Reykjavík Grapevine - 06.12.2019, Síða 8

Some Icelandic superstitions are
specific to one particular place—don’t
touch this rock, don’t try building a road
through this hill, and such—but one
of the more fascinating local legends
concerns Helgafell, a large hill on
the Snæfellsnes peninsula (not to be
confused with the other Helgafells that
can be found elsewhere in the country).
Your heart’s desire
Helgafell translates to “sacred moun-
tain,” and the location has a rich history,
having even been mentioned in Laxdæla
saga as a place of early settlement. It is
also the resting place of the incompara-
ble Gu#rún Ósvífirsdóttir, Iceland’s first
nun and recluse.
What makes Helgafell particularly
special to Icelanders today, though,
is the folk belief in its wish-granting
powers—but not without the wish
bearer following some very specific
instructions. First, you have to walk
three times counterclockwise around
Gu#rún’s grave. Then, you must ascend
Helgafell without looking up or around
you, without saying a word, and without
any bad thoughts in your mind. Once at
the summit, you may make your wish.
It will come true, legend has it, if you
followed all the instructions and tell no
one what your wish was.
Pure drama
It is unclear why this particular hill has
been bestowed with such magical prop-
erties, but it likely has something to do
with Gu#rún’s very dramatic and often
supernatural life. Either way, it remains
a popular spot for its beauty, and for
making wishes. It can’t hurt, right? The Ma!ic Wishin! Hill
Realise your dreams with this one weird trick
8 The Reykjavík Grapevine
Issue 21— 2019
Shades of Reykjavík -
A&ur í Bíl
A&er a few years of
silence, Shades of
Reykjavik is back
with “A&ur í Bíl.” With
a persistent beat and
a lyrical hook that
is sure to get stuck
in your head, the
track definitely slaps.
The video is also a
wild ride. Highlights
include two hooded
skeletons racing
around Reykjavík
while the cops chase
them... until aliens
abduct the cops.
Just regular weekend
shenanigans for the
SoR crew. SPO
Elín Hall
Formerly known as
Elín Sif, Elín Hall’s voice
is simply gorgeous
and will resurrect
some long-buried
emotions. The new
single, “Upp a$ mér,”
is a beautiful teaser
for her upcoming
debut album
which will be full
of equally dreamy
and delicate songs,
I’m sure. Honestly,
I cried a little
during her Airwaves
performance. LM
JFDR - My Work
This is an almost-
uncomfortably
intimate release by
Jófrí$ur. “My Work”
is a visceral lament
about pain, regret,
despair, and growing
up with lyrics like, “Oh
mother would you cry
if I tell you the things
I have done, hurried
my death and done
my beauty so wrong.”
Jeez. Don’t play at a
party, but definitely in
your room when you
want to sob. HJC
Daughters Of
Reykjavík - Sweets
Daughters Of
Reykjavík—FKA
Reykjavíkurdætur—
are back with an
English/Icelandic
track featuring a
seductive sound and
luscious lyrics. The
daughters have never
done an English track
before, and that,
along with their newly
translated name
presumably means
they’re now looking
abroad for success.
Treat yourself to
those sweets and wish
them well. LM/HJC

SPÜNK - Barnalaug
Something for the
degenerates. I feel
like I’m in somebody’s
basement, three feet
away from a circle pit
when listening to this
album. It’s fast. It’s
harsh. It’s the kind of
music your parents
would hate. Or at
least mine would. SPO
Elli Grill - Nú Koma
Jólin
This song is
some kind of an
hallucinogenic-fueled
reggae Christmas
track, which is broken
up with metal and
hardcore gabber club
music bits—all, of
course, within three
minutes. The video is
downright brilliant,
Elli kidnaps santa
and gets him drunk
in the private park
of the parliament. Elli
Grill is famous for his
weird high pitched
joker-ish voice and I
think “Nú Koma Jólin”
is the closest we
can get to live in the
decadent mind of a
psychopath. Count
me in. VG
GRAPEVINE
PLAYLIST
JUST SAYINGS COMIC
Here’s one for the endless self-posting idiots out there. This
saying literally means, “the ones that are the most boast-
ful have the least substance” and it’s used by Icelanders to
describe those flashy types who probably go to the gym a lot
and buy Michael Kors bags. We’re not entirely sure where
this saying originated, but it fits very well with the modern
world of influencers, where reality and cyber-reality aren't
always one and the same. We see you using FaceTune, liars.
VG
ICELANDIC
SUPERSTITIONS
Words:
Andie Fontaine
Photo:
Art Bicnick
First
The surrounding houses are all occupied by chronic wish-o-holics
„Sá er
montnastur
sem minnst
er í vari#“
"What makes
Helgafell
particularly special
to Icelanders is
the folk belief in
its wish-granting
powers."