Edward Hancox's Blog, page 8

Music Review: Low Roar 0

Once just Ryan Katazija and his guitar/laptop, Low Roar have gained a number of band members, a stage presence and following to match. Aided by Mike Lindsay from English folk band Tunng (his influence is heavy throughout 0, no bad thing), Silla presumably borrowed from múm, and various members of Amiina, Low Roar are now something to behold. They have a lush, deep sound revolving around Ryan’s fragile folk songs but are clearly not afraid of electronics, looping or occasionally breaking into dance.

‘Breathe In’ is the opener, and immediately marks out the territory; folk led dreamy pop. ‘Easy Way Out’ is wonderful, with its slow build, sorrowful lyrics and the noise of an emperor penguin being repeatedly squeezed. Not really, but that’s how it sounds. The gentle ‘Nobody Loves me Like You’ is a folksy melodrama with a sting in its tail, whilst ‘Please Don’t Stop (Chapter 1)’ is it’s gentler cousin. ‘Vampire on the Fridge’ is a revelation. The standout track though, is ‘I’ll Keep Coming’ with its slow build and unusual percussion. It’ll have you hitting repeat.

Occasionally, 0 can become a little slow, and some of the tracks seem a little unnecessary. I think I would have preferred a shorter, punchier album, but this is very much a minor quibble.

0 was released just after winning over the crowd at ATP Iceland in July, and after several years of hard graft by Ryan, who has clearly been honing his vision of how to use his new Icelandic friends to make a remarkable album. Ryan moved to Iceland from California in 2010 after his old band Audrye Sessions broke up. 0 couldn’t have been made anywhere else; It reeks of the Icelandic music scene and is all the better for it.

4/5

Originally published on Iceland Review online.

New Rökkurró song released!

Rökkurró – one of my favourite Icelandic bands by a long shot – will self-release their new album later this year which will be preceded by the single The Backbone. This single, which follows the superlative-inducing ‘Killing Time’ is also being made available in a limited handmade edition – limited to just 120 copies from Etsy.

When asked about the idea behind a handmade single, lead singer Hildur explained to Oscillate Music ‘We’ve always been a DIY band. We love making things ourselves. The very first thing we ever released was a 4-track EP that we recorded and crafted ourselves. We hadn’t made any special items for a long time and we wanted to go straight back to where we started. The only difference now is, that the single is professionally recorded. Our drummer Bibbi is definitely the most artistic in the band. He is always making beautiful things, whether it’s a lamp, a memo book or a painting. He made the covers from scratch, painted, cut and glued them. None of the covers are the same. They are all different and unique which makes them even more cool. They are made from huge abstract paintings that Bibbi then cut down and made into covers.”

Rökkurró are playing Iceland Airwaves in November 2014, with more dates to be announced. I can’t wait, and my limited edition single has already been ordered.

Jealous of my own book!

With thanks to Deb Willott, Carolyn Bain and Tarja Kuikka.

Sóley : Krómantík

Sóley is best known for being an original member of Seabear, but is also an emerging and talented solo artist. Her debut EP and subsequent album We Sink are delightful pieces of skewed piano pop, all showcasing her twisted lyrics and hushed vocals. Similarly, Sóley’s live shows have been well regarded both in Iceland and elsewhere, with her use of loops and gadgetry combine with her warm personality to bring another facet to her music and fans queuing around the block.

It’s a shame about this ill conceived EP then. Released after a substantial break from performing, it’s the precursor, we’re told, to the next full album, due for release in 2015.

Sóley describes Krómantík as “a piano album that was mostly composed and recorded the summer of 2011. The album includes eight piano songs, some shorter than others. In the night or when it’s cold and rainy outside, sit in a chair in your living room and listen. If you feel like it, move a little.

Imagine a little out-of-tune piano in one corner, then imagine old hands. Those old hands have a story to tell. Those hands are almost unreal but it’s hard to tell only by listening. Those hands will play until Krómantík fades into silence and your closed eyes slowly start seeing something much deeper and darker.”

I get that, I really do. However, Krómantík fails to deliver on such romantic notions. In fact, in comes across as a collection of piano pieces that are discordant, peculiar are almost entirely

uneasy. The lush orchestration, cheeky percussion and Sóley’s charming vocals of We Sink are almost completely absent.

‘Stiklur’ sounds like an eerie off-cut from a soundtrack, ‘Kaósmusík’ is 35 seconds of a nightmare and Sóley eventually provides vocals on the penultimate ‘Efterteiti,’ easily the best piece here. ‘Swing’ finishes things up, a vaudeville piece that does little to please the listener.

When Krómantík fades into silence, I don’t see something much deeper and darker, I see a missed opportunity.

2/5 stars

Krómantík is out through Morr Music and is available for purchase on the label’s website.

Originally published on Iceland Review Online

The I Heart Reykjavík Charity Walking Tour

Auður from I Heart Reykjavík is doing a charity walking tour in aid of ICE-SAR on 15th August. I’ve donated an ebook copy of Iceland to each person taking part. I’m honoured to be involved.

Here is what Auður has to say about it:

The I Heart Reykjavík Charity Walking Tour

On August 15th I’ll be offering three walking tours: at 10:00 (10 am), 14:00 (2 pm) and 18:00 (6 pm) where all the proceeds go straight to ICE-SAR – The Icelandic Association for Search and Rescue. Everyone that books a tour with me that day will automatically be added to a raffle for a chance to win one of the amazing prizes that my partners on this day have offered. Not only that, everyone that joins my tour also gets a free copy of Iceland Defrosted (e-book) by Ed Hancox – the story of one man’s obsession with the people, places and music of Iceland to read before they arrive.

Last but not least, at the end of the day everyone who joins my tour that day will get invited to a real Icelandic BBQ at an undisclosed location to finish off the day. Good cause, good food (or you know, hot dogs), good people. What more can you ask for?

Why ICE-SAR?

Iceland Search and Rescue is a bunch of volunteers that risks their lives, often working in impossible conditions, to save human lives and valuables. If you get lost somewhere on a glacier or your car gets stuck in a snowstorm on top of a mountain road that you shouldn’t have driven on in the first place – these are the people that come and get you out of your mess. They are just normal people with normal jobs but when they get the call they’ll drop all to help out. They are the heroes that come when you need them the most and they deserve our support.

How can you help?

There are three ways you can help:

1) Book the tour

You can book my tour and join us on August 15th for a great introduction to Reykjavík and a fun BBQ at the end of the day. The exact location will be disclosed at a later time.

2) Donate money and participate in the raffle

If you can’t be with us on August 15th but you still want to help you can donate money through the booking engine below. Every little bit helps. If you participate this way you will also be eligible for the raffle where you can win one of the amazing prizes provided by my partners.

3) Spread the word

If you can’t be with us and you don’t have any money to spare you can help by spreading the word so we get as many people as possible to participate. If you are an Icelandic travel company and you think you have something to offer (a prize for the raffle or anything you can think of) I would also love to hear from you.

ATP Iceland : Full Review

Day 1.

It’s a weird old place Ásbrú. It’s a former NATO base, and the ghosts of its past use are on every corner—the hangars, the barracks, the unmanned checkpoint as you enter—and it’s oddly located being too far to walk from Keflavík, and yet close enough to be handy. It’s a complex mix of the abandoned and the new, mainly celebrated by painting buildings in bright colors.

Ásbrú is now home to ATP which has set up base in a clutch of buildings around a hangar now known as Atlantic Studios for the second year running. Last year, as everyone will tell you, was a huge success save for Nick Cave taking an unscheduled tumble from the stage and ending up in hospital.

It rained all day, and there has been a steady stream of hipsters arriving completely unprepared for the vagaries of an Icelandic summer. Damp beards and soggy satchels are everywhere, and I feel sorry for those that are camping. It’s hardly Benicassim, is it?

