KEXP at Iceland Airwaves, Day 4: Æla

Closing out our live video broadcast from Kex Hostel at Iceland Airwaves 2015 was a crazy set from Icelandic post-punk band Æla. Icelandic for "Puke," Æla is known for a raucous live show, with costumes, glitter, and wild antics. Their debut album Synið tillitssemi, eg er fravik was released in 2006, and they toured internationally throughout 2007 and 2008. Since then, life has gotten in the way and they haven't released any new material, but they've been recording songs and are finally getting ready for their next release.

The band was like a living glitter bomb. Everyone was wearing something intensely sparkly, from dresses, to vests, to glitter on their faces. The frontman was clad in a black tuxedo and a beard made of blue and pink glitter so heavily concentrated it looked like it may have grown from his face. A man dressed in a wool overcoat wearing a horse mask sat patiently on a chair with his legs crossed, bopping along to the music.

Their set was varied in sound. From wailing guitars, punching drums, and high pleading vocals to wholesome sock hop interludes, they kept the crowd guessing throughout the entire show. Everyone was enamored with frontman Halli Valli. Every time he'd lift his beer, the crowd will cheers him with a resounding "Skál!"

The jagged songs continued as wild dancing, jumping into the crowd, and costume changes abounded. Halli Valli and the horse-man both stripped down to Snow White dresses, which were maintained for a few songs until the horse-man opted to wear his birthday suit, stark naked except for his horse mask. The crowd went wild, and egged on the wild dancing until the set ended abruptly, with the naked horse-man jumping into the crowd as the sound cut out. A memorable end to four days of incredible music!