Shows
continental drift 5/3/23: iceland
Today we are making the trek to Iceland. There will be baseball during drift next week, meaning this is the last episode of continental drift for quite some time. I’m talking about July 19th. I graduate this weekend, and I’d just like to say that if this is my last episode, it’s been a great run. Reviving this show has been truly a pleasure, and I’ve learned so much. Ethnomusicology is so important! (Fear not, Continental Drift will be revived by my friend and collaborator, Carolyne). Find the playlist for this episode here.
Iceland is a dual ocean Nordic island country spanning both the North Atlantic Ocean and the Arctic Ocean. It is the most sparsely populated country in Europe, with less than 10 people per square mile. In fact, there are only 8 other countries in the world that are more sparse (can you guess #1? It is Greenland). Their official language is Icelandic, a Germanic language most similar to Norwegian.
The idea that Iceland was named to discourage settlement on verdant land is a myth. In fact, it was originally named Snæland, or snow land, because it was snowing when Norse settlers first arrived, and then renamed Iceland after viking Flóki Vilgerðarson arrived.
Young Bjork
Iceland’s most famous musician is probably Björk. Björk Guðmundsdóttir’s career started when she was just 11 when a recording of her singing at a school recital was broadcast on RUV, then Iceland’s only radio station. Björk has released music as recently as 2022, and is also a climate activist in Iceland. NY’s Museum of Modern Art held a retrospective exhibition dedicated to her in 2015.
Lots of literature on Icelandic music talk about the “Bjork effect.” This is essentially getting at the public perception of Icelandic music since she became internationally popular, which is one of “eccentricity.” One article said it’s as if Icelandic music says to people, “Come to Iceland. We have elves.”
I’m not going to refute the Björk effect, because I found it to be actually quite relevant.
We’re going to start with classical music. Icelandic classical music is different from other traditions, and other samples I’ve played on drift, because it is distinctly modern. Classical music was late to arrive in Iceland, only taking hold in the late 1800s/early 1900s. The innovation is still happening today, resulting in a robust contemporary classical scene. Lots of it, you will find, is very “Iceland.” I know I keep saying that, but if you don’t know what I mean already, you’re about to. The imagery is very rich.
Hafdís Bjanadótir
Classical segment:
From Beacon to Beacon // Hafdís Bjanadótir (composer, blues guitar), Nordic Affect (Icelandic chamber ensemble)
The Gospel of Mary: Gospel Text II // Hugi Guðmundsson, Aarhus Sinfonietta, Schola Cantorum Reykjavicensis, Hörður Áskelsson
Clean Teeth // Magnús Jóhann (composer, producer, keyboardist), Skúli Sverrisson
Loom – Sunrise Session II // Ólafur Arnalds (composer), Reykjavík Recording Orchestra
Post punk is not a genre I have covered extensively on drift before, but it is such a good one. Post punk emerged in the late 70s from the punk scene. It took a lot of influence from rock, but incorporated elements of funk, electronic, jazz, and even disco. A lot of post punk, like the punk that came before it, was political at heart. Bjork was in a post punk band before the Sugarcubes, Tappi Tíkarrass, which was active from 1981-1983 (post punk’s prime). They certainly weren’t the only ones in Iceland.
Björk (keys) performing with Tappi Tikarrass
Post-punk segment:
Flughoppið // Purrkur Pillnikk (“The Plane Jump”)
I Don’t Like Your Style // Baraflokkurinn (“The Bar Party”)
Autopilot // russian.girls
Þú og ég has been called “the embodiment of disco music in iceland.” HLH flokkurinn was dedicated to the 60s, though released music in the late 70s. Interesting, because I consider them to sound a lot like ABBA.
Sumargleðin was not an actual band but a group of entertainers under the direction of Ragnar Bjarnason. They were very popular among rural Icelandic people, to the extent that people planned their summer vacations with regard to when the Summer Fun Ball was nearby.