Thursday also has a strange feeling to it—the timetable isn’t as full as Friday or Saturday, and I’m thinking that most Icelanders will be leaving it until Friday to really get the party started. One stage—Andrews Theater—only has two bands on tonight, and the main stage, just four. It feels like a warm up before the main event, a rehearsal or practice even.

That said, ATP has a welcoming, homely air to it. It might be the coffee and kleinur on sale at the back of the main hall, the sofas in the ‘cinema,’ the handmade signs advertising ‘book bingo’ or the slight lack of organization (signage?) but it feels good.

Low are the first band on stage, and look startled to be there. It’s a melancholic start to proceedings, and with the still persistent rain, we could have done with something a little more lively.

To dry out, I dash to the cinema—it’s actually a classroom with sofas, and warm radiators—to watch The Deep. The films are curated by Portishead, but this one is thoroughly Icelandic, and follows the true story of a stricken fishing vessel from the Westman Islands and its sole survivor. It’s scored by Ben Frost, who is playing at the festival tomorrow. I make a note to see him.

Swans have pulled out, but have been replaced by Spiritualized Acoustic Mainstream in the Andrews Theater. It’s a good swap. Spiritualized Acoustic Mainstream is basically Jason Pierce recreating Spiritualized’s quasi-hymns with the help of amiina and vocalists. It works well, especially with the soaring, swooping strings from the girls and the extra vocal strength backing up Pierces’ plaintive voice.

Back in Atlantic Studios, the ridiculously named Kurt Vile and The Violators are on stage. Kurt alternates between moments of talent—usually on his own, or with his band in country-tinged mode—to slices of self indulgent rock, which is a real shame as he tends to lose the audience during such jaunts. Nevertheless, Kurt manages to plug the gap until tonight’s headliners.

Mogwai, hailing from Glasgow are no strangers to ATP or Iceland, and they arrive with a wall of sound. Opening with ‘How to be a Werewolf,’ they are loud, intense and moving. With eight albums under their belt, and fresh from touring Europe, Mogwai are on top form and deliver a confident set. Stuart Braithwaite thanks the crowd with both “Takk” and “Cheers’” It feels like a proper band has arrived at last. I leave happy, and head back out into the rain.

Day 2.

Mammút are the wakeup call we needed. Enthusiasm abounds, and they make enough noise to set off car alarms and shake the rain drops out of my clothing. Their songs are short and sweet, and probably better suited to Reykjavik’s late nights than this early slot. It works, though, and they draw a hefty crowd. Extra points for glowing clothing.

How many festivals have a van serving lobster tails? Or one serving kjötsúpa (Icelandic meat soup) for that matter? ATP does, although I’m starting off with a burger from Hamborgarabúllan, which has taken time out from conquering the world to be here tonight. It’s a far cry from the usual festival fare. I’m all for it.

Pascal Pinon is in Andrews Theater. Now with an extended line up—Jófríður explains that the guitarist was found in the street, the bass guitarist is a housemate—to flesh out their folky, whimsical songs. It sounds as if they’ve been given a new lease of life. Old favorites such as ‘Ekki Vanmeta’ and ‘Bloom’ are still here, but the new stuff sounds much more mature, and I can’t wait to hear more of it. New found confidence in place, they finish with the new ‘White Sun,’ which sounds sublime.

Surprise of the night came from Low Roar. Previously just Ryan Katazija and his guitar, he has gained a stage presence and following to match. Aided by Mike Lindsay from English folk band Tunng, and Silla presumably borrowed from múm, Low Roar are now something to behold. They fill the theater with their lush, deep sound revolving around Ryan’s fragile songs but are clearly not afraid of electronics, looping or occasionally breaking into dance. Excellent stuff.

Speaking of dance, Samaris are up next. Despite the best efforts of Jófríður (back again—busy girl!), for some reason dressed in unseasonal tinsel, the majority of the performance fails to connect, probably as we were all seated and this is primarily music to dance to. By the end of the set, they are hitting their stride, though, and even the maudlin sounds of the clarinet can’t bring things down. Somebody should have put Samaris in Atlantic Studios, where they could have got the crowd going a little more easily.

