Screaming Masterpiece

This sampling of the thriving Icelandic pop scene in the year 2004 showcases many of the determined bands that put Iceland on the map: from Björk and Sigur Rós to the somewhat lesser known Múm and Slowblow, the band of the young film director Dagur Kári (). Why is it that a country of only 300,000 inhabitants has such a rich pop culture? A number of musicians share their opinions on this topic. Björk explains the unique sound from the fact that Iceland has not had composers for centuries, so they could start from scratch in the 20th century. Bardi Jóhansson from Bang Gang proposes that Icelandic musicians do not have to worry about record sales - they will never exceed two hundred - so they can make exactly the music they want. Locally, most bands are making headway: Trabant, for instance, was the first amplified band that was allowed to perform at home with the president, and teenage punk band Nilfisk did its first public gig as the supporting act for the Foo Fighters in Reykjavik. All this is interspersed with footage of immense glaciers and the omnipresent ocean. Other bands that file past are Mínus, Apparat Organ Quartet, Mugison, Conversation, Ghostigital, Quarashi, Amina and Dans Three.