Reykjavík Grapevine - 29.08.2014, Blaðsíða 30

Reykjavík Grapevine - 29.08.2014, Blaðsíða 30
30 The Reykjavík GrapevineIssue 13 — 2014MUSIC Viðey Skarfabakki Elding Old harbour Harpa www.elding.is Other adventures Sea Angling daily at 11:00 from 1 May to 31 August Puffin Watching daily at 9:30 and 15:00 from 15 May to 15 August Elding Whale Watching schedule – all year round * From 15 May to 15 September ** From 15 June to 31 July Make sureit’s Elding! ELDING WHALE WATCHING from Reykjavik Call us on +354 519 5000 or visit www.elding.is Jan-Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov-Dec EL-01 / EL-02 / EL-03 13:00 13:00 9:00 9:00 13:00 9:00 13:00 9:00 13:00 9:00 13:00 9:00 13:00 9:00 13:00 9:00 13:00 17:00* 17:00 17:00 17:00 17:00* 10:00 14:00 10:00 14:00 10:00 14:00 13:00 20:30** 20:30 From Elding (Ægisgarður) to Viðey 11.50 14.50 From Harpa to Viðey 13.30 15.00 From Skarfabakki to Viðey From Viðey to Skarfabakki 13.30 From Viðey to Harpa and Elding (Ægisgarður) 11.30 13.30 14.30 17.30 10.15 11.15 12.15 13.15 14.15 15.15 16.15 17.15 13.30 Summer Schedule 15 May - 30 September 14.30 16.30 18.302 2.0 15.30 17.30 Really hidden treasure off Reykjavik. Well worth a visit. “ Biffajk taken from TripAdvisor Island #videy videy.com 533 5055 Regardless of the compilation’s targeted market, the album is overall a great listen, display- ing a diverse array of talented musicians and thoughtful songwriting that appeals to both casual listeners and those who seek depth from the speakerbox. Though there are certainly more underground, classical, metal, and experimental musi- cians in Iceland that could do with more exposure, the majority of music buyers in Iceland are visitors, and this album ap- peals to a mass market rather than your more adventurous audience. Though the compilation sets Icelandic indie music in a more stereotypical “iso- lated” or folksy rural state (reinforced by the album’s landscape cover), the reality is that the country is now just as global as any other nation. Icelandic musicians are able to soak up musical influences from around the world. They also have many avenues to get their own music heard on a global scale. Festivals like Airwaves (more of which seem to pop up every year), social media channels, and digital music sharing all support these musi- cians’ careers, and you can bet that even old-fashioned word of mouth still works wonders. Another factor in the appeal of this compilation to tourists is language choice. Only three tracks on this album are in Ice- landic, with the rest in English. Language choice is often a very telling forecast for “saleability” and attracting a global au- dience (curiously, Sigur Rós manage to skirt around this issue entirely with their hybrid Hopelandic). Mammút’s “Blóð- berg” (Icelandic for “wild thyme”) still ap- peals to non-Icelandic speakers thanks to a solid rock melody that a festival-going crowd can enjoy. But Ojba Rasta’s “Ég veit, ég vona” (“I know, I hope”) stands out as a bit of an anomaly: the band is one of Iceland’s only reggae bands, and they also sing entirely in their native language. One can assume it makes for a great live performance, and that the band’s catchy melodies coupled with the novelty of “Icelandic reggae” keep Ojba Rasta on a more global radar. The tracks on the compilation that stand out as particularly “Icelandic” are ones with the more singular points of view; they don’t borrow traits from Björk or Sigur Rós but rather create their own sound worlds with the same convictions as their more famous colleagues. Agent Fresco’s “Dark Water” is one of these. The band is an excellent representation for the plurality of Icelandic music today. Their rhythms and harmonies are com- plex but tightly woven, and Arnór Dan Arnarson’s crystalline tenor cuts through the texture. Their live performances are just as riveting as their records, so any travellers who may catch them at a venue could easily be hooked. Worldwide expo- sure could come quickly for Agent Fres- co, but they seem to always focus on the music before the marketing, which makes the band even more special. Lay Low has been building her suc- cess seemingly one show at a