Edward Hancox's Blog, page 21

Sigur Rós at Jodrell Bank. Otherworldly.

Sigur Rós have a habit of doing things out of the ordinary. Not only have they chosen to play at Jodrell Bank Observatory, Cheshire, UK, beneath the world famous 250ft diameter Lovell Telescope, but their concert starts with a specially composed piece of music featuring radio echoes from meteors; signals from spacecraft travelling to the moon and beyond; and the rhythmic beat of a spinning dead star. All from Jodrell Bank itself. It’s a remarkable start, in an extraordinary setting.

Jodrell Bank have hosted live music performances for the past couple of years. It’s a stunning location for a concert, and there is a focus on science as well as the music. I’m not surprised that they have won awards for the best festival setting. It’s a refreshing change from the UK festival pack-’em-in-like-cattle strategy. Concerts here are called ‘transmissions’, even the final emails were called ‘Pre-Flight Check List’, and Sigur Rós were preceded by an Astro-physicist linking up live with his South African colleague.

Sigur Rós bundle on stage with an impressive sized supporting cast. There is a brass section, string section and extra percussion. The band take front of stage, of course, and the extra personnel come into their own, providing a full and lush soundscape. If there is one outstanding member tonight – it’s the Lovell telescope itself. Sitting just behind and to the left of the stage, it looms impressively agains the night sky. It’s frequently lit with projections, but when it turns into a lunar landscape midway through the set, it’s truly special. It feels like Sigur Rós are playing on the moon.

Sigur Rós start with the slow-burning, and slightly terrifying, Yfirborð, before moving on to some of their better known tracks including a slightly skewiff Glósóli, and the ever popular Hoppípolla. Sæglópur sounds as magical as ever, and reminds me seeing the band on their Icelandic tour in 2006. New tracks are mixed in too – Ísjaki sounded glorious, and Varúð has grown into a delight whilst Kveikur sounds deliciously dark.

Jonsí is, as ever, a man of few words. In addition to the occasional ‘Takk Fyrir’, he stops at one point to say ‘Thanks for letting us play here, it’s a nice place’. He is right, of course.

The encore consists only of two pieces, but what a way to end. Brennistein is menacing, with neon green light projections and images of glimpsed animals / human body parts. It’s spell binding, and the audience are awed. Traditional set closer Popplagið follows and still sounds awesome, growing and gnawing away at you. It ends in the usual storm of feedback, although this time, the Lovell telescope is slowly turning away. It’s the end of an extraordinary, otherworldly performance.

Unofficial Soundtrack to Iceland, Defrosted!

For a bit of fun, I thought I’d compile a few tracks that inspired the writing of Iceland, Defrosted. Its been kind of fun, like making a mix tape in the 1990′s. I hope you enjoy.

Some of the tracks are from artists who appear in Iceland, Defrosted, some are the tracks that accompanied me on my travels and rest are just ‘ear-worms’ from Icelandic bands. Its an unofficial soundtrack, if you will!

New Snorri Helgason Song!

This is Snorri Helgason’s new song ‘Summer Is Almost Gone’, and I really like it!

Snorri is setting off on a European tour:

07 –  (A) Innsbruck – Weekender

09 –  (CH) Zürich – KafiFürDich

10 – Freiburg – Swamp

11 – (CH) Baden – Royal

12 – Düsseldorf – Kassette

13 – Münster – Pension Schmidt

14 - Berlin – Roter Salon

17 - Dresden – Scheune

18 - Hamburg – Knust

19 - Hannover – Feinkostlampe

20 - Potsdam – Hans-Otto-Theater

21 - London – The Northern Embassy @ Phoenix Artists Club, Soho

23 - London – Karamel Music Club, Wood Green

and his new album is not far away either.

My interview with Snorri from a little while ago, and as included in Iceland, Defrosted  is attached for your perusal:

One man who can’t bear to be away from Reykjavík is Snorri Helgason. Formerly of Sprengjuhöllin, but now going it alone, this singer-songwriter can never be too far from his home city, or a pylsa. Especially at Christmas time.

I met up with him in an East London record store before the holidays, where he told me all about it over—what else?—a strong black coffee.

Snorri has a Viking-esque beard that belies his youth, an Iceland-hipster standard issue woolly hat, wears a thick scarf against the cold and has a warm handshake.

