Next on the Iceland Airwaves broadcast live from Kex Hostel was Icelandic indie-rock artist Júníus Meyvant. Hailing from the remote Vestmann Islands, Júníus Meyvant (the pseudonym used by Unnar Gísli Sigurmundsson) started playing music later than most, after finding a beat-up guitar at his parents’ house in his early twenties. He quickly found his voice and began making pleasant, upbeat, string-accented, soulful folk-pop. His 2014 single “Color Decay” was an instant hit, at #1 on Icelandic National Radio. His self-titled debut EP was released in July of this year on Record Records.
Kex was packed with fans eagerly awaiting Juníus Meyvant's set. He came on to a huge roar of applause, and launched right into "Be a Man," a short instrumental track with a prominent funky bassline, ascending horns, leaving you feeling a bit like you've walked into Wigan Casino in the 70's. Next were "Mighty Backbone" and "Hail Slide," both keeping up the funk/soul throwback, with the band showing some major influence from some of the greats, like Otus Redding and the Bar-Kays.
He then played "Color Decay" the single from his debut EP. The song has a soft, bass-driven intro, dotted with strings plucked and quickly bowed. More folky than the other songs played in this set, with his beautiful, clear voice alternating between a deeper timbre and a Jeff Buckley-like falsetto. The sound was less funk and soul, but full, warm, and beautiful.
"Beat Silent Need" brought us back to the funk, with a bass line driving like a train, with rapidly sung, jazzy vocals. This song has a big horn sound, building to a shouted, fervent apex. "Neon Experience" had a funky, more upbeat feel that the crowd was really getting into.
Júníus Meyvant closed his set with "Mr. Minister Great," a sparse, mellow song that really allowed his beautiful voice to shine. The rest of the band dropped in quietly, then swelling to a lovely ending crescendo.
Next on the broadcast is British Electronic-Funk artist LoneLady. Watch it live here!
The middle set of today's broadcast live from Kex Hostel at Iceland Airwaves is British pop artist Lonelady. The pseudonym for british pop artist Julie Campbell, LoneLady combines funky guitar riffs with fun, dancy synths and beats, and influences the likes of “That’s Us/Wild Combination”-era Arthu…
Opening day two of the Iceland Airwaves broadcast live from Kex Hostel is Icelandic composer, producer, and musician Úlfur Eldjárn. Like many of his Icelandic contemporaries, Úlfur has his fingers in many pots: He plays in Apparat Organ Quartet, he composes music for film, TV, video games, and comm…
