Browsing Tag

Icelandic Rock

Icelandic alt-rock 5-piece Atomic Annie orchestrated a sonically frenetic hit with ‘What If?’

Atomic Annie’s latest scuzzed-up alt-rock track, ‘What If?’ matches the fervent chaos of Rage Against the Machine and exudes all of the salacious appeal of The Velvet Underground. The Icelandic 5-piece’s sonic twist on hard rock is easily one of the best Independent rock releases of 2021; the energy is enough to take the soundscape off this stratosphere.

With the level of sex appeal cranked up to 11 to match the dial on the over-driven fuzzy guitars that sear through arresting solos that make Slash sound sedate, this fuzz-rock anthem deserves to go viral.

Atomic Annie is clearly one of the most promising up and coming alt-rock outfits contributing to the airwaves in 2021. They’ve got the talent and finesse to appease the classic rock snobs and a veraciously eclectic feel to draw in any fans of that unparalleled feeling of hearing a sound for the first time and being welcomed to a brand-new tumultuous aural world.

Check out Atomic Annie on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Explore the human condition with Red Barnett’s stunningly composed single “Astronaut”

After Reykjavik-based artist Red Barnett scooped up the Icelandic Music Award for Best Alternative Album with their debut release ‘Shine’ in 2015, we couldn’t help but be excited by the release of their sophomore album Astronauts.

The perfect introduction to Red Barnett’s viscerally vibrant style is undoubtedly ‘Astronaut’. It’s chilling through the dystopic comfort it offers. It perfectly coalesces with contemporary anxiety and uncertainty, but with the warm and exuberant tones in this finely crafted release, it’s impossible to let existentialism creep in.

With sonic synths around neo-classic keys along with elements of Rock and Electro Pop, the singer-songwriter, composer and arranger offers an intoxicatingly fresh taste of retro-futurism. It’s easy to see why so many find solace in their unapologetically expressive yet accessibly immersive sound.

You can check out Astronaut for yourselves by heading over to Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast