Vök release new EP
Today is the release date of Vök's 2nd EP, Circles.
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Vök are Margrét Rán (vocals, guitar, keyboards), Andri Enoksson (saxophone, synths) and Ólafur Alexander (guitar, bass). Named after the Icelandic word for ‘hole in the ice’, the trio hail from Hafnarfjörður, a town famous for allegedly being home to a large, hidden elvish settlement. This mysticism and magic which surrounds their hometown reflects in the dreaminess of Vök melodies and the celestial, otherworldliness of their vocals.
Vök came into consciousness in 2013 when the band played and won Iceland’s prestigious Músíktilraunir (‘Music Experiments’), a battle of the bands where the likes of Mammút, Of Monsters And Men and Samaris previously triumphed. Shortly after, the band recorded and released their EP ‘Tension’ through Icelandic indie label Record Records -- later released via Musebox in the US -- to a slew of positive reviews. The New York Times commented that “Vök shares the xx’s slow tempos, whispery female vocals, sparse but echoey bass lines and melancholy questions”, whilst Drowned in Sound exclaimed “the trio have hit upon their own uniquely atmospheric and emotional sound”.
2014 saw Vök performing an explosive set at several major festivals, including Eurosonic and Iceland Airwaves. About the latter, The Line of Best Fit proclaimed the band the “standout of 2014's Airwaves, packing out the vast Gamla Bio venue with queues down the street.”
This Is Icelandic Indie Music Vol. II is out now!
This Is Icelandic Indie Music Vol. 2 is out now!
The second installment in Record Records’ compilation series This Is Icelandic Indie Music is out now. The first one came out in the spring of 2013 and it was the biggest selling compilation that was released in Iceland that year.
This Is Icelandic Indie Music Vol. 2 features thirteen tracks by thirteen Record Records artists, including four previously unreleased. The compilation is available on CD, vinyl and digitally. The physical copies are available in record stores in Iceland and online via the Record Records store and the digital version is available worldwide in all main digital download services.
The last few months have been great for indie rock band Mammút. Their third full length album Komdu til mín svarta systir was the most praised album released in Iceland last year. It was chosen the album of the year by Morgunblaðið, Fréttablaðið, Fréttatíminn and The Reykjavík Grapevine and it also received prizes at the Icelandic Music Awards and Kraumur Short List. Reggae band Ojba Rasta followed up their magnificent 2012 self-titled debut with Friður last year and it includes popular radio hits such as “Einhvernvegin svona” and “Ég veit, ég vona”. The Record Records newcomers FM Belfast have released their third album that’s entitled Brighter Days. One of the most anticipated releases of 2014 is the sophomore album by jazz infused math rockers Agent Fresco. 2014 marks the return of alternative rock band Benny Crespo’s Gang who will follow up their brilliant debut album from 2007, “Birthmarks” is their first release since the brilliant 2010 single “Night Time”. See You In The Afterglow is the most vibrant album by pristine guitar rock outfit Leaves, “Ocean” is the second and recalls 60s pop sensibility of artists such as The Walker Brothers and Phil Spector. Pixies touring buddies and KEXP-lauded pop outfit Mono Town released their long awaited debut album in the spring of 2014. In The Eye Of The Storm features the haunting Iceland radio hit “Peacemaker” which is just a topping of a great album. The newest Record Records signee is a young singer songwriter from the Vestmann Islands (a small archipelago based south of Iceland) called Júníus Meyvant. We expect nothing but great things from this utterly talented musician. The substantial female singer songwriter Lay Low released her fourth self-produced studio album Talking About The Weather in late 2013. It’s an outstanding album and a great add-on to her rich catalog of albums. The distinguished indie pop band Tilbury released their solid sophomore album in the fall of 2013. Northern Comfort is a delicate and sometimes chilly album with synth drenched songs about love and the hunt for love. Vök, the winners of Iceland’s Music Experiments, created a fair amount of buzz with their highly confident debut EP, Tension. Hymns, the sweet and heartwarming debut of neo-folk outfit Hymnalaya made them some fans in the lines of Of Monsters and Men and Seattle’s radio station KEXP. Snorri Helgason’s richest and possibly his delicate album to date is also the debut album for Snorri Helgason the band. Autumn Skies is performed by Snorri himself and also his band that features people from múm, Amiina, Moses Hightower, Hjaltalín and other stalwarts of Iceland’s blossoming music scene.
The track list of This Is Icelandic Indie Music Vol. 2
1. Mammút - Blóðberg (from their 2013 album Komdu til mín svarta systir)
2. Ojba Rasta - Ég veit ég vona (from 2013 album Friður)
3. FM Belfast - Brighter Days (from 2014 album Brighter Days)
4. Agent Fresco - Dark Water (from forthcoming 2014 album)
5. Benny Crespo’s Gang - Birthmarks (from forthcoming 2014 album)
6. Leaves - Ocean (af plötunni See You In The Afterglow, 2013)
7. Mono Town - Peacemaker (af plötunni In The Eye Of The Storm, 2014)
8. Júníus Meyvant - Color Decay (af væntanlegri plötu, 2015)
9. Lay Low - Gently (af plötunni Talking About The Weather, 2013)
10. Tilbury - Turbulence (af plötunni Northern Comfort, 2013)
11. Vök - Before (af stuttskífunni Tension, 2013)
12. Hymnalaya - In My Early Years (af plötunni Hymns, 2013)
13. Snorri Helgason - Kveðja (af plötunni Autumn Skies, 2013)