I’ve worn plenty of wristbands in my day, but this one I wear with MOST PRIDE. Having been accepted to my second Iceland Airwaves Music Festival as a media pass holder is an opportunity that I do NOT take lightly, and I tried my best to capture the highlights of this magical, musical mystery tour. Not only does this “land of Ice” know know to shatter glass ceilings and defy the odds of artistic potential and possibility, but it does so in a way that is warm (“land of fire”) and welcoming, and so in the least bit pretentious. The sky is definitely the limit for this innovative, ingenious, impressive Island. The music, people, and scenery is uncharacteristic of anywhere else. ❤
Here are some of the bands that left a lasting impression in my mind and made me question the boundaries of human creativity (click on names or links below to see the full reviews): Hatari, Hogni, Hormonar, Kiriyama Family, We Made God, Omotrack, Rythmatik, Captain Syrup, Arstidir, Between Mountains, Axel Flovent, Mani Orrason, One Week Wonder, GDJYB (non-Icelandic), and Mammut (a personal favorite). Since my review for Mammut was taking a very long to write (I often find it most difficult to write about bands that move me the most), I decided to write a combined review on their 2017 & 2018 Airwaves shows. Other Icelandic bands I have written about in the past are Asgeir, VAR, Vok, Kaleo, For a Minor Reflection, Sin Fang, Agent Fresco, Lay Low, Rokvva, Samaris, etc. See my reviews on Asgeir and Low Roar. See videos below from Airwaves 2017 when Mammut performed ‘Kinder Versions,’ ‘Pray for Air in the Water,’ ‘The Moon Will Never Turn on Me,’ ‘Walls,’ and ‘What’s Your Secret‘ (these absolutely SLAY):
“I felt the music hit my bones and I fell back I fell into the clouds My feet weren’t touching the ground We started to float around” – Angus and Julia Stone (‘Make it Out Alive‘)
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Mammut is by far one of my FAVORITE ICELANDIC BANDS and have been ever since I first discovered them at the Great Escape music festival in Brighton back in 2013. I am somewhat OBSESSED with their newest album, Kinder Versions, especially after getting hooked on ‘Kinder Version‘ (“I’m bringing all my stories back, erasing all the kinder versions of my past”) ❤ ❤ ❤ , ‘The Moon Will Never Turn On Me‘ (“I want to make this right but I don’t feel right, Cause sometimes life tries to eat us up… but then I take a look around and see how dust turns into gold and I embrace this world, embrace the world, embrace the world and I love it all”), and ‘Pray for Air‘ (“Taste the dirt of the water… you know you’ll never be pure.”) *Note: Air in water unfortunately would mean less blue ice when that water freezes!* Not only did National radio and television RÚV chose Kinder Version as the best album of 2017, but it was The Line of Best Fit selected it at #18 for 2017. Mammut was also awarded performers of the year (Krókurinn 2017, Menningarverðlaun Rásar) and selected to be on KEXP‘s top 10 list of the YEAR. They definitely had a REMARKABLE 2017! Can’t wait to post my review on them! I got some epic videos of their first set of Airwaves in Reykjavik, especially during ‘Kinder Version‘ when Kata pointed to me about a 1 min in and asked “Have you been excited?” with a gaze that stared into the depths of MY SOUL. If I wasn’t excited before, I certainly was after.:)
City of the Sun was one of my TOP FIVE PICKS OF 2017, and their EXPLOSIVE, GENRE-BENDING sound (post-rock blended with and flamenco guitar and unique percussion) will SWEEP YOU TO THE SKY. It’s only a matter of time before these guys shine their vibrant tunes ‘To the Sun and All the Cites In Between‘ (name of debut album).
(In order to access the playlist, you have to press the 3 vertical dots in the upper right hand corner and select download. You can then cancel the download immediately and still have access to the playlist. If you are still having uses, let me know and I can send you a link to download the tracks!)
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So Low- Geographer
Love Yourself- The Boxer Rebellion
Chateau- Angus & Julia Stone
Moon / Sun- Trevor Hall
Kinder Version- Mammut
Before The Hurting Lands.- Jaws Of Love.
