Reykjavík Grapevine - 06.01.2017, Side 19

A Note From The
Label Boss
Andi's publisher
on the album
Words NICOLAS KUNYSZ
Once upon a time,
Lady Boy Records received an email,
with attachments.
Those were pretty much what is now
the Andi album.
The label usually does not release
"readymade" albums,
but this one came out of the batch
already classic.
And boys, ladies, and lady boys were
stunned by it.
Disco. Disco. And something else.
Andi is a ghost, a mystery,
and will probably stay that way,
he genuinely makes music to provide
happiness and uplifting feelings
through his midi controllers and
synthesizers.
Obviously disco oriented, Andi is
timeless.
He gave up his career as a trained
classical guitarist to make movies;
but like this Mario Bros game you
have to finish up, Andi came back to
music. Somehow.
And there comes some beats, and
there comes melodies, and they won’t
give up,
not til you smile, and wiggle. And
wiggle.
No fillers all killers, that is the motto.
If, though, you wonder who is the man
behind the beauty,
well... he is from Hafnarfjörður;
thankful you listen his music,
and wants you to be happy doing so.
Andi means spirit, and it couldn’t be
more spot on.
What could seem naïve at first,
is only the spirit of genuine uplifting
beats, bass lines and leads.
Do not underestimate genuineness.
Whistle it away,
Andi is among us.
And here to stay.
Andi —
“Andi”
19
WHY ANDI WON
This album is creative and inspiring, and it came out of no-
where, from a man with the same name as a million other
people in the world. “It’s impressive that he was released on
Lady Boy Records because they get a lot of requests and just
pick out stuff they really believe in,” one panellist noted.
Despite Lady Boy’s reputation for releasing difficult music,
the ‘Andi’ album is “actually quite accessible,” another pan-
ellist adds. “It’s melodic and upbeat. It’s probably the most
accessible thing Lady Boy have done. But don’t tell them,
they’ll be really pissed off.”
The irony of this “accessibility” is not lost. Or, rather, it’s
easily lost. ‘Andi’ was released by Lady Boy Records in May
in the very limited format of fifty cassette tapes.
“He’s like thirty years old. I’ve never seen him before. He
came out of nowhere making music that’s so fully formed,”
another panellist says. “It’s a whole album—or, casette—
and he has his own universe of sounds. It’s really retro,
mining this late ‘70s Jojo Morocco, Italo Disco stuff. It’s
light and greasy and I enjoy listening to it a lot. Which is
why I think people should hear it.”