photo by Michael Matynka
Þórir Bogason’s bedroom project, Just Another Snake Cult, has been gaining a lot of attention of late, primarily because of showcases both at Iceland Airwaves and South By Southwest. His debut album, The Dionysian Season, earned glowing reviews upon its 2010 release and would later award the young philosophy major with a “best newcomer” nomination in the Icelandic Music Awards. The runaway success of the album can easily be attributed to Bogason’s eccentric but accessible style, which merges psychedelic indie pop with synthesized wizardry often self-programmed or invented by Bogason himself. The effect has been referred to as that of a layered one-person Phil Spector-style wall of sound, made all the more lo-fi by its recording on a hand-me-down laptop.
But there were no laptops present when Just Another Snake Cult performed live during KEXP’s broadcast from Iceland Airwaves in Reykjavik -- just Þórir Bogason and seven other performers! The big group played an endearingly ramshackle set at the KEX Hostel with just about any instrument you could find. Look for Just Another Snake Cult some time in the U.S., as Þórir Bogason periodically comes to this country, where he’s lived for some time.
One Comment
Great photos! Thanks!