Iceland has introduced some notably odd things to the rest of the world. A massive air travel-disrupting plume of ash. A delicacy known as "svi," or boiled sheep's head. And, of course, there's always Björk. But economic collapse, coupled with a small, supportive scene has brought on a blitzkrieg of new music, ranging from club fare to heady orchestrals to self-aware -- and often pantless -- electropop. Here's a look at the new, quirky face of Iceland.
The first thing you notice when visiting Iceland is its alien landscape; it's spookily devoid of trees and other obvious signs of life. There's the soothing, otherworldly calm of its myriad natural hot springs. Yet in nearby Thingvellir park, there's evidence of an enormous volcanic rift that slices though the island near its midsection, two massive plates pulling in...