Author Archives: halldorabirta

ICELAND AIRWAVES – THE HIDDEN GEMS OF MUSIC TODAY! [Pt. 2]

Posted in Festival, Jazz, Rock, Soul by

Hymnalaya

 

 

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The name should tell you much about their style of music. It’s a melodic combination of hymns and modern indie with interesting change of rhythm in between. They challenged the audience to clap their hands to the sentence ,,Ég-er-í-úl-pu-af-öm-mu-min-ni” (10 claps) but the audience were mostly foreigners so they didn’t understand the sentence but managed to do the clapping quite good!

This is something you should listen to if you want to set your mind aside and relax!

Rökkurró

 

rokkurro

Image //jajajamusic.com

I’ve heard about this band before but never heard THEM before….and this, I must tell you, was a pleasant surprise! As I stood there in the middle of the hall of Iðnó I was zoned out completely by the singers voice and the power of the band. It’s one of the moments you just stop thinking and you become a witness and listener of something spectacular.

It wasn’t until they sang one song in Icelandic called Flugdrekar (kites) that I just fell apart and almost burst into tears. Like I’ve said before Icelandic bands should write more music in their native tounge, It’s just MUCH more beautiful than English (though I’m not neutral, being native Icelander).

Unfortunately I could not find the song Flugdrekar anywhere but on Spotify.

Thus Owls (CA)

 

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This band was originated in Sweden but based in Canada. It was formed by the singer and the guitar player who tend to be also husband & wife. You can actually feel the chemistry and the honesty in the audience!

There were several interesting things happening on the stage during the performance. The guitar player used a toothbrush once to play the guitar, during one song the e-string broke on his guitar and he switched it while he was still playing (another level of multitasking) and the singer played an unusual instrument (picture above). If someone can tell me what It’s called I’d be really glad!

Valdimar

 

valdimarhljom

Image //grindavik.is

They were last on stage at Iðnó and I stood through all the other bands above just to see Valdimar. I get a good feeling inside when I think of this band and it is forbidden to skip it during the Airwaves festival!! I’ve found out it’s only there and then they give all they’ve got. Seriously.

All their songs are great, especially the Icelandic ones (ok, I’ll stop now) and the wind instruments gives this little extra kick to make them spectacular on stage. And I must warn you…you can easily burst into tears.

Since they didn’t perform this song this year @ Airwaves I’ll post it here. This one is a “must-listen-to”

Moses Hightower

 

moses

Image // guitarparty.com

I saw Moses Hightower for the first time in 2012 @ Laugardalshöllin. I found their performance quite boring and I haven’t given them a chance since then. But this Friday night @ Iceland Airwaves the weather was crazy and there was no way that we would be going between venues that night. We chose The Art Museum and so I had to watch Moses Hightower because they were playing before the big number that night.

I don’t know if this was a coincidence or not.. or the good mood I was in but I just heard a completely new band there. I found them to be quite good actually and I enjoyed the smooth 70s soul-ish melody they make. This was a great start of the night and I will definitely be seeing them again in the near future!

Ibibio Sound Machine (UK)

 

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I kept telling my friends that later that night we would be expecting a one hell of a salsa party! The funny thing is that I only looked at one live video of them before I went downtown and I was so right!! This goes to my best memories box, no doubt! WHAT A PERFORMANCE.

This was like 50 minutes non stop salsa dance party with 10 minutes of “HEY!HEY!HEY! – THE PARTY’S ON FIAH!!”

If you want to have a real good time, go to Ibibio Sound Machine concert – You will not regret it!

p.s. It’s not actually salsa music I just like to call it that. It’s African Funk & Disco!

Klangkarussell (AT)

 

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Yup…this is the part where the roof actually went on fire!

I don’t think I can describe it better than that..

I have never danced so much in my entire life – EVER! Wow this is a must see band. They were so powerful and the crowd was so good and into it!

I’m so glad I found this version of Netzwerk. It’s the version they play live but the original version is much shorter – and wait for the mesmerizing chorus around minute 3:00

Hozier (IE)

 

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Oh, the wonderful Hozier. You should all recognize him by now after his smashing hit “Take Me To Church”. His voice is so incredible and he sings even better live.

