New Music Monday ~ Airwaves Countdown Edition

In only a few weeks we’ll be heading back to Iceland once more for airwaves, so I’ve spent the past few weeks trying to listen to at least a couple of songs by all the acts on the bill I’m unfamiliar with. This has been no mean feat with over …. acts performing and at a conservative estimate I’m probably  quite familiar with about 10% of those meaning I had to whip up a spreadsheet to track who I’d listened to, their style and a rating out of 10. The plan being that I could then rank artists in some sort of order of preference to help choose who to see

So here’s a few new (to me) artists I’m hoping to check out, as nothing is guaranteed and even the best laid plans can go out the window

Sólveig Matthildur alerted my radar as part of Kælan Mikla, a synth punk band I’ve already heard a few tracks by, however these tracks are nothing like that.
While the synth is still there, these tracks are darker and as the EP title tells you she is “taking you on a journey, through unexplained miseries to the acceptance of sorrow”.

Pranke is a band I hadn’t heard of before, but with a descriptor of Kraut Rock, I was duly interested, particularly as their Soundcloud hastags were Math Rock/Pop – what could that mean?
Odd time riffs definitely, loads of energy seems certain.. I was also reminded of one my favourite Canadian experimental bands, Holy F*ck.
With only 2 tracks on their Soundcloud it’s hard to judge, but one band I’ll be aiming to see this year.

Hugar are Bergur Þórisson & Pétur Jónsson, both of whom have been making music in Iceland for many years.
It came as no suprise for me to read that one half of the duo supervised the BAFTA Award winning score to Broadchurch by Ólafur Arnalds, as the ethereal instrumental tracks feel familiar yet new with heart-rending strings and gentle uplifting piano.
Úti (Outdoors) and Upphaf (Beginning) have turned out to be my favourite tracks so far, but I’m looking forward to seeing more at Airwaves.

If you’re going to Iceland Airwaves this year, let me know in the comments who you are planning to see!