The many-splendored Icelandic music scene continues to grow and evolve apace, like No Face from Spirited Away when it was eating everything and turning into a cool giant monster. Except, not like that all. Because it’s not gonna eat you. Much. Here’s the latest news.
Innipukinn festival has announced its complete lineup. Muscle-bound RnB crooner AUÐUR, Eurovision almost-was Daði Freyr and veteran musician Bjartmer Guðlaugsson have been added to a bill that already includes a constellation of stars from the Icelandic music scene like Kælan Mikla, Valdimar, Joey Christ, Dj flugvél & geimskip, Vök, Sturla Atlas and more. This year, the festival has moved to Grandi, where it will take place in Messinn and Bryggjan Brúgghús, with an “Útipukinn” outdoor area featuring a market and superstar DJs like JFDR and Katla, with live performances from Briet, GDRN and Svala. Tickets are on sale now at tix.is/innipukinn. JR
The Myrkfælni music organisation has unleashed its third compilation. Again charting the darker recesses of the Icelandic music scene, the compilation is a worthwhile exercise in taxonomy alone—while the featured artists are from diverse genres, and so might not necessarily play on the same lineups very often, there’s a tangible red thread running between them.
From the sultry goth-rap of Countess Malaise to the lo-fi alt-pop of Discipline to the heavy rock of Great Grief, it’s a ride worth taking. Download or order a cassette at myrkfaelni.bandcamp.com. JR
Hildur Guðnadóttir, the mind behind the haunting score for the HBO hit miniseries Chernobyl, has secured an Emmy nomination for her work. In the category of “Outstanding music composition for a limited series, movie or special (original dramatic score)”, Hildur was specifically nominated for her work in episode two of the series, “Please Remain Calm.” Hildur’s genius for film and television scores is well documented, and she’s been putting Icelandic music on the map by working with The Knife, Ben Frost and Ryuichi Sakamoto, amongst many others, and on the acclaimed film scores for ‘The Revenant’ and ‘Arrival.’ The Emmys take place on September 23rd. AF
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