Snorri moved from Reykjavík to London last year. For someone who is so associated with the Reykjavík music scene, it seems a strange choice.

“I wanted to get out of Iceland, and the music scene there,” he says. “Yes, it’s close and collaborative and that’s brilliant, but at the same time it can feel claustrophobic. With my solo career, I wanted to break away from that.”

Snorri had been touring extensively in Europe, and was now ready to go back. No, scrap that; he was desperate to go back. He told me that he misses the food, his friends and the Reykjavík music scene. I could see why.

“The break worked. I love London, but it didn’t inspire me like Reykjavík. It’s that ultimate break-up thing—it’s not you, it’s me,” Snorri explained.

As if to prove this, Snorri returned to Reykjavík for the annual Iceland Airwaves festival in October, and played a staggering 11 shows in four days.

How’s that for a statement of intent? “It’s easier to just turn up and play as a solo artist, so I’d thought I’d go for it.”

I told Snorri that I couldn’t make Airwaves this year. “Oh,” he says, “you should have come. It was really good this year. I played in coffee shops, house parties and Harpa.”

Harpa is the new concert hall in Reykjavík, of which Snorri is clearly a fan. “It’s beautiful,” he says. “My girlfriend doesn’t like it because she says it blocks the view of the mountains, but I think it’s a small price to pay.”

Snorri told me that the new concert hall, however controversial, worked well as a venue at the festival. “You could just hang your coat up and spend the evening going from room to room listening to different artists.”

Gallingly, Snorri told me that even the northern lights turned up at the festival, and put on a spectacular show.

Snorri told me all about the making of his recent album, Winter Sun. He said that the close network of musicians in Reykjavík made it so much easier; Sindri from Seabear agreed to produce the album after a New Years Eve phone call, Sóley, another Reykjavík luminary plays on the record too.

He makes the whole recording process seem like a meeting of friends, and deceptively easy. Listening to Winter Sun, it’s a formula that clearly works.

I ask Snorri for the secret of a good night out in Reykjavík at this time of year. Without hesitation, he says, “house parties.”

“Find a good house party, that’s where it will be at. A couple of beers downtown maybe, and don’t forget the pylsur—they are the best in the world,” he said of Icelandic hot dogs. I pointed out that Snorri might just be biased. He laughed.

Snorri and I went on to discuss the first big snowfall that arrived in Reykjavík recently. He told me that a friend had sent him a photo of it, and he had felt a pang of homesickness. He confided in me that he really missed the city.

”Reykjavík is a big part of me’ Snorri said. “It’s a big part of my consciousness. The houses. The places. The people. It’s all very important to me,”

And with that he put on his hat and headed for the door. I had a feeling Snorri would be booking a flight back home to Reykjavík just as soon as he got to his laptop.

 

An Interview with Of Monsters & Men

Of Monsters and Men, the popular Icelandic folk/pop band, have been touring seemingly forever, or at least since the release of their debut album My Head Is An Animal. The end is in sight though; they are playing a homecoming concert in Garðabær, just outside Reykjavík, on August 31.

I caught up with band members Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir and Brynjar Leifsson at the V festival in Staffordshire, U.K., which happened to be their last festival of the year. We sat on the grass in the sunshine; a sharp contrast to a cold, stormy Reykjavík where I saw them last at Iceland Airwaves. I was also relieved that they didn’t consider them too famous to take a seat on the grass.

You’ve played over 100 shows this year, as part of your never-ending touring. Are you not sick of it yet?

Brynjar: Maybe not “sick of it,” but ready for a break.

Nanna: We are tired. We are going home after just three more shows.

With all the touring, do you miss Iceland?

Both: Yes!

What do you miss the most?

Brynjar: Family, water, nature and the silence.

The silence?

Brynjar: We are always in big cities, where there is lots of noise. Like now. (he gestures, and Paloma Faith is squawking nearby). It’s noisy.

Nanna: At home, it’s so calm. Everywhere is calm. It winds me down. It’s good.

At this point, we start discussing the strange phenomenon of Icelandic chocolate. I think Brynjar raised it first, with something amounting to lust in his eyes. I mention my recent encounter with a bizarre Icelandic bar with tubes of licorice running through it.

