KEXP at Iceland Airwaves, Day 4: Sturla Atlas

First up on day four of KEXP's live stream from Kex Hostel at Iceland Airwaves Music Festival is Icelandic hip hop artist Sturla Atlas. The stage name for singer Sturla Atlason, Sturla Atlas makes 90's-style hip hop and RnB injected with Icelandic humor that manages to be both over-the-top and totally deadpan. Hailing from right here in 101 Reykjavik, Sturla collaborates with other Icelandic artists spanning multiple genres, from Emmsjé Gauti to Retro Stefson. His first EP These Days was released October 30. 

They opened their set with "Girl From Paris" and "Snowin,'" both autotune-heavy RnB tunes with hooky choruses and relatively minimalist beats. These songs are pop-ey and top-40-friendly, keeping the young, enthusiastic audience engaged for the whole show.

Supporting rapper/vocalist Logi Pedro (of Retro Stefson) lent his great voice to all of these songs, including the more rap-heavy "Over Here" and "101 Boys." "Over Here" has a melodic chorus and atmospheric, spacey beats, and"101 Boys" has quick, clapping, dancey beats and heavy bass drops. They closed their set with "San Francisco," with heavy autotune all the talk of weed, guns, champagne, and California, it gives the distinct impression of a satire of popular hip hop.