I Don’t Believe In Us- Overcoats
Mountain To Move- Nick Mulvey
Make It Out Alive- Angus & Julia Stone
Chemistry- Kiriyama Family
Second Sun- City of the Sun
Right & Wrong- Caught a Ghost
Trying Not to Love You- Caroline Smith
Pray For Air- Mammut
Speak Of The Devil- Black Pistol Fire
Snow- Angus & Julia Stone
The Wires- Ben Sollee
Remembering- Nick Mulvey
Wander- Trevor Hall
Kai’s Song- Overcoats
Firefly- City of the Sun
Blind Spots- Omotrack
The Moon Will Never Turn On Me- Mammut
21st Century Heartbeat- Luke Sital-Singh
Magazine- Caroline Smith
Transform Your Game (We Remain)- Nick Mulvey
Light Years Away- Kiriyama Family
Fed All My Days- Mani Orrason
Baudelaire- Angus & Julia Stone
Torches- The Oh Hellos
Dark Night- Amber Coffman
Wake The Riot- Black Pistol Fire
Love Me Like I’m Gone.- Jaws Of Love.
I Can’t Quit- The Vaccines
Bloodstyle- Caroline Smith
Ekki Sleppa- Hórmónar
Sahara- Songhoy Blues
Time- City of the Sun
Overalls (Live)- Emily Scott Robinson
Imaginary Mountains- Omotrack
We Tried Love- Mammut
Mechanical Advantage- Ben Sollee
Superstar- Keto
Hawaiian License Plates.- Jaws Of Love.
On the Mountain Tall- The Oh Hellos
Apart- Kiriyama Family
Walls- Mammut
City Dream- Axel Flovent
Ódýr- Hatari
Heart Attack- Tune-Yards
Nothing Stays The Same- Luke Sital-Singh
Up There- Trevor Hall
In Your Hands- Nick Mulvey
All To Myself- Amber Coffman (of Dirty Projectors)
Come Along- Cosmo Sheldrake
Where It Goes- 雞蛋蒸肉餅 GDJYB (Gai Dan Jane Yuk Bang)
FRESH NEW PLAYLIST (56 songs) inspired by recent shows/sets (Sylvan Esso, Flock of Dimes, Wild Cub, Future Feats, Maggie Rogers, Plini, Haim, Milky Chance, Manchester Orchestra, Tigers Jaw, Foxing, Henry Jamison, Gracie and Rachel, The Decemberists, Asgeir, Public Service Broadcasting). There was additional influence from recent track/album releases by The National and War on Drugs (Both are SO FREAKING GOOD), as well as Trevor Hall, Frightened Rabbit, The Head and the Heart, Fatherson, LCD Soundsystem, Good Old War, and my friend Alexa-J! I also included tracks by new discoveries: Future Feats (opened for Wild Cub), Sinkane, Vista Kicks (opened for Milky Chance), Foxing (opened for Manchester Orchestra), Tusks (opened for Asgeir), and Frenship (whose CAPSIZED TRACK I CANNOT GET ENOUGH OF and who I can’t wait to see next month in SF).
(In order to access the playlist, you have to press the 3 vertical dots in the upper right hand corner and select download. You can then cancel the download immediately and still have access to the playlist. If you are still having uses, let me know and I can send you a link to download the tracks!)
It had been 3 years since I last saw Asgeir, the incredibly talented artist who was my initial hook into the Icelandic music scene. Amped by the recent release of Asgeir’s beautiful album (‘Afterglow’) and his slay-worthy covers of Adele, Abba, Nirvana, The National, and others as part of his unique #asgeirstraigttovinyl project (taking requests from all over the world and recording them straight to vinyl for 24 hr straight), I could hardly contain myself for their show at The Fillmorelast night. They delivered a flawless performance from start to finish (75 min) without any interruption, making it easier for the crowd to be whisked away to another world (including the security guard who told me his mind wandered to a far away place). I think we all sported an Asgeir “afterglow” after hearing ‘I Know You Know’ (“Oh, how I long for light.. A light that won’t leave me… Never to go away”) and ‘Torrent’ (my favorites across both albums) come alive right in front of our eyes. Torrent was the first song in Asgeir‘s collection that had me hooked, and the fact that he saved it for the encore was super special. The drums and keys in that one are so freaking awesome! I am so happy that they came to San Francisco to serenade us with their “stardust,” and I look forward to more of it at Iceland Airwaves Music festival in November! Check out my previous review of Asgeir from 2014 and my recent playlist inspired my his track ‘I Know You Know.” 😀
