Reykjavík Grapevine - 03.06.2016, Side 25

didn’t expect to win, but we are ex-
tremely thankful for it.”

ATLAS
IDOLISATION

When asked how the band has changed
his life, Sturla says that singing and
writing were things he’d never done
before. Now, he has grown comfort-
able with them. He says he’s also more
public and is sometimes recognised by
kids on the street, many of whom ask
for a photograph with him. We witness
this fandom firsthand: a fan twice in-
terrupted our photo shoot with him,
and during the interview, Sturla was
prank-called by a group of young fans
(he politely told them he was busy).
As we broach the topic of young
fans, I ask Sturla how he feels per-
forming some of his controversial
lyrics in front of a younger crowd. “Of
course it’s easy to justify it by saying
that everyone does it, but in the end,
I don’t believe that we’re having a bad
influence on younger kids. They like
our music and like seeing us perform,
and I’m pretty sure we’re not the first
ones to mention things like ‘weed’ or
‘turning up’ to them,” he explains.

SEASON2

Sturla Atlas’s third album, ‘SEASON2’,
includes eight brand-new songs. Stur-
la says the band wanted the album to
be created with more care than the
previous two, as it should appeal to
both the Icelandic and international
music scene. “Some of the songs are
made to turn up to at the club, but
others are heavier, ones you wouldn’t
play at a DJ set at Prikið,” Sturla says.
“I would actually say it’s much more
chill than our previous albums, with
laid-back summer vibes, perfect for a
dinner party.”
Sturla has a hard time singling out
one song off the new album as a fa-
vourite. He says the album is mostly
about being young, beautiful and
out of love. Asked about what he an-
ticipates for the album release, Sturla
answers, “I’ve learned to not expect
anything. Even though ‘Love Hurts’
was extremely successful, I can’t ex-
pect this one to be. I do, however, have
a crazy amount of faith in SEASON2
because the standard when writing it
was much higher.” Sturla continues:
“The album’s overall image is clearer
and the songs are better than anything
we’ve ever done before.”
With a third album release behind
him and a college diploma in his hand,
Sturla sounds excited for the future: “I
just want to be able to do what I love,
to keep writing music, recording and
performing. Creating art is really what
makes me happy.” He smiles and adds,
“Me and Jóhann were actually talking
about future plans for Sturla Atlas the
other day, and we came to the conclu-
sion that our main goal is to keep the
show going. Our whole life is a show
and it can never stop. The show must
always go on.”
It seems the Sturla Atlas show will
keep going, and straight to the top at
that. Summer banger “Vino” is poised
take over the clubs, and the band is
currently planning future music vid-
eos. The much-anticipated ‘SEASON2’
will be released June 3rd. If that’s not
a strong enough dosage of #sturlasea-
son, Sturla Atlas will also be perform-
ing at various shows this summer, in-
cluding the Secret Solstice festival in
June.
SHARE: gpv.is/sas
Aron Can
Distinguishing yourself from others
in a crowded scene is always hard. But
among Reykjavík’s growing roster of
hip-hop artists, Aron Can is one of the
most exciting—partly because of how
much potential he has to grow, but
also because he’s damn good. At only
sixteen years old, Aron Can knows how
to set the mood with his rhymes and
beats, and he’s setting a mood that is
mature and cutting-edge. With an im-
pressive debut album already under
his belt, Aron Can is not just someone
to watch out for at Secret Solstice, but
also someone to keep your eyes and
ears out for in the years to come.
DALÍ
When you think of rad female bassists,
Kim Deal is probably the first person
who comes to mind, right? Well, now
it’s time to start thinking about Erla
Stefánsdóttir, the frontwoman and
bassist of the new band DALÍ, as well.
The band plays powerful pop songs
supported by Erla’s driving voice and
driving bass, and like the rad female
bassists who have come before her,
Erla is a commanding musical pres-
ence. With catchy hooks and memora-
ble lyrics, DALÍ’s songs are earworms
about love and loss that will be stuck
in your head all day long.
einarIndra
It could be easy to write einarIndra off
as just another in an expanding pool
of electronic musicians. But if you let
yourself get lost in his soundscape for
just a minute, it’s clear that there’s a
much more mature sensibility to his
style. The layered sound that einarIn-
dra creates is commandeered by his
high vocals which, although unas-
suming at first, confidently lure the
listener in. On his 2016 album ‘Stories’,
einarIndra surprises with occasional
folk influences, such as the harmonica
at the end of “The Songs are Over.” Let
einarIndra carry you into the night
and lose yourself there.
Glowie
You’ve probably heard Glowie’s “No
More” without even realizing it—it
was one of Reykjavík’s biggest pop hits
of summer 2015. Glowie sings sum-
mery tunes with skillfully crafted
hooks that make it nearly impossible
not to tap your toes or bop your head
along to the beat. Beyond “No More,”
her repertoire ranges from subtle
acoustic tunes to rousing hits backed
by a smooth horn section. Like a lot of
pop, Glowie’s music has an ephemeral
feel to it. There’s no way to say whether
it’ll pass the test of time, but there’s no
reason not to enjoy it while it lasts.
Par-Ðar
These boys from the Reykjanes penin-
sula will grab you by the brain and pull
you into another decade with their
blend of psychedelic ambient rock.
With guitar riffs that will shake you
to the bone, and a controlled but puls-
ing drum and bass section, Par-Ðar’s
sound is tight and well-developed.
They have a whole team to get their
sound and lights just right for their
live shows, so that the experience can
be just as powerful live as through a
pair of headphones. You’ll never guess
that these musicians never actually set
foot in the 70s!
Soffía Björg
Soffía Björg is a shape-shifter. From
one moment to the next, Soffía goes
from folk songstress to rock ‘n roll
star. Her well-trained voice can rise
from a measured whisper to a power-
ful note that frequently soars above
her talented band. With slow-building
but catchy tunes, her music has a wist-
ful tone that will take you right back to
the nights of summers past. In short,
it’s the perfect music to sway along to
under the midnight sun of the solstice.
Sonur Sæll
Life is like a box of chocolates, amirite?
Or wait, maybe “variety is the spice of
life” is a more apt proverb for the last
musician on this list. With Sonur Sæll,
you’ll find yourself bopping along to
jazz standards one minute, funk tunes
the next, before seamlessly transition-
ing to hip-hop beats. He has an eclec-
tic taste for music and a well-trained
ear, which makes him one of the most
exciting new DJs in Reykjavík. At this
year’s Secret Solstice, Sonur Sæll is
sure to provide the spice your night
needs.
New Faces
Of Solstice
GLOWIE SOFFÍA
BJÖRG
SONUR SÆLL