time for almost a decade. Along with several in- ternational tours, she’s played venues as diverse as the Vesturbæjarlaug swimming pool and the remote Rauðasandur festival in the Westfjörds, as well as lending her talents to Benny Crespo’s Gang (also on this compilation). Her track “Gently” has an infectiousness which stems from her lullaby-like melodies and alto voice, a feature shared with many other Icelandic singers. The recent influx of tourists may not lead to a meteoric rise in fame for Lay Low, but it may end up providing the ex- tra CD sales that help pay the rent each month. Június Meyvant, a native of the tiny Vestmannaeyjar archipelago, presents a song titled “Color Decay,” which comes with a catchy, campfire-esque singabil- ity and a great brass section. One of the most interesting facets of Iceland’s music scene right now is surely its horn players. Icelanders have yet to become famous for their jazz bands or brass sections, but in recent years the impressive scope of Icelandic trumpeters, saxophonists, et cetera has become an interesting feature. Are these musicians’ livelihoods af- fected by increasing numbers of tourists in the last few years? Definitely. FM Bel- fast have been making music for several years now, and the song “Brighter Days” catches a moment in the spotlight. This track seems less a product of tourism and more a convenient moment for the band’s Euro-influenced beats to reach new, dance-hungry audiences. Several other tracks turn a folkier direction influenced by American culture rather than Europe. Mono Town’s track “Peacemaker” re- calls the infectious choruses of now- famous Of Monsters and Men, who have incidentally released music through Record Records. The album closes with singer-song- writer Snorri Helgason’s “Kveðja,” which wishes us well. These instrumenta- tions and guitar techniques come straight out of American folk-rock. Perhaps these sounds reflect the global market they are trying to reach, or perhaps it's just an honest embrace of American sounds that the bands are discovering from abroad. Regardless of intention, the fact that these musicians are able to make the music they love and have people sup- port their careers; that is a true Icelandic blessing. Listening to ‘This Is Icelandic Indie Music (Vol. II)’ might make you wonder exactly what doesn’t count as “Icelandic Indie Music” these days. Despite the name, this sampling of Record Records’ roster carries some of the most prominent bands in the country, and like its predecessor, travels through folk, rock, dance, and even reggae. “Indie music” and “Icelandic music” are pretty synonymous; if you’re making your own music in Ice- land, chances are you could be categorized as “indie.” Furthermore, the genre divide within Icelandic music is smaller than most anywhere in the world, partly because there are fewer people in the country, and partly because the culture often embraces artists who explore many different areas. Words Nathan Hall Album Reviews
Blaðsíða 1
Blaðsíða 2
Blaðsíða 3
Blaðsíða 4
Blaðsíða 5
Blaðsíða 6
Blaðsíða 7
Blaðsíða 8
Blaðsíða 9
Blaðsíða 10
Blaðsíða 11
Blaðsíða 12
Blaðsíða 13
Blaðsíða 14
Blaðsíða 15
Blaðsíða 16
Blaðsíða 17
Blaðsíða 18
Blaðsíða 19
Blaðsíða 20
Blaðsíða 21
Blaðsíða 22
Blaðsíða 23
Blaðsíða 24
Blaðsíða 25
Blaðsíða 26
Blaðsíða 27
Blaðsíða 28
Blaðsíða 29
Blaðsíða 30
Blaðsíða 31
Blaðsíða 32
Blaðsíða 33
Blaðsíða 34
Blaðsíða 35
Blaðsíða 36
Blaðsíða 37
Blaðsíða 38
Blaðsíða 39
Blaðsíða 40
Blaðsíða 41
Blaðsíða 42
Blaðsíða 43
Blaðsíða 44
Blaðsíða 45
Blaðsíða 46
Blaðsíða 47
Blaðsíða 48
Blaðsíða 49
Blaðsíða 50
Blaðsíða 51
Blaðsíða 52
Blaðsíða 53
Blaðsíða 54
Blaðsíða 55
Blaðsíða 56
Blaðsíða 57
Blaðsíða 58
Blaðsíða 59
Blaðsíða 60
Blaðsíða 61
Blaðsíða 62
Blaðsíða 63
Blaðsíða 64

x

Reykjavík Grapevine

Beinir tenglar

Ef þú vilt tengja á þennan titil, vinsamlegast notaðu þessa tengla:

Tengja á þennan titil: Reykjavík Grapevine
https://timarit.is/publication/943

Tengja á þetta tölublað:

Tengja á þessa síðu:

Tengja á þessa grein:

Vinsamlegast ekki tengja beint á myndir eða PDF skjöl á Tímarit.is þar sem slíkar slóðir geta breyst án fyrirvara. Notið slóðirnar hér fyrir ofan til að tengja á vefinn.