Edward Hancox's Blog, page 15

Iceland’s (Lego) Yule Lads – Stekkjastaur

Stekkjastaur (Sheep-Cote Clod/Stiff-legs) This lad, the eldest of the Yule lads, sneaks into sheep sheds, hoping to get a sip of milk, but is often thwarted by his stiff legs. He’ll do anything for a hit of calcium. Apparently his creaking legs can often give the game away, both to the sheep and anyone else who should be asleep anyway. Despite this, he is persistent, and is always the first of the Yule lads to arrive. Stekkjastaur arrives on December 12 and departs again on December 25.

The Yule lads, of which there are thirteen in Icelandic folklore, come from the mountains to visit every Christmas. They arrive one by one, and leave again fourteen days later. The Yule lads used to have a bit of a reputation, and whilst they are still mainly naughty, they now leave presents in children’s shoes left on window sills. Unless you have been naughty, of course, then you will receive nothing, or worse, a rotten potato.

Unlike Santa Claus, they do have this mischievous side. Each Yule lad has specialised in one sort of trickery or another, such as licking spoons, slamming doors and stealing sausages. The idea of Santa and the Yule lads has been confused over recent years, with the Yule lads now often seen adopting the red and white costume of Santa himself. This is either an image thing, or the cheeky little scamps might have just been at Santas wardrobe.

The Yule lads are the sons of Grýla and Leppalúði, both mountain dwelling trolls. Grýla is particularly fearsome, and is said to come looking for naughty children at Christmas to put in her pot. A newspaper even blamed Grýla for the Eyjafjallajökull eruption in 2010, although this has never been proven. Leppalúði is a lazy, idle oaf. It’s no wonder that the lads turned out as they did.

Icelandic folklore states that everyone has to get one new piece of clothing at Christmas. Anyone who was left out is in danger of being eaten by a gruesome feline called the Christmas Cat. The Christmas Cat is Grýla’s cat, so thats where it gets its terrible manners, and every effort is made to ensure that no-one in the family gets caught by it. Cat flaps are not popular in Iceland for this reason.

I’ll introduce you to a Yule lad day by day, as they arrive. In lego format!

Book Review. The Creator – Guðrún Eva Mínervudóttir.

Guðrún Eva Mínervudóttir has been a professional writer since the age of 22, but this is her first novel to be translated into English. The Creator is a unique story with traces of dark humor.

Set in modern day Iceland, it focuses on the lives of two Icelanders. The first is Sveinn, a natural loner, with the unusual occupation of making sex dolls in Akranes, and the second is Loá, a mother with a complex and somewhat difficult family life.

Our two characters meet when Loá has a flat tire, and mistaking Sveinn’s place for a garage, calls in to get it changed. Sveinn obliges, but not until they’ve eaten a meal and consumed far too much drink. Loá awakens, and discovers the dolls. She makes the unusual decision to steal one of them (Raven-black haired Lola) to provide a companion for her daughter, who suffers from a mental health condition.

What follows is a dissection of how the two characters’ lives continue to collide, with scenes often being told from both points of view. The mental health aspect is sensitively handled, although perhaps never fully explained.

Sveinn’s life is illuminated by the inclusion of his only friend, Kjartan. Sveinn is shown to be caring under his tough exterior, and believes his works to be pieces of art rather than tools of gratification.

Guðrún manages to draw empathy, even sympathy, for the two main characters lonely, incomplete lives. The strange, yet comforting relationship that builds up is documented slowly, although the closing pages would leave the reader to believe that it will continue to grow.

There are some questions that go unanswered. Why is Lárus so strange, and yet helpful towards Sveinn? Who exactly is threatening Sveinn? Why doesn’t Sveinn just change his phone number?

I particularly enjoyed the aspects of the book that were uniquely Icelandic. For example, when roads are shut due to adverse weather, driving deep under the sea in Hvalfjörður tunnel, or dealing with lackadaisical police when Loá tries to report her daughter as missing.

Guðrún has produced an intelligent, intriguing piece of work with The Creator. The way that I know this? The characters of Loá and Sveinn live on in my mind, long after the book has been closed for the final time.

