Amína
2005.11.18
I don’t really feel like writing about Sigur Rós, who played a wonderful concert a couple of days ago in Paris. It was actually wonderful, but most of the songs were kind of too similar to the album. And many fans share this opinion: it was a decent gig but not the best (have a look at the Sigur Rós forum if you’re interested).
I was actually much more impressed by this charming support band, Amína. Amína is made up of four young Icelandic girls, who play a variety of weird (glasses, electronic devices, musical saw) or classical (strings, guitar, keyboard) instruments. They are touring both as Sigur Rós’ support act, and their string section. Even if you arrive late at the concert and miss the first part, you’ll still have the chance to see them. Lucky you.
Their music is mostly instrumental, reminiscent of Múm obviously, and the best moments of the gig were probably when the beat made them dance, smile, or even laugh (María Huld Markan Sigfúsdóttir is quite funny and charming, to this respect – she’s on the left on the picture). Ok, I would have loved to post a link to a mp3 to share this new discovery with you, but I just can’t find it anymore. You can visit this Boomkat webpage, though, and stream three of their songs. And you can visit their official website (unfortunately poor and which doesn’t work with IE, apparently) and an unofficial one, where you’ll find an interesting interview with the girls.
November 18th, 2005 - 09:27
Amina are wonderful, check out these earlier posts at tinyWays (for a bit of music too):
http://tinyways.cjb.cc/2005/09/organic-strings-amina-animamina-ep.php
http://tinyways.cjb.cc/2005/08/iceland-is-just-big-string-amina.php
and from a live gig when they warmed up for Sigur Ros:
http://tinyways.cjb.cc/2005/07/shadows-and-lights-sigur-ros-live.php
November 18th, 2005 - 11:59
they are awesome! i saw them live with sigur ros when they were in philadelphia, and i’m probably going to be seeing them in atlantic city in february. their EP that they have out is incredible too, it’s only 4 tracks long though.
i just checked and unfortunately they aren’t listed on iTunes yet…well they are, but it’s part of the “screaming masterpiece” soundtrack, which on iTunes is glitchy and mislabelled.
i think it’s maria sigfusdottir, but i’m not positive, but one of the members of amina are married to kjarri, the keyboardist from sigur ros. so the two bands have a professional as well as personal relationship.
November 18th, 2005 - 20:31
Thanks for the link. ;)
María is married to Kjartan from Sigur Rós, yes.
Edda (in the picture, on the far right) is dating a guy from Efterklang.
Icelandic music is very insular, no?
November 19th, 2005 - 10:59
Insular indeed, but Efterklang are from Denmark, aren’t they?
November 19th, 2005 - 11:43
It’s entirely possible I’m wrong. I never looked into it. Amína (Hildur and Edda) did some work on Efterklang’s Tripper album, and it’s likely that’s where I made the Icelandic connection. Oops. ;)
November 20th, 2005 - 15:47
well i know there are members of sigur ros in efterklang…that may be what you are thinking about? i’m gonna find out right now.
November 20th, 2005 - 15:50
from sigur ros’s site:
it’s time for the annual sigur rós gossip column. orri and his girlfriend lukka were married last week on a beach in hawaii, just the two of them plus the hawaiian priest. georg and his girlfriend svanhvít were also married earlier this summer, by hilmar örn hilmarsson, their friend and head of ásatrúarfélagið, the icelandic religion of norse mythology. kjartan and maría (from amina) got married a couple of years ago in las vegas while on tour. jónsi also appears to have found his soulmate in his boyfriend alex. we’d like to congratulate all the band members on the happiness they’ve found, and hope it continues to be reflected in their music.
from an efterklang site:
34 musicians guested the recordings of Tripper such as Nils Gröndahl from Under Byen and Hildur í€rsælsdóttir and Edda Rún Olafsdóttir from the Icelandic string quartet Amina contributed with additional violin arrangements. Amina is known for their extraordinary work with Sigur Rós.
oh i thought there were sigur ros members in efterklang but i guess not…..maybe they just evoke sigur ros, haha.
November 26th, 2005 - 13:48
yeah, it was maybe the second or third loveliest situation of the timeline when the amina girls were standing in a row, dancing and rocking w/ their tiny handbells. yeah.
December 5th, 2005 - 10:52
Check out Pichforkmedia review here: http://pitchforkmedia.com/record-reviews/a/amina/aminamina.shtml