Reykjavík Grapevine - 03.02.2017, Page 2

P:18
REMEMBERING BIRNA
+ Torture Works
+ Passports! Papers!
+ No-one Expects the Icelandic
Naming Commission
P:17 SCULPTING
HEARTSTONE
+ SiGRÚN Goes Solo
+ Kosmodod Blasts Off
+ Our Sónar 2017 Picks
P:50 THE TROLLS OF
VESTMANNAEYJAR
+ A Grumpy Icelander
Goes On The Golden Circle
+ What To Do In Winter
NEWS
CULTURE
TRAVEL
In an interview in this magazine back
in 2003, Icelandic wordsmith/poet/
musician Megas was asked whether
we could combat evil with humor. His
reply: “You can make fun all you want,
and some people will laugh—but then
evil clenches its fist and punches your
teeth out.”
With Stewart, Colbert, Oliver and
others, American political satire has
probably never been better than during
the past couple of decades. But where
did that leave America? With Trump.
It would be easy to drown in despair
as Trump bangs out one executive or-
der after another, with immediate and
drastic consequences. The American
public, however, has refused to take it
quietly.
Blockades have erupted at airports
across the country, manned in part
by lawyers working to fight Trump’s
“Muslim ban.” Elected officials are
starting to sweat, as their switch-
boards light up with angry phone calls.
Private companies that either quietly
or actively align themselves with the
new administration are being hit in
the profit margins. And it’s only been
two weeks.
Not everyone can put their literal
bodies on the line. But all sections of
society have their part to play—wheth-
er it’s the people calling, petitioning
and picketing their public officials, or
the columnists and comics mocking
them. The American government may
be an embarrassment, but the Ameri-
can people are demonstrating what
hope turned into resistance looks like.
INTRO
New
Political
Winter
Is it just us, or has 2017 has been pretty
odd so far? January and February are
normally the nadir of the Icelandic win-
ter, but this year it’s been warm, rainy—
and completely action-packed.
While Trump has dominated the dis-
course, Iceland’s new government are
also settling into their seats. The most
controversial figure of the new ruling
coalition is our cover star Óttarr Proppé
(p.20). Formerly frontman of rock band
HAM, he’s now Iceland’s new Health
Minister—and he lots to say.
Iceland was also rocked this year by
the tragic murder of Birna Brynjarsdót-
tir (p.18), which hit headlines and led to
memorial marches around the country.
The city is warming up for the fifth
edition of Sónar Reykjavík. Read about
the new solo project by Örvar Smára-
son, as well as SiGRÚN, Kosmodod, and
a guide to the local artists you shouldn’t
miss (p.25-40). There’s also an interview
with the director of hit Icelandic movie
‘Heartstone’ (p.28).
In travel, we took a short plane hop to
the Westman Islands to hike up the fa-
mous Eldfell volcano, and sent a grumpy
Icelander off around the Golden Circle.
After all, we all need to remember to re-
lax in such interesting times. JR
Hafnarstræti 15,
101 Reykjavík
www.grapevine.is
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ILLUSTRATIONS
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CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
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Gylfadóttir
Katie Teeter
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Óli Dóri
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Ragnar Egilsson
Steindór Grétar
Jónsson
Vaur Gunnarsson
CONTRIBUTING
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Aníta Eldjárn
Anna Dominick
Baldur Kristjánsson
Florian Trykowski
Gunnar Rúnar Ólafsson
Hrefna Björg
Gylfadóttir
Jóhanna Ólafs
Laufey Elíasdóttir
Skari
Varvara Lozenko
Þórsteinn Sigurðsson
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The Reykjavík Grapevine
is published 21 times a
year by Fröken ltd. Monthly
from December through
February, and fortnightly
from March til October.
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COVER PHOTO BY
Baldur Kristjánsson
baldur@
baldurkristjans.is
MAKE UP
Rakel Ásgeirsdóttir
SPECIAL THANKS
Hilmar Gunnarsson
Flóki Forni Jónsson
Inga Lára Ingvarsdóttir
Ingvar Bragi Jónsson
Landspítali
Tannlæknastofa
Sigurjóns
Arnlaugssonar
Tómas Guðbjartsson
In This Issue
Resistance
THE GRAPEVINE PLAYLIST
THE MAIN EVENTS
ddykwl x HRNNR - Lada
Brothers ddykwl and
HRNNR are ones to
watch in the Icelan-
dic hip-hop scene.
With an atmospheric
harmonic kinda-
trappy-but-defies-
all-labels sound,
“Lada” is a song
you’re guaranteed
to get lost in—an
anthem for both
both chilling and
dancing. Also, Lada
CEO, if you’re reading
this: we’ve found
your new spokes-
people. Give em free
cars. HJC
Fufanu - Liability
Fufanu were one of
our winners at last
month’s Grapevine
Music Awards, for
their single “Sports.”
In the new track “Li-
ability” they pair a hy-
per-catchy synth line
against a chugging
bassline and a vocal
performance that
evokes Gary Numan
and Damon Albarn.
Fufanu have a knack
for swimming against
the tide and making
indie-rock sound vital
and new. JR
Úlfur Eldjárn -
Poyekhali
Composer Úlfur
Eldjárn’s Aristókra-
sía project is an
intriguing look at
retro-futurist ideas
of utopia and space
travel. His latest video,
made in collabora-
tion with filmmaker
Christopher Riley, is
an elegiac synth and
strings composition
that delivers both the
optimism of that time,
and the melancholy of
looking back it it. JR
Shades of Reykjavík -
Aðein$ of feitt
“Aðein$ of feitt”
Google-translates
to “Only Obe$e,” but
don’t worry, you can
be any weight to enjoy
Shades of Reykjavík.
This jam is a total
earworm—a song
that you’ll be singing
long after you hear it.
And it don’t matter if
you speak Icelandic
or not: we can all be
obese. HJC
JFDR - Airborne
JFDR has offered only
one teasing online
glimpse of her debut
solo album, ‘Brazil’—
until now. “Airborne”
was released along
with the announce-
ment of the album’s
March 17th release
date. It’s a gentle
piano track brought
to life by the sputter-
ing percussion of Grex
Fox, who also drums
with Liturgy, Skeletons
and Colin Stetson. JR
February 16-18
Sónar Reykjavík
The fifth iteration
of this Electronic-
and Underground
music festival is the
party of the season,
no doubt. P:25 &
onwards
Feb. 23 - March 5
Stockfish Film
Festival
This small film-maker
run fest showcases
30 films from all
over the world, plus
an Icelandic shorts
competition.. P:31
February 2-5
Winter Lights
Festival
Light-art. What could
be better to light up
the last nights of the
darkest winter than
beauty made from
illumination? P31
February 23-25
Beer Festival
Much has been made
in the past years of
the palate-joys of
being a big old beer
nerd. So not an ex-
cuse to be drunk for
four days then. P31
Xth February
Oration
If you like your Metal
black, not gray or
pink or god forbid
beige, this is the
festival for you. Also
missing is maroon
and teal Metal. P37
Listen & watch:
GPV.IS/PLAY
See our full and complete listings for Music, Art, Movies and Everything else, from P:27
Words:
HANNAH & JOHN
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