sorry people. Things have been really down here on the farm today. Our Little Bastard Cat is still missing, which is bad enough, but there was a massive storm last night, followed by a massive snowfall that’s covered the whole of Reykjavik in about half a metre of snow. Right now i think he’s on -4 lives, so we’re not holding out too much hope for him this time.
So I’ve pretty much been moping around for most of the day with a face like a busted arse. The only thing I’ve really listened to intently is the compilation 14 TRACKS: FROM THANET TO JODRELL BANK. containing some truly seminal British electronic music, it seems to jack into the underlying ghost energy of the British landscape and the modern architecture that’s soldered onto it. It’s the things that has pretty much got me thinking about what equivalent Icelandic music manages to perform the same task of linking in with the energy of its surroundings.
This track though, has especially piqued my interest. ”By Day And By Night” from THANET seems to perfectly encapsulate the juxtaposition of our modern civilisation and the UK’s ancient land. Visions of power station cooling towers, next to picturesque farmland, chemical works at Canvey Island, the modern seaports of the north-east and the Humber Bridge. It’s also a good soundtrack to reading the Spirit Tracks essay collection from Warren Ellis. Music with which to commune with our modern past.
Oh sorry about that. Just cursing my luck in losing my cat… AGAIN. But enough of that. A weird sense of normality has descended upon the farm. having handed in an interview feature, i’m, just currently marking time and listening to some records to review. Alas most of it is mere background noise, not a whole lot going for them alas. But i shall be kind, albeit firm.
I’Ve also started reading about and listening to certain albums that are heavily linked with psychogeography, which has got me thinking with particular respect to Iceland. In other words, how much does Iceland’s environment and the human activity within it truly affect people when it comes to making their music? Of course people will immediately shout “GLACIERS!”, followed by “SIGUR RÓS!!” or some other ephemeral act, such as Amiina. But in truth, how much does it really factor when compared to other countries, say, the UK? And it’s not just glaciers and waterfalls. What about the effects of modern architecture and Icelandic urbanism, and it’s effect on the energy of the area? Places such as aluminium smelters and their associated pylons and hydrothermal conduits? Oh what about the bleak, half-built settlements in places like Mosfellsbær that stand out like weeping sores on the landscape? Of the sight of Keflavík on a winter’s night as you land at the airport and view the abandoned NATO base and its listening posts? This collision of brutalist post-cold war civilisation with the dormant energy of Viking and early Christian folklore? At the moment its jsut idea threads I’m getting myself tangled up in. But i feel there’s something there…
But enough gibbering. Time for some music. And for tonight’s piece, i was reminded of a track in my YouTube queue list that i neglected for a while, which i´m not going to use. This said band is THIS KIND OF PUNISHMENT, from exited in New Zealand in the 80s. Gained a fair cult following in their home country but only garnered attention outside of NZ after they split up. tonight offering is a two-track medley from their second album “A Beard Of Bees”. the tracks have a minimalist feel to it, mostly bass led riffs with sawtooth guitar sounds (possibly using a string bow) and a bit of piano , wrapped in the slightest smattering of drone..
YES! after what seemed like an eternity (several weeks), the juggernaut that is the NITcast is back on the air, providing you with that aural meow meow high that the rozzers can’t touch you for (yet).
So this month’s mix has no chat from me, which is good as (a) my voice is terrible , and (b) i actually couldn’t think of anything decent of eerie to say. So i left some lovely white noise in its place, which is much better for everyone concerned.
I thought I’d still split the mix into two parts, the first i titled “The Gateway”, the second “the City”. Listen for yourself if you think those are apt titles.
If you like what you hear, you can download a decent quality version HERE (remember to right click, then select ”Save link as”)
PLAYLIST
High pitch polytone irdial…
Portishead – Silence
Ayshay – Excerpt from FACT mix 307
Troupe Majidi – Essiniya (Nass El Ghiwane)
Omar Souleyman - Hafer Gabrak Bidi
Muslingauze – Abu Nidal
Logan 5 – Believe
Chris Carter - Moonlight (Neurotic Drum Band Version)
BL▲CK † CEILING - DRE▲MS
Ayshay – Warn U
5 Note Version – Czech Lady Irdial
Reptilicus – Initial Conditions
Blues Control and Laraaji – Awakening Day
Eroc – Der Prophet
Space System – Sorrow Show
▼ịǭҐEϗ₠ – cIRCLE
Source Direct – Stonekiller
Robert Hood – Towns That Disappeared
Popoh Vul – Kailash: Last Village
The Caretaker – Everything Is On The Point Of Decline
Man, work seems to be cranking up a few notches over the last 48 hours. Almost finished smashing together an interview, which should be winging its way to our NEW editor (the lovely Anna) in the next couple of days, along with an album review or two. Also, it seems that i may actually have to do some actual REAL journalism over music issues over the coming weeks. This can only end badly.
