Íslensku Tónlistarverðlaunin voru haldin með miklum bravúr síðustu helgi og erum við mjög þakklát fyrir að starfa fyrir þau sem voru tilnefnd og eru þau Strokkvartettinn Siggi, Halldór Smárason, Jónsi, Gyða Valtýsdóttir, Stína Ágústsdóttir Trio, Páll Ragnar Pálsson, JFDR og Mikael Máni Ásmundsson.

Við samgleðjumst hinum frábæru HAM, gugusar, Ingibjörgu Elsu Turchi, Hjaltalín og Bríet fyrir þeirra frábæra gengi sem er sannarlega verðskuldað.  Það mikla stolt og þakklæti sem við fyllumst er ólýsanlegt þegar Frosti Jón Runólfsson og Jónsi tóku verðlaun líkt og Gyða Valtýsdóttir, JFDR og Sigur Rós sem hlutu löngu tímabær heiðursverðlaun.  Þeirra framlag til íslenskrar tónlistar, menningar og að ógleymdu framlagi til ímyndarsköpunar Íslands á alheimsvísu sem er ómælanlega stórt.  Takk!

Hér má horfa á athöfnina í heild sinni sem var með mjög skemmtilegu sniði í ár.

Hér má sjá yfirlit yfir feril Sigur Rósar sem verður að teljast einstakur og er þá vægt til orða tekið. Í kjölfarið má njóta þess sem okkur finnst standa uppúr af verðlaunahátíðinni í ár.

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The Icelandic Music Awards ceremony was held last Saturday and this year we saw many nominations from artists we work with, including Siggi String Quartet, Jónsi, Gyða Valtýsdóttir, Stína Ágústsdóttir Trio, Páll Ragnar Pálsson, JFDR and Mikael Máni Ásmundsson.

We are very happy for HAM, Ingibjörg Turchi, Hjaltalín, gugusar and Bríet for their deserved awards but our deepest sensations of gratitude go to Frosti Jón Runólfsson and Jónsi, Gyða Valtýsdóttir, JFDR and Sigur Rós who went home with their awards.  Sigur Rós received their long due award for their contribution to Icelandic music and culture.

You can watch the whole ceremony here until July 2021.

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Jónsi returned with his sophomore album Shiver on October 2nd and it has stunning features by Robyn and Liz Fraser of Cocteau Twins.  The album was produced by none other than AG Cook (Charli XCX, PC Music).  

Ride The Fire is the new and fifth studio album by Mammút.  The album was recorded by The Vaccines’ bassist Árni Hjörvar Árnason and mixed by Sam Slater who also mixed Joker and Chernobyl by Hildur Guðnadóttir. 

Ingibjörg Elsa Turchi released her debut album of ethereal “jazz”.  A great album featuring members of amiina, ADHD and Grísalappalísa.

K.óla released her two syrupy and crooked indie pop EPs on one LP via Post-Dreifing.  Highly recommended.  

The Reykjavík Grapevine call Skoffín‘s Hentar íslenskum aðstæðum a soundtrack to get thrown out of society.  A very energetic and jarring indie rock album tailored for fans of The Cure, Hinds and Television.

Viking metal band and Iceland’s only one, Skálmöld, just released their 10 Year Anniversary album on limited grey vinyl and double CD plus Blu-Ray.

The young and talented gugusar released her captivating debut that recalls Injury Reserve or Billie Eilish.

3 is the newest album by the praised jazz pianist Tómas Jónsson of ADHD and it features guest appearances by Ásgeir along with members of Hjálmar and John Grant.  Very intriguing fusion of electronics, future jazz and funk.

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Jónsi úr Sigur Rós sneri aftur með sína aðra sólóskífu undir eigin nafni en hann hefur áður gefið út undir nafninu Frakkur.  Önnur breiðskífa Jónsa heitir Shiver og hefur hún verið í vinnslu síðan hann gaf út Go árið 2010.  Shiver vann hann ásamt upptökustjóranum AG Cook sem þekktur er fyrir að hafa vélað breiðskífur Charli XCX.  Með Jónsa syngja sænska poppsöngkonan Robyn og Liz Frazer úr Cocteau Twins.

Ingibjörg Elsa Turchi hefur sent frá sér sína fyrstu sólóskífu sem heitir Meliae og inniheldur hún tilraunakenndan bræðing af djass, sveimtónlist og rokki.  Ingibjörg er landskunn fyrir bassaleik sinn með Rökkurró, Boogie Trouble, Bubba Morthens og Stuðmönnum.  Á Meliae spila einnig meðlimir ADHD, Moses Hightower, Grísalappalísu o.fl.

K.óla hefur nú sent frá sér tvær kyngimagnaðar indie-poppskífur á einni og sömu vínilplötunni.  K.óla er hluti af Post-dreifingu sem er eitt það ungæðislegasta og skemmtilegasta sem hefur gerst síðan Smekkleysa var stofnuð á sínum tíma.   

The Reykjavík Grapevine hafa kallað breiðskífu Skoffín‘s Hentar íslenskum aðstæðum sándtrakkið fyrir það augnablik sem maður er hrakinn úr samfélaginu.  Þetta er einn hressasta rokkplata sem komið hefur út á Íslandi lengi.