![Sumargleðin [1] (1972-86) | Glatkistan](https://hraunbaer.files.wordpress.com/2023/01/sumargledin-1980.jpg?w=300&h=215)
Sumargleðin
Í Reykjavíkurborg // Þú og ég (“In Reykjavik”)
Vertu ekki að plata mig // HLH flokkurinn (“Don’t Be Fooling Me”)
Ég fer í fríið // Sumargleðin (I’m Going on Vacation)
Modern Pop/ Indie Segment:
Stop In the Name of Love // Bang Gang
Random Haiku Generator // Sin Fang, Sóley, Örvar Smárason
TOKYO DREAMS 05/02/2023
HELLO LISTENERS. TOKYO DREAMS ENTHUSIASTS.
Tonight we.are.back. I know you have missed us! Tonight features a playlist with traditional city pop, women artists, and some post punk vibes. Plus – it’s a two hour special!!
SET LIST n.n
Junko Ohashi – 男と女Hitomi Tohyama – Wanna Kiss – 2021 Remaster小山水城 – 彼にはかなわないAru Takamura – Appeal To You (Yoshizawa dynamite.jp 7″ Version)Kaoru Akimoto – Dress DownRA MU – Aoyama Killer StoryMomoko Kikuchi – Mystical ComposerTaeko Onuki – Tokai清野由美 – スカイレストランYumi Arai – 中央フリーウェイYoshimi Iwasaki – TouchAnri – Last Summer Whisper
NEHANN – NylonOXZ – VivianP-MODEL – SOLID AIRDiastereomer – MothersunPlastics – GOODPortray Heads – 浮遊体暗黒大陸じゃがたら – BABYSHEENA & THE ROKKETS – OMAEGA HOSHII – ONE MORE TIMEGuernica – カフェ・ド・サヰコ – 2016 RemasterSOFT BALLET – NO PLEASURE2 Bullet – Sympathy for the Pig
girl rock!’s hit crew 2 year anniversary: 5/2/23
Today is the last girl rock! episode before long time hosts, Karina, Lydia, and Elizabeth graduate. It’s been a great 2 years! (Not to fear, girl rock! will be continuing through the summer, and in the fall will be picked up again by Emerson).
For this week’s episode, we are featuring new releases from the past two months or so. Playlist here, picks below:
Tin Man // feeble little horse
Mitsuwa // Draag
Quarry // Wednesday
What You Did // Hannah Jadagu
Too Many Things // The Linda Lindas
Boixar // Belgrado
Collapse // Y La Bamba
Nothing Matters // The Last Dinner Party
Movie Star // Trousdale
You Can Be Mean // Indigo De Souza
Pick // Fenne Lily
The Clutch // Palehound
Under Your Spell // Snow Strippers
Gentle Heart // Nabihah Iqbal
Clout Chaser’s Anthem // Gayance, Janette King, Hua Li
Bad Company // Yazmin Lacey
Little Red Riding Hood // WEDNESDAY CAMPANELLA
Crush #215 – RingoDeathstarr Special!
This past weekend we had the opportunity to go to the Ringo Deathstarr concert in Atlanta! We’ve both been huge fans and it was an incredible concert, they are so good live + played all of our favorite songs!! This was my first shoegaze concert, it was incredible seeing the technique and hearing the acoustics (the wall of sound definitely was an experience)… definitely need to go to more and would recommend it to any shoegaze lovers out there 🙂 We even met the band and told them about Crush, and they were super nice!
Tracklist for tonite (also here on spotify):
Kaleidoscope
Stare at the Sun
Cotton Candy Clouds
Two Girls
God Help the One’s You Love
Drain
Frisbee
Flower Power
New Way
Chainsaw Morning
Guilt
Gazin
Heavy Metal Suicide
Summertime
Day Dreamy
Sub Saharan Vibes May 1, 2023
- Brenda Fassie — Nomakhanjani?
- Massanga Mama — Massanga Mama
- Aster Aweke — Mezez Alew
- Cornaire Salifou Michel et L’Orchestre El Rego & Ses Commandos — Gangnidodo
- Kandiafa — Aye Na Don Ke
- Hallelujah Chicken Run Band — Tinokumbira Kuziva
- Golden Sounds — Zangalewa
- Uppers International — Neriba Lanchina
- Awilo Longomba — Coupé Bibamba
- Ali Hassan Kuban — Leila
- Tekno — Jogodo
- Seun Kuti & Egypt 80 — You Can Run