But in the meantime music is the name of the game. And the game is that of a musical Xenomaniac melting pot of sounds that magpie’s numerous flavours, sounds and textures across the globe. A perfect embodiment of this is Fatima Al Qadiri who also goes by the project name Ayshay. According to an article, her parents studied in Russia, she was born in Senegal, grew up in Kuwait, then lived in eight cities over the past dozen years before settling down in Brooklyn,
And it shows in her music. Sounds of the Middle East and Middle Asia collide with heavy UK bass sounds and chip music and vocals. It’s the sound of a post digital, post geographic society where the world is on your laptop and distances are reduced to nought.
Right! 2012 is now here and this blog has been inactive for long enough. It’s time to get back on the hamster wheel of blogging and begin feeding the beast that knows no name. Well actually, it’s called Kevin, but don’t tell him he’s a beast – it hurts his feelings….
So the best way to ge things going is to throw some delicious morsels of free music, the same was a local crime lord will throw frozen turkeys at crack addicts during Thanksgiving. yes, it’s time for a free music dump!
So what’s first from my sonic bag of tricks? Ahh, this’ll do for starters, “Solar Lights Don’t work At Night” by GOD BOWS TO MATH. An indie rock band from Auckland, NZ. It’s not too bad a listen as it’s loaded with grumbling bass, and slightly emo-atonal guitar lines with a slight Post Hardcore bent. It’s pretty well produced ans is worth the 13-odd minutes of your time.
Next up is a bit of sleazy electro squelch from LOVE SPELLS. Their debut album “Paradox” is free to download from bandcamp and it’s chokka with slowed down, screwed up disco sounds and Lo-Fi beats that you would get from your typical dystopian futurescape ála Kandinsky. For the unwashed locals, this is what Nolo would sound like if they listened to French electronic artists from the early 80′s instead of The Cars
OK now is time to REALLY rip things up, with some ringing, tingling grime sounds from Birmingham, courtesy of LADY LESHURR. She released this free album/mixtape on the site Hood Tapes and, maaaan, it just continuously piledrives into your brain with some seriously hypertime rhythms. 2012 is certainly going to be the year several female grime MCs are going to break through in the UK and this lady HAS to be one of them. You can check for yourself by downloading the album HERE. (Thanks to Joe Muggs for suggesting this on twitter…)
Now to finish things off, time for a little bit of Nepotism. I have a lovely friend in the USA named Jeffrey Owens, As well as sharing a love of music and comics, he also likes to tinker with electronic sounds under the pseudonym TERRAN. He’s released a free EP titled “10 Noises” on Bandcamp and despite the name, it’s actually rather soothing in its own unique way. Each track is a short sharp jab of power electronics and oscillating wave functions. An Ideal palette cleanser from all the MOR molasses that stick to your ears from regular radio use….
Hmm, i think that’s a decent start to the new year, don’t you think? Now be off with you! I’m going to conduct some nasty experiments with an A-Ha 7″…..
So like everyone else that writes about music, we bottom feeders over at The Reykjavik Grapevine published our end of year review of the nations music in 2011. And naturally, you can read it all HERE!
So, what can we gleam from it all? Not that much really, out of us 5 writers, 3 of us went down the electronic route (Björk, Gus Gus, Möller Records), one went down hard rock (HAM), the other went indie (Snorri Helgason). for my choice, i waxed lyrical about the free “Helga” compilation that was released by Möller Records, as much for it role as a game changer and statement of the scene in 2011.
I posted this, while drunk, on Möller Records Facebook page over the weekend as the article was copied and read by people
(booze and pills talking here) ok it may look like i have my tongue firmly up Möller Records arse, but the reality is that there is real shit happening in these hallowed shores, and it has to be said IN THE RIGHT WAY!!
And if you talk to the guys at breakbeat.is, even online about what’s going on out there, then you can feel the energy coming off them. IT IS A RIGHTEOUS ENERGY
You can argue that i should be more “objective”. BULLSHIT! Shit be exciting and i am more than happy to report and bully these fucks into a while different arena.
That is all…
Ahem… Time to stay away from the codeine methinks. But while i think about that, go and have a read of it all and let us know what you think.