NEW PLAYLIST inspired by my recent visit to Iceland, a country that, like Dave Grohl of Foo Fighters, stole my heart the first time around. I could not agree more with his speech at Secret Solstice Festival last month:
“We’ve never played here, let’s go here (Iceland). And our first day that we spent here, and I’m not kidding, you can ask an of my friends or my family, that this country became my f*cking favorite place on earth. And you might think it’s stupid and kind of silly, but that time, 2003, whenever it was, I bought this f*cking necklace, and I’ve never taken it off… for 14 years. Because, I think that your country is a perfect example for the rest of the world. I really do. I think that you’re strong, and you’re independent, and you’re smart, and you take care of each other, and you respect nature, and you respect each other. So, someday, if I ever wanna move somewhere else, I hope that you’ll have me and my family here in Iceland. I love it so much.” ❤
It was Asgeir‘s 2013 debut album, Dýrð í dauðaþögn (the biggest selling debut album in Icelandic history), that was my initial hook into Icelandic music and culture, and I listened to non-stop during my first ever trip to Iceland back in March 2014 (and so it forever holds a special place in my heart). I was so moved by his live performances at Bush Hall in London and Iceland Airwaves Music Festivalthat I decided to write a pretty detailed review: https://beatsthatsetmypulse.wordpress.com/2014/07/17/asgeir-i-lift-my-mind-to-the-sky-and-i-let-it-take-flight-the-wind-carries-to-my-ears-precious-sounds-of-life/. We all were anxiously awaiting his next album, and when Afterglow was released May of this year (with ‘I Know You Know‘ being one of my favorite tracks), you better believe there were plenty of smiles beaming around the world. AND, as if releasing a new album and touring around Europe & Australia didn’t tire him out enough, Asgeir decided keep the world smiling with his fascinating feat of playing requests (including covers of Milky Chance, Adele, Abba, Nirvana, etc) for 24hr non-stop and recording them straight to vinyl. SUCH a freaking cool, creative way to engage fans on a personal level and cultivate a more interactive music community. I am amazed by his generosity and unique vision, and I can’t wait to see him again atIceland Airwaves in Nov. Another Icelandic artist that I look forward to seeing at Airwaves is Rythmatik, a super talented indie-rock band that I was lucky enough to discover (and meet!) at Secret Solstice this year. They recently won the The Icelandic Music Experiments (Músikltilraunir) “Battle of the Bands” and moved to Reykjavik from Suðureyri & Akureyri in order to hone their craft and play more live shows. Oh and, they are super fun and awesome to hang out with (always a plus!) 😀
This playlist was also inspired by performances at Secret Solstice (Kiriyama Family, Amabadama, Rhye), Bottlerock Napa (Day Wave, Dreamers, Parade of Lights, City of the Sun, Run River North, Bad Suns), the San Francisco Oyster Fest (Sir Sly, Passion Pit, Kongos, Panic is Perfect, The Soft Whites Sixties). There was additional influence from recent track/album releases by The National (BEEN WAITING WITH BAITED BREATH and SO STOKED to be seeing them Oct 14!), London Grammar (“My only hope is to let life stretch out before me and break me on this lonely road”– so good),Haim (seeing them Sept 7!), Manchester Orchestra (Sept 16!), Broken Social Scene (seeing them Oct 26!), Lucy Rose (accompanied by a short documentary of her fan-led trip to Latin America last year), Vancouver Sleep Clinic, Zach Winters, Jade Bird, Nothing But Thieves, Public Service Broadcasting, Lanterns on the Lake, and Ben Sollee. Finally, I was happy to include tracks by some new discoveries: OUTLYA, Overcoats (LOVE!), Isaac Gracie, Henry Jamison, Klangstof, and Ella Vos.
(In order to access the playlist, you have to press the 3 vertical dots in the upper right hand corner and select download. You can then cancel the download immediately and still have access to the playlist. If you are still having uses, let me know and I can send you a link to download the tracks!)
