Reykjavík Grapevine - 16.03.2018, Blaðsíða 23

The Fjords Are Alive
With the sound of Aldrei Fór Eg Suður’s 15th year
Easter is right around the corner,
which means one thing for the West-
fjord town of Ísafjörður—it’s about
to get really busy. Since 2004, the
town has been proudly hosting a truly
unique musical gathering. Named af-
ter a song by Bubbi Morthens “Aldrei
fór ég suður” (“I never went south,” in
English), it’s a special springtime cel-
ebration of the Icelandic music scene
and the geographical area of the West-
fjords. The fifteenth edition of the fes-
tival is going to take place on the last
weekend of March.
Shrimp factory power-up
“What makes this one stand out among
other music festivals in Iceland, is that
it’s eclectic, unpredictable, but at the
same time very family-friendly,” re-
counts one of the organisers, Kristján
Freyr Halldórsson, a prolific musician
himself (being a member of Prins Póló
and Reykjavík!). Along with a group of
like-minded people, they managed to
create a space where everyone can feel
welcome, have fun and spend some
quality time together, no matter what
their age or background.
There truly is something for every-
one. Aldrei features a wide variety of
music genres and a diverse
event schedule running
almost around the clock.
It’s a well-known fact that
once the gigs at the main
festival venue (a former
shrimp factory given a
more glamorous second
life) are all finished, it’s
time for the after-parties.
Locals like the festival’s founder Mugi-
son play their favourite tracks at bars
all around town for people to dance
the night away.
Hardcore & edge
This year, the line-up presents itself
as interesting as ever, showcasing a
diverse range of Icelandic talent. The
feisty rockers of Kolrassa Krókríðandi,
hardcore collective Une Misère, and
the metalheads from Dimma will
bring some guitar-heavy action, while
an experimental edge will be provided
by Hatari and Cyber.
Kuldaboli will bring Berlin techno
vibes and we can also count on stellar
performances by the alt-pop/R&B star
Auður, the teenage indie-folk darlings
Between Mountains, and young rap-
pers Jói og Króli. Speak-
ing of youth, a DJ set by
a seven-year-old is also
on the schedule.
The whole endeav-
our is fuelled by an un-
mistakable DIY spirit,
and a pure desire to
just make things hap-
pen and have some fun
along the way. Aldrei strengthens the
local community, and attracts atten-
tion from outside—the population of
the town doubles during the festival.
Best of all? Admission to the concerts
is free for everyone. The festival starts
on the 29th of March.
Words & Photos:
Kinga Kozłowska
Words:
Alexander Jean
de Fontenay
Photo:
Viktor
Weisshappel
Vilhjálmsson
23
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Despair Does Sexy
Háskar
30 March - 15:00 - ÍÐNÓ - 3.333 ISK
Háskar is the victory-lap festival
of Hatari, the fashionable, nihilist
destructo-goth band that has in the
past year seduced half of Iceland
and most of the art and music
scene to their vile world-view.
They've invited some of Iceland's
leading, formerly mild-mannered
young artists to a multi-room
showcase of seduction and despair.
Expect Cyber, Godchilla, Madonna
& Child, Elli Grill, impromptu tattoos,
post-hope poetry and deeply
confusing gang signs. SP
The Future Is Now
DesignMarch
15-18 March - Reykjavík - Free!
When February ends, there is
only one thing to look forward to:
DesignMarch—Iceland ‘s most
important annual design festival.
For its 10th anniversary, it’s back
with a bang, rounding up the most
exciting, innovative and relevant
design projects in the country.
Whether you’re interested in
product design, architecture,
furniture, food or you’re into being
Instagrammed outside fashion
shows, you are bound to find
something uniquely weird that will
blow your mind. AD
Soviet Union Edition
Story Party Iceland: True Dating
Stories
16 March - 21:00 - Hard Rock Café
What was your worst date? Did it
include crying? Copious talk of
exs? Visible Tinder notifications?
Or did you sit down on a nice boys
sofa only for him to immediately
cringe and whisper, “No, don’t sit
there. That’s Mom’s spot,” before
then telling you how his mother
tragically died five years before?
Well, hopefully this’ll be the level
of horror you’ll hear about at
this professional date-themed
storytelling night. Red flags as far
as the eye can see. HJC
Kristján Freyr Halldórsson presenting this years’ line-up
Electric Dreams
explores the
realm of Icelandic
electronic
music—
something for
your mind, body
and soul.
Alexander Jean
de Fontenay is an
Icelandic music
enthusiast, DJ and
student of culture
Music With Friends
The solo-project-turned-band russian.girls on
unrestrained creativity and friendship

Mystery shrouds russian.girls.
Guðlaugur Halldór Einarsson’s
project formed some years ago, ini-
tially as a creative outlet for his solo
experiments. Two diverse albums
were released under its name last
year—the wry and pulsating
’Sisters & Brothers, Vol. 2’
and cynically gloomy ‘To
the Bone’. Both include
shared music credits
and guest contribu-
tions. In the inter-
est of clarity, I
decided to ask
Guðlaugur some
questions about
the band’s state
of affairs.
“A l t h o u g h
r u s s i a n . g i r l s
started out as
a solo project it
soon became a
platform for me
a nd my f r iend s
who l i ke ma k i ng
good music,” Guðlau-
g ur ex plains. Today,
he defines russian.girls
as a trio, with Tatjana Dís
and Gylfi Sigurðsson, for the
most part. But that can vary—he
frequently collaborates with vari-
ous other musicians and creatives.
“Our connection comes from our
former studio on Skúlagata,” says
Guðlaugur, “where we spent a lot of
time together making music, shar-
ing knowledge and chilling.”
When asked about their creative
process, he explains: “We make mu-
sic together or apart, at the studio or
at home and sometimes guest con-
tributions create moments of genius
by accident.”
The band intentionally avoids be-
ing pigeonholed in a specific genre
of music, which makes one release
different from the next. “Our sound
has never been pre-defined and is
the combination of multiple ideas,”
says Guðlaugur. He states that
their aim is simply to create
an atmosphere that leaves
people wanting more.
Being a member
of kraut-techno trio
Rafiðn as wel l as
rock bands Skrat-
tar and Fufanu—
w h i c h e v o l v e d
from techno duo
Captain Fufanu—
m a ke s Guð l au-
gur no stranger
to collaboration.
Perhaps with rus-
sian.girls, and his
involvement in these
varied projects, he has
reached a creative au-
tonomy, aiming to hon-
our individual creativity
in like-minded collaborators
and friends who express them-
selves with freedom, and without
restraint.
“Aldrei is
eclectic and
unpredict-
able.”