Hmm, well despite being active and getting shit done in clearing up my Mum’s affairs, I’ve been feeling in a bit of post-limbo world at the moment. Despite living here since Christmas, it feels more like I’ve been holed up here for months. It’s like someone has taken sticky jam to my timelines and everything’s getting all gunked up. Not much seems to be happening.
But there’s always one constant in life. We spods who write about music can’t be trusted. Our tastes are as changeable as the wind. One second we’re praising something to the heavens, the next we’re kicking its face into the gutter. Take solo artist CIRCLE OF OUROBORUS, for example. He was actually the subject of my first ever album review. I wasn’t kind to him in the slightest. The kitchen sink production and the state of the drums. It just sounded awful to my ears at the time.
Now fast forward a few years and his latest album, “Eleven Fingers” is actually a rather intriguing listen. will i say i take it all back? Oooh not quite, but the sound is very different to his early stuff. The 80′s post-punk influences and the belligerent wails are still there, but the rumble and synths provide a much more dreamy, hazy feel to it. Hypnometal Mogadeath the only way those bloody Finns know how.
Thank Christ. i will not miss this year in the slightest.
Right now I’m in the Wirral, currently undergoing a dark night of the soul and suffering from a slight case of laziness writers block. However this may be relieved somewhat by the rather timely discovery of some beer and a box of Ferrero Rocher.
Of course with the dawning of a new year, now’s the perfect time to to pick away at the corpse that remains of what happened in Icelandic music in 2011 and ponder what it could all possibly mean. There were joyous moments, tears, beers, a few recriminations and more important, the small matter of the music. Hey, it’s always been about the music. And the bodily fluids….
But remember this – do not take this post as gospel! If you do, then you are more stupid that i give you credit for. Over the course of several paragraphs, such boring and useless things as facts will be merrily jettisoned to make way for legend, ranting and puerile name calling. You have been duly notified.
now let’s get on with it shall we?
NO SERIOUSLY, WHAT DID IT ALL MEAN??
“Mean Spirited”
“Reviewed with his head up his arse”
“He knows fuck all about music! Fuck him!”
“A review from someone called Bob Clue-less!”
As you can see, 2011 saw the plaudits and praise just roll in. Man it’s was an “interesting” year. Naturally there were numerous good times (Spending most of Airwaves with my Brother and reaffirming some partially forgotten life lessons), intersped with some really “Oh Fuck!” moments (such as getting the title for Ikea Satan’s EP mixed up with that from Futuregrapher’s EP. Which was a shame as it took away from the review, and i meant every word i said).
But what else was happening in Iceland this year? Well…
ALL HAIL TEAM ICELAND PLC!!
You know what? I had spent most of today writing a long-winded whinge.
About how the “Inspired by Iceland” campaign, had somehow spawned an an increasingly organised and synergised monster amongst Iceland’s cultural hoi polloi, seemingly hellbent on pushing a certain “brand” of Icelandic music that was all cool, hip, quirky and different.
About how all this cross promotion and hyping felt more like one long advert to entice alt-backpacker tourists to come to these shores with glaciers, puffins and twinkly elf sparkledust in their eyes and parting with their oodles of eco-cash.
About the way it seemed to take a rather insular, sulphurous, congratulatory tone, as if everyone was beginning to believe their own bullshit, all the while failing to notice that once you looked past the hype, most of Iceland’s bright new hopes sounded pretty much like all the other shit out there, as comfortable as an elderly woman’s slippers and as challenging to the listener as a two piece jigsaw puzzle. All painfully dull, but almost impossible to ignore.
And about how you got this hunch/feeling that many vested interests within the local scene would rather you just rep’d the scene, saying that every release was “like, OMG the best thing I’ve heard today!” and not bother trying to apply any form of critical filter and try to tell it like it is.
All of this formless ranting took hours to write and came to about 2000 words, until i realised something;
FUCK. THAT. SHIT
I was just splurging out petty bollocks that totally missed the point, so I promptly deleted the lot. So what if the likes of FTT and other people think we should be “nice” and not “nasty”, and not write truthfully? So what if i didn’t care much for what came out of the Icelandic music scene this year? Who, in all honesty, cares?
If I was in any way remotely serious about writing on what music i felt people SHOULD be listening to and If i didn’t like the media game that was being played in front of me, then i should stop whining and go and find another game instead.
So that’s what i did.
Truth be told, there was plenty of challenging, exciting music released in Iceland this year. Of course you had to look hard for it at time, but it was there all right. Of course i posted some of my likes earlier, so i´m not going to go into the whole bands that i liked, but go and look at it. Click on the links and you will get excited about those sounds as surely as they got me tingling.
