Raving Ravens

Russell Crowe and Patti Smith's surprise concert in Reykjavik

As I told you last Monday Russell Crowe spent the summer here in Iceland shooting not only a new movie, but also a music video with Alan Doyle. In August there was a festival in Iceland called Reykjavik culture night and the day before Russell tweeted about his desire to perform at the festival. 

Before the day was over he had booked three gigs in Reykjavik during the festival. In two of them he brought a surprise guest - Patti Smith. Here is a recording from one of the attendants to one of the concerts:

 

Hjörtur

Testify - Alan Doyle and Russell Crowe's new music video from Iceland

Russell Crowe spent the summer in Iceland shooting a new movie called Noah. After seeing the great landscape Russell got his friend Alan Doyle over to shoot a music video to the song Testify. And it looks good :)

Enjoy:

 

Björk: Scientific Music. That Will Kill You. Slowly.

Björk, the Icelandic singer and musician which everyone loves so much. Or do they? 

There's no doubt she is Iceland's most famous person and loved by many, but her innovative, experimental, scientific music isn't for everyone to like. So this is the take on Björk's biophilia concert in Áramótaskaupið - a comedy show that is aired on New Years Eve every year in Iceland mocking the major events of the year. Enjoy:

 

Hjörtur

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Mugison: Mur Mur at Iceland Airwaves ´11

Mugison is, like everything else from the Westfjords in Iceland, authentic. No pretention, just being him self playing the music he likes to create. 

This is a song called Mur Mur recorded KEX hostel in Reykjavik during the Iceland airwaves music festival in October 2011:

 

Hjörtur

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Of Monsters & Men: King and Lionheart

One of the rising stars of the Icleandic music scene is Of Monsters & Men, a band that got a lot of attention on Iceland airwaves and has been getting great response abroad as well and has topped the playlist of some radio stations in the US. No wonder, it's a fantastic song I highly recommend you check out!

 

Hjörtur

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Greenland Be a Pioneer - New video with a song from Nanook

I love Greenland has just released a new video with footage from fascinating Greenland, it's nature, it's culture, it's people. 

The song in the video is from Nanook's just released album, but Nanook is Greenland's most popular pop band at the moment and one I highly recommend!

 

Hjörtur

Composes a new song each day for a week and shares for free

Two years ago an Icelandic composer, Olafur Arnalds, started an interesting concept. He published and shared for free a new song every day for a week. Now he's come up with a new concept. He's going to allow you to watch him composing a new song everyday in his living room - and you get to download the song as an mp3 for free! Here's Olafur's introduction to what he calls "Living Room Songs":

 

Maybe you haven't heard of Olafur Arnalds before, but you've most likely heard some of his songs, as many of them have been used in films and commercials, such as the upcoming Another Happy Day movie, winner at the Sundance Film Festival 2011.

Here's today's song, "Fyrsta" (meaning First), the first one of the seven. 

 

I recommend you subscribe to Olafur Arnalds on YouTube or Twitter. 

Hjörtur

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MusicMonday: Bon Iver's new video - Holocene

Bon Iver released a beautiful new music video a few days ago to the song Holocene. The video is featuring a young Icelandic boy dressed in a traditional Icelandic sweater running around some of the most magnificent Icelandic landscape you can find. 

 

In the video you'll see locations such as Jökulsárlón, Dyrhólaey and Svartifoss.

Enjoy :)

Hjörtur

MusicMonday: Dikta - Goodbye

Dikta is one of the most promising Icelandic bands at the moment and they just launched a very interesting music video to their song Goodbye.

 

You can find more information about the band on their website Dikta.is

Hjörtur

MusicMonday: 3 Voices & Beatur - Krummi svaf í klettagjá

I've got a classic Icelandic song for you, performed in an untraditional way by three girls and Beatur, who "plays" all the instrument with his mouth only. Brilliant outcome :)

 

The song is an Icelandic folk song about a raven who's trying to survive the cold Icelandic winter.

Hjörtur