Reykjavík Grapevine - 29.07.2016, Blaðsíða 29

Berndsen –
“Alter Ego”
STRAUMUR
TRACK OF THE ISSUE
Listen at gpv.is/t11
With the indie band Nóra on hiatus for
the foreseeable future, singer/guitarist
Egill Viðarsson has started a new band
with his younger brother Bjarki, called
Andí Svarthol. They released their first
song this month, the cheekily titled “Íre-
na Sírena,” a pop number with a dreamy
atmosphere and texture and lyrics about
regret. Both members sing, with Egill
playing the keyboard and Bjarki the gui-
tar. Live, the band is joined by drummer
Óskar Kjartansson and multi-instru-
mentalist Frank Cassata. The brothers
have said that they have a bunch of ma-
terial that they are very excited about, in
many ways an offspring of Nóra, and will
hopefully be putting out an album some-
time next year! lf it’s anything like “Írena
Sírena,” we are in for a treat.
The band Suð (buzz) is a three-piece
Icelandic indie rock band that made
their name in the late 90s with power-
ful performances and one album, ‘Hug-
sunarvélin’, that came out in 1998. The
band is finally back with a brand new
single called “Á flótta” (“On the Run”)
from their second album, titled ‘Meira
suð’ (“More Buzz”) and due in Septem-
ber. The band also released a video for
the single, with black and white pho-
tography and running children to per-
fectly fit the chorus: “on the run with a
family.” It’s honest indie rock in the vein
of Hüsker Dü, Guided By Voices and
Sebadoh, from a band that was at the
top of their game at the turn of the mil-
lennium.
As we haven’t lost enough great mu-
sical talents this year, with Bowie and
Prince and all that, Alan Vega, the vi-
sionary frontman of the electro-indus-
trial proto-punk band Suicide left this
earth on July 16. Many Icelandic musi-
cians voiced their respect on social me-
dia after his death, but Bob Justman,
aka DJ KGB, went a step further and
recorded a cover of the 1979 Suicide
track “Dream Baby Dream” as a tribute.
It’s a beautiful rendition with a thump-
ing drum machine beat, echoing guitar
chords and buzzing organs underscor-
ing the heavenly reverbed and indeed
dreamy vocals. Head over to Bob Just-
man’s soundcloud to listen to the trib-
ute. Rest in peace Alan Vega.
On July 20th, Sin Fang, Sindri Már
Sigfússon’s successful solo project, re-
leased a new song and accompanying
video. It’s the first new song from Sin
Fang in about three years, and it sports
none other than Jónsi from Sigur rós
on the chorus. “Candyland” song is the
sort of widescreen Technicolor indie pop
we’ve come to expect from Sin Fang and
the video, directed by Ingibjörg Birgis-
dóttir, matches it in every way with its
dreamy and surreal imagery. The song
is the first single from the upcoming LP
‘Spaceland’, out on 16th September via
Morr Music, and we for one are looking
forward to it.
SHARE & LISTEN: gpv.is/str11
“Alter Ego” may have just been released
at the beginning of the month, but you’d
be excused for thinking it came right
from the 80s. This should come as no
surprise to those familiar with Bernd-
sen, Reykjavík’s own bearded New Wave
god for the new millennium.
On the first single off his upcoming
album of the same name, Berndsen leaves
behind the more industrial-sounding
influences like Kraftwerk in favour of a
dream pop vibe. Well-crafted hooks float
above bubbly synth lines on “Alter Ego,”
while guest vocals from Elín Ey balance
out Berndsen’s smooth baritone.
Although “Alter Ego” makes a great
summertime pop single, it would also
be well-suited to keeping spirits up dur-
ing the depths of an Icelandic winter.
Words
DAVÍÐ
ROACH
& ÓLI DÓRI
Photo
ALISA
KALYANOVA
Straumur,
Iceland's
premier indie
music radio
show, airs on
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music news in
Icelandic at
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REYKJAVÍKURDÆ-
TUR, Iceland’s feminist
rap phenomenon,
recently released their
debut album ‘RVK DTR’ to praise
from international stars. JAMIE XX
compared them to THE CHEMI-
CAL BROTHERS and MØ listed
the band on her Nordic Playlist,
saying, “Seriously, when I discovered
Reykjavíkurdætur, I got so fucking
happy! It reminded me soooo much
of myself 4-5 years ago, but just
MUCH cooler! I LOVE when women
are so fucking badass and fun and
free!”
More from Nordic Playlist as pop star
ZARA LARSSON picked “Bones”
by YOUNG KARIN for her playlist.
Perhaps the encouragement Young
Karin needed to continue creating
their brilliant stuff? We hope so.
AXEL FLÓVENT recently released
a new single, “You Ghost.” The
accompanying music video features
him strumming his guitar to a girl
surrounded by beautiful Icelandic
landscapes.
Rumour has it that singer
VALDIMAR and rapper KÖTT GRÁ
PJÉ will be collaborating on the
latter’s upcoming album. The much-
anticipated album just became a bit
more anticipated.
BJÖRK has released a live concert
edition of her most recent and most
MUSIC
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Four Songs
That Washed
Upon Our Shore