If the start of the night was all about Iceland, then it ended being all about one band from, and named after, a little town outside of Bristol, England. Portishead were in top form, and showed exactly how it should be done; from the atmosphere building, the lights and visuals to the heart wringing that Beth Gibbons pours out during every song. Classics were played—anything off Dummy was met with applause and a sing-along, whilst ‘Machine Gun’ is still terrifying, ‘Over’ is as emotional as ever and ‘Cowboys’ is a forgotten masterpiece. It doesn’t get much better than this,

And it has stopped raining.

Day 3.

Starting with the impressively monikered Forest Swords, actually Matthew Barnes from The Wirral and his bassist pal, is a hell of a way to start. Despite bass that vibrated my corneas, Forest Swords layered sounds, twisted and weaved over electronic beats sounded terrifying and intense. Thor’s Stone sounded awesome.

I catch some of Fufanu over in Andrews Theater, but the young Icelanders are not cutting it, with too much going on, including techno squeaking, an over-active drummer and an unnecessary trumpet. Less is sometimes more.

Sin Fang seem a little lost in the expansive hangar, which is a real pity, as I’m a fan of anything Sindri turns his hand to, not least his latest album, Flowers. He doesn’t seem to know where to put himself, and the crowd responds accordingly.

I return to Andrews Theater for Kría Brekkan. Quite possibly the quirkiest act I’ve seen all weekend, Kristín Anna sits alone at her piano like a rare exotic bird, constantly tweaking bits of gadgetry, whilst delivering childlike vocals in a seemingly endless stream of consciousness. It’s not without charm, but can feel a bit like you are invading her personal space.

For A Minor Reflection have been around for a while now, and have a back catalogue to draw upon. They do, and the trademarks gained by touring with Sigur Rós make for a tight, thrilling show with impressive visuals to go with their post-rock. A mid set technical failure threatened to upstage the whole thing, but actually just caused them to play with renewed energy. The last track, untitled and new was as blistering hot as the molten lava on the screens behind them.

I Break Horses is Maria Lindén from Sweden, with two lads who she seems to have insisted wear their hoodies with hoods up at all times. I was hugely surprised with this group—I wasn’t expecting such a presence; Maria commands the stage like a woman possessed whilst the music is swirling synths and clever beats. I really enjoyed their set, with stand out tracks being ‘Denial’ and closer ‘Winter Beats.’

I leave ATP confused. The venue is an odd choice, and I’m not 100 percent sure it works. It’s location is far from ideal, and at times, it still feels and looks like the abandoned air base that it is. Thursday felt a little flat, whilst yesterday was buzzing. The music however has been hard to beat, with winning sets from Mogwai, Low Roar, Spiritualized Acoustic Mainline, For a Minor Reflection, I Break Horses and the mighty Portishead. I took a walk in downtown Reykjavík earlier today; all I heard was talk of Portishead and ATP. That, I think, is a triumph.

Previously published on Iceland Review online.

Book Review: The Little Book of the Icelanders in the Old Days

A must for any Icelandophile, this book from Alda Sigmundsdóttir is a follow-up to her earlier The Little Book of The Icelanders.

Alda has written several books, both fiction and non-fiction, written for The Guardian and, of course, Iceland Review. She has a large international following on social media, and never holds back when giving her opinion on anything happening in Iceland. Her blog—The Iceland Weather Report—is often the first site I look up when a big Icelandic news story breaks; her frank, open comments provide a lively insight into what is really going on.

The Little Book of the Icelanders in the Old Days is fifty short essays documenting the more peculiar and unusual points of Icelanders past. Ranging from vegetables to vagabonds, superstitions to sheep the essays are bite size and best consumed as quick snacks rather than as a full on meal; the book is perfect to dip in and out of.

Alda has a light style which is chatty and informal. This is mainly a good thing; it makes the book an easy read and saves it from being too dry. However, very occasionally there is a “freaking” or “sounds like a blast” that doesn’t seem entirely necessary and is a little distracting.

