Reykjavík Grapevine - 19.11.2018, Síða 8

How do you feel about rhinestones?
Tight ponytails? Older Russian coaches?
If you just yelled, “YES!” Well, have we—
or rather, Iceland—got the sport for you.

Better than the Olympics
In 2010 and 2012, Iceland’s women’s
team took home gold in the European
TeamGym gymnastics championships.
This was a massive deal, as not only is
gymnastics one of the most beautiful
and brutal sports around, but Denmark
was in 4th place. That’s right Denmark.
How does that feel, you colonisers?
The championships contain three
different events: floor, trampette,
and tumbling. We assume your only
exposure to women’s gymnastics is
the Olympics, so here’s the differ-
ences between both competitions. In
TeamGym, the floor routine is a group
programme that mixes together dance,
flexibility, and tricks. Synchronisation is
very important here, so watching the
Icelandic team’s perfection is basically
like watching a horde of bendy blonde
robots—so the Stepford wives.
Trampette is a small trampoline that
you run at and do tricks on, much like
a vault. There’s two parts to this—one
is just the trampoline and the other
includes a cushiony vault. To accom-
plish all this, the girls run really quickly
directly after each other, so basically as
one is jumping the other is running
after them. It’s kind of stressful. The
last event, tumbling, involves a long
springy catwalk, that you run across
and do handsprings and such.
New clubs
Note: We’re talking about artistic
gymnastics, not rhythmic gymnas-
tics. That means there are no ribbons
and hula hoops. Apparently, Iceland
doesn’t even have a rhythmic gymnas-
tics team. This is, quite obviously, a trav-
esty and we attribute the widespread
use of antidepressants to this sobering
fact. We, at the Grapevine, have decided
to sponsor our own. Please send your
applications to twistandshout@grape-
vine.is .
WHAT HAVE WE WON?
Aerials All Around!
Stick it and split it, other countries
8 The Reykjavík Grapevine
Issue 19— 2018
LÓABORATORIUM
Icelanders: killing it at gymnastics since 2010
Listen, watch & hear
more tracks:
gpv.is/play
Solveig Matthildur
- Affliction/
Absolution
Iceland’s gothic
pop princess goes
from strength to
strength with this
AA-side release.
‘Absolution’ is a
stunning track
with a cathedral-
like reverb,
filled with the
affecting intensity
of Sólveig’s
swooning voice. A
single of the year
contender. JR
AAIIEENN - Spaces
This accomplished
modular synth
record has shades
of Battles, 90s
electronica and
hyperactive
chiptunes. It’s a
fun, ever-evolving
journey into a
colourful electronic
world. JR
aYia - Slow
Having announced
their long-awaited
debut album will
be released via
Bedroom Community
on November 16th,
aYia have put out
another eerie video,
this time directed by
Alexandre Souêtre.
The track stutters
and palpitates
along over striking
scenes that conjure
a feeling of the
uncanny. JR
Vök - Night and Day
The ever slick ‘n’
shiny pop music
of Vök gets a little
happier. Their new
single has a lazy,
hazy synth-pop
summer sound,
with one foot in the
‘80s and the other
in the ‘00s revival
of pop’s golden
decade—imagine
a Bananarama
cassette put
through Ariel Pink’s
dishwasher. JR
Jón Jónsson - Með
þér
Með þér’ is a slow
paced, cheesy
piece in which one
of the lyrics tells
the listener to go
to the store and
buy “a pick ’n’ mix
for 100 króna.”
That sums up the
mood of the song
pretty well—doing
everyday things, or
possibly sitting in
the doctor’s office,
where you have
to listen to this
dreary single. CS
Unnur Sara Sings
Gainsbourg
If you’ve ever
thought Serge
Gainsbourg’s
smooth French
chansons would
sound better in the
clipped Icelandic
accent, Unnur Sara
has fixed that for
you with this album
of eccentric Serge
covers. JR
THE
GRAPEVINE
PLAYLIST
The must-hear tracks of the issue
Sk
íth
æ
ll
WORD OF
THE ISSUE
So you really don’t like that
insanely expensive bagel that
you bought at the tourist
stop near Geysir and can’t
restrain yourself from
giving the cashier a
piece of your mind?
Try calling him
“skíthæll.” The
word is a weird
combination
of shit and
heel. Yes, you
read correct, the
direct translation
would be ‘shitheel.’
Sound strange, right? Well,
the cashier will probably slide over the
counter and throw some punches in
your direction. The word is from the late
1800s and nobody really knows where
the ‘heel’ suffix comes from, but people
will have a fit when that word is thrown
out there. So, don’t use that one, and be
polite to innocent people that are only
doing their job because “skíthæll” are
also rude to cashiers. VG
Words:
Hannah Jane
Cohen
Photo:
Wiki Commons
First
www.tulipop.com Skólavörðustígur 43, Reykjavík