Reykjavík Grapevine - 03.02.2012, Qupperneq 19

19
Music | Interview
The Reykjavík Grapevine
Issue 2 — 2012 Copies of ‘Initial Conditions’ are available at 12 Tónar,
Smekkleysa, Lucky Records or directly from Yatra Arts.
Making Digital Waves Across The World
Yatra Arts seeks a wider audience for Icelandic electronic music in 2012.
That can’t be a bad thing, can it?
In December 2011, local industrial
act Reptilicus released 7” single
‘Initial Conditions,’ after a thirteen-
year hiatus. This important event in
Iceland's electronic music scene
happened in no small part due to
the work of Praveer baijal, a Cana-
dian who heads yatra Arts, a record
label and event promoter looking
to spread word of Iceland's experi-
mental electronics scene beyond
these shores. The Grapevine met up
with Praveer to find out more about
yatra Arts, and how he helped to
get Reptilicus back on the music
making horse.
When did you first become aware of
and interested in Icelandic music?
I first became aware of Icelandic mu-
sic in the ‘80s through familiar names
such as KUKL, Björk and The Sugar-
cubes.
In my usual quest to discover new
records, I came across ‘Crusher Of
Bones’ LP by Reptilicus. I could only
imagine that there wasn’t a whole lot of
music being imported to Iceland at the
time, so the fact that these guys were
active in this area of music was exciting
in itself.
Reptilicus have been on a long hia-
tus until now. How did you manage
to get them active again?
Back in 2009 I was communicating
with Danish–Icelandic musician Rúnar
Magnússon, who asked me if I could set
up some concerts for him in Toronto,
which I did. We got to talking and I
found out that he was very good friends
with Jóhann and Gummi of Reptilicus.
It had been a while since I had spoken
to them so I got in touch and started a
dialogue, just friendly chitchat. Then I
heard in 2010 that they were perform-
ing at the Donaufestival festival in Vi-
enna. I watched clips from their show
and quickly realised that what they
were doing really appealed to me. Their
sound was really dubby, minimalist and
industrial—a winning combination in
my books.
Then Jóhann commented on Face-
book that he was a massive fan of Ger-
man electronic artist Senking, a Raster
Noton artist who I had worked with. I
spoke to him about it and I basically
said to him that I was restarting Yatra
Arts and the timing was parallel to
their comeback.
There was synergy then...
Oh definitely. I wanted to release a 7”
from them and they said they were in-
terested in doing it. Jóhann had actually
posted an early demo version of ‘Initial
Conditions’ on Soundcloud. I heard it
and thought ‘This is a fantastic track!’
so I told Jóhann that I wanted to release
it and told him to pull it from Sound-
cloud ASAP, which he did.
What are your overall thoughts on
the experimental electronic scene
in Iceland?
I’ve seen a whole range of talented art-
ists in an area of music that not very
many were aware of in Iceland. Take
Auxpan, for example. I first heard him
on a compilation through the Austrian
label, Laton, which also had the likes of
Mika Vainio, but few in Iceland know
this.
There’s also really great work being
done in the realm of visual arts here. I
don’t think that there are many labels
looking into that sort of thing. It’s given
me a clear vision of what I want to do
with Icelandic artists.
Now that you’ve released material
from Reptilicus, what else can we
expect from yatra Arts in 2012?
We’ll be producing more releases in
2012. We’re looking to do a split release
with AMFJ and Auxpan on limited re-
lease followed by a split release with
Thoranna Björnsdóttir, aka Trouble,
and Björk Viggósdóttir on cassette. And
then we’re working on a compilation
CD titled ‘Quadrant,’ featuring tracks
by four Icelandic artists: Rúnar Mag-
nússon, Auxpan, Thoranna and Jóhann
Eríksson, solo.
So Yatra Arts is working hard at
fusing some of the power electronics
with some of the minimalist sounds in
Iceland. The new Reptilicus single is a
ref lection of that.
bOb CLUNESS
yATRA ARTS
I’ve seen a whole
range of talented
artists in an area of
music that not very
many were aware
of in Iceland
disregard of everything but the female
body’s ability to carry children. Take
a look at prostitution. Woman can be
fucked—man can’t find fuck. Why
should we object to said man reim-
bursing said woman for said fuck? We
shouldn’t care whether or not woman
wants to fuck: we know she can. God
forbid that we should ask: why does she
want to? Most women are repelled by
the idea. Still, we shouldn’t question
their motives, wonder about their social
situation or if they might be in need or
under pressure. We, as a society, don’t
generally consider it to be a human
right to have children. Those who can
either do or don’t, and those who can’t
may try to find other ways—but they’re
not entitled to children. Much like we
are not entitled to sex, should we not be
able to find a willing partner.
Here’s where things get a little con-
fusing. I don’t like the idea of renting
a woman’s womb or whole body and
mind for your personal gain. BUT al-
truistic surrogacy implies, as so many
other ideas in our culture, that wom-
en’s bodies are supposed to be used
for good, women are supposed to want
to give up control of their bodies and
mind to please. Not for financial gain,
just to please other people. Just because
they can.
A popular argument for surrogacy
states that the women who undergo
it are not in any way connected to the
child growing in their womb and there-
fore have no trouble giving it up at
birth. They say it like it’s a good thing.
When children would routinely die at
birth or at a very young age, parents
were accustomed to not bonding with
their babies; they couldn’t really expect
them to live. This is a survival mecha-
nism, reinforced by nature and encour-
aged by culture. It’s not acceptable or
sensible or right or fabulous. It’s sad.
It’s something we should avoid. Let’s
not try to disconnect people from their
bodies. Let’s try to encourage a strong
and healthy relationship between our
bodies and minds rather than discour-
age it.
HILDUR LILLIENDAHL
Continued from page 8
Why I bother, Pt. IV