Icelandic music er best í heimi :)

 One of the reason why I moved here is wonderful Icelandic music scene and the great interest in  music of Icelanders. Almost everyone sings in a choir or plays some instruments. This is so common here, music plays an important part in life of Icelandic people and maybe that's why ICELAND HAS SO MANY GREAT MUSIC BANDS AND ARTISTS :)

© triskel   live concert of Myrra Rós

At the beginning, I will write some words about the most famous ones, and with time I will be able to tell you more about the other Icelandic artists. I hope to be able to see most of them in live performance soon as I live in the Icelandic capital that is a heart of musical life here :)

Of course that I agree that 'Íslensk tónlist er best í heimi' which means Icelandic music is the best in the world! Do you remember that Iceland is best in the world 'per capita'? I had already mentioned this topic :)

MY ICELANDIC TOP 5

1. My first choice is very young artist, only 21 years old  Ásgeir Trausti. He just recorded his first CD in 2012 titled 'Dýrð í dauðaþögn' and it was the Album of the Year in Iceland! I've been listening to his songs a lot last months since my first journey to Iceland. He's known outside Iceland as Ásgeir and the album 'In the Silence' that he recorded this year in English is  for example no 1 on Japanese Billboard at the moment. I especially love this particular song 'Heimförin' as I knew I was going home while moving to Iceland. It's quite methaphysical but it's the way I feel about it!  I personally prefere to listen to his songs in Icelandic, it's more mysterious and more emotional for me :) It is called 'melodic folk' and there is a lot of magic sound in his music.

Ásgeir Trausti

Just listen to my favourite:
Going home, live acoustic session   and its original Icelandic version Heimförin. ABSOLUTELY LOVE HIS MUSIC!! (And yes, he's very handsome, I like this Icelandic type of  good looking men,of course :)

By the way, the English versions of his songs from his new album are streamed on The Guardian from now if you are interested.





And this is a newest review from Clash magazine that I just found about his music: 'One in 10 of the Icelandic population own the original version of this record and well they might, as these songs possess an airy, glacial beauty that’s easy to love. While he’s unlikely to become quite so ubiquitous elsewhere, newly-translated English lyrics (thanks in part to previous touring-partner John Grant) will ensure that it’s not just Ásgeir’s stirringly emotive voice that will resonate.The Bon Iver comparisons are inevitable and deserved, the title track especially sounding like it could fit on everybody’s favourite cabin-dweller’s last outing. ‘Torrent’ is the highlight here, with a stop-start backdrop that sweeps along majestically. A richly melodic, welcomingly melancholic debut'.



2. My second choice is Icelandic band Of Monsters and Men. Their debut album 'My Head Is An Animal' has gone platinum in the United States recently.

Of Monsters And Man

They have very nice music videos, maybe you already seen some, and one of my favourites songs is 'King and Lionheart', just listen to the live performance during Airwaves Festival and then watch the official video. Which one do you prefer? I'm looking forward to see them in live concert, they're are very energetic and spontaneous band :)

Sigur Rós

3. Probably everyone knows Sigur Rós, they are celebrating 20 years anniversary this year! I especially love this song recorded during their tour in Iceland, they were visiting small villages and playing at open air in nature. Here is goes, the song 'Olsen Olsen' that I really love in  live version. (And look at the Icelandic sweaters that people wear here, they are made of wonderful Icelandic wool and I'm going to find cute one  for myself. Hope to tell you more about it soon  :)

Samaris

4. And if you look for a song that it's rooted in Icelandic believes, sensitivity and nature you need to lesson to Samaris song Góða tungl (Good Moon).

Björk

5. I also need to mention Björk once again, I've just told you the story about my first meeting with her in Reykjavik, but still there is much more to tell about such wonderful and outstanding artist.  Here is a link to an interesting article about her music and artistic career.

One of my favourite songs of her is 'All is full of love'. I can feel it even better here :)

You'll be given love
You'll be taken care of
You'll be given love
You have to trust it

So I will tell you my secret now. I'm also planning (to try) to join one of theIcelandic choirs or/and to start to play an instrument (piano or guitar)!! I hope in such artistic surrounding I will be able to open this new chapter in my life as music has been always increadible important too me, I JUST CAN'T IMAGINE MY LIFE WITHOUT MUSIC! :)))