The Icelandic duo of Jakob Ari Eiríkssón and Jóhanna Guðmundsson first appeared in 2009, where they were regarded as one of Iceland's greatest prospects. Just out of college, Eiríkssón and Guðmundsson started playing together in Europe's coldest country. Their friendship blossomed, leading them to the idea of forming a band and to showcase their music to their homeland. Two years on, and the pair were invited over Stateside to support the folk-rock band, Ashtray* as they hopped on a small venue North American tour. The band who were virtually unknown gathered in large crowds and attracted interest from many musicians and fans alike.

Now in 2012, the band have finished writing their new EP and are currently in the process of recording it. They have been in the States for the past 6 months working on the record, with a very big name in music producing it. After spotting the bands undoubted talent, Misery Loves Company vocalist invited the duo to come to Los Angeles to record their EP. The news of this raised many eyebrows and sent music journalists on a frenzy to find information about this mysterious band and Culture Uncut ran a small article providing interested fans the low-down on who they were.

The band have happily agreed to play their new single for us here live today aswell as provide us with their first EVER American interview.


(Jakob Ari Eiríkssón)

Pitchfork: So for people who may not know who you both are, introduce yourselves and tell us how you guys formed?

Jakob Ari Eiríkssón: Well my name is Jakob and im from Reykjavik in a little country called Iceland.

Jóhanna Guðmundsson: My name is Jóhanna and I too, am from Reykjavik!

JAE: How we formed is a strange story. We both went to the same college and I was playing shows around campus by myself to help fund my studies. I knew Jóhanna well because she had been playing in a folk-pop band and we often crossed paths on the touring front. So basically at the end of college I felt I was lacking something in my touring. I had listened to alot of old country and folk music beforehand and always compared my work, stupidly. Although I always remembered Jóhanna's beautiful voice and out of pure hope more than anything, called her up and asked if she was interested in coming down to mines for a little jam. Luckily she agreed and things just sort of progressed even further from there.

Pitchfork: What is it like trying to get noticed in Iceland? I imagine it takes a lot of hard work to play in the cold climate too!

JAE: Without doubt yes! I mean at the beginning it wasn't, well, I suppose it still isn't about getting noticed to us. We are playing out of sheer fun but obviously we need some money to keep doing what we love. But yes Iceland is a very difficult place to get coverage because our music scene is very small and most bands sound the same. Although we won a battle of the bands at our local, which was the same night we got noticed by the manager of Ashtray, who very kindly invited us to tour with them in the United States.

JG: The cold climate too, that can be difficult. Although I also think the cold weather helped us out alot actually because instead of doing normal things like; swimming in lakes, fishing, playing sports etc, we would sit inside and play music. But we both love Iceland so much, I couldn't imagine growing up or even living anywhere else, it's home.

Pitchfork: As you mentioned, you guys toured the states with Ashtray, that must have been quite an experience?

JAE: Oh most certainly, we owe a lot to Ashtray for helping us out so much. Touring American was so much fun. Getting to play infront of kids that have never heard of you before and then at the end of your set having them cheer and clap you off is the best feeling in the world.

JG: Without Ashtray we would probably still be in Iceland playing at local bars or whatever, we would never have had the money to leave and start touring somewhere else.

Pitchfork: You obviously did something right to rope in Misery Loves Company vocalist Ryan Williams. What was it like to have him on board helping you with your EP?

JG: Ryan is really, really incredible. So many people have heard of Misery Loves Company, it was just a complete shock when he called us up and asked if we were interested in recording our next record at his home in Los Angeles. It wasn't even a question as far as im concerned, we would have been fools to turn that opportunity down. Working with Ryan though has been great, he was very persistent that he wouldn't force us to do anything. He told us that we should write the songs ourselves so everyone can feel the music much more.


(Jóhanna Guðmundsson)

Pitchfork: So your new EP, can you guys tell us anything about it?

JAE: Sure. It will be 6 tracks long and will be released independently in United States only first, but when we return home we will release it in Iceland too. Obviously it costs a lot of money to release it in Europe and the rest of the world, which we don't feel would benefit at present.

JG: It's got a real emotional feel to it. For this one we really dug deep on the song-writing and it has turned out really, just how we would of wanted it to. We listened to a lot of Bon Iver and City and Colour during the making off it, so it has turned out pretty acoustic and stripped down.

Pitchfork: Any provisional release dates?

JAE: As of yet, we haven't set a date for release. Although we would like to get it out around late August - early September. We won't set a date in stone until the record is 100% complete. But hopefully this new single will be a little taster!

*Fictional made-up band.

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Alaskan Sunrise - Ivory

Pitchfork Review: Alaskan Sunrise opt to open with a solo acoustic guitar with Eiríkssón taking lead, picking the strings to a warm welcome. As Jóhanna Guðmundsson comes in to sing, he vocals sound very muffled and whisper-like. She sings slowly and beautifully through the first verse and as she gets to the end another guitar joins the cause strumming very slowly, along with a solo xylophone being tapped before she goes into the chorus and her voice sounds more clear and powerful. For a folk/pop song it carries an anthemic chorus which is sung by quickly. Jakob Ari Eiríkssón takes point on the next verse and he uses his distinctive Dylan-like voice to add some depth to the song. They're singing about loosing a special someone and the hard effects it's had on them, as they realize they were in love with this person. The song is stripped down to just a xylophone playing the bridge to a low "oh" provided by Jóhanna before she starts singing again, it sounds almost as if she is calling out to the girl that broke Jakob's heart, telling her how it is. The duo combine for the final chorus again as it remains at the same mid-tempo. It's clear that they weren't looking for an epic sounding song here, they play out the easy listening, emotional acoustic track behind Jakob singing out slowly in his croaky voice. The production is a bit ragged, although that is the effect they were after, the raw and live effect which was present in all their previous records.

Lyrics:

Jóhanna Guðmundsson
Jakob Ari Eiríkssón
Both

I heard your fingers hitting the ivory
A soothing reminder of your beauty
Too much time has now passed us by
Maybe because I was way too shy
It was like an elephant in the room
Preventing us from blooming
It could be so much better, if it were tangible
Perhaps then we wouldn’t act so rational

We’re hanging off the edge
And we’re too young
We’re holding onto something
That’s keeping us numb
Freezing our thoughts and our emotions
We’re trying to find the meaning off this feeling

Yet another day goes by and im so wasted
Still under my pillow lies your favourite bracelet
The shadows begin to settle on my bed
I always wondered was it something that I said
But we always lived so damn reckless
Even when together we were too careless
I wish the best and hope that you’re happy
And wherever you are you’re no longer angry

We’re hanging off the edge
And we’re too young
We’re holding onto something
That’s keeping us numb
Freezing our thoughts and our emotions
We’re trying to find the meaning off this feeling

Close your eyes
Let your mind fly
Round and round
Visit your feelings
Look out for that guy
Watch him whimper without a sound
You could be the answer to his healing

We’re hanging off the edge
And we’re too young
We’re holding onto something
That’s keeping us numb
Freezing our thoughts and our emotions
We’re trying to find the meaning off this feeling
We're just trying to find the meaning, off this, feeling
We're just trying to find the meaning, off this, feeling

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