Reykjavík Grapevine - 18.05.2018, Síða 23

Flip The Switch
Raflost electronic arts festival comes online
Do you know what animated notations
are? Have you ever been to an algorave?
No? Well, then listen
up, because the Raflost
Festival, held from May
23rd-27th, will soon be
putting them on the map
when they bring the latest
electronic and media arts to downtown
Reykjavík.
But wait—what exactly is “media
arts,” anyway? “What we mean with that
term are artforms that use electricity,
electronics and interactivity as their
basic material,” says one of the festival’s
organisers, Jesper Pedersen. “We’re fo-
cusing on the more experimental side of
things. That includes electronic music,
interactive installations,
interactive videos, and
interactive dance.”
Originality and
innovation
The festival has been held annually
since 2007, with the goal to reinvent
itself with every edition. “We try to have
some new things every year, so that we
don't repeat ourselves,” states Jesper.
“Of course, there's always an overlap,
because we’re dealing with a relatively
small field, at least in Iceland. We're
trying to groom those grassroots.”
This year’s edition will start off with
the screening of “The Goodiepal Equa-
tion,” about a Danish/Faroese multi-
media artist on Wednesday, May 23. Of
course, there’ll also be music—with
animated notations. “They’re basically
video scores that we play, so we look at a
video screen and we play what's on the
screen,” Jesper explains.
Initiation and education
On Saturday, 26th May, Iceland will be
able to witness its first algorave. “An
algorave is people making music in real
time by coding computers,” says Jesper.
“They show the computer code on a pro-
jector and then it becomes dance music,
or rave music—whatever you want to
call it. It's a very open form, and it's very
big in England. We're gonna have some
artists over for this.”
Connected to the festival, a workshop
about electronic art will be held at the
Iceland Academy of the Arts, where both
local and international students will
create together. “We put them in groups
where they get to work with students
from other fields,” Jesper explains. “We
make them create a dialogue. A lot of
interesting things happen from there.
Of course, we also guide them with the
technology.”
Lambs to the S.L.Á.T.U.R.
Along with Jesper, the festival is or-
ganised by electronic musicians Áki
Ásgeirsson and Ríkharður Friðriks-
son. Both Jesper and Áki are part of
the famously experimental composer
collective S.L.Á.T.U.R., which will also
perform at the festival. So you can ex-
pect all sorts of electronic-nerdiness
and experimental mindblowing.
Words:
Phil Uwe
Widiger

Photo:
Art Bicnick
Words:
Alexander Jean
de Fontenay
Photo:
Alexander Húgó
23
CULTURE NEWS
ELECTRIC
DREAMS
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Badass Women on Wheels
Roller Derby:
Ragnarök vs. Oslo Tiger City Beasts
May 26 - 14:30
Íþróttamiðstöð Álftaness - 1,000 ISK
Iceland has everything-- even roller
derby. Ragnarök, Iceland’s very own
women’s roller derby team, will
battle against the Oslo Tiger City
Beasts in a bout to remember.
These gals have come a long way
since their inception in 2011, having
finally secured their gear, and a
place to practice, they’re ready to
fight their way to the top. Come
ready to witness Iceland’s first and
only roller derby team. JW
Give Me Lotta Semen
House Of Strike: Your Place Or Mine?
May 18 - 21:00 - Húrra - 2,000 ISK
The grungy drag monarchs of
Iceland, the House Of Strike, take
over Húrra for a night of orgasmic
filth. Headed by the OG Icelandic
drag matriarch Pixy Strike, this
supergroup pins together the
weirdest and most ratchet acts in
town. From butch mess Jackie
Moon to arm flailing disaster Lotta
Semen to goth fucktwink Hans, it’ll
be a show to not remember. If that’s
not enough, cult pop icon Haffi Haff
has specifically flown in for the
party. Wiggle wiggle. PW
Gamers Unite
Isle of Games 001
May 19 - 13:00 - IÐNÓ - Free!
For one day only, IÐNÓ welcomes
you to the debut of Isle of Games,
an event showcasing custom game
installations from Iceland and
beyond. You’ll not only experience
the aesthetic and cultural novelties
of the Icelandic gaming scene, but
you’ll also get to watch a unique
dance improvisation performance
combined with a live gaming
backdrop. Come ready to try out
first hand the funkiest and weirdest
video games that Iceland has to
offer. Pew pew! JW
One man and his machine
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
The Dark Prince
Rises
Dark Prince Fendi blends pop ideology with rap
“I’m in this shit for me alone. Every-
body’s trying to copy me but I’m flex-
ing on them.” So begins Dark Prince
Fendi’s seven-month-old Soundcloud
track “Gang Shit.” The artist is well
aware that he has a lot to offer, and is
proud to show it off. Over vigorous,
rolling beats he raps about under-
achieving, and cowardly posers that
are not worthy of attention, declar-
ing: “I have what it takes.”
Jón Múli is the 21-year-old produc-
er behind Dark Prince Fendi. He has
made music under a range of influ-
ences like techno, house, and rap. “I
just really like performing and mak-
ing music that’s entertaining and
you can dance to,” he told me. This
past year, Jón Múli has been perform-
ing live at bars and DIY concert ven-
ues in Reykjavík with Geisha Gartel,
a rap group formed by him and his
friends who make music. “Being a
solo artist is different as I have to be a
“We're trying
to groom the
grassroots.”
Info:
Listen to “Gang
Shit” and follow
Dark Prince
Fendi’s music at
soundcloud.com/
princefinite
Info:
Raflost festival,
May 23rd-27th in
various Reykjavík
venues. Check out
raflost.is
songwriter, producer, engineer and
performer all at once.”
Of Dark Prince Fendi, Jón Múli
says: “The lyrics deal more with hu-
man emotion rather than the con-
spicuous consumption and narcis-
sism found in Geisha Cartel’s songs,
and my past solo releases.” Here his
focus is on conveying his energy and
joy to an audience through music
in the style of contemporary rap
blended with themes found in pop
music. “I like sticking to the basics,”
he says, “so the message isn't lost in
some avant-garde attempt.”
So if you’re interested in a con-
fident, critical and alternative ap-
proach to rap which, interestingly,
promises that it’s not, stay tuned:
Dark Prince Fendi’s debut album is
in the works.