Mammút hafa sent frá sér fimmtu breiðskífu sína sem heitir Ride The Fire og er hún unnin á Íslandi og í Bretlandi í samvinnu við bassaleikara The Vaccines, Árna Hjörvar Árnason, ásamt Sam Slater sem hljómblandaði bæði Joker og Chernobyl eftir Hildi Guðnadóttur.

Skálmöld fögnuðu 10 ára afmæli sínu með risatónleikum í Gamla Bíó 19. desember í fyrra og nú er komin út tvöföld vínilplata og tvöfaldur geisladiskum með Blu-Ray með þeim.

Hin unga og efnilega gugusar sendi í sumar frá sér sína fyrstu breiðskífu aðeins 15 ára gömul.  Hún vakti fyrst athygli á sér í Músíktilraunum árið 2019 og hefur hún bara vaxið síðan.  Þessi frábæra poppskífa minnir m.a. á Injury Reserve og Billie Eilish.

3 er nýjasta breiðskífa hins rómaða djasspíanóleikara Tómas Jónsson úr ADHD.  3 er stútfull af skemmtilegum lagasmíðum þar sem raftónlist, funk, djass og fleiri stefnur mætast í djörfum dansi.  Meðal gestaspilara eru Ásgeir Trausti sem og meðlimir ADHD, Hjálma, John Grant o.fl..

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Hægt er að panta breiðsífu Jónsa á sérstöku forsöluverði hér. Breiðskífan verður fáanleg á flestum útsölustöðum hljómplatna frá og með 2. október. Smekkleysa dreifir Jónsa á Íslandi. Einnig er von á endurútgáfum af breiðskífum Sigur Rósar á komandi mánuðum.

Eins og fram hefur komið áður þá er upptökustjóri Shiver hinn breski A.G. Cook sem á og rekur útgáfuna PC Music og þykir stíll hans á skjön við margt í poppheimi í dag. Hann hefur m.a. stjórnað upptökum á breiðskífum poppsöngkonunnar Charli XCX.

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Shiver was produced by UK producer/musician A.G. Cook. A.G. Cook has previously worked with Charli XCX and Hannah Diamond on all their albums.

Cocteau Twins’ singer Liz Frazier guests on this beautiful track. Shiver also features Swedish pop singer Robyn. Check out the Cocteau Twins reissues.

The video for “Cannibal” was directed by American actor and director Giovanni Ribisi. We know from films such as Saving Private Ryan, Avatar and Lost In Translation just to name a few. “Cannibal” is his second music video ever.

Jónsi’s other projects are available on our site, including Sigur Rós, Frakkur, Jónsi & Alex and the wonderful soundtrack This Must Be The Place.

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Icelandic cellist, singer, and composer Gyda Valtysdottir, a founder of the band múm and 2019 winner of the prestigious Nordic Council Music Prize, releases Epicycle II on her label DiaMond in collaboration with Sono Luminus on August 28, 2020.

 Epicycle II, which was produced by Gyda and mixed with Jónsi, features music written for her, and/or in collaboration with her, by eight of Iceland’s most compelling composers – Ólöf Arnalds, Daníel Bjarnason, Úlfur Hansson, Jónsi, María Huld Markan Sigfúsdóttir, Kjartan Sveinsson, Skúli Sverrisson and Anna Thorvaldsdóttir. The album is a sequel to her highly acclaimed first solo album from 2017, Epicycle, on which Gyda created personal renditions of written music spanning over 2000 years. An epicycle refers to the geometric model of the solar system by the Ancient Greek mathematician and astronomer Ptolemy, in which a smaller circle’s center moves around the circumference of a larger circle.

On Epicycle II, Gyda stretches the boundaries of genre even further, selecting composers who all have created their own unique sonic environments. The outcome is an expansive and colorful landscape, varied but connected in profound unity through Gyda’s highly personal touch. 

 A founding member of the experimental and groundbreaking band múm as a teenager in the late 1990s, Gyda later studied classical cello and improvisation in Reykjavik, St. Petersburg, and Basel. Known for her deeply personal and organic performances, she has worked with a varied group of artists across genres, performed concerts around the world, and composed music for films. She earned a double master’s degree from the Hochschule für Musik in Basel where her main teachers were cellist and composer Thomas Demenga and violist, composer, and improviser Walter Fähndrich.

Of the new album, Gyda says, “When the idea of Epicycle II came to me, it felt like it already existed. On the first Epicycle, I interpreted music by composers from the past. This time I wanted to collaborate with contemporary composers and musicians who have each created their own, unique musical language that doesn’t fall easily into any existing category. It became clear to me that I didn’t have to look far to find exquisite musicians all around me and soon I had a list of people who I greatly admire – people who had all shaped me in some way as a musician.

I also happened to know all of them since I started making music in my teens. Our world is interconnected and I wouldn’t be who I am without my relation to others, including the people that contributed to this record. This group of people is really a musical galaxy, where the connections are endless: From Kjartan producing Ólöf’s first record, which Daníel made some string arrangements for, to Úlfur touring as a bass player for Jónsi’s solo tour and María’s long collaboration with Jónsi and Kjartan … or from Daníel conducting Anna’s compositions, as well as joining Sigur Rós for their orchestra concerts, to Kjartan and Skúli soon releasing a duo album, and much more.”

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