I hope to see much more of him in the future. Unfortunately we were amongst 1500 people who couldn’t get in to Harpan because there was an opera at the same time as Hozier, Radical Face and The Knife. We waited in line for almost 2 hours and we just got in time before he sang Sedated and Take Me To Church which was, I wouldn’t say enough, but acceptable for me.

No matter how often I listen to that song, it always gives me goosebumps!

Koddafar

 

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The last concert I went to was Koddafar. I wasn’t going to see anything that day but for some reason I decided to see one off-venue act @ Bunk Bar.

Koddafar is a jazz-band that obviously puts a lot of effort in their music but they don’t have a singer. I didn’t notice it until I saw them live and I personally don’t think they’d be better off with a singer.

It was the perfect ending of the festival, relaxing and easy-listening.

Iceland Airwaves will always be a great part of me and I always make good memories during the festival. Until next time, my lovely Airwaves!

ICELAND AIRWAVES – THE HIDDEN GEMS OF MUSIC TODAY! [Pt. 1]

Posted in Alternative Rock, Festival, Folk Rock, Indie Pop, Rock, Uncategorized by

First – I’d like to say I’m sorry for my lack of writing. There’s been much going on for the past months. I want to make this blog alive again and I think this is the perfect timing to do so! 

The first time I went to Iceland Airwaves I was completely blown away. I didn’t recognise at all the bands that were playing, only a few Icelandic ones. I went from one venue to another, came across so many mind blowing bands (some of them are my favorites today), experienced long queues & got to know other people while waiting. And that’s that what this festival is all about. Find and just listen to good music from all over the world and meet new people sharing common interests in music. And yeah, right after the band is finished and off the stage you can expect seeing them in the crowd.

I say hidden gems because the music is so honest and straight from the heart of the artists. They are not there for fame. It’s obvious they do this for them (and for you). I’m glad to say that I’m proud of being from Iceland. I’m proud of the variety of music we make and produce. I’m proud of Iceland Airwaves.

I want to tell you little bit about the bands I saw. I didn’t get to see as many bands as I wanted to but still enough to make this post really..really long!

1860

 

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1860 is an indie-folk rock/pop band from Reykjavík, Iceland. They were formed in 2010 and I remember hearing them on radio X977 early in 2011. Then I saw them later in 2011 for the first time when they came to play in the lunchroom in my school and I completely fell in love. The part I liked most of all was the mandolin. I’d never heard anything so beautiful before!

They only had one gig at the festival this year in the Silfurberg hall @ Harpa. As usual they were flawless in every way. One note to the band though – You should really make (and play) more songs in Icelandic!!

They only played one song in Icelandic.. actually it was half English half Icelandic and it’s called Íðilfagur.

If you want to hear more songs in Icelandic I recommend getting their debut album, Sagan. Their second and most recent album, Artificial Daylight, is mostly in English but is also really, really good!

Here’s one of my favourite songs by 1860

And one in Icelandic.. they’re just too adorable!!

Benny Crespo’s Gang

 

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I decided to check out Benny Crespo’s Gang because I was waiting for another band to play. They were surprisingly good even though it’s not something I would listen to on the daily basis. The female singer, Lay Low, is really a favourite of mine and she gives me goose bumps everytime I hear her sing. She’s also the bass player and apparently plays the keyboard too!

What I liked the most about them is that they switch between genres and they do it good! It goes from psychedelic to punk and all there is between (almost)

Leaves

 

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Continuing with the Icelandic bands. Leaves were formed in 2000 which makes them one of the oldest Icelandic bands still active – At least at Iceland Airwaves. Well actually the’ve not been that active for a while until last year when they released a new album, See You In The Afterglow.

They are extremely powerful on stage and I really enjoyed the concert!

