Reykjavík Grapevine - 19.06.2015, Blaðsíða 21

Reykjavík Grapevine - 19.06.2015, Blaðsíða 21
21The Reykjavík GrapevineIssue 8 — 2015 to have.” Such spontaneity is a key compo- nent of Steinunn’s process, and per- haps a big part of her music’s appeal. “I don’t know how people can make music any other way,” she says, be- mused. “I’m always thinking, ‘How do people make all this pop music?’ I’m always trying to make catchy, poppy music, and I always think what I’m doing will turn out to be a catchy song… then I’ll play it to my boyfriend and he’ll say, ‘This... isn’t... a song, really, I think.’ It’s funny how it comes out. I always play my new songs for people and say, ‘Listen, it’s a pop song!’ and they’re like, ‘Noooo, it’s not…’” She breaks into laughter before continuing: “But, I’m really happy with it. It’s a really loud mix. I wanted it that way, so if my song came on the radio, it would be louder than everything else, it would be like ‘dum-dee-dum-dee-dum’ and then ‘RAHHHHH!’” She furrows her brow, pondering her songwriting process. “I always get an idea, and feel like I know what I’m going to do. But it all gets mixed in with other things inside, then it gets distorted, and comes out completely dif- ferent. Like in my new video, I was try- ing to dance like Beyoncé, but I guess that’s not really what I was doing…” Beyoncé dance moves Of all the things one might expect to see in a DJ flugvél og geimskip video, I say, Beyoncé dance moves are not close to the top of the list. “Well you see, last night I was doing a new video, of a live perfor- mance,” Steinunn explains, excitedly, “and I decided to DANCE in the vid- eo! And I never dance, except maybe when I’m crazy drunk. So I was ask- ing myself... ‘Can I actually dance?’ Because when I was a kid, my dance instructor ended up firing me from the dance lessons. I always just want- ed to dance my own crazy dances and never learn any steps... I wasn’t learn- ing anything.” The filming took place at Mengi’s performance space, with Berlin- based film crew Orange ‘Ear. Late at night, after most of the shots were complete, the time came for the dance sequence. “Ísgerður who works at Mengi came by with her friend Sigga,” says Steinunn. “Sigga is a dance teacher who’d been teach- ing a Beyoncé-style dance class that very night! And so of course I was like, ‘Uhh, can you teach me how to dance like Beyoncé?’ So she was there shouting things at me, like ‘GROW BIGGER! MORE HEAVY IN THE FEET! DON’T LOOK SO DRUNK!’” She bursts out laughing, adding: “It was a big help. It’s actually one of my biggest fears to see myself dance, so... it’s going to be interesting.” Colours are beautiful Another notable feature of the video is Steinunn’s DIY light show, which she also uses to create a spinning con- stellation of colours on the stage. The look is carried through various as- pects of the project, from her dayglo keyboards and pedals to her outfits and artwork. But despite a jumbled, wide-ranging palette, there’s a coher- ence to it all, helping to foster a feel- ing of stepping out of the ordinary and into the world of DJ flugvél og geimskip. “Well, I use all the things I love,” Steinunn explains, “like all the co- lours, the cute animals and the spar- kling things. I have tried to make black and white videos, to ‘be more cool.’ I take away the colours, and stop smiling so much… but it doesn’t work. I’ll just try adding one colour. Say, green. And then I’m like, ‘WOW! This green is BEAUTIFUL! Now, I need pink.’ And in the pink will go, and I’m like, ‘WOW! This is amaz- ing!’ I just love colours! Then I’ll be like, ‘Why should I make a black and white video when I could have these colours?’ And then of course I’ll have a photo of a dog that is SO cute, and Born in: “I was born in Reykjavík. But there’s been all this proof ap- pearing that I might be from At- lantis, or at least have visited there in a previous life. Like, people near me keep mentioning Atlantis, or some café has pictures of Atlantis, or someone starts talking about At- lantis…” Studied: “I studied visuals arts at the Icelandic Academy of the Arts. I was like, I’m going to have a musi- cal painting or musical sculptures! My final show was an outer space zoo. I made life-sized animals. I had to go and feed them at 3pm each day, like in a zoo, and people could come there and watch. I would go there with the Casio and the violin and make music for them. Because they ate music. And when they ate the music, their eyes would glow be- cause they were so happy.” Favourite food: “My favourite food is toasted bread—ristað brauð! You know. When you take the bread and put it in a toaster. Toast!” Favourite planet: “Jupiter. It sounds like the most party planet. It’s colourful. And it’s the biggest. The most colours, the most party, and a cool name. And moons that you can live on! I think you can, at least.” Favourite animal: “It is, of course, a snake, if that counts as an animal. But I have a new one! It’s called mantis shrimp. We have three types of cones in our eyes to see colour, but the mantis shrimp has sixteen! And it has antennae, or teeth maybe, that can move so fast that it makes electricity, right in the bottom of the ocean! And it’s so colourful. So it’s down there, seeing everything in a scrillion colours, and making light- ning in the ocean. Oh, and Pomera- nian dogs. Very small! Very cute! And they walk like a toy.” Favourite place in Reykjavík: “I have a favourite hidden place. It’s at the top of a building. It’s the best secret place, because nobody goes up to the top of a building to see if you are there. But I’m not telling you where! It’s a secret!” Favourite place in Iceland: “Mjóifjörður. It’s very beautiful. And… very nice to drive there. And... very nice people. And… good to be there in a tent. And… there are not many tourists there. And… it’s al- ways sunshine there. And… when I talk about it to people they have not been there—it’s like a secret para- dise.” Favourite piece of equipment: “The MPC is my favourite, because it can do everything. And also the Casio keyboard, because it makes the funniest sounds. Sometimes I just pick the funniest sounds a key- board can make.” Continues on P.22
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