“The thing is, this brand that Icelandic music has become is something that was created by music enthusiasts and music journalists abroad – not locally. There was no marketing bureau that found out that this or that would work. It has been created because most successful artists have done their music on their own terms. These are artists that have become known for doing it ‘their way’ without compromising their artistic integrity. Take Björk for example, she has never sold any of her compositions for adver tising purposes. She has denied copious sums of money, because she chooses to do things her own way.”
Too commercial? But all this publicity must lead to the assumption that the Icelandic music scene is being commercial ized. Could it be that too much commercialization can hurt the reputation of Icelandic artists? “Probably, and that is why we are working this way. We are not trying to commercialize anything. We are first and foremost trying to support up and coming artists. Of course there are always going to be people who think that there is too much marketing involved.
Look at Iceland Airwaves, the costs involved with the festival are huge, and there is a real effort in making it ever more artist friendly by improving payments to artists and catering. A lot of the cost is funneled into importing people of international importance to the music scene. Of course the tourism industry reaps a lot of the benefits by receiving so many foreign guests. But what we are doing is trying to create an environment where musicians can network and make international deals giving them a chance to wid en their audience. Every recording artist should be happy with that. I mean, there are always some artists who are fine staying in the corner, happy in their own little world. And there is always going to be this de bate; where to draw the line in the clash between artistic integrity and marketing. This goes for everyone who works in the creative fields. But you have to know the market, you can’t just stand by not know ing anything about your career or simply not having a say about it. This is our working environment and it is better to familiarize our selves. And you don’t have to be a sell-out to achieve success. I think the careers of Björk and Sigur rós have proven that you can do things your own way, with great success.”
Hjaltalín with a pleasant surprise The band with the funny sounding name, Hjaltalín, has become one of Iceland’s most celebrated bands. Their 2009 album, Terminal, was a huge success and was design ated as album of the year at the Icelandic Music Awards. Now they have released their third studio album, Enter 4, having kept the release a closely guarded secret from the music press, right until the day of release. We met up with Bassoon player Rebekka Björnsdóttir, who also produced the music video to the first single of the album “Lucifer/He Felt Like a Woman.” Did you approach this record differently than you did with your previous ones? “Yeah, I think with our previous records we kind of just went for it. We got into the studio with the clear intention of cutting an album, and the recordings didn’t really take much time. For this one, we’ve been recording in various places - in a summerhouse in the country, in Sundlaugin studio, in the community center in the town of Garður ... We recorded a lot of material during the last two years and suddenly we realized that we had enough quality on there to go ahead and release an album.” Many of you live abroad, while others have careers that call for much travelling. Did it affect the process of the album that you are rarely all in Iceland at the same time? “It did affect the process of course, but not in a bad way, not at all. All of us are travelling a lot and some even have careers outside of music. I’m working in film. We have an economist and an airplane pilot. I think the distance from each other gives us a wider perspective and greater appreciation for what we are doing with Hjaltalín. The joy of jamming together when we get the chance is immense. I think this album is much, more straightforward, and I mean that in the best sense.” Can Hjaltalín fans expect to see you performing live in the near future? “Our official release concert for the new album is scheduled for the 21st of December and then we’ll have to wait and see. The joy of playing together is always present, but we do have to respect each other’s schedules. Hopefully a lot of people will get to see us.”
62 ı WOW is in the air
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Recommend: Oyama Founded in 2012, the five-piece shoe gaze band, Oyama has received plenty of well-deserved attention. Drawing from ’80s trailblazers such as Dinosaur Jr. and My Bloody Valentine, their con certs are loud and fuzzy. Their shows during Iceland Airwaves this year were highly successful, and they have now signed with international booking agen cy, Projekta. Oyama is in the process of recording their debut album. www.oyamayo.tumblr.com www.facebook.com/oyamaband
Sóley A long time collaborator and band member of Sindri Sigfússon’s band Seabear, Sóley was not initially at the center of attention. When German record label executive Thomas Morr asked her if she had any songs of her own, however, the wheels were set in motion. Sóley has emerged as some thing of a star on YouTube, some of her videos having been viewed as often as 9 million times. She is now spending her early winter as the opening act for the hit band, Of Monsters and Men. www.soleysoley.com www.facebook.com/soleysoleysoley
Sykur Beginning their career in 2009 while still in high school, Sykur has emerged as one of the most exciting bands in Iceland. Their catchy electro-pop tunes have gotten extensive airplay on Icelandic radio and their concerts are becoming a cult phenomenon. Drawing influences from the world of fashion and pop art, they can be seen as electro-music’s answer to Bryan Ferry. Sykur recently signed a record deal with British-based label Wall of Sound. www.sykur.com www.facebook.com/sykurtheband
Sísý Ey Founded in 2011, Sísý Ey is a family affair. Members are sisters Elín, Elísabet and Sigríður Eyþórsdóttir, all of them having previously performed and record ed as solo artists. Gathered together by their friend and now band manager, Carmen Johannsdóttir, they have set their minds on singing live house music. The band was completed by the addition of Oculus, a producer and DJ. Sísý Ey’s live shows have received much praise, where few, if any, manage to escape without serious sweat. www.facebook.com/sisyey
Ásgeir Trausti The fairytale of Ásgeir Trausti’s rise to local stardom began last summer, with two hit-singles, “Leyndarmál” and “Sumargestur”. When his debut album, “Dýrð í dauðaþögn”, finally dropped in September, Ásgeir had already managed to break all existing pre-sale records—all this at the tender age of 20. Ásgeir plans to release his album in English in 2013. www.facebook.com/asgeirtrausti