Sin Fang

 

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I know what you’re thinking. I have surpassing skills in photography…

Anyway this band, or artist should I say, is also Icelandic!  I have to admit I knew only one song before the concert and I was somehow hoping that all the other stuff he did would be similar to that one song I know. It was in no way like that. I didn’t really enjoy this concert to be honest. I also missed that one song I knew because I had to rush to another concert!

I recommend you listen to it though because it’s really good! And maybe I might give this a second chance and listen to some of his other songs..

 

Kontinuum

 

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After convincing my friend all night that we had to go see a band called Kontinuum she agreed to do so. We walked (ran actually) in the cold over to Gaukurinn. From the reviews I had read, the band was to be mind blowing on stage, the best concert you would ever attend and so on, I was surprised to see absolutely no one waiting in line outside.

Like before with Sin Fang I only knew one song by Kontinuum and I really thought they would be playing similar music to that one song… but no! It turned out to be a progressive post black-metal band.

I, miss know-it-all, dragged my friend to a black metal concert and she doesn’t even listen to simple rock n roll! This must have been an interesting experience for her but we just had a good laugh about it afterwards. She did agree to me though that this one song I knew is actually really good. It’s in Icelandic too which is a plus and the lyrics are just plain beautiful.

 

To be continued…

Coldplay – Ghost Stories

Posted in Albums, Alternative Rock, Electro Rock by

1691fdz

Coldplay, a band that has been growing for years with one hit after another has now released an album that is completely different from the previous five albums. Almost every review I’ve read says this is the one that will be forgotten. The album flows into one and nothing stands out. I disagree.

For me, Ghost Stories is warm and honest. It’s clear that it’s affected by Chris Martin’s split up with his Hollywood wife. The lyrics are mostly about lost love. You can also hear wedding bells and other sounds like they come from a distance. Could be like a memory of something that was before everything went down?

Magic was the first single with a catchy bass note and heartwarming lyrics ‘If you were to ask me, after all that we’ve been through, do you still believe in magic? / Yes I do. Of course I do’

Another single released in April, Midnight is like Bon Iver singing Hide and Seek by Imogen Heap. Quite odd but surprisingly good with a little electronic twist around 3:30. It’s obvious they wanted to try something new and this track is a good example.

The third single A Sky Full Of Stars featuring Avicii, has this piano-house sound that will get you to move but is totally the odd one out (looking at the album as a whole). Sounds a bit like a remix of a Coldplay song.

Other songs like Another’s Arms with a dramatic female voice, True Love’s lyrics ‘tell me you love me/if you don’t then lie to me’ are just breathtakingly beautiful while songs like Ocean and O just fall into one.

Ghost Stories is quiet and beautiful. It speaks right out. It makes you think but also not think at all.

This definitely goes to my ‘Mind Soothing’ playlist!

Upcoming Album Reviews – Stay Tuned!

Posted in Albums by

vdfjf

So I’ve not been very active here lately but that will all change because May has been full of new releases. I was thinking of writing about albums that were on my top list in 2013 but now there is so much going on I think I’ll just skip it…or do it later (who knows?)

In the next few days I will be writing about:

The Black Keys

Coldplay

Sam Smith

Pharrell Williams

Tame Impala

And In June/July:

Lana Del Rey

Austra

….and so many more!!

Stay Tuned.

Sam Cooke to the rescue!

Posted in Gospel, Jazz, Pop, R&B, Soul by

Really, I haven’t had such a bad day in months! I’ve just been so angry and irritated for no reason at all (well the caos at work wasn’t helping very much) and so when I got home I went straight into my room and locked the door.

There is nothing that can calm me as much down like music can. When I’m upset I put on Us And Them by Pink Floyd. When I listen to Pink Floyd it’s easy for me to think of nothing at all. I can’t do that in silence and some music makes me just think even more! I finished the album but the psychedelic kind of stuff doesn’t quite bring me up though.

And then Sam Cooke came along. This man, this voice! I’ve been listening to all his greatest songs for half an hour now and I’m feeling SO much better. His music and his voice just makes me so secure and warm and I suddenly felt so optimistic.

I love how music can move you and change your mood in seconds.

I just love music!