Nevertheless, the dark side of Icelandic humor is much present. I love the section on death and the Icelanders no nonsense attitude towards it; “People had no choice but to shut down emotionally and soldier on. And write things like this, which is taken from an actual journal: There is frost outside, yet it is calm. My daughter died last night.”

Her knowledge and erudition shine through, and I’m not sure that this book could have been written by anyone else. Take, for example, the ljúflingar, gentlemen hidden folk who became lovers of mortal women. I’d never heard of such a thing, but Alda reveals this most peculiar of subjects. If you’re wondering, it seems likely that tales of the ljúflingar were made up to avoid punishment for women conceiving children out of wedlock.

I read the e-book version of The Little Book of the Icelanders in the Old Days, which sadly doesn’t have the illustrations that the hard copy has. It’s a shame; I’m told that Megan Herbert provides delightful illustrations that supplement the text wonderfully.

In conclusion, The Little Book of the Icelanders in the Old Days is a neat collection of facts collated by Alda, and presented in her trademark style. It leaves the reader with a better understanding of Iceland and Icelanders in days gone by, and hopefully, a smile or two.

4/5

The Little Book of the Icelanders in the Old Days is available at Eymundsson stores in the Reykjavík area, and also Mál og menning, IÐA and other selected shops as well as on shopicelandic.com. The e-book version is available on Amazon.

Originally published on Iceland Review.

Náttfari

Náttfari, the band, not the folklore, were formed in 2000 and quickly became Icelandic favorites, receiving rave reviews for live shows including a New York Times piece calling them “mind-blowing.” Then, despite an eight year break, they returned in 2011 to pick up where they left off. They did too, and were named as one of the outstanding performances at that year’s Iceland Airwaves festival.

Náttfari’s music can be described as dreamy post-rock, with powerful drums and dynamic instrumentation, and the good news? They’re about to okay at this year’s ATP festival in Keflavík in July. Halli from the band stops by to answer a few questions.

Who or what are Náttfari?

Náttfari is made up of a group of childhood friends. We have been playing music together in some form on and off since the late nineties. We formed Náttfari in 2000 and set out to experiment with sounds and rhythms within a conventional rock song frame, keeping with melodies and “conventional” beats but also experimenting with soundscapes, adding some different flavors to the music. I guess we wanted to try out new things and try not to sound exactly like somebody else.

Where does the name ‘Náttfari’ come from?

Náttfari was a slave that fled from the first settler who came to Iceland and lived in refuge in Náttfaravík in the north of Iceland. The word ‘náttfari’ means “someone who travels by night,” sort of a dark name really. I guess our music is a bit dark so the name fits nicely.

How would you describe your music?

Our music is a bit dark and perhaps melancholic but also powerful and dynamic. The beats are often fast and vivid, and we have different melodies going on in the guitars, keyboards and bass. People see a connection to post rock and I guess that’s reasonable, we were very influenced by that genre, and our music is instrumental. However, there are a lot of other influences going on, for example from electronic music, grunge, experimental rock, jazz, and so on. We listen to a wide range of music so the influences come from various directions.

You disappeared for a while, but have now returned. What did you get up to?

A couple of us went to play with the Leaves, another Icelandic rock group, one of us started a solo career and one went to university.

Why did you decide to return?

We felt it was time to start playing together again. It had been a long time since we played and we simply wanted to get together, finish our long awaited album and continue writing new music.

You are playing at ATP Iceland. What can we expect from your live show?

You can expect a powerful rock’n’roll performance. We’ll be playing some new material, most of which is pretty upbeat and loud, but good!

Who are you looking forward to seeing at ATP?

There are so many good bands playing ATP. We are big Slowdive fans, so we are really looking forward to that, but also Portishead, Interpol, Devandra Banhart, Kurt Vile, Samaris and Low Roar to name a few.

What future plans are there for Náttfari? Are you sticking around this time?

Right now we are planning to record an album, perhaps an EP, perhaps a full album, and probably we’ll do some more shows this year. We’ll probably never quit making music together, but we’ll be taking our breaks and then surface every now and again with some new material.

I won a MIBBY!