The title of my first playlist of the new year is ‘I Want It All,’ (very fitting, I know) an AWESOME NEW TRACK that Mike Deni of Geographer first rolled out to us at The Rickshaw Stop a few weeks ago: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQzUd9qJ2Zo. This playlist was inspired by past shows: Geographer, Bear’s Den, Lord Huron, Kyle Morton of Typhoon (who I had waited 6 years to see live),Mogwai, Anthony D’Amato, Valley Maker and upcoming shows: Tash Sultana (BEEN WAITING 6 MONTHS FOR THIS!), The Staves (have wanted to see these SISTER SIRENS in concert for YEARS!), and Bastille. It also includes awesome new tracks by Laura Marling (arguably one of the most impressive and vocally challenging gem in her collection — SLAYED when she shared it with California for the first time at Sweetwater Music Hall in Mill Valley: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HufiX1j3X8), Geographer, Bear’s Den, Lord Huron, Amber Run, Asgeir (SO GLAD HE IS BACK – one of my FAVORITE ICELANDIC ARTISTS!), Tow’rs (excited for their third album!), Mogwai (the artistic arsenal of their new album, Atomic, detonates an explosion in our brains – a radioactive realization about the heinous impact of chemical warfare), Milky Chance, and Radical Face. Last by not least, it features new discoveries that I am glad to have pocketed: Cloves, Doncat (guitarist of Geographer), Andrew McMahon In The Wilderness, LANY, Lewis Del Mar,Guthrie Brown, Ron Gallo, Branches, Lisa Hannigan, The Midwest Indies, and Andy Chew. Pleased to post this before a whole NEW SLEW of BANDS at NoisePop music fest in SF next week! CAN’T WAIT!
(In order to access the playlist, you have to press the 3 vertical dots in the upper right hand corner and select download. You can then cancel the download immediately and still have access to the playlist. If you are still having uses, let me know and I can send you a link to download the tracks!)
I Want It All- Geographer
Berlin- Bear’s Den
Wild Fire- Laura Marling
Fool For Love- Lord Huron
Don’t Wanna Fight- Amber Run
Fire Escape- Andrew McMahon In The Wilderness
Pink Skies- LANY
Western- DonCat
My Little Darlin Knows My Nature- Kyle Morton
Lonesome Dreams- Lord Huron
Frail Love- Cloves
Painting (Masterpiece)- Lewis Del Mar
Love Like Ghosts- Lord Huron
Auld Lang Syne- Tow’rs
Cocoon- Milky Chance
If Youâre Gonna Build A Wall – Anthony D’Amato
Meet Me In The Woods- Lord Huron
Don’t Forget About Me- Cloves
Lottery Ticket- Andrew Mcmahon In The Wilderness
Moonn- Radical Face
The Night We Met- Lord Huron
Day To Day- Guthrie Brown
Driving Through A Dream- Andrew McMahon In The Wilderness
Ether- Mogwai
Good Grief- Bastille
Kill the Medicine Man- Ron Gallo
Maps For The Getaway- Andrew Mcmahon In The Wilderness
Outlaw- The Staves
Dark Fores- Andy Chew
Oh My Goodness – Anthony D’Amato
Stay Gold- Guthrie Brown
Survivalist Fantasy- Kyle Morton
Send Them Off!- Bastille
By My Side- Valley Maker
Canyon Moon – Andrew Mcmahon In The Wilderness
Authority (Live)- Tash Sultana
Sleeping In A Car- The Staves
Unbound- Asgeir
The “S” That Stood for Nothing- The Midwest Indies
Tomorrow- Branches
La Belle Fleur Sauvage- Lord Huron
Young Lady, You’re Scaring Me- Ron Gallo
Snow- Lisa Hannigan
Meet Asgeir, a new, up-and-coming Icelandic musician who’s debut album sold more copies in Iceland than that of Bjork and Sigur Ros (apparently 1 out of 10 Icelanders own his album), and I CAN DEFINITELY TELL WHY. Let’s just say..umm… SPELL-BINDING?…Ethereal folk layered with beautiful harmonies (almost falsetto sounding), warm electronica, and adroit guitar picking. His delicate, falsetto voice reminds me a bit of Justin Veron, and the band’s sound overall is similar to both Bon Iver and Volcano Choir. It was such a treat to hear some of the tracks sung in Icelandic, for which they were originally written and only later translated by John Grant (another great artist) in English to reach more people. My first encounter with the Icelandic language WAS through Asgeir, and I have so much more of an appreciation for this beautiful language because of his music. And to think that they also kicked off their December show at Bush Hall in London with some Icelandic Christmas carols. (Merry xmas to you). I just wish they didn’t have the entire show in the dark! See videos/pics from that show below.