SUPERIOR SINE WAVES TURN YOUR PROSTATE INTO A SPONGE
There was something really interesting beginning to bubble amongst the pulsing oscillators in Iceland in 2011. I´m not going to include Gus Gus in this, not because they’re rubbish (their album was pretty good actually), but they’ve now risen to true international status so can leave the local bullshit behind. Down in the trenches though, things were going strong. Breakbeat.is were upping their game, looking beyond these shores and jacking into some of the hottest bass music going today, meshing it with their extensive old school Dn’B knowledge. Go and listen to their podcasts. Go on, do it, you fuck! Oh, and there was the small matter of the resurfacing of fellow local jungle collective, Skýum Ofar. Alas i was away when they did their comeback show at Barbara, but by all accounts the occasion has already reached near legendary status for good time. Excellent work there!
Meanwhile, the work being done by Weirdcore, Extreme Chill & Electric Ethics in fostering an environment to let new acts breathe and attempt to find their voice is a wonderful thing that should be lauded (and if they get a bit of blood and death into Samaris’ “Dark” sound, then they are truly awesome people).
And then there was Möller Records. I won’t go into too much detail (you’ll know why soon), but you seriously have to check out their stuff. Stream it, then buy it. The really cool thing about what they’ve done is that they’ve created a label as a focal point for people’s work and energy, a vessel that can be used as a springboard to get the local message out there. And more importantly, they did it on their own. This is what there needs to be more of IMHO.
BLACK, BLACK, BLAAAAACK!!!
Meanwhile in the world of guitar and testosterone infused axe attacks, things were going along smoothly. Eistnaflug was again a load of good old-fashioned fun that most people barely remembered. And there were big releases from the likes of Plastic Gods, Sólstafir and Atrum (all good), who were joined by the debut album from folk metal outfit Skámold (not so good). But the real fun stuff was coming from the noise punk and hardcore scenes. After what had seemed like a deep hibernation, we saw releases from Manslaughter, Logn and World Narcosis which seemed to suggest that a new punk/hardcore phoenix was arising.
This was duly confirmed with the work being done by the guys at the PBP punk collective. Taking a truly DIY approach to making, selling and distributing music, you could buy the physical formats, or download copies for free from their site. It was all pretty much a breath of fresh air. Take a moment to go there as there’s some fine music on there, especially from the likes of Norn, Ofvitarnir, Tentacles of Doom.
But the most impressive sounding band and live act of them all in 2011 was the mysterious outfit known as NYIÐ. Details on who they are were hard to come by (all i got were a couple of first names and their self released EP), But after debuting at this year’s Eistnaflug festival, very few bands had such a truly terrifying, but all-encompassing aesthetic. Taking on several influences that were visual (black hoods, shirts and trousers, runic symbolism), musical (doom/apocalyptic folk sounds, tribal rhythms, black metal virtuosity) and pagan (passages from Crowley, hint of blood sacrifices), it was performed with no compromise and made all the other metal acts look like Nickleback without even having to be that noisy!
DO NOT ATTEMPT TO RESIST THE INDIE BORG!
So the sonic onslaught of nice safe Icelandic indie continued on regardless with releases from all the heavyweights (FM Belfast, Sin Fang, Snorri Helgason, Of Monsters and Men, Helgi Hrafn Jónsson) that were beloved by cool party kids and assorted tofu molesters. Most of it? Sigh…. it was not baaaaad, just not exciting or powerful in any meaningful way. The only decent new guitar band that came on the scene this year was Gang Related. Their do-wop surf indie wasn’t the newest sound around, but they performed it with a real verve and bite that most of their contemporaries lacked.
There were two releases that did perk me up. Sóley’s debut album “We Sink” carried on the sounds from her debut EP, hinting to some form of darkened children’s lullaby, a possible alternative soundtrack to “A Company Of Wolves”. The other was Lay Low’s “Brostin Strengur”, which was often more powerful and dynamic that most of her male guitar welding aficionados. Actually had some really kick ass drumming on it too!
So that’s it for the main round-up, so let’s have some nasty pointless fun with the annual REYKJAVIK SEX FARM AWARDS FOR 2011!!!
Gig of the year (Again NOT Eistnaflug or Airwaves): The Palestinian Benefit gig @ Faktorý, 8th October. With the likes of Ghostigital, Nolo, Futuregrapher, Blaz Roca & Sesar A, Prins póló and a truly demented performance from Reykjavík! , it was one of the best times i had at a gig for a while. Runners Up: The album release gigs from AMFJ, Reptilicus, Weirdcore @ Bakkus.
