We Made God

We Made God are the latest Icelandic band to step up to the mark and their debut album delivers soaring, epic, driving rock of the highest calibre.

The fourpiece are early 20-something’s Maggi (vocals, guitars), Arnór (guitars), Stuni (bass) and Biggi (drums). From the gentle introspection to brutal noise of album opener Gizmo to the pyschedlic riffing of the Deftones-esque “Bathwater” and the gentle floating guitars of “The Color”, “As We Sleep” was entirely produced by We Made God and shows a band at the height of their powers.
By turns epic and gentle, the band merge intelligently crafted rock songs with the unique and powerful vocal take of Maggi.

“A big noise in their native Iceland, We Made God deserve a wider audience for their self financed , self-released debut. Referencing the otherworldly ambient atmospherics of Sigur Rós and Deftones’ driving, muscular riffs, the quartet’s epic widescreen soundscapes and frontman Maggi’s keening vocals are by turns beautiful and harrowing” An audacious debut.” – Q Recommends 4/5

Album

As We Sleep (2008)

1. Gizmo
2. Bathwater
3. Sub Rosa
4. Deir Yassin
5. Theory Of Progress
6. The Color

 320 kbps

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Frakkur - Songs For The Little Boy

Frakkur is an alias used by Sigur Rós singer Jón Þór (Jónsi) Birgisson to release his solo material.

This first public appearance of frakkur (a.k.a. jónsi birgisson) was a part of Kitchen Motors's 5 year birthday celebration, held at the klink og bank building in Reykjavík on may 1st 2004. the concert began with four musicians onstage but Frakkur was nowhere to be seen, until a faint drum could be heard approaching from the back of the building. this was Frakkur entering the building, in full costume, followed by the girls choir of kársnesskóli. Frakkur circled through the crowd and led the choir to the stage, where he drummed and sang. Joining Frakkur onstage were jazz musicians Hilmar Jenssen on guitar, Skúli Sverrisson on bass, Matthías Hemstock on percussion and Orri Páll Dýrason on pots and pans. The performance lasted for only 10 minutes, after which Frakkur led the choir back the same way they came.

Album

1. Song For The Little Boy
2. Walking With His Earphones
3. Mmm His Hair Smells So Human
4. I Can't Sleep
5. Thank You For The Beautiful Letter
6. 6
7. 7
8. 8
9. 9

160 kbps

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Stafraenn Hakon - Gummi (2007)

Once described as “frequently mesmerizing, seamlessly interwoven combination of electronica and ambient guitar…” by the legendary Wire magazine. Stafrænn Hákon has indeed through the last 6 years been described as a mix of post-rock, lo-fi, ambient guitar & electronica. The Icelandic born Ólafur Josephsson has been recording music since 1999 under the name Stafrænn Hákon (sometimes stafraenn hakon, stafrann hakon) which has often confused the media, due to the confusing Icelandic origin. 

Late in 2005 and Stafrænn Hákon is hard at work on his 5th album entitled “Gummi”. Ólafur drives up to the countryside in Iceland to meet up with his friend Lárus Sigurðsson in a church to record harps into the opening song of “Gummi”. Still there is no sign of any elf or a ghost there, the reason is simple, and there is no such thing. The delicate and subtle sound of Lárus harps spread over crunchy ambient guitars in opening tones of “Járn” and make the song one of the most complete songs Ólafur has ever written. The more acoustic alive sound on the album can be clearly heard when Birgir Hilmarsson of Blindfold and Ampop plays the last notes on the harmonium as he stands up and exits the studio in the closing track “Veggur”. The climax of the song comes with Birgir singing harmony vocals over the enormous guitar layers and crunchy drums from Daniel Lovegrove (aka Dialect). Samúel White a long time collaborator and vital part of the Stafrænn Hákon project is delivering one of his most elaborative works with his beautiful picked guitar parts. In the intense melody of “Hausi” Samúel´s guitar is sounding huge with vocals contributed from Minco Eggersman. “P-rofi” collaboration with the Danish based Efterklang ties the album together with the advanced sonic structure and subtle use of instruments. When Ólafur enters Daniel´s studio to complete the album with additional production, he knows this album is going to be the most complete and solid record he has ever done. With Daniel´s drums and production, the sound stretches to new dimension in Stafrænn Hákon´s soundworld.

Album

Gummi (2007)

1. Jarn
2. Svefn
3. P-rofi
4. Rjupa
5. Hausi
6. Kvef
7. Purr Purr
8. Glussi
9. Veggur

VBR 128-320 kbps

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For A Minor Reflection

Hailing from Iceland FaMR comprises of four 20-year-olds. Their music is best described as energetic, melodious post-rock, though being the natural creative visionaries they are, the band expand and even subvert their style with almost every song. Their self-produced debut album Reistu þig við, sólin er komin á loft…, a mesmerizing, hour-long tapestry featuring six songs and recorded over a weekend in Iceland. The record, as well as their energetic live shows, earned them a slew of accolades, including favourable comparisons to Explosions in the Sky. Their fellow Icelanders Sigur Rós even described them as “a band with the potential to out Mogwai” and invited FaMR on a 15 dates European tour with them.

In 2009, FaMR’s star has continued to rise. Aside from playing non-stop in Iceland’s local café and bar scene, they’ve been busy wow-ing festival crowds at events like Holland’s EurosSonic (Feb, 2009), where leading UK journal Music Week described their performance as “ethereal, melody-soaked music with international appeal.” 

It’s hence with a ‘buzz in their ears’ that FaMR head back in the studio to work on new songs for a second album. They’re also plotting a European tour in May and hope to play more festivals in the summer to follow up on the interest so far, and introduce their new material. If things go the way they have been, 2009 looks to be FaMR’s most kick-ass year yet.

Album

Reistu þig við, sólin er komin á loft (2008)

1. Kyrrð
2. Reistu þig við, sólin er komin á loft...
3. Fallegt útsýni
4. Óhljóð
5. Ókyrrð
6. ...Sólin er sest og dapurleikinn tekinn við (Bless)
7. Kastljós (Bonus)

192 kbps

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