Reykjavík Grapevine - 19.05.2017, Qupperneq 18

First
I consider myself lucky in a way that I
didn’t grow up with constant internet
connectivity. When I was a child I got
bored sometimes. When I didn’t know
the answer to a question, I didn’t google
it, I just rang my mother or looked it up
in a book. The selfie disorder was not a
thing, and narcissism was considered
a symptom of sociopathy, not a widely
socially accepted behavior. TV stars
of the 80s and 90s were few, but they
were undoubtedly stars. There was no
debate about it, no “stars” like today’s,
who have 40 million YouTube follow-
ers watching them play video games,
though no one can tell you their names.
Iceland has its share of social media
stars: people who look absolutely talent-
less but still draw more viewers than
the local news. So, it’s probably time to
redefine “talent.” It doesn’t just mean
singing or dancing or writing anymore.
Apparently it’s also a talent to earn
20,000 followers in a nation of 330,000
(that’s around 6% of the country).
This is the generation that grew up on
the internet and came of age as the PR
Generation, who efficiently control how
the world sees them. And more alarm-
ing, this generation is selling us stuff
without actually selling it to us. They
are influencing the minds of an even
younger generation who can’t tell the
difference between CNN and the On-
ion. This is worrying, and it isn’t going
to change—it’s only going to intensify.
We at the Reykjavík Grapevine
don’t have any answers, but we are
curious. That’s why we asked the big-
gest Snapchat celebrities in Iceland
to explain this phenomenon. But the
answers were inconclusive: nobody
really knows what they’re doing. But
perhaps that’s the magic of it all.
Hafnarstræti 15,
101 Reykjavík
www.grapevine.is
grapevine@grapevine.is
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PUBLISHER
Hilmar Steinn
Grétarsson
hilmar@grapevine.is
+354 540 3601
publisher@grapevine.is
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Valur Grettisson
valur@grapevine.is
MANAGING EDITOR
John Rogers
john@grapevine.is
ART DIRECTOR
Sveinbjörn Pálsson
sveinbjorn@grapevine.is
NEWS EDITOR
Paul Fontaine
paul@grapevine.is
TRAVEL EDITOR
John Rogers
john@grapevine.is
PHOTO EDITOR
Art Bicnick
art@grapevine.is
JOURNALIST
Nanna Árnadottir
nanna@grapevine.is
LISTINGS DIRECTOR
Hannah Jane Cohen
hannah@grapevine.is
COPY EDITOR
Mark Asch
EDITORIAL INTERNS
Anisha Chandar
Alice Demurtas
ILLUSTRATORS
Arngrímur Sigurðson
Eunsan Huh
Kristín Ingvarsdóttir
Lóa Hjálmtýsdóttir
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Bjartmar Alexandersson
Björn Halldórsson
Davíð Roach
Eli Petzold
Elías Þórsson
Hanna Jane Cohen
Hekla Magnúsdóttir
James Merry
Nanna Dís Árnadóttir
Óli Dóri
Steindór Grétar Jónsson
Shruthi Basappa
Ragnar Egilsson
Valur Gunnarsson
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Art Bicnick
Hörður Sveinsson
Ómar Sverrisson
Timothée Lambrecq
Sigga Ella
Billy Hayes
Varvara Lozenko
SALES DIRECTORS
Aðalsteinn Jörundsson
adalsteinn@grapevine.
is
Helgi Þór Harðarson
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+354 540 3600
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Hilmar Steinn Grétarsson,
Hörður Kristbjörnsson,
Jón Trausti Sigurðarson,
Oddur Óskar
Kjartansson,
Valur Gunnarsson
The Reykjavík Grapevine
is published 21 times a
year by Fröken ltd. Monthly
from December through
February, and fortnightly
from March til October.
Nothing in this magazine may
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in part without the written
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The Reykjavík Grapevine is
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#1, and all major tourist
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COVER PHOTO BY
Hörður Sveinsson
hordursveinsson.com
ART DIRECTION,
PHOTOCOMPOSITION
Sveinbjörn Pálsson
sveinbjorn.com
The PR Generation
THE GRAPEVINE
PLAYLIST
einarIndra - Ripples
EinarIndra’s slow,
trappy falsetto
ballads have had us
transfixed since the
release of his low
key anthem “Maybe
I’m Wrong.” His new
track, “Ripples,” is
an exciting glimpse
into what he’s
working on, with
the same late-night
atmosphere and
creative production
flourishes. It’s what
we wish The xx had
done next. JR
Andy Svarthól - Tíma-
frekja
Indie weirdos Andy
Svarthól return with
their third track to
date. This time, cat-
egory is: haunting
slowcore ballad with
Spaghetti Western
guitars. They’re an
intriguing bunch,
this one, turning out
tracks that seem
like more than the
sum of their parts.
JR
Milkywhale - Eclipse
This electronic
pop duo are a firm
favourite here at
Grapevine, and their
debut LP doesn’t
disappoint. Live
favourite “Eclipse” is
the finale—an over-
blown power ballad
that ends with the
refrain “I am longing
for a meaningful
world!” And c’mon—
who isn’t, right? JR
Ösp Eldjárn - Travel-
ling Man
Joni Mitchell-in-
spired singer/song-
writer Ösp Eldjárn’s
new song comes
with a wonderful
video, gleaned from
VHS tapes of a family
holiday around Ice-
land in 1995. If you
like hanging around
in Café Rosenberg
listening to acoustic
acts, this is one for
you. JR
Dadykewl - Lada
(Acoustic Version)
Dadykewl’s “Lada”
was in a previous
Grapevine playlist,
but the rapper’s
newly released
acoustic version
might just be better
than the original.
Showcasing killer
vocals and even a
cello, the song is de-
signed to make you
say, “Wait, he can do
this?!!” Yes, it’s that
good. Dadykewl’s
consistently been
improving and this
tune proves it—he’s
an artist to watch.
HJC
Listen & watch:
gpv.is/play
EDITORIAL
2
In This Issue
Words:
Valur
Grettisson
Composite Photo:
Creative
Commons / ISIS
P:16 TOURISM VS. MUSIC: ROUND 2
P:20 SHOOTING IN BORGARNES
P:28 INSIDE NÝLÓ
P:36 VÖK RETURN
P:44 JAMES MERRY
P:52 DJÚPAVÍK
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