Every Monday through Friday, we deliver a different song as part of our Song of the Day podcast subscription. This podcast features exclusive KEXP in-studio performances, unreleased songs, and recordings from independent artists that our DJs think you should hear. This week, we’re presenting songs by artists performing at the 2014 Iceland Airwaves Festival. Today’s song is “Hamstra sjarma” by Prins Póló from the 2014 album Sorrí on Skakkapopp.
Prins Póló - Hamstra sjarma (MP3)
It's not for nothing that Prins Póló is named after one of Iceland's most popular candy bars. The project, led by Svavar Pétur Eysteinsson, is also one of the country's most popular bands too. Like many others in Iceland, Prins Póló combines familiar musical elements in surprisingly new ways, often pairing darkly moody melodies with whimsical or even nonsensical lyrics... that is, if you understand Icelandic. If you do, you'll catch Eysteinsson's clever wordplay. If not, you'll still be drawn in by each song's inevitable hooks. The title of today's featured song, for instance, with its guttural synth drone, plinging metallic guitar and broody vocals, translates fantastically to "Hamster Charm", probably not what you'd expect, but neither is anything about Prins Póló.
Prins Póló will be performing live on KEXP’s 2014 Iceland Airwaves broadcast on Friday, November 7th, at 10:00AM PST/ 01:00PM EST live on air and streaming video at KEXP.ORG. Keep up with Prins Póló at their website and Facebook, and below, watch the band play “Skærlitað Gúmmulaði” live at Iceland Airwaves for KEXP in 2011.
Every Monday through Friday, we deliver a different song as part of our Song of the Day podcast subscription. This podcast features exclusive KEXP in-studio performances, unreleased songs, and recordings from independent artists that our DJs think you should hear. This week, we’re presenting songs …
Our first live Iceland Airwaves show of the day from Kex Hostel in Reykjavik was Icelandic indie-folk quintet Árstíðir. Formed in 2008 as a guitar-based group, they've since added piano, violin, and cello to the mix. They incorporate classical, minimalist, and even some prog rock elements into thei…
This first day of live broadcasting from Iceland Airwaves ended with a bang. Kex Hostel was packed to the gills with eager fans of quintessential Icelandic singer songwriter Mugison (full name Örn Elías Guðmundsson). Raised in the small village of Isafjordur and now living in another tiny village, …
Every Monday through Friday, we deliver a different song as part of our Song of the Day podcast subscription. This podcast features exclusive KEXP in-studio performances, unreleased songs, and recordings from independent artists that our DJs think you should hear. This week, we’re presenting songs …