Fortunately I was also able to catch Asgeir again in the spring when they played at the lovely Union Chapel in Islington. Head In the Snow has always been one of my favorites, so me eyes IMMEDIATELY LIT UP when they kicked off their set with this gem. I distinctly remember listening to this one on the bus ride from Keflavik airport to Reykjavik, and suddenly my mind became flooded with flashbacks from that magical place. I am whisked away to stunning landscapes of giant glaciers and mighty waterfalls that breathe life into the tree-less mountainside. “Hope and faith, Don’t you fail me now…Hope and faith, Come and warm my heart…Hope and faith, Fill me up with strength.” (It’s not uncommon that I daydream at least ONCE when listening to their album)..Next up was In the Silence, another favorite for which I first heard in Icelandic at their Bush Hall gig. It was such a treat to see how a song that you ALREAD THOUGHT BEAUTIFUL could capture even more beauty when sung in a different language (especially one as lovely as Icelandic!): “Come, take my hand, Let’s undo the knots of the past…Watch the mind run far away…and everything that will be and was here and now.”
Asgeir then took us on a detour to dark waters, playing a new song called The Ocean (see video below).
From the ocean to the sky, he soon takes us higher and higher into another dimension with the beautiful soft electronica and gentle vocals of Higher:
“I lift my mind to the sky, and I let it take flight The wind carries to my ears, precious sounds of life… Higher HIGHER…I must go… Higher HIGHER…Far away…. And the glare of this world is more than humbled…”
After taking flight with Higher and Higher, Asgeir brought us home with Going Home.Of all this songs on the album, this is the one that changed most drastically from its initial release, and I really enjoyed witnessing the evolution. “Home, I’m making my way home….My mind’s already there.” (last phrase always slays me)…Summer Guest was to follow, and the last line of this song SLAYS ME even harder: “You made a shelter for my soul if your language I could speak..I would weave a song for you of my own.”
Asgeir then surprises us all with a tribute to Kurt Cobain on the week of his death anniversary (can’t believe it’s been 20 years), performing a heart-wrenching over of Nirvana‘s Heart-Shaped Box:
“She eyes me like a Pisces when I am weak I’ve been locked inside your heart-shaped box for weeks I’ve been drawn into your magnet tar-pit trap I wish I could eat your cancer when you turn black..”
I’m pretty sure every inch of my body was covered in goosebumps. Kurt was def smiling that night. x
A few tracks later came Asgeir’s notable King and Cross, a beautiful song laced with catchy beats and cool keyboard/synth elements. This lyrics always speak to me: “Death cannot take hold, if I can keep momentum…I’ve found my strength now.” LOVE. Then came Torrent, my FAVORITE on the album (although it’s very hard to choose). When I first heart this track, it kinda reminded me of a Christmas carol, and its uplifting aura gets more and more intense every time I listen. So many magical sounds weaved into this musical masterpiece, especially the percussion (and the drummer’s intensity is hilarious to watch). No wonder they saved it for the encore! (Also, you MUST out the original version in Icelandic: Nýfallið Regn.STUUUUUUNING.)
Ásgeir‘s solo encore of One That Day was one of my highlights of the night. It’s the only song he played by himself, showcasing the pure, organic, spiritual quality to his voice (as his range hits the upper echelons in flawlessly fluctuating falsetto). He was clearly in his element, and you couldn’t help be whisked away to a mystical place (maybe the glacier lagoons of Iceland) and drowned in the fluid sound of his atmospheric, folk-laced tempos. And to be heard in a high-ceiling Gothic church with subtle lighting?…Dying.
“Just one look at you and then I knew On that day… Serendipity smiled down on me.”
I am so glad I discovered the ICELANDIC PROPHET that is Asgeir when I did (back in December) because is HUGE now and has globe-trotted all over the world, covering lot of ground and hitting big festivals in the states and in Europe. His music has been the musical medicine for my soul, and I can’t stop dreaming of my future adventures in Iceland when I GET BACK THERE in November for ICELAND AIRWAVES. So stoked to see him again, along with other Icelandic artists (Low Roar, Lay Low, Samaris, Mammut, SOLSTAFIR, Low Roar), and to explore his magical land with one of my best friends from California! I would have moved to Iceland in a heartbeat if they had work for me there. It’s UNREAL in so many ways, and EVERYONE needs to travel there (and soak up the local music) at least ONCE in their lifetime. Check out the documentary video that my friend Marissa (super-talented) made from our trip there back in March. SO looking forward to ROUND 2 of this trip in the next few months! ❤
(Setlists for both gigs are post below. I made sure I was lucky enough to be in front both times.)
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