For a really long time, when you spoke of Icelandic pop music, you were likely referring to Björk or a performer closely associated with her. In the past years though, it seems like that tiny, isolated gem of creativity between the Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic can’t stop churning out beautifully original independent music.
The latest find, Júníus Meyvant, creates catchy, orchestral pop that—like much of Iceland’ music—sounds rooted, still, in the traditional frameworks and instrumentation of that country. In his new single, Meyvant adds his gently gruff voice to a bed of music full of orchestral hits + horn lines that, along with the subtly syncopated rhythm section and overall bright feel of the song, creates a sound that’s oddly reminiscent of 60s folk-pop.
We’ve talked before, in a phone interview with fellow Icelander, Sindri Már Sigfússon (AKA Sin Fang) about the oddity of such a small population producing such huge waves in music, but it still wows us every time we stumble across a new one. We’re always glad when we do though.
Listen to Meyvant’s single “Color Decay” below; you can buy the song via iTunes with that gift card you’re about to get in a couple weeks.