Brynjar: Mmmmmm. Draumur (the name of the chocolate bar).

Nanna: It’s really good. We can’t find it anywhere. That and salty licorice, it’s nowhere to be found. Everyone in our crew is like “urgh, it’s disgusting,” but we are like “no, it’s really good.”

Moving away from confectionary, I ask them both about the sharp rise to fame, the acceleration out of their ‘group’ of bands in Iceland and into super-stardom that found them on U.S. chat shows, playing concerts across the globe, and being everyone’s must-see band of 2013.

Nanna: It was very, very unexpected. We made the album, and nothing happened immediately, but at the same time we all had different plans. Starting school, finishing school, we were happy just going in different directions. Then it happened.

Brynjar: Everyone had to quit their jobs and school. We were like “really?,” maybe we are just wasting our lives (they both laugh).

Nanna: It’s very hard for bands outside of the U.S. to get radio play within the U.S. ‘Little Talks’ has paved the way for us in a lot of ways. It’s been weird for us trying to catch up with our own song.

Nanna, you were a singer-songwriter before adding members gradually until you have the band we know and love. Do you miss performing alone?

Nana: No, I mean, maybe at the start, but I always wanted to be in a band. It’s a very lonely process to stand on a stage alone and try to get everyone’s attention. It’s very hard. I have so much respect for solo artists who do that, because it’s a hard job. Also, it’s so nice to be able to share this whole thing with friends.

So you don’t resent them for it?

Nanna: No! I love being in this band.

Nanna & Brynjar reading Iceland, Defrosted.

Later, I catch their set on a nearby stage. A plastic seagull is perched on a speaker stack, and the Icelandic flag hangs from the drum kit. The band enter to the sound of an Icelandic male choir. Their Icelandic roots show through, and continue to do so. Their better known songs are sung back at them by the audience. It feels like a party, and the sea-shanty moments of their songs combine with whole crowd sing-alongs. It feels like this party should be on an Icelandic harbor, bottle of beer in hand.

The last word goes the Brynjar, though. At the end of the interview, we discuss tonight’s headliner, Beyonce. I ask him if he has met her. “No,” he says, ”but I’m meeting Jay-Z for a drink later if you want to come”. He is joking, of course, but I’m not sure for how long.

Original article on Iceland Review.

The other 10 Icelandic bands you should care about.

Ok, so a popular website has been posting ’10 Icelandic bands you should care about’ over the past few days. Its ok. It’s a good start.

However, I (and a fair few people on Twitter & Facebook) thought that I could do a better job and that there were some omissions. Whilst I appreciate that this is a matter of personal taste, I’ve decided to put my money where my mouth is. Well, here goes.

The other website seem to imply that the more well known artists should not be included (Sigur Rós, Múm, Björk, etc, etc), and I agree with this sentiment. On this note I’ve excluded Ólafur Arnalds, Emilíana Torrini, Gus Gus et al.

Rökkurró

Why? Laid back, quintessentially Icelandic alternative with astounding vocals from Hildur.

When? Whenever you are yearning for Iceland

What? New album soon to be released. In the meantime í Annan Heim.

Pascal Pinon

Why? Teenage twins from Reykjavik making the cutest, acoustic music ever.

When? Their last tour of Icelandic churches.

What? Last album, Twosomeness, produced by Alex Somers takes some beating.

Samaris

Why? Sound like a dubby, Icelandic Portishead, albeit with a clarinet.

When? Mid afternoon sunshine, complete with cold beer.

What? Album ‘Samaris’ just released worldwide. Start with Góða Tungl.

Sin Fang

Why? Shape-shifting Indie/folk from a man with a penchant for unusual beards.

When? To de-stress your life.

What? Summer Echoes.

ÍRiS

Why? The next big songstress to come out of Iceland? Yearning and beguiling.

When? Looking for something new or different.

What? Album out in September, but Daybreak or Swiftly Siren will catch your attention.

Sóley

Why? Quirky, skewed piano pieces with the most adorable accent going.

When? Late nights after long days. Glass of wine optional.

What? Currently soundtracking ‘breaking news’ at the Edinburgh Festival. Album ‘We Sink’ is a show stopper.

Amiina

Why? Former Sigur Rós string section. Soaring strings and occasional saws. Atmosphere pedlars.