Originally published on Iceland Review online.

Iceland Calendar 2014

My pal Nick Miners is creating a 2014 calendar with stunning aerial shots of Iceland taken in November. It’s really breathtaking photography. Please contact him if you’d like a copy.

This appropriately snowy scene is the December image. It’s gorgeous, isn’t it?

©NickMiners

More details at Nick Miners Photography.

Amazing Reykjavík Artwork.

Thanks to the magic of Twitter, I came across these magical pieces of Reykjavík , created by Clare Caulfield.

Clare is a Yorkshire based artist and printmaker whose work is inspired by her travels to some of the world’s greatest cities, some of which she returns to again and again drawing on new ideas each time. Her collection includes Paris, Venice, New York, Rome, Prague, Istanbul and Sydney. The magic of each location being recreated in Clare’s very distinctive and illustrative style of working. She produces mixed-media paintings, original handmade prints, limited edition prints and handmade cards which are exhibited throughout the U.K.

For more details go to Clare’s website, or

Many thanks to Clare for letting me reproduce her artwork here.

Bonus chapter now available!

Its been almost a year (December 10th, to be precise) since I launched the Kickstarter campaign to publish Iceland, Defrosted. As you surely know, things have taken off somewhat since then.

Not wanting to ‘blow my own trumpet’, Iceland, Defrosted has been so much more successful than I ever imagined. I don’t consider myself to be an author, so I’m amazed that anyone reads it at all. But they have, and continue to do so. Iceland, Defrosted is constantly at the top of the Amazon Bestseller lists for books about Iceland, and at one point, its ebook version was racing Karl Pilkington and Bill Bryson up the charts.

Reviews have been outstanding, with National Geographic, Wanderlust, Iceland Review and others showing substantial praise. The Amazon & Goodreads reviews have also been brilliant, no doubt aided by my loyal Kickstarter backers. I even achieved a number 1 bestseller in Canada!

Launches in the summer were like a whirlwind – London with its packed out crowd baking in the heat, the mis-timed Reykavík event (the whole city had gone to their summerhouses in the country) and the busy Much Wenlock evening with so many familiar faces. Many thanks to everyone that came.

Anyway, enough waffle. As a thank you, or a tempting early Christmas gift, you can download a ‘bonus’ chapter here. Its called ‘Hvalreki’. I hope you enjoy it! http://issuu.com/edhancox/docs/hvalreki-edwardhancox

Things are still ticking over too. I have some reading/signing events in January & February (eek! nervous!), my usual columns with Iceland Review, and a special celebration of the Icelandic Yule Lads on my blog. No, really! I guess it will be then time to start writing the next one!

Music Review- Ásgeir: In the Silence

Ásgeir has had some help with In the Silence. Iceland’s latest adopted son, John Grant, helped translate the albums lyrics into English. Ásgeir’s 72-year-old father helped write some of the lyrics. Of Monsters and Men helped raise his profile by taking him on tour.

That said, Ásgeir remains the star of the show here. In the Silence, it has been well reported is the English language rehash of Dýrð í dauðaþögn, the Icelandic version that outsold Björk and Sigur Rós—it’s the highest selling debut in Iceland—and spent a hefty ten weeks atop the Icelandic charts. It would be easy, then, to get washed away in the hype, and there is certainly plenty of that around this album.

Ásgeir—full name Ásgeir Trausti Einarsson—has produced a wonderful little album here. I suppose it might be pigeonholed ‘folktronica,’ and invite comparisons with Bon Iver, or Jóse González, or even James Vincent McMorrow, but it has something else too. Yes, it’s gentle, softly beautiful stuff, but Ásgeir sings his falsetto with such emotion that it sounds personal, like a love letter written just to you.

This is not just folktronica by numbers. I suspect it’s had a suitable gloss added since its original version. The production here is expertly handled. Everything sounds perfectly balanced, and has layering that neatly wraps around Ásgeir’s vocals. 

