Reykjavík Grapevine - 18.05.2018, Side 24

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“It bores me so much to talk about the
Icelandic sound,” says Örvar Smára-
son, his eyes flashing. “I have an in-
sane dislike of the word “krútt.” He
pauses, breaking into a joking-not-
joking smile. “I don’t wanna see that
word anywhere in the interview.”
Despite his strong opinions on the
subject, Örvar could be seen as one of
the architects of the sound that put
Iceland’s music scene on the map in
the early years of the new millennium.
He was a founding member of múm,
whose lyrical, whispery electronica
would become synonymous with the
Reykjavík music scene.
Since then he has been a constant
and prolific presence, including stints
in FM Belfast, Slowblow, Singapore
Sling, Benni Hemm Hemm and, more
recently, a three-way collaboration
with Sóley and Sin Fang. But, over the
years, he has rarely taken centre stage,
until now.
Self-inflicted crisis
Örvar’s debut solo album, and the first
to bear just his name and face on the
cover, is called “Light Is Liquid.” It was
a long time in gestation—in order to
kick the process into gear, he booked
a solo show at Sónar Reykjavík in
2017, forcing himself to make speedy
decisions and arrange the new mate-
rial. “It was a self-inflicted crisis,” he
laughs. “I decided to do that show to
make things happen, and good things
came out of it. It helped me finish the
album.”
The result is a slick and easy-going
record, with strong melodies, textural
electronic flourishes, and a lighter-
than-Air feel. It’s also characterised by
heavily Vocodered voices. “When I was
writing the album I made these com-
puter voices as placeholders because I
didn’t want to listen to my own voice,”
says Örvar. “It wears you down to lis-
ten to your own voice—it becomes a
voice in your head. So I made this com-
puter voice to write melodies and lyr-
ics without having to listen to myself.”
The voices ended up staying, and
even taking on a life of their own.
“They became weird characters,” says
Örvar. “I feel like they’re two women…
I don’t know who, or where they came
from, and I don’t think I’ll do another
album with them. But they were good
for this.”
Black lightning
Örvar has been making music for al-
most as long as he can remember. He
started out on his parents’ computer,
then bought a guitar when he was 13. “I
had a paper round and saved up for it,”
he says. “I was into hair metal, so the
guitar was white with black lightning
on it. Then I got a computer with my
confirmation money, and made music
with that.”
It was in college that he was “shang-
haied” into his first band, Andhéri. “I
hadn’t thought of being a musician,”
he recalls, “but the guys were starting
a band, and they wanted a frontman
who was loud and attention-seeking.”
He smiles. “Maybe they got the wrong
person.”
The bass player of Andhéri was
Gunni Örn Tynes. “In the middle of re-
cording the second album, we started
this electronic side-project,” says Ör-
var. “And then, that blew up.”
Finally we are someone
That project became múm, whose first
album was ‘Yesterday Was Dramatic -
Today Is OK.’ It was released on TMT, a
sub-label of Icelandic electronica and
techno label Thule Records, before be-
ing picked up in the UK and receiving
a 5/5 review in The Guardian, who said
it was “unique, passionate and gorged
with special talent.”
The album still stands up today. It’s
a subtle collection of lush, crystalline
electronica that sounds “like fresh
air,” I posit. “There wasn’t much fresh
air involved,” laughs Örvar. “We cre-
ated those electronics and that sound
in Gunni’s parents’ basement. It was
really cooped up, with closed win-
Words:
John Rogers

Photos:
Timothée
Lambrecq
Culture
Limelight
Is Liquid
Örvar Smárson steps gently
centre stage

‘Light Is Liquid’
comes out on May
18th. See Örvar
perform at Iðnó -
solo, and then as a
trio with Sin Fang
and sóley - on
June 1st