Icelandic music hit the international scene with Bjork and the
Sugarcubes. In the last decade, several bands and solo acts have
followed suit. Sigur Ros, Mum, Bang Gang, Mugison, Minus and Slowblow
are a few of the more recent names and there are even more
unpronounceable ones to look forward to in the coming years. “It’s
different,†is most people’s first reaction on hearing this diverse but
highly original music. “Where is all this coming from?†At the edge of the inhabitable world, high in the North-Atlantic, the
Icelanders have whiled away the long, dark centuries patiently honing
their caustic humor, their eccentric melodies and ancient poetry. The
old music, handed down from medieval times, is one of the secrets to the
Icelanders’ unique sound – the howl of the arctic storm and the surf
breaking on the rocky coast may be another. Whatever the explanation, the Icelanders have fostered a music scene
with a sound and attitude that is all their own, mixing ancient dirges
and contemporary electronics, rock, pop and classical influences, to
produce their own eclectic style. This film delivers the full force of
the explosive Icelandic music scene with massive 5.1 Dolby sound and a
fast-paced visual extravaganza that will leave you breathless. We follow
the acts from their home in Iceland as they tour the world, from New
York to Tokyo and beyond. The film was two years in the making and takes
the audience behind the scenes of Reykjavik's irrepressible musical
underground. The creeping glaciers, barren highland sands and dark
raging seas full of ghosts form a backdrop to the raw energy of the
music.
