot of Icelanders spread their music via sites such as MySpace.
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AROUND THE RING ROAD IN 16 TUNES
The contributors of this playlist are Arngrímur Arnarson and Ármann Guðmundsson, two members of the hit Icelandic band Ljótu Hálfvitarnir. The two admit that this playlist probably says more about them than the music scene in Iceland in general. It’s possible to contact them, to criticise their taste, sell them insurance or have a friendly chat, through their website www.ljotuhalfvitarnir.is.
Before you set off – ‘Keyrum yfir Ísland’ by Sprengjuhöllin. The first song on Sprengjuhöllin´s debut album, Tímarnir okkar, is about a road trip around Iceland. An energetic and joyful song that should get you in the mood.
Akranes – ‘Sautjándi júní’ by Dúmbó & Steini. This song by a popular ’60s band is about Iceland’s Independence Day, and is a sort of national anthem for kids.
Ísafjörður – ‘The Question’ by Mysterious Marta. The victor of the music competition The Cod War 2009, Marta won a record deal and also 10kg of cod. Marta took up her stage name while living in Ísafjörður, where she felt she appeared mysterious to the local people.
Súðavík – ‘Murr Murr’ by Mugison. Currently living in Súðavík, Mugison is one of Iceland’s most talented singer-songwriters.
Skagaströnd – ‘Kántrýbær’ by Hallbjörn Hjartarson. The king of country music in Iceland, Hallbjörn has been running a restaurant and radio station in Skagaströnd for decades.
Skagaströnd – ‘Gullfallega útgáfa af forljótum náunga’ by Bróðir Svartúlfs. Winners of the 2009 Battle of the Bands in Iceland, Bróðir Svartúlfs sound like nothing else.
Siglufjörður – ‘Stolt siglir fleyið mitt’ by Gylfi Ægisson. An old-timer who grew up in Siglufjörður and has written several hits through the decades.
Hraundrangi, Öxnadalur – ‘Inní mér syngur vitleysingur’ by Sigur Rós. This spectacular place in the northwest was one of the locations chosen by Sigur Rós for their Heima tour. Stop by, put ‘Inní mér syngur vitleysingur’ on and see what happens. Welcome to Iceland.
Akureyri/Hvanndalur– ‘Maístjarnan’ by Hvanndalsbræður. A folk-rock group claiming to be brothers from the abandoned valley Hvanndalur. They all live in Akureyri, though. This is a classical Icelandic lullaby in a rock arrangement: lyrics by the country’s only Nobel-prize winner, Halldór Laxness, melody by composer