When? When you are feeling melancholic.

What? The Lighthouse Project – all songs recorded in lighthouses across Iceland.

Snorri Helgason

Why? Bearded songwriter producing Icelandic-tinged Americana. Icemericana?

When? Sunday afternoon recovery sessions.

What? New album coming soon, in the meantime try Winter Sun.

Mr. Silla

Why? Not actually a Mister, but Sigurlaug Gísladóttir from Múm. Delicious vocals.

When? Post-club, early morning soothing.

What? Superb live. No solo album available as yet.

Asgeir

Why? Either the Icelandic Bon Iver or John Grant’s pal. Seems to have forgotten his full name.

When? Show off to your hipster mates.

What? Gearing up to take Europe and the States by storm; he is re-releasing his album in English this Autumn.

Thanks & Northern Lights

Since the launch of Iceland, Defrosted I have been receiving lots of fantastic reviews (20 x 5*, but who is counting? Oh, me!), Tweets, Facebook comments and emails. The emails – mainly from complete strangers – have come from all over the globe, and say the nicest things. I received this one yesterday, the only difference being that it came with an amazing shot of the Northern Lights, that I couldn’t help but share. Here it is.

‘Just wanted to say that I really enjoyed reading your book. I wasn’t going to read it at first as I’m probably a bit of an Iceland snob and thought ‘oh, here’s another book about doing the Golden Circle and going to the Blue Lagoon’. However, when I read page 16 about Iceland being an addiction and always looking for the next hit, I knew exactly what you meant and I knew I would enjoy it.’

As a first time author, I’m amazed that anybody reads my book at all, let alone enjoys it.

Ed.

Photo courtesy of Richard Scott.

TAKK, Manchester

Today I had lunch in Iceland. Well, almost. As close as you can get in Manchester, UK. I visited Takk, an Iceland inspired ‘cafe and creative space’ in Tariff Street in the Northern Quarter of the city.

Takk opened in January of this year, and is the brainchild of Philip Hannaway. Philip is an Iceland obsessive too, and his passion for the country shows through, not just in the enthusiastic way he speaks of his visits to Iceland (or Sigur Rós, for that matter) but in the care and dedication he has put into making Takk.

Take, for example, the bright and cheery map of Iceland, inscribed with cultural references on one wall, or the modern pictorial interpretations of Iceland’s sagas on the other. If this isn’t enough, consider his attention to detail in providing the best coffee (something very Icelandic) or his devotion to making an authentic Icelandic kaka.

The food is good too. The choice of sandwiches is sparse, but well chosen. Mine (Jarlsberg and turkey salad, if you are really that interested) arrives and is almost bigger than the plate. The huge selection of cakes and slices almost makes it too difficult too choose, and all around me people are laughing and talking or taping away on their laptops.

In the corner, there are books about Iceland and newspapers (including Reykjavik Grapevine and Iceland Review) to read. I’m sat at what appears to be a school desk with the inscription ‘His sense of humour suggests exciting sex’. Yeah, maybe, but I’m too busy wrangling with a sandwich for the moment.

This might just be a little slice of Iceland in Manchester.

Einstök Book Of The Week!

Einstök Brewing Company have just made Iceland, Defrosted their book of the week.

Here is the post from their Facebook page-

Book of the Week Club – Apparently, another Einstök fan has published a book, this time about one Englishman’s obsession with Iceland, by Edward Hancox. Here’s a quote: ‘After many hours of driving along Iceland’s extraordinary south coast it was with some relief that I pulled into the sleepy coastal village of Stokkseyri, my last stop. Not only was I ravenous, but it had been an extremely hot day by Icelandic standards; the skies had stayed clear and blue, allowing for the sun to beat down non-stop. In other words, I was gagging for an ice-cold bottle of Einstök Icelandic White Ale.’

I was too! I do like a bottle or two of Einstök, so you could say its a mutual appreciation. If Einstök fancied sending a crate of their finest brews over, there would be no complaints from this end!

Photo Courtesy of Jon Gnarr!

Einstök website.

New Lockerbie Song!

Lockerbie have released their brand new track ‘Heim’ into the world today. You can listen to it here, and whilst you listen, have a read of my interview with Davíð from the band from last year. It’s a good ‘un!