‘Higher’ is a sweet introduction to what is about to come, first single ‘King and Cross’ builds to an almost dance-y crescendo and will stick in your head for days. ‘Torrent’ adds some gravitas to proceedings, whilst ‘Going Home’ sounds like a sweet hymn, with a surprising horn section. ‘Head In The Snow’ starts with rattling percussion that is both fresh and inventive, and saves the song from being just another finger plucking standard. ‘In Harmony’ breaks out an impromptu choral backing that just soars.

All in all, this is a wonderful album, that deserves all the credit it’s been getting. For a guy in his 20s, from the sleepy hamlet of Laugarbakki in Northwest Iceland, Ásgeir might just have the world at his feet. Then he might just need all the help he can get.

Originally published on Iceland Review online.

Ingunn Huld

At Airwaves ‘12, I took my first trip to the Salvation Army Chapel in downtown Reykjavík. Not expecting much in this austere building, and more just wanting to get out of the fierce wind, I was delighted to see Ingunn Huld play a beautiful set of acoustics songs to the sparsely populated room. Ingunn weaved the songs with personal stories, tales of love and chocolate cake, and delivered her set with an intriguing sweetness that I’m sure will see her go far.

Fast forward a year, and it looks like I’m going to be proved correct. I’m not one to say “I told you so,” but on this occasion “I told you so” seems entirely reasonable. Ingunn is making a go of her music career, and after more acclaimed concerts at this year’s Airwaves, making new music and launching her own website, I’ve no doubt that 2014 will be huge for her.

How would you describe your music?

Folk or indie folk or maybe even vocal improvisational indie folk.

Are you looking to pursue a career in music? If so, what’s the plan?

I guess I’ve not been too ambitious about it until now but I love writing and making music. My favorite kind of concerts are intimate ones in someone’s living room and it gives me a lot of joy performing, whether other people are listening or not. But the plan is to share the joy with more people. I already have so many songs written and ready so I’m figuring out how to give them wings.

I know that you studied jazz music, but your sound is more folk. Was this a conscious decision?

I really like jazz and learnt a bunch in this school. Musically it really opened my eyes up to a lot of things and for that I am very thankful. I really like improvising and most of my songs come out of that in some way, sometimes without me even trying to improvise so I guess that is the most evident link to jazz influence in my music. Writing folk music wasn’t a conscious decision, it just so happens that what I write is a bit folky.

What are your influences? I think I recall you saying that one of your songs was inspired by a trip to Ireland?

I’m inspired by the nature quite a bit. I love nature and in Iceland the scenery is constantly changing. And so is life. There are so many metaphors about life that you can find in nature. I’m also inspired by random thoughts, feelings, and struggles. I love poetry so very often the music I write is inspired by poetry and this reflects in my lyrics . I took a course once in traditional Icelandic poetry and I could easily become a poetry nerd. I also have a strong faith and that comes out within my lyrics too. But yes, one of my songs was inspired by my first trip to Ireland but I actually just “wrote” it when I was back in Iceland, I just started singing it in my car where lots of songs have been born.

Is it hard to become a musician in Iceland?

Yes and no. With Iceland being a small country it probably is more easy for people to network and get people’s attention. At the same time, because of the low population it’s extremely difficult to live on music. With such few people in the country it’s a bit of an utopic thought to think you could live off of selling your albums. But on the contrary there are so many people doing music that it’s amazing that almost every night you can go to downtown Reykjavík and choose something interesting for your ears to hear—and not just when Iceland Airwaves is on.

How did your Airwaves concerts go?

My concerts went well. They were supposed to be two but ended up by being three. It was such a lovely group of people who came listening so I had fun and it seemed like they also did.

Where can we hear your music?

I’m working on a web page now and on putting things up on SoundCloud at the moment, so right now I guess the only way to listen is to knock on my door and ask for a live concert over tea… or have me come play somewhere.

Ingunn Huld website

Soundcloud

Originally published on Iceland Review online.

10 ‘Icelandic’ books for your Christmas stocking!

The jólabókaflóð (Icelandic for “christmas book flood”) is the slew of new books in Iceland occurring in the months before christmas every year. Its in full swing now.

