noisedfisk

Scandinavian Culture Viewed, Reviewed & Interviewed

Reykjavik Air Bridge

2006.06.28

Icelandic musicians have, it seems, some advantage over musicians from other countries. The city of Reykjavik and Icelandair have for some years now run a fund named Reykjavik Loftbrú, intended to help musicians go abroad to play their music live. Perhaps it’s not so much an advantage as a compensation for being stuck in the middle of the ocean, with no means of going anywhere without expensive flights. In any case this has helped many bands and artists in the past years to broaden their horizons and showcase their music abroad.

How it works is basically like this; a band or artists fills out an application detailing where they want to go, why, how it will be exectuted, what they hope to gain in the process, and in what way it will be beneficial for icelandic culture in general. Every month a commitee gathers to go over the applications, and those deemed most worthy basically get a plane ticket for each member of the band, and whomever can within reason be said to be a necessary part of the band, f.e. roadie or manager. Everything else the bands need to take care of themselves, accommodation, rental car, booking gigs etcetera.

Needless to say many bands apply, and you may expect ever increasing amounts of virtually unknown icelandic bands popping up in your hometown while this fund is up and running. It takes a lot for a band here to get to the money-making step, and touring around is expensive and more likely to break a band up due to financial difficulties than to take them to the next level. This has in the past happened to a lot of good bands who disbanded after touring, and coming home up to their necks in debts. Reykjavik Air Bridge is a great leap forward, and a recognition of the fact that music is indeed good for the tourist industry. I’m guessing nothing has advertised Iceland as much as Björk, and now bands like Sigurrós, Múm, Singapore Sling and Trabant have become ever more prominent in the international press, not least due to this fund.

An article with more details on the Air Bridge is available online at the Reykjavik Grapevine website.

I’d like to know if there is any such funding to be had in other countries, from what I’ve heard so far this seems to be pretty unique. And if it’s not available, I encourage musicians to confront their city councils or governments, and make the Reykjavik Air Bridge an example for them to follow. Let’s get the music out of the garages and bedrooms, and into the world.

Trabant

2006.06.22

— Music

Nah, it’s not a quaint little east-european car. Rather, it’s a quaint icelandic band heading on it’s way towards stardom, at least in their home country, and you just might start hearing about them elsewhere soon. Formed by two fellows who’d played together and apart in the local indie scene for years with little recognition, it started out as an experimental-electronic band. They released the album “Moment of Truth” in 2001 and their song “Superman” got considerable airplay. By 2004 they’d picked up more members and were radically changing their style. Since then they’ve attracted much attention for their live performances which more often than not involve the members stripping, champagne flowing and fireworks and glitter raining all over the place. And they are indeed a joy to watch.

Released by 12 Tonar in Iceland, they’ve nove attracted the attention of Southern Fried Records who are releasing their latest album in the UK.

Trabant is a somewhat unusual band. In 2004 they had the honor of playing at the president’s mansion, Bessastaðir, at a very fine and formal party for the president’s guests. This was released as the 4 song CD “Trabant á Bessastöðum” were they’re softer side mingles pleasantly with inane chatter and the tinkling of glasses. The fourth song is actually a thank you speech by the president himself. The latest album, “Emotional” sports a cover that won designer awards, and indeed it it eye-catching, with all of them stark naked, and many people have labelled them a homosexual band because of this.

I decided to have my first shot at an interview here, and Trabant came to the rescue by allowing me to send them some questions which they promptly answered. Thank god they had the sense to answer my yes/no questions with something more.

Noisedfisk: How did the band come about?
Trabant: It was formed originally in 1999 by Doddi(drums) and Viddi(guitar/bass), and with the release of our first album (Moment of Truth 2001), the band was born. With Raggi vocals, Hlynur keyboards, and then later Gísli Galdur DJ.

Noisedfisk: What’s with the champage?
Trabant: Well, it’s partytime everytime if you pop open a bottle of bubbly, and so it’s partytime for us on stage; it’s all a part of making the world a little more colorful and sexy

Noisedfisk: Are you guys flaming gays?
Trabant: You just have to find out for yourselves; just look deep into your hearts, and find that little soft,fluffy,tender spot…and push it.

Noisedfisk: Don’t you ever get thrown out of venues for indecent exposure?
Trabant: No…..usually people never ever get enough….even when playing the presidential palace gig in Iceland; lot’s of bubbly and dance there! Nice folks.

