The Reykjavík Grapevine Issue 9 — 2012
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Make it’s El sure ding!
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Japanese Super Shift And The Future Band Futatsu www.gogoyoko.com/artist/jss So many likable elements but the songs don’t stick. What a trip down memory lane this Japanese Super Shift And The Future Band (JSS&TFB) album is. It’s like the late ’90s/early ’00s never happened. Remember that wave of US “real deal” emo and indie rock bands? The lines between those genres were so blurred that The Jazz June, Les Savy Fav, Owls, and Bats & Mice would all have a home on the same mixtape. JSS&TFB reminds me of those days. Right there, they are on my good side. The vibe is there, but ‘Futatsu’ leaves a lot to be desired. The vocals quickly become tedious. The double tracking doesn’t help. And for some reason, although quite dynamic, ‘Futatsu’ is like a muggy blur where nothing really stands out. I find it hard to get excited about specific songs as
they fizzle by without much impact. Each song has a redeeming quality but more often than not, it’ll also feature some kind of turn-off. That’s not to say these guys are void of ideas. There’s a lot of intricate guitar work, somewhat complex arrangements, shifts, blasts and calm. Synths seem to be making quite a comeback and JSS&TFB are ballsy in incorporating those into their fuzzy guitar rock. It’s a risky move and a troubled marriage, often corny as hell but sometimes nostalgically fitting. I find it hard to put my finger on it, but something doesn’t gel on ‘Futatsu.’ Despite all its promise, ingredients and manpower, I doubt it will make repeated returns onto my playlist. - Birkir Fjalar Viðarsson
ELDING WHALE WATCHING from Reykjavík Take part in an adventure at sea with an unforgettable trip into the world of whales and sea birds all year round.
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Music | Reviews
Elding Whale Watching schedule – all year round EL-01 / EL-02 / EL-03
Jan-Mar 13:00
Apr 9:00
May 9:00
Jun Jul Aug 9:00 9:00 9:00 10:00 10:00 10:00 13:00 13:00 13:00 13:00 13:00 14:00 14:00 14:00 17:00* 17:00 17:00 17:00 20:30** 20:30 20:30**
Sept Oct-Dec 9:00 13:00
13:00
17:00*
* From 15 May to 15 September ** From 15 June to 15 August
Other adventures at sea Puffin Watching 15 May - 15 August at 9:30 and 15:00 Sea Angling 1 May - 30 September at 11:00 Environmental Award Icelandic Tourist Board
Tilbury Exorcise
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www.facebook.com/Tilburymusic Immensely confident and capable, but a bit flat down the middle. When I heard Tilbury was a supergroup of sorts (with members from Skakkamanage, Jeff Who? Moses Hightower, Valdimar and Hjaltalín) flaunting a Belle and Sebastian fixation, I imagined the outcome would be uninspired and pretentious dog shit. Indeed, the attention this band so quickly generated condemns it to high expectations. What strikes me first is how amicably complete and fully-fledged the band are on their first release. Their sound and tone are fully realised and they are their own, although, yes, there are faint nods to Belle and Sebastian (that cinematic feel) and, to a larger extent, latter-day Mercury Rev. I like how the dreamy pop meets the wistful, cold synthesizers and electronic beeps and pops, which gives the whole album an underlying dark and
foreboding edge. The performance on ‘Exorcise’ is flawless and the production plays into the sparse and stripped down arrangements, thus all the record’s parts are out in the open for you explore. This makes for a rewarding headphone experience. My gripe with the album is its flatness. It’s too controlled and disciplined. I need more rise, conflict and collisions. I started longing for some excitement, gusto or change of pace after the third number, the brilliant “Slow Motion Fighter.” Thankfully “Picture” comes to the rescue and we’re off to the races again, all the way to the end. Although not without its faults, ‘Exorcise’ fascinates and deserves your attention. - birkir fjalar viðarsson
unique experience Icelandic Feast Amazing 6 course menu which combines Icelands best produce withJapanese, Peruvian and Brazilian cuisine. Starts with a shot of icelandic nacional spirit "Brennivin" Place Ceviche Dried maize, sweet potato, coriander, chili, passion sauce
Subminimal Microfluidics EP
Minke whale tataki Fig jam, wakame, mushrooms, soy glaze
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Icelandic Salmon roll Salmon, avocado, asparagus, jalapeno mayo
A perfect little Interzone floor filler if ever I heard one...
Spotted cat fish "mojito style" Grilled spotted cat fish, pea purée, bacon, mojito foam
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Lamb ribs Chili crumble, "Skyr" mint sauce, celeriac fries Icelandic Skyr "Flan"
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substance, but in the case of ‘Microfluidics,’ it actually works out really well. This is down to the menacingly textured sounds accompanying those beats. Sci-fi dark ambient sounds whoosh past your ears, while echoing drips, pops and splashes give this EP a spacious, almost eerie presence. It feels like ‘Microfluidics’ lurks and skulks in dark corners of abandoned spaceships off Solaris, waiting for people to go, “Hey we should split up and explore this place separately,” before it attacks and lays its young in your brain or something. - bob cluness
st. rðu vö óla Sk
In purely drum and bass terms ‘Microfluidics,’ the second EP from Reykjavík producer Subminimal, does not re-invent the wheel. It’s too in lockstep with the likes of ’90s artists such as Source Direct and Photek to be considered anything like ground breaking. BUT, that doesn’t mean we don’t have a fully accomplished listening experience going on here. The beats produced across its five tracks are incredibly restrained, with a clinical laser etched finish to them. There’s not a trace of grime or techstep in-yer-face aggro contained within. Normally this would mean a slight lack of
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