Iceland Music Export on "Iceland: Beyond Sigur Rós", a new not-for-profit 30m documentary on the Icelandic music scene which is available for free streaming online: http://www.icelandmusic.is/News/1684/Iceland--Beyond-Sigur-Ros---New-Music-Documentary--/default.aspx
Featured artists include Ólafur Arnalds, Hafdis Huld, Mugison, Bloodgroup, For A Minor Reflection, Seabear and more plus a number of behind-the-scenes folks such as journalists and producers.
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It's an exciting thing to witness a band's inception. While Pascal Pinon's self-titled debut album is far from perfect, it crackles with a rare, unfiltered emotional honesty -- the heart of their sweet, simple songs rising above lo-fi recordings and elementary musical knowledge.
Not unlike reading a teenage girl's diary (which this might be, given that founding twin sisters Jófríður and Ásthildur and their friends Halla and Kristin were only 14 at the time of the recording), the album drips with simple, deeply felt emotion, with lyrics delivered in both English and Icelandic. "You should listen to it, and the words that I say, it's all terrible shit, and least I know that today," the girls sing in unison in "I wrote a song". While the line hints at the promise of future cynicism to come, for now, the girls seem at peace with guitar strums, shaking bells, and recorder choirs. Pascal Pinon may have better music in their future as both technical proficiency and life experiences grow, but never again will they make anything this beautifully honest and real.
- Laura Studarus
Fellow Nordic music blog All Scandinavian took their time, but they did finally get around to assembling their top 20 albums of the year: http://allscandinavian.com/4931/the-20-best-albums-of-2010/
Check elsewhere on their site for a few other best of-type posts.
Icelandic artist Ólafur Arnalds did the score for the new Sam Levinson film "Another Happy Day" which just premiered at Sundance this past weekend. Preview a track here: http://soundcloud.com/olafur-arnalds/lynns-theme
Tom Robinson from BBC6 Music Introducing has been selected as January's curator for London-based Scandinavian music showcase Ja Ja Ja. His selections for January 27: Murmansk, Montée and Benni Hemm Hemm.
The final 12 nominees for the first annual Nordic Music Prize have been announced:
Dungen - Skit i allt
Paleface - Helsinki – Shangri-La
Frisk Frugt - Dansktoppen møder Burkina Faso i det himmelblå rum hvor solen bor, suite
Susanne Sundfør - The Brothel
Robyn - Body talk
Jónsi - Go Do
Efterklang - Magic Chairs
Serena Maneesh - S-M 2: Abyss in B Minor
The Radio Dept. - Clinging to a scheme
Ólöf Arnalds - Innundir skinni
Kvelertak - Kvelertak
First Aid Kit - The big black & the blue
The winner will be announced during by:Larm in Oslo February 17-19. More here: http://nordicmusicprize.com/
Berlin-based Scandinavian music clubnight Nordic By Nature has a new mixtape for January: http://soundcloud.com/shibie/nordic-by-nature-honey-jan-mix
They also have a show booked for January 31 featuring Iceland's Bloodgroup at the Levee Club: http://www.nbnberlin.de/tickets.html
Scandinavians in Under the Radar's top 50 albums of 2010 list include Jónsi (#31), The Radio Dept. (#21) and Club 8 (#10): http://www.undertheradarmag.com/lists/top_50_albums_of_2010
I have started my 2011 Watchlist: http://www.itsatrap.com/filter/2011-watchlist
Feel free to make suggestions. Or start your own filter list.
Sin Fang nee Sin Fang Bous aka Sindri Már Sigfusson of Seabear will be releasing his new solo album "Summer echoes" this coming March with a 7" to precede it, featuring covers of "Landslide" by Fleetwood Mac and "The only living boy" by Simon & Garfunkle.
Pascal Pinon
