Song of Ice (Some Fire)

Friday night at The Drake Underground, there was a special showcase of Icelandic bands curated by Iceland Naturally for CMF. Will they sound like Bjork circa Sugarcubes or more like their brethen Sigur Ros or Of Monster and Men?

It turns out the frigid temperatures of their native land have frozen their blood, or at least turn their soul inward, because both Asgeir Trausti and Soley played ambient, introspective sets. The 5 bearded members of Trausti didn't say much except "Thank you" between songs, and they didn't move much on stage. Over synth chords, slow bass, sporadic drums, and a plucked guitar string here and there, they sang quiet tunes in both English and Icelandic. Now and then, they ventured into more folk territory.

Soley was a bit more talkative and introduced each song. Oddly, at least for me, I barely understood anything she sang. As such, her voice became another instrumental line, weaving in and out of sparse composition. She joked, in an Icelandic/Bjork-esque accent full of rolled consonants, that she realized that "Friday night is party night. So here is a party song." What followed would be considered a slow ballad for other bands, but for her it was practically hip-shaking.

The packed house was comprised equal parts Icelandic ex-pats, music nerds, and drunken seniors, possibly music executives, or just curious tourists from the restaurant upstairs.