Reykjavík Grapevine - jan 2021, Qupperneq 13

Honourable mentions: HAM x
Shoplifter, Hljómskálinn, Víkingur
Heiðar Ólafsson
Rough Cult:
Production company Rough Cult,
the panel concluded, has a knack
for elevating whatever song they’re
entrusted to visualise. Composed
of four key members—Baldvin
Vernharðsson, Bryngeir Vattnes,
Berglaug Petra Garðarsdóttir and
Gabríel Benedikt Bachmann—the
Cult has had their Kool Aid in a
number of surreal, unforgettable
and inimitable music videos this
year including “Píla” by Joey Christ,
“Higher” by GusGus ft. VÖK, and
“MASKHARA” by Bashar Murad.
“The name Rough Cult says a lot
about us as we like to go our own
way and step outside the box and
try new—or old—things. We love
analog,” the Cult said. “No idea is a
bad idea.”
“They’ve been making excellent
things consistently,” one panel
member determined. “If you hear
an artist is working with Rough
Cult, you know it’s going to be
something. They are upping the
standard.”
Auður:
Auður did drop an EP in 2020, but
this Shout Out is to recognise his
work in, as we called it, keeping
culture alive over the pandemic.
Over the last 12 months, Auður
lent his hand to many different col-
laborations with artists of vastly
different disciplines, both famous
and unknown. Our favourites
included his fantastic song with
up-and-comer gugusar, beautiful
animated video by Águst Eli, RÚV
performances with mezzoforte and
Bríet and, of course, one cannot
forget his capacity for livestream.
Lastly, he founded a new studio
space for local musicians along-
side Krassasig. Nothing stopped
Auður’s drive this year and that
kind of optimism needs to be ap-
plauded.
To be honest, the panel was even
hesitant to give him this Shout Out
because he’s rumoured to be releas-
ing an album in 2021 and knowing
Auður, that’ll be sweeping all the
awards this time next year.
Honourable Mentions: hist og, dirb,
Inspector Spacetime
Hekla:
The Grapevine Music Awards
panel is composed of experts from
many disciplines—we have tech-
no fanatics, rap connoisseurs and
many things in-between. None,
unfortunately, are theremin devo-
tees, but all were still completely
enamoured with the eerie there-
min stylings of Hekla Magnúsdót-
tir and her ‘Sprungur’ EP.
“I like to create terrifying
sounds and big sounds in contrast
with thin high pitched sounds,”
Hekla explains. “I guess it explores
negative space or kind of a big black
void of sound. On ‘Sprungur’ I was
exploring imagery of mythical
beasts and the dark cold winters.”
The panel concluded that Hekla
really found her own on this re-
lease, proving that she not only
knows her sound, but that she’s
confident in it. “I think the there-
min is not an instrument you typi-
cally think could be emotional, but
Hekla’s has found deep and intense
emotion in its tones. Out of all the
winners, I can’t wait to see what
she does next,” one panel member
said. “Can someone please give her
a film score?”
RYBA:
RYBA's 2020 debut album 'Phan-
tom Plaza' meanders seamlessly
between beat-driven and jangly
rock 'n' roll, 90s trip-hop, shoegaze
and everything else. “It's a kind of
supergroup, with seasoned mem-
bers of other projects, including
Grísalappalísa, Kælan Mikla and
Andi,” one panel member raved.
“Fine-tuned vibes echoing the past
so elegantly into the present.”
The fact that RYBA didn’t get
more attention this year was a so-
bering fact for many judges, and
so the group was a shoe-in for
the “You Should Have Heard This
Award.” They’re currently working
on their second effort, which you
should also listen to.
“I see the album usually as a
psychological voyage which was
supposed to happen a few decades
ago but it's happening now like
a ghost, it has some unresolved
business,” RYBA told the Grape-
vine. “This album is not trying to
meet anyone or help society to be-
come better, more like using it and
reflecting what we see in it a little
bit like a ghost.”
Hekla
Rough Cult
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13The Reykjavík Grapevine
Issue 01— 2021
Best
Livestream:
Live From
Reykjavík &
Post-sessions
Honourable mentions: Prikið
livestreams
Live From Reykjavík by Iceland
Airwaves
“They went big. I appreciated the
spectacle,” one panel member
said of the Live From Reykjavík
by Iceland Airwaves livestream,
which featured high-production
big numbers by artists like Ha-
tari, Of Monsters And Men, JóiPé
& Króli and more over a two day
celebration. The panel enjoyed
the ambition and execution of the
project—with no Airwaves, it felt
like a fitting tribute to the loss of
the festival this year. “This might
sound weird, but I wish I had been
able to pay for it!”
Post-sessions
“The Post-Sessions that Post-
Dreifing did are fantastic. They
are also a great contrast to the
Airwaves livestreams in that they
are totally DIY,” the panel deter-
mined. The sessions, filmed in
cosy venues across the city, show-
cased the best of Icelandic music
in a totally lovable manner. There
are currently 13 out, featuring live
performances interspersed with
interviews.
You Should Have Heard This:
Hekla & RYBA
Shout Out: Rough Cult & Auður