My Independent Bookshop has just awarded my virtual bookshop ‘Books Of Iceland’ a MIBBY for shop of the week!

My Independent Bookshop is a website set up to provide a whole new perspective to book buying, esp. in light of Amazon’s hold on the market. You can set up a ‘virtual bookshop’ and choose 12 of your favourite books, before enticing people to visit from the virtual street. All virtual shops are linked to real independent shops – mine is linked to Wenlock Books – who fulfil orders via Hive.

My shop is here, and contains books by Hallgrímur Helgason, Halldór Laxness, Quentin Bates and Guðrún Eva Mínervudóttir amongst others. Oh, and Iceland, Defrosted, of course.

10 reasons why you really should go to ATP Iceland

All Tomorrow’s Parties is coming to Icelandic shores in July. ATP provide a different festival experience: think more customer experience, hand picked music and a keen eye on quality, rather than snogging teenagers, cheap lager and funky hats. It’s a formula that has seen ATP travel from its holiday park beginnings in the UK to bespoke festivals all over the world. What follows is a list of the top 10 things to look forward to at the Icelandic version.

10. Blue lagoon – yeah, ok, it’s going to be crowded, and is no longer cheap. But most of ATP’s festival goers may not have experienced bathing in this sky-blue warm bath. Pretend it’s your first time too.

9. Keflavík airbase – ATP is held on the former NATO airbase, complete with officers club, and other Cold War paraphernalia. ATP Iceland will offer a guided tour to the exhibition ‘Life on a NATO Base’ that focuses on the everyday lives of US soldiers and their families during their tour of duty at Naval Air Station Keflavik (NASKEF), Iceland.

8. Pascal Pinon / Samaris – these two bands, both showcasing the vocal talents of Jófríður Ákadóttir, are not to be missed. With Pascal Pinon expect acoustic, harmonised loveliness with twin sister Ásthildur, whilst the up and coming Samaris are more about electronica, albeit with added clarinet.

7. Reykjanes Peninsular – this corner of Iceland is seriously under visited. Usually seems from the windows of vehicles speeding to/from Keflavík airport, it had a whole lot more to offer, including lighthouses, bubbling mud pots, bird cliffs, ghosts and the breeding ground of the last Great Auk.

6. Cinema/book club – Icelanders love books and film, so this promises to be a treat. The films will be specially curated by bands playing at the festival. If it rains for three days solid – which it could – this will be a huge draw.

5. Sóley – oh, Sóley, how we have missed you. Sóley hasn’t been around for a while, on account of having her first child (Congratulations!), but is back for ATP. Her quirky, piano-driven songs will sound perfect in a hushed corner of the disused airbase, whilst the Arctic terns squawk outside.

4. Ólafur Arnalds – a late addition, and not part of the main festival, Ólafur will play on Wednesday in Hljómahöll in Keflavík as part of the ATP Iceland takeover week of events. The other event is a chance to see hairy old Neil Young at Laugardalshöll. No thanks, I’ll stick to BAFTA winning Neo-classicism, if that’s ok with you.

3. Beer – if you’ve not experienced Icelandic beer, you have a treat in store. Supposedly benefiting from some of the best water in the world, micro-brewed Icelandic beer has boomed in recent years, especially considering it was prohibited until 1989. Go for the Steðji, Einstök or Kaldi.

2. Headliners – whilst the irony of travelling to Iceland to see bands that live not far from my own house in the UK is not lost on me, the headliners are extraordinarily good at ATP this year. Iceland doesn’t need any musical additions, but the bands chosen complete the local talent neatly, and are far from the usual festival fare. I can’t wait to hear Interpol’s new material, Mogwai’s extraordinary soundscapes and hearing Portishead in the strange light of a night that will never set.

1. Iceland – the best thing about ATP Iceland is, yes, Iceland. ATP is a unique festival anyway, but add Iceland’s moss covered, lava field strewn landscape, near 24 hour light, and Icelanders’ ability to throw parties like no one else, this promises to be quite a weekend.

Originally published on Iceland Review online.