Árstíðir

Made In Iceland V

Our song Shades was just selected to be a part of the fifth compilation of the reputable Made In Iceland series released by Iceland Music Export.  This latest installment includes new tracks from some of our favorite artists, such as Ólafur Arnalds, Lay Low, and Sykur. The Made In Iceland series is known for introducing a wide range of sounds to new listeners and Icelandic music followers alike.

Iceland Music Export is a leading force behind the exceptional reputation and visibility of Icelandic music in the international sphere.  They work hard to bring together the disparate strands of Iceland’s eclectic scene under one roof, collecting information about artists and collaborating with companies to promote Icelandic music everywhere.

Iceland Airwaves mixtape #4

The festival is over, but the music lives on.  Here is what Reykjavík might look like were you here at 02:44. Featuring mostly Icelandic artists, as well as few artists that visited for Iceland Airwaves last week: Ólafur Arnalds, Berndsen, Oy, Jungle Fiction, and more.

I found a few gems for this mix I never heard before this week– I hope this is a mix of discovery for you too.

 

Iceland Airwaves mixtape #1

The schedule for the Iceland Airwaves festival is up, and Árstíðir was given the final Friday night slot in the Kaldalón chamber music hall at Reykjavík’s new concert house, Harpa. We’ll be on at 00:20 with all of my favorite things in one place – perfect acoustics, a string quartet, and a very short walk to the Waffle Wagon.

But there are so many other great things about Reykjavík in October… something romantic in the dark, sleety streets flooded with the noise of so many simultaneous inspiring musical performances pouring from every corner of town, with a great many of them presented for free outside of the official Airwaves venues.

I wanted to share some of my best-loved sounds from this year’s Airwaves festival, perhaps exposing a few hidden gems from Iceland and its friends. Over the next few days I’ll put up some mix tapes tailored for a particular time of night in Reykjavík. The first mix tape, 20:01, has a few of my favorite things to hear to brace me for the onset of darkness: Owen Pallett, Dungen, Steve Reich (which the Icelandic Symphony Orchestra will be performing Thursday night), Ólafur Arnalds. There are also a few I never heard of until this week, but am really psyched to see. Enjoy.