If you are staying in Reykjavik I do have a page on my website dedicated to Record Shops.
This page is dedicated to my favritist Icelandic music. Scroll down to discover some great artists and bands from Iceland. [There’s LOADS and it’s in alphabetical order too!]
There is so much diverse and amazing music coming out of Iceland that I have created a long but wonderful playlist. PLAY LOUD!
Amiina
I have probably seen Amiina about eight times now as they used to play with, and also open for, Sigur Ros. I saw them play Hurra in Reykjavik in 2017 performing Fantomas, a live soundtrack to a surreal silent movie and I saw them perform this again in Brighton in 2018. https://youtu.be/-IIuHL_8Olg?si=xgKnZN7H9M1yorJf
Olafur Arnalds
Olafur has released several albums and written the soundtrack to Broadchurch [which I have never seen]. This collaboration with Nanna from Of Monsters and Men from the Island Songs album is beautiful. https://youtu.be/wEj7xYyj9n4?si=eT8oLaxCHJFx1vSH
Ólöf Arnalds
Ólöf was a member of Múm for several years and has collaborated with Skulli Sverrisson and Bjork, you can clearly hear Bjork’s distinctive voice on the track Surrendur. Check out the song and great video below. https://youtu.be/3caiEhHvSzc?si=9HoE9b46EujUghgO
Ásgeir
Ásgeir Trausti has released several soulful albums. I have seen him perform a few times and that’s where his music really comes alive. https://youtu.be/S1Pthv2Xy50?si=s5ombokvDm7jAi63
aYia
aYia are a trio who formed in 2016 and have music available digitally on Bandcamp. Judging by the videos on yutube the singer, Ásta Fanney Sigurðardóttir is a bit bonkers, which is a good thing. They have gone a bit quiet of late. https://youtu.be/cokc3ki6KDY?si=IO-Tu7y3AdSOX77o
BSÍ
Named after the bus terminal in Reykjavik. I managed to catch them live at Iceland Airwaves 2022- they make a great noise for a duo! There is a 7″ available from German based Tomatenplatten records which I now own. Their debut album has just been released and it’s great! https://youtu.be/z3ORVOTsFpI?si=HZDw1QSPkGG-pEzC
Bríet
Bríet creates wonderful uplifting pop music but I prefer the more laid back acoustic based songs which are mostly on side two of her debut album called Kveðja which I think means goodbye in Icelandic. Her live show at IA in 2022 was great. I love the live video that’s on Youtube filmed right in the centre of Reykjavik. https://youtu.be/BVxgq3ryIqI?si=bQsWMbgrEmpaUr-8
Daði Freyr
The winning Icelandic entry for the cancelled 2020 Eurovision Song Contest and the Icelandic entry for 2021 ! The video is wonderful too! https://youtu.be/VFZNvj-HfBU?si=adnhajCIUaRkovxq
GRÓA
I caught GRÓA live at Gaukurinn as part of Iceland Airwaves 2022. They make a terrific noise despite the lack of electric guitar and they were pretty bonkers live and I loved it! They have released two excellent albums to date. https://youtu.be/w7i_9IFju1E?si=se6Yo8BGwMcLLulO
Gusgus
Gusgus released their first album in 1995 and released their last album in 2018. Their name has nothing to do with the mousey character from Disney’s Cinderella, sadly.
GDRN
Guðrún Ýr Eyfjörð Jóhannesdóttir [GDRN is easier!] has released a couple of jazzy poppy albums to date. I love her collaboration with pianist and composer Magnús Jóhann on the album Tíu íslensk Sönglög [which translates as 10 Icelandic Songs]. The link below should take you to a wonderful video/reel from her Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/reel/806535873704895
Hildur Guðnadóttir
Hildur Guðnadóttir is a cellist, composer and arranger. Her film scores to Sicario, Joker and the Sky series Chernobyl are wonderfully atmospheric and powerful. There are a few more Hildur’s out there so don’t get confused.