I first came across Lockerbie at Iceland Airwaves a couple of years ago. I was first struck by their name—what sort of band would name themselves after a town in Southwest Scotland that was subject to a terrible tragedy in 1988?

I still don’t know the answer.

I do know this though: Lockerbie (the band) are purveyors of fine melodic rock that is both complex and simple, loud and quiet, definitively Icelandic and at the same time unique.

It’s rock with strings and brass. It’s pop with brains. I caught up with Davíð Arnar Sigurðsson from the band to find out a bit more about this confusing little group.

Where does the name Lockerbie come from? Obviously the word itself is associated with the tragedy in Scotland.

Actually the idea came from a friend named Sævar who joined the band few months after it was formed. He wrote a song about the tragedy in the town Lockerbie and it was one of our first songs.

We decided to call ourselves Lockerbie after the song on one of our early concerts and the name got its roots deep and we never seemed to be satisfied with another name.

How would you describe your music? When do you think is best to listen to it?

We think you can describe our music as melodic pop-rock under a big post-rock influence. I always think this is music that you should listen to with the lights off in good headphones. This is not music that you should listen to while vacuuming because there is so much to be heard.

Of course, live at a concert is another good place to listen to the music. This is music that needs your attention so you can enjoy it, full of brass and strings that binds the songs together.

Your music seems to be mature—grown-up in a good way, and yet you are clearly quite young. Is this a conscious decision?

Well, thanks for that. It’s fair to say that we are quite young (all born in the great year of 1991) and all of the songs on this album were written between the age of 15 and 19.

Þórður [Páll Pálsson] and I have been studying music for a long time and have been really lucky to work with a lot of great musicians. For example, my music teacher is Sóley who is becoming quite big in the Icelandic music scene and she has helped us a lot.

But our music is really just what happens when the four of us get together and play. So, a conscious decision? No.

You use a whole range of instruments, including brass, in your sound. How did this eclectic mix come about?

I think it’s partly because a lot of music that we listen to has brass and strings involved. We listen to musicians like Sufjan Stevens and Sigur Rós and that has obviously influenced us. It’s also quite common in Iceland that bands use brass and strings in their music.

Are you sick of Sigur Rós/ Björk/ any other Icelandic band comparisons yet? What if I mention the word ‘glacial’?!

I’m not sure that sick is the right word. However in almost every review (especially in foreign ones) we hear about the Sigur Rós comparison.

Being in a kind of a post-rock band from Iceland who sings in Icelandic, I can understand why people see the connection with Sigur Rós. The band itself, Sigur Rós, are a great band and being compared with them and not getting a D- has to be good.

We have not been compared with Björk yet but the same thing goes for her. Glacial smacial.

Are you playing this year’s Airwaves festival? How important is playing live to Lockerbie?

We most certainly hope so! We played twice last year and the shows were much bigger than the first time we played Airwaves. We are active during the summer here in Iceland and we are currently booking a tour in Europe in the month before Airwaves.

When performing live we have fun and it is the reason we play. The importance of playing live is at a high level for us and probably for every other band as well.

Who (else) should we look out for on the Icelandic new music scene?

Well, our friends in Of Monsters and Men are getting really big, both in USA and also in Europe. If you like rock music, Agent Fresco is a great band too.

We also have great indie artists like Sóley, Sin Fang and Hjaltalín. Ólafur Arnalds, Gus Gus and a lot of other bands. We really have a lot of great bands in Iceland.

Why is new music so popular in Iceland?

The music scene is really active so there are always some new albums coming out every week. The market here is also really small so it’s not that difficult to break through in the Icelandic market so that might also play a part!

I think Lockerbie could have chosen a better name. I enjoy their music, though, and I can’t wait to see them at Airwaves. The rest as they say, is just glacial smacial.

Latest from Unchained Iceland

As you may know, I have been asking readers to send in photos of Iceland, Defrosted from locations around the world.

It’s going really well, and I have received photos from the US, Canada, France, and all over the UK. Even my publishers got in on the action with a cracker from Bristol International Balloon Fiesta. I then use the photographs on my social media streams.

However, I received this one last night taken at Jökulsárlón, a glacial lagoon in South Iceland by Geoff Harper on his Unchained Iceland challenge. I think Geoff just raised the bar.