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Iceland’s Quirky Renaissance

Iceland’s Quirky Renaissance

Beyond Björk: Off-Kilter Bands Flourish in Teeny Iceland

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...
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VIDEOS

FM Belfast Rocks Our Pants Off
Watch as our favorite Icelanders FM Belfast divulge exclusive, TMI-worthy tidbits about their music, members, and what they ate for breakfast. And staying true to the song, they ran down the street in their underwear.
Who Knew — “Sharpen the Knife”
Who Knew is a brand new band out of Iceland, but their shrieking tenor and wall-of-sound guitars guarantee them spot in the hipster mags. Their MV for "Sharpen the Knife" off their debut Bits and Pieces of a Major Spectacle is a mess of Christmas...

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