Iceland Airwaves to release iTunes exclusive compilation

Iceland Airwaves, known amongst music fans as the place to catch the newest international talent, will return for five days in October 2007 with a new showcase of the freshest faces in music, including not only hometown favourites such as mum, Gus Gus and Mugison, but international artists such as Bloc Party, Of Montreal and Deerhoof.

Now in its ninth year, Iceland Airwaves will be commemorating its tradition of championing groundbreaking local talent by releasing a compilation album on iTunes with support from Icelandic Music Export, a government-backed project to promote Icelandic music abroad.

The compilation translates the experience of the Iceland Airwaves festival through 17 tracks from some of Iceland’s finest artists, whose sounds range from electronic gurgles to head-splitting metal, from hip-hop to folk lullabies. Each song on the compilation stakes its own territory; each artist sets him/herself apart from the rest.

From the forlorn hazy melodies of Bang Gang, to the meticulous bleeps, blips and samples of Ghostdigital, and the raucous post punk of Mammut, it is clear Iceland’s musical landscape is as lush, diverse, and unexpectedly warm as the terrain itself. Also featured on the album is the jubilant eclecticism of Benni Hemm Hemm, the techno prowess of Gus Gus and the noisy guitar pop of Jakobinarina. The resulting compilation demonstrates a community sitting comfortably on the cutting edge of the international music scene.

Iceland Airwaves began in 1999, with their first show in an airplane hangar, and has since grown into one of the premiere showcases for new music in the world. Some of music’s most exciting artists including The Flaming Lips, Franz Ferdinand, The Hives, Fatboy Slim, have played at the festival, sharing stages with some of Iceland’s finest talents: Sigur Ros, Gus Gus, Leaves, Apparat Organ Quartet and many more.

For complete track listings and details of the full line-up at the 2007 Iceland Airwaves music festival visit http://www.icelandicmusic.is.

Contact Information

Anna Hildur Hildibrandsdottir

IMX

Icelandic Music Export

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