Not all of the magical places in Iceland are majestic glaciers, crystal waterfalls, bubbling thermal springs, or the lava field dwellings of the so-called hidden folk -- some are as common as public swimming pools. Sundlaugin, for instance, was for some sixty years a local pool just outside Reykjavik, until Sigur Rós converted it into their personal studio and rehearsal space. Theirs, and many other incredible albums have been recorded since Sundlaugin became a commercial recording facility. Now, the Swimming Pool is legendary. And it was also the perfect place to record one of Iceland's most critically acclaimed bands, Hjaltalín. On Enter 4, their latest, and much lauded third LP, the seven-piece group toned down their baroque chamber pop tendencies for a stripped down, somewhat electronic sound, in keeping with the album's frequently raw and confessional songs. While the recording of Enter 4 is darkly gorgeous, within the bright and unadorned, and ultimately transformative, space of Sundlaugin, Hjaltalín's live session become one of unforgettable intimacy and indelible emotional impact. Watch the entire magical moment here:
We've packed the house at Kex Hostel during our broadcasts during Iceland Airwaves over the last few years, but no session was filled with as many fervent Icelandic fans as the performance by Emilíana Torrini. The Iceland native (her father is Italian, if you're wondering about her name) grew up in…
One of the joys of returning to Iceland year after year is watching young bands grow up. All teenagers when they began in 2004, and some were even still when we first discovered them back in 2009, Mammút have honed their emotionally expressive and dynamic sound over the past years into an award win…