I thought I’d put together a list of books to buy for the Iceland-lover in your life, to put in their stocking, or under the tree. Or should that be given by a ‘Yule Lad’?

The Hitmans Guide To House Cleaning – Hallgrímur Helgason. Dark, humorous and often slightly worrying, Hallgrímur writes about the darker side of Icelandic life, no more so than in The Hitmans Guide To Housecleaning. Follows the troubled Croatian hit man Toxic after a hit gone wrong, and he finds himself in Iceland.

Strange Shores – Arnaldur Indriðason. One of Iceland’s contributors to Nordic noir, he is a master of crime and mystery. Often produces gripping tales that could only happen in Iceland, with his brooding Detective, Erlendur. Arnaldur is prolific, but this might be the last outing for Erlendur.

Waking up in Iceland – Paul Sullivan. Entertaining, and enjoyable read about the authors experience of Reykjavik, and in particular, it’s music scene. Best read with a pint of ‘Viking’ in hand.

Unravelled – Alda Sigmundsdóttir. After being a key commentator on Iceland’s financial collapse, and producing the amusing The Little Book Of Icelanders, Alda has turned her hand to novel writing. Her first novel, Unravelled, is the story of two different meltdowns.

The Creator – Guðrún Eva Mínervudóttir. Guðrún has a keen eye for the minutiae of Icelandic life, no more so than in her latest novel, The Creator, set against the backdrop of a man who makes sex dolls in Akranes, and an unexpected visitor, who has troubles of her own. An unusual, but compelling book.

Svart/Hvít – Nick Miners. I’m not usually into photo books, but this one is stunning. Well worth a look. Means ‘black/white’ by the way!

Names for the Sea: Strangers in Iceland – Sarah Moss. The story of Sarah’s year living in Iceland with her family. Expect tales of disappointing vegetables, knitting circles and non-secondhand white goods. That is, the stuff no one else tells you about living in Iceland.

Chilled To The Bone – Quentin Bates. This is the third instalment of this crime series with Sgt Gunnhildur Gísladóttir, and continues to deliver slick, clever police procedural that could only happen in Iceland. Even gets a bit ‘kinky’ at one point!

Burial Rites – Hannah Kent. Set in 1829, Agnes Magnúsdóttir is sentenced to death for two murders and is sent to Northern Iceland to await her execution. Hannah Kent is an Australian who visited Iceland on a Rotary Exchange, and clearly had Iceland’s landscapes imprinted on her mind forever.

Blue Eyed Pop – Dr. Gunni. The definitive guide to Icelandic pop music, from 1930′s Accordian tours to Ásgeir. Told in a energetic and knowledgable style from a man who has seen it all. Includes amazing photos too – look out for Jonsí from Sigur Rós on a bicycle, or Björk in her ‘dead swan’ dress.

Iceland, Defrosted – Edward Hancox. The story of one man’s obsession with the people, places and music of Iceland. Ok, ok. It’s mine. At the risk of ‘blowing my own trumpet’, it’s the best book by me this year!

Mythical Icelandic Creatures: Skeljaskrímsli

Skeljaskrímsli – the shell monster; dinosaur-like in form but hippopotamus-sized, this chap is not that different to the stereotypical view of the Loch Ness monster, if you ask me.

It has shells, or scales along it’s back, a tail and four legs. It’s happy on land, or in water. Skeljaskrímsli has bulging, bulbous eyes, and a strange looking snout. Some sightings in Greenland too, although nothing for a while.

Mythical Icelandic Creatures: Fjörulalli

The fjörulalli, or shore laddie, is a Scottish-sounding wee beastie which looks like a sheep that’s fallen in the drink; either that or a fat, woolly seal. Although fjörulalli are vegetarian, they allegedly and somewhat bizarrely have a perverted penchant for pregnant ladies. They will also inseminate an unlucky sheep, although farmers report any lambs being born as being deformed to the rear. These creatures are shore dwellers, and there are witness accounts of them prowling the beaches and coves of the West Fjords of Iceland. You might want to keep an eye out for them on your next visit, especially if you are pregnant.