Caught In The Net
There’s more to the Icelandic music scene than pale esoteric types channelling Lothlórien, as a new online documentary shows.
Stuart Clark, 28 Aug 2012
Caught In The Net’s fortnight was considerably enhanced by our online perusal of two documentaries, which examine the lesser-known delights of the Icelandic and Mancunian music scenes.
“Idiosyncratic, intelligent and involving, Iceland: Beyond Sigur Rós is a memorable celebration of Iceland’s dynamic and diverse contemporary independent music scene,” they promise and then duly deliver. “Filmed in full HD, it features insightful interviews with Haukur Magnússon, flamboyant editor of Reykjavík’s Grapevine magazine, Ólafur Arnalds, world renowned pop classical composer and music producer, and Pétur Úlfur Einarsson and Hafsteinn Michael Guðmundsson, ambitious co-founders behind online music distributor Gogoyoko.
“With wonderful performances also from cutting-edge Icelandic acts such as Reykjavik!, Hafdis Huld, Berndsen, Mugison, Ólafur Arnalds, Lára Rúnars, Bloodgroup, For A Minor Reflection, Seabear, Sykur, Severed Crotch and DJ Musician, Iceland: Beyond Sigur Rós has been receiving rave reviews from around the world and really is something you shouldn’t miss.”
Ditto Manchester: Beyond Oasis, which rounds up 40 local acts who, geographical location and northern attitude aside, have little in common with the Gallaghers.
Watch and download both films from beyondseries.co.uk. Keep this to yourselves, but we’re also hearing whispers of Dublin: Beyond U2.
Sticking with music and Caught In The Net was delighted to be at last month’s UK premiere of Punk In Africa. With apartheid, national service, submachine-wielding security forces and extreme poverty to rally against, bands like Four Horsemen, Evicted, Wild Youth and Gay Marines meant it every bit as much (maaaan!) as their spiky-haired British and American counterparts.
See the punkinafrica.co.za trailer and then listen to 90 minutes of choice tunes from South Africa, Zimbabwe, DR Congo, Angola, Tanzania and Mozambique’s finest rebel rockers.
Which just leaves time for visits to youtube.com/watch?v=xRBCOZVJCEw (superb Stone Roses mockumentary); youtube.com/watch?v=eIzoWNQqnEQ (Katy Perry’s ‘Teenage Dream’ – death metal cover or just minus the AutoTune?); weknowwhatyouredoing.com (“I hate my boss, he’s a little bitch. If he keeps it up, I’ll make him quit” and other things it might be better not to stick on your Facebook); bit.ly/dIYS04 (“You shouldn’t laugh, but we did!”); and bit.ly/HM3sXj (our cover star giving it loads in The Sweeney re-boot).
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