Gyða
Gyða Valtýsdóttir was a founding member of Múm and has worked with a range of musicians as well as releasing a couple of solo albums under her own name. Heavy classical influences are evident on her solo work. Her album Evolution which was released in 2018 is a good place to start, then try Epicycle. Her latest album- Ox is quite magnificent. https://youtu.be/R7RITGOVydk?si=qxOv-nA64B-8H7Ci
Elín Hall
Elín Hall [Elín Sif Halldórsdóttir] is a musician and actress. Her second album heyrist í mér is on vinyl and has guests Una Torfa and DRN adding vox on two tracks. The album cover is pretty striking [see above]. Musically, her songs, especially the acoustic ones remind me of Bríet. https://youtu.be/3KO_Z4h1muE?si=59vdKLoRFG7A2D3d
Hekla
Hekla Magnúsdóttir has a theremin and knows how to use it! The end result is beautiful, dark and haunting. I managed to catch her performing live in Reykjavik in 2022. She has releases on the Brighton based Phantom Limb Records. https://youtu.be/qk8geP9Hxqs?si=5GpSYFAVR324KJNn
Hafdis Huld
The track Tomoko grabbed my attention back in 2006 and I managed to catch Hafdis live several times in the UK. She has released an album of covers and her album Vögguvísur [Lullaby] is the nost streamed Icelandic album ever! https://youtu.be/kUd1XqwyI5o?si=EWcl5-R2I41ngLfX
JFDR
Jofridur Akadottir has performed with Samaris and Pascal Pinon. Her EP White Sun Live Part 1 : Strings is beautiful. Her gig at St Pancras Old Church in London in January 2020 was intimate and wonderful. https://youtu.be/U79pQdHLLgk?si=aF8fkiixgAt3WW-T
Jóhann Jóhannsson
Jóhann Jóhannsson released solo albums and is well known for his soundtracks to films such as The Theory of Everything, Arrival and [the absolutely bonkers] Mother! He sadly died in 2018, a great loss.
Kira Kira
Kira Kira is an Icelandic musician and filmmaker. I caught her live show at Lucky Records, Reykjavik in November 2022 which was wonderful. We the Lightnings [Original score] was released in March 2023 and is a very limited vinyl pressing of 15 and I managed to nab one- YAY! https://youtu.be/t_ZiWUuXv1g?si=-2v-dM78yVIh1jqw
Lay Low
I have seen Lovisa Elisabet Sigrunardottir live a couple of times now in the UK. My favourite album by her, Brostinn Strengur, has just been released on red vinyl – yum! This video is a great advert for the wonders of Iceland. https://youtu.be/Ia_-g1Hb-aE?si=ifN0i1jO3c0DXc0a
Jón Leifs
I first heard the music of Jón Leifs on an Icelandic Air flight from Reykjavik to Gatwick. I really liked it and bought some CD’s when I got home. His music is inspired by Iceland, it’s culture and geography. He died in 1968.
Mammút
Mammút released their first album in 2006 on Smekkleysa and has also had releases on Record Records and Bella Union. https://youtu.be/TP6ZOQEGyv8?si=iOsyvtZ0K72oSVUI
Ólafur Kram
Another band I managed to see live at IA 2022. They have just released their debut album as a follow up to a mini LP [which is on plummy red vinyl]. Their song AUMINGJA ÞURÍÐUR is perfect post punk pop ! I hope that they play England [preferably Brighton] soon. Oh yes- try saying their name backwards! https://youtu.be/QXgSm-sYFQs?si=SPAFAEMwbpy2jRdc
Mr Silla
Mr Silla is not a bloke but is in fact Sigurlaug Gísladóttir, a solo artist who has released two solo albums so far. A shame her wonderful debut is not on vinyl.
Múm
It’s hard to believe that the band released their first record over 20 years ago! But Múm are still going strong. I caught them live just the once in Brighton and they were superb.
Of Monsters and Men
Their music has been used on several movies including The Hunger Games and can be heard on episodes of The 100 and The Walking Dead. Their latest album is called Fever Dream. Lead singer Nanna has released a solo album called How to start a Garden. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXChlk9onbw
Rökkurró
Rökkurró have released three albums [2 on vinyl]. Their last LP Innra was released in 2014 but sadly they have been quiet since.
Samaris
Moody electronica with haunting vocals and a clarinet. I saw them live in Brighton a few years ago when their performance clashed with the Icelandic football team playing at the same time and the audience were shouting out the score to the band onstage. [Iceland won!]. I reviewed this gig for our local paper- The Argus, you can read my review HERE,
Skuli Sverrisson.
Skuli has arranged music for Laurie Anderson and has played bass with Blonde Redhead who are rather good, (check out the Misery is a Butterfly album). I heard Skuli’s album Seria when I visited 12 Tonar for the first time in 2009 which has contributions from Olof Arnalds and Laurie Anderson, but it’s a shame it’s not on vinyl yet [although he told me it was!].
Sóley
Sóley is a former member of Seabear and ongoing member of the part time band- Team Dreams, [an Icelandic supergroup]. I saw Sóley live at Bush Hall in 2018, in Brighton in 2021 and Reykjavik in 2022. Yes, I’m a huge fan! She has released four solo albums so far. Her latest album is called Mother Melancholia and is dark, haunting and very beautiful. https://youtu.be/SnYBSAN42Hc?si=swpwUUpyMSltCzIA
Vök
Vök have been around since 2013 and have recently supported Of Monsters and Men on their European tour. Tuneful electronica is how I would describe them.
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