Immigration Offfice Needs More Money, Minister Says
Minister of the Interior Ögmundur Jónasson says the Directorate of Immigration needs a serious boost in funding to do its job. A growing influx of refugees is cited as the [&hell
Sigur Rós Denies Split Rumours, Confirms Others
In an exclusive interview with the Grapevine, Georg Hólm (Goggi) and Jón Þór Birgisson (Jónsi) deny persistent rumors that Kjartan Sveinsson—who has been with the band since
Training To Survive The Zombie Apocalypse? There’s An App For That
Software developers at Iceland-based Mindgames have created an iOS game that uses your brainwaves to play. Yes, your brainwaves. The premise of the game is as follows: A zombie is
Don’t Ask Nanna!
Disclaimer: This is The Grapevine’s BAD ADVICE column. It’s where Nanna Árnadóttir answers questions from our readers about traversing the Icelandic cultural jungle. She is u
Of Monsters and Men: Colour Us Impressed
So we learned this week that Of Monsters and Men have sold over 100,000 copies of their début album, ‘My Head Is An Animal’ (with a total of over 95,000 […]
Accessorised Fantasy Worlds
Hildur Björk Yeoman is a Reykjavík-based fashion designer and illustrator. We were taken by her show at this year’s Reykjavík Fashion Festival (RFF) where she created a fantas
New Sigur Ros Album To Be Broadcast Online
Sigur Rós is offering fans the chance to listen to some or all of their upcoming album online this Thursday. Their soon-to-be-released album, Valtari, is set to go on sale [&helli
EU Will Ban Import Of Icelandic Seafood
Unless an agreement can be reached in the current mackerel dispute, the European Union will likely move forward with an import trade ban on all Icelandic and Faroese fish products.
Seagull Plague In Selfoss
A noisy flock of seagulls have descended upon Selfoss, for the same reason they recently plagued Kópavogur – dried meat used as fertiliser. Dried meat, in powder or pellet f
It’s A Bit Like Blood On White Snow
Best selling crime writer Yrsa Sigurðardóttir interviewedYrsa Sigurðardóttir, who began her writing career in children’s fiction, wrote her first crime fiction novel in 2005.
Low Roar: Low Roar
Ryan Joseph Karazija’s self-recorded debut album as Low Roar details his struggles as an American to acclimatise to a new life in Iceland. It occupies that post-Radiohead world o
Presidential Election Heats Up
Sitting president Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson has gone on the offensive in this year’s presidential campaign, accusing his opponent – Þóra Arnórsdóttir – of bein
Laugardalur: Not Just Home To A Swimming Pool
Laugardalur—“hot spring valley”—was so-named due to the prevalence of, yes, hot springs in the area. Some people even say that the name Reykjavík—“Smoky Bay”—deriv
Uncertainty Remains At Grímsstaðir
The situation at Grímsstaðir á Fjöllum – the land which Chinese entrepreneur Huang Nubo intends to rent from local municipalities – is still unclear, with some vill
New Bill To Further Ensure Transgender Rights
A bill submitted to parliament will provide clearer protections for transgendered people in Iceland if passed into law. While Iceland is well known for its progressive laws about t
From Danish Tributes To Icelandic Contemporary Dance Films
Lea Glob’s ‘Meeting My Father Kasper Tophat’ was the first shown in this eclectic mix of shorts and documentaries from the Nordic countries. Beautifully shot through the eyes
So Who Is This Geir H. Haarde Guy I Keep Hearing About?
Geir Hilmar Haarde, Geir Haarde for short, was Prime Minister of Iceland when the economy sank back in 2008. His signature moment was addressing the nation on TV right after [&hell
What’s So Great About Nordic Crime Fiction?
About a dozen years ago, a groundswell of interest in Nordic crime fiction began to gradually grow with appearance of Peter Høeg’s intriguing tale of ‘Miss Smilla’s Feeling
Sigurður Sævarsson: Missa Pacis
Composer Sigurður Sævarsson’s new album out, ‘Missa Pacis,’ blossoms with harmonies for choir, organ, cello, and percussion. I heard ‘Missa Pacis’ in concert with the H
Young Refugee Staying With Icelandic Family
One of the two teenagers arrested and jailed for arriving in Iceland with false passports is staying with the head of the Society of Muslims in Iceland, and is reportedly […