Noisedfisk: How did you evolve from an experimental electronic duo to this sweaty glimmering party band that you now are?
Trabant: It’s survival skills. Evolution from NO party to party ON.

Noisedfisk: You make any money out of this stuff?
Trabant: Always….we just got our first pool table fitted into our studio, and we will now practise our pool skills along with making more hits for
our next album. On the other hand; musicians should never ever touch money.

Noisedfisk: When is the next album due?
Trabant: Not yet, first we will release Emotional in the UK this summer, and tour some more. Then we can talk about the next album. We have, on the other hand, started to make new material.

Noisedfisk: Any plans on touring scandinavia?
Trabant: We don’t have a tour planned there, but we will be in Copenhagen on the 18th of august…..other gigs can turn up any time, so check our website for updated news at trabant.is.

Noisedfisk: What bands/artists could be said to be an inspiration for trabant?
Trabant: Prince, Queen, Fleetwood Mac, ESG + millions of others…..

Noisedfisk: What do you want noisedfisk readers to know about trabant?
Trabant: We’re there for your every need….exept money.

Noisedfisk: What don’t you want noisedfisk readers to know about trabant?
Trabant: That we have 13 BIG secrets.

Check out their official site: www.trabant.is
mp3’s:
Trabant – Maria (clip)
Trabant – Nasty Boy (clip)
Trabant – Enter Spacebar (Full version)

12 Tónar

2006.06.15

— Music

12 Tonar I used to visit the 12 Tónar website pretty regularly some months ago, just to check whether it was finally up… And since it wasn’t, I simply forgot and passed onto something else.

Today, while visiting Indie Laundry, another blog made by Danes and Icelanders (which is worth reading, by the way), I read this: “The fast growing and independent label/recordshop from Reykjavík 12 Tónar opens their first overseas store tommorow, downtown Copenhagen. Mr. Mugison plays a liveset tommorow at 1. pm. The store is located at Fiolstræde 7.” And to cap it all, their website is online, now!

Here is what they say about them: “Founded 8 years ago in Reykjavík, 12 Tónar has been well received by music lovers from the start. The store quickly became a meeting point for the hottest musicians around, for instance Björk, Sigur Rós, múm, and the core of classical composers and performers.
Today 12 Tónar is known as a friendly place where you are able to sit down, listen to our wide selection of music which is to be found on two floors, enjoy free espresso coffee or tea, read magazines and relax. We aim to continue our traditions in Copenhagen where we just opened up a 12 Tónar shop in the center of the city. (…)
We take great pride in the fact that 12 Tónar is also a fast growing independent record label. Our position as a record label is unique as we regularly meet with so many musicians in our shop. We are therefore in constant contact with emerging talent and the label is taking off very rapidly. We believe that our catalogue will include the most interesting artists Iceland has to offer, for now and for future references.”

El Perro del Mar

2006.06.15

— Music

I had downloaded the four tracks available on El Perro del Mar’s website. I had read about her music and about this Sarah Assbring who “sounds so completely bummed out, so miserable in her own skin that even handclaps and tambourines sound like harbingers of doom” (Pitchforkmedia). And I had decided that it was not exactly the kind of music I was looking for at the moment. But it’s not until a friend of mine offered a compilation CD with one of her songs on it that i started listening carefully… and that i realised how beautiful this sadness can be.

Based in Göteborg (again), the sole member of El Perro Del Mar, Sarah, started as an mp3/cdr-artist and released her first songs through the Swedish label Hybris (home of Vapnet, Mont Mardié and many other Swedish acts). After her debut EP released in November 2004, El Perro Del Mar worked with Jens Lekman and together they released a split vinyl single on which Sarah contributed with the song ‘Shake it off’. The single was available in Sweden and in the United States via Jens’ label Secretly Canadian – it was quickly sold out. El Perro Del Mar also went on a short tour in Sweden accompanying Jens around this time. In Spring 2005, a compilation album of all the earlier released tracks, ‘Look it’s El Perro Del Mar’, was released in Sweden. The following summer El Perro Del Mar did quite a few live performances around Sweden for an artist who doesn’t particurlarly enjoy performing live. In December 2005 she put together a pretty special Christmas concert together with the remarkable Jenny Wilson, a 4-piece band and a huge choir. The concert took place at Södra Teatern in Stockholm. On the 10th of April the self entitled album was released in the UK and Europe on the British label Memphis Industries.

So please, don’t be silly, don’t wait as long as i did, and simply enjoy…