Worst gig of The Year: Actually… I managed to keep away from too many awful experiences. Yay to me!
The “I didn’t know he had it in him” award for ability to expand their musical repertoire to positive effect: This goes to KRUMMI from Mínus for his rather splendid foray into electronic music, both as a solo artist and as part of LEGEND. Runner Up: the guys in hardcore bangers MUCK for being able to play ’60s flower pop with Just Another Snake Cult.
The Edward Cullen award for leeching off other people’s musical power to make yourself look good: To both JÓN GNARR and EGILL OLAFSON for their egotistical behavior when handing out the gongs during this years Músíktilraunir competition. From where i was sitting, you’d have thought that it was them that was winning the awards. Way to steal the thunder from those who were actually taking part guys. Runner Up: SIGTRYGGUR BALDURSSON for hanging around younger cooler musicians, playing the tambourine while they performed on music programme Hljómskálinn.
The “Grizzly Adams” award for best Tom Waits Impression: MUGISON
Scariest moment of the Year: having to face the onslaught of discussing electronic music with SAMARIS during Reykjavik Music Mess. Getting slammed in the face with a microphone during Manslaughter’s gig @ Eistnaflug. having to interview the singer from Iceage and finally realising i´m rapidly becoming a sad old fart…
The Pitchfork award for music writing i most disagreed with: (Warning – now while i may disagree with these writers verdicts, i don’t dislike their writing. They’re fine, clever people who at least care. Now that’s been said, please don’t hunt me down and kill me…) To JOE SHOOMAN for saying that Skuli Mennski’s “Búgí” contained music that was better than anything than Nick Cave could ever produce in his life. Oh man, i love you Joe, but when i read that, i fell off my chair! Runner Up: DR GUNNI’s awarding of 2 out of 5 stars for Futuregrapher’s “Tom Tom Bike” EP.
Best comment said to my face: Winner: Haukur S: Magnusson – “Bob Cluness, you are probably the most destructive force I’ve seen on a dancefloor ever. You scare me!” THIS ALL LIES, PURE LIES! Runners Up: Árni Grétar, AMFJ and AKA Trouble – “Your Brother is a really nice, insightful guy!” These people are all on crack.
Best Song Of The Year: “Eistnaflug” – Manslaughter
Worst Song Of The Year: “Salt” – Helgi Hrafn Jónsson
YOUR ICELANDIC MUSIC PLAYLIST FOR 2011
And That. Is. IT!! let’s hope and pray to the music gods that 2012 will be a bumper year. I’m off to have a beer and draw penises over the walls…
So there were some truly great music released and listened to this year IMHO. I Leik’d these albums… a lot. No true order or preference, just a mere barometer of where my musical tastes were travelling to.
I’m sure the second i post this, i*ll likely go “DOH!” as i forget an album that i was listening to so intently earlier in 2011, but i don’t have access to my full collection so am going from memory here:
STRONG FEELING
REALLY STRONG FEELING
OMFG IT’S BLOWING MY FUCKING HEAD OFF!!
HONOURABLE MENTIONS
MOON WIRING CLUB – Clutch It Like A Gonk
JON BROOKS – Music For Thomas Carnacki
M83 – Hurry Up We’re Dreaming
CUT HANDS – Afro Noise
DIRTY BEACHES – Badlands
UNISON – Unison
BYTONE – Symeta
ANDY STOTT – We Stay Together
MONOTONIX – Not Yet
ZOMBI – Escape Velocity
LEYLAND KIRBY – Eager To Tear Apart The Stars
EPs/SINGLES
TROPIC OF CANCER – The Sorrow Of Two Blooms
ZOMBY – Nothing
ANSTAM – Baldwin/Carmichael
BOK BOK -Southside
REGIS – In A Syrian Tongue
RAIME – Hennall
EKOPLEKZ - Westerleight Works
GIRL UNIT - Wut (Claude Vonstroke Mix)
PANGAEA – Hex & Inna Haze
DUMB DUMB GIRLS – He Gets Me High
AYSHAY – Warn U
MIXES/COMPILATIONS
BLACKEST EVER BLACK - All Mixes esp. “The Disappointment Engine”
SHACKLETON – Fabric 55
BEN UFO – Rinse 16
HESSLE AUDIO – 116 & Rising
THE SOFT MOON – FACT Mix 295
RAIME – FACT Mix 292
ANCIENT METHODS – ‘Some Strings Attached’ Mix for MNML SSGS
