I have to confess that there are times when I don't listen all that carefully to the lyrics of songs because the tune grabs me straight away and I'm a bit too lazy to pay proper attention after I know I like how it sounds. Then there are times when I have an excuse for not having a clue what the song is about. Like when it's in Icelandic. Dýrðin (pronounced 'deer-thin') are an Icelandic five-piece comprising Hafdis Hreiðarsdóttir, Einar Hreiðarsson, Magnús Hákon Axelsson, Þórarinn Kristjánsson and new keyboardist Kolbrún Karlsdóttir. The band began in 1994 and gradually increased from Einar and Magnus to become the fully-formed group they are now (although they took a long break between 1995 and 2002).
Dýrðin make energetic pop songs which would be perfect to sing along to if I spoke Icelandic, but I'm perfectly happy to hum. To my ears they sound similar to Heavenly, All Girl Summer Fun Band and a lot of Japanese pop. All of these are Very Good Things.
Every song of theirs I hear is the type of track I would call a stand-out, but if I had to pick just one for everyone to listen to, it would be Popp og Co. I have no idea what it's about, but it's jolly good!
Dýrðin - Popp og Co (right click and save as)
Fortunately I don't have to choose just one song to represent Dýrðin, so here are two more excellent examples. (There are a few more great songs to listen at their website and their myspace page.)
Dýrðin - 17 Júní (right click and save as)
Dýrðin - Bubble Girl (right click and save as)
Dýrðin will be playing a new venue called Organ, Reykjavik on 15th August, along with The Besties (also well worth listening to), Jan Mayen and Foreign Monkeys. You lucky, lucky natives of Reykjavik!
Buy Dýrðin's album from Skipping Stones Records.
1 comment:
Fan-bloomin'-tastic. Bubble Girl gets the nod as my favourite track, but it's a bit like trying to pick a favourite episode of Fawlty Towers really, so high is the overall quality!
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