photos by Michael Matynka
Poised to blow worldwide, Iceland’s Of Monsters and Men were the talk of this year’s Iceland Airwaves festival. Singer/guitarists Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir and Raggi þórhallsson, drummer Arnar Rósenkranz Hilmarsson, and guitarist Brynjar Leifsson have been making waves in the international music scene since their 2010 win of Músiktilraunir, Iceland’s national battle of the bands. Although the band began as an acoustic quartet, OMAM has since expanded to a six-piece that incorporates bass, drums, piano, and accordion to their already massive sound. Their self-titled debut has just been released in Iceland on Records Records. No doubt, it will be released in the U.S. soon enough. For now, you can listen to their KEXP Song of the Day podcast from last year of their lead single “Little Talks,” one morsel of the immensely catchy folk these young artists produce.
Unsurprisingly, Of Monsters and Men blew everyone away during their set at the KEX Hostel in Reykjavik during KEXP’s first international broadcast as part of the 2011 Iceland Airwaves festival. This is a must-listen performance and not only can you see the photos from their set here, but you can listen to the whole thing as part of our Live Performances podcasts:
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