Wall of Sound’s new Icelandic electro monsters with their 1st international release ‘Mesopotamia’
Agnes, Halldór, Stefán and Kristján welcome to DMCWORLD. You have been part of Reykjavik’s vibrant scene for a number of years now, however ‘Mesopotamia’ is your first international release that swings our way at the end of the month on Wall of Sound. Talk us through the different tracks on the EP…
“Hi Dan. Here we go…
1. Messy Hair
Happy dance song, feels and sounds like glitter.
2. Curling
When the bass drops in you will know what to do.
3. Battlestar
This is the first song we recorded with Agnes, the first half of the lyrics is recorded two years prior to the second half and if you listen closely you can hear the difference two years of partying makes on your voice.
4. Feit
When the album was first released in Iceland there was supposed to be a different song called Feit on it. The day before we were supposed to turn in the recordings we decided that song didn’t quite fit in with the rest of them so we wrote this one and recorded it overnight. However, the envelope for the album was already printed and the track list contained a song called Feit, so we had to call this one by that name as well.
5. Hvitvin
Our first album was mostly instrumental, this song is a bit of a homage to that time. A memoir of summer nights spent playing with arpeggiators.”
How did the whole ‘let’s form a band’ idea come about, did you know you all had musical talent?
“We all come from other bands. Halldór and Kristján were in a band called Tinslit, which broke up just before their first world tour and Halldór and Stefán conducted the Youth Brass Orchestra of Iceland and Dalvík. The three of us met when applying for a job at the sea and shortly after Sykur was formed and all our fishing dreams were kept for later.”
What did your parents think of your decisions to try and make it in the music industry?
“Kristján’s parents disowned Halldór and Stefán’s parents ran away from home. Agnes’s mother was chilled.”
Who were some of your musical influences growing up?
“We don’t have any musical influences. We love vintage equipment and to dance, so we try to combine these two fields when we’re making our music.”
Agnes – you joined the set up in 2011. You have been described as having a Courtney Love attitude on stage with Donna Summer fabulousness. Thoughts on that description?
“As long as it’s not the other way around…! I have never seen myself on stage so I don’t know if this is the right description but it’s sounds crazy and interesting so I guess that’s good…”
Very exciting times ahead with Mark Jones and his Wall of Sound stable. What was it about Mark and his Wall of Sound that appealed to you as a label?
“Wall Of Sound is established enough for the name to carry some weight while being laid back enough to trust us to do our part without interference. So yeah, it’s all looking very good and we’re excited to see what happens next!”
How does it feel being label mates with Röyksopp?
“It’s amazing. They are so good guys and we really like their music.”
Tell us about the music and club scene in Reykjavik. It must be a very close nit community where everyone knows everyone. Who are some of the up and coming artists and DJs making a name for themselves there at the moment?
“One of the most exciting up-and-coming bands from the dance scene are Sísý Ey. But yeah, it’s a small and friendly community and the bands are always helping each other out, lending equipment, supporting each other etc.”
Your live shows have so much energy, you dominated last year’s Iceland Airwaves festival in front of 2000 people – what was that experience like playing to so many people that included your family and friends?
“Airwaves is always a huge experience and we’ve been gradually working our way up the roster over the last few years, always playing a bigger venue than the year before. No matter how many fun gigs we play all over the world, Airwaves is always best. In a sense it’s like harvest time for all the Icelandic bands, like a global deadline for the music scene. Everyone wants to release an album in time for Airwaves and to put the finishing touches on their live shows.”
Where are some of the live shows we can catch you in the summer months?
“We are playing the Secret Garden Party in the UK in July and some dates around this, to be announced!”
What is the best and worst thing about living in Reykjavik?
Best: “Bright summer nights.”
Worst: “Dark winter days.”
Okay, let’s find out something about you all :
What is the film you can watch time and time again?
Kristján: “American Psycho.”
Halldór: “High Fidelity.”
Agnes: “The Big Lebowski.”
Stefan: “A Clockwork Orange.”
The crime you would commit knowing you could get away with it…
Kristján: “Jaywalking.”
Halldór: “Eating salted peanuts whilst walking backwards on a sidewalk.”
Agnes: “Hijack a helicopter.”
Stefan: “Selling home-made waffles in public, naked.”
Who is the person that has influenced you the most in life?
Kristján: “The inventor of the revolving pizza knife.”
Halldór: “Serge Gainsbourg.”
Agnes: ” I have no answer to this question.”
Stefan: ” So many, mostly friends and family. “
The person from history you would most like to go to a bar with?
Kristján : “Sigmund Freud.”
Halldór: “Probably Serge Gainsbourg as well. Not that I’d understand what he would say (drunk & French)!”
Agnes: “Myself from another dimension.”
Stefan: “Salvador Dali.”
The song that means the most to you
Kristján : “Belle and Sebastian – ‘Waiting for the Moon to Rise’.”
Halldór: “L’homme à tête de chou — Serge Gainsbourg.”
Agnes : “Himalaya – Andrew.”
Stefan: “This changes every week. I really like ‘La Bambola’ by Ennio Morricone today, I think it’s the simplicity of the song.”
The unfulfilled ambition that drives you on
Kristján: “I would really like to be able to touch the tip of my nose with my tongue.”
Halldór: “I would really like to be able to touch the tip of my tounge with my nose.”
Agnes: “I would really like to be able to touch the tip of my tounge with my nose.”
Stefan: “I would really like to be able to touch the tip of my tounge with my nose.“
And finally, you posted on your Facebook site on Thursday that you have a lot of stuff in the making that you can’t wait to share with us. What have you got for us next?
“We’re working on a new LP that will hopefully be released simultaneously in Iceland and abroad this fall. It’s going to be quite a bit different from Mesopotamia and we’re very excited to let you hear it!”
Website: http://www.sykur.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/sykurtheband
‘Messy Hair’ Single Order: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/messy-hair-single/id609043589
‘Mesopotamia’ EP Pre-Order: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/mesopotamia-ep/id609044785
