Iceland's evolving Rökkurró is morphing into something unexpected these days. With line-up changes in the review mirror the band revealed a new side to them when single "Killing Time" (listen) hit five months ago suggesting more electro and transparent "chill" leanings. So you'd be forgiven to assume that was a general new direction from the band. Well think again.
Today a new single of sorts, “White Mountain,” hit The Line Of Best Fit blog (here) and Rökurró presents itself as entirely different beast all together. "White Mountain"'s crescendo is epic in scope and takes on a surprisingly harrowing turn as if possessed by Kate Bush's darker side where she to perform with cymbals mounted on classroom tables and rumbling bass. But as we all know, that isn't gonna happen because Rökkurró is already on top of that. As per Rökkurró the song is beautiful after all. But it contrasts "Killing Time" so much that I had to get in touch with Árni (guitar) and Hildur Kristín (vocals) to make some sense of it (quick interview below the video).
Where it not for Hildur's vocals one could be forgiven thinking two different bands are at work here, yet aforementioned songs reprisent your yet-to-be-released new album. "Killing Team is cleaner and electro chiller but "White Mountain" features build up's and bombast (it being played live clearly facilitates that but still...). Clearly the two songs contrast in away. How will you bridge these two world on the same album?
"These two songs are on the opposite end of the same spectrum, the albums colour spectrum if you will. On it are songs that are spawn in electro's soil and are akin to "Killing Time" but furthermore there are also songs that play on the more conventional band set-up. That said, there's a certain overall tone on the album that'll probably be clearer to the audience on the complete release. As stated in our most recent press release this version of "White Mountain" is a one-off kinda and a rather different from the studio version."
Hildur Kristín is quoted saying that the song started out as a piano ballad but later she and the band felt it deserved more involved arrangements. This makes sense because she's also quoted in stating that the lyrics revolve around a dangerous voyage across Iceland's cold and wind swept highlands. A train of thought inspired by her watching Game Of Thrones.
We got on the line with Hildur.
Where and why did this performance take place?
"The performance took place in LHÍ, where Bibbi, our drummer studies songwriting."
Did you perform a full set?
"This session just included this one song."
The classroom table angle is great insofar as introducing it as a part of an instrument. How did that come about and where there any other non-typical approaches that came into play that day?
"This was taken in November, during Iceland Airwaves so we we had been playing a lot but were in a good mood and wanted to do something new on the spot. The table drumming was something Axel ( that normally plays guitar), thought of and we felt it was a nice fit to the song. When we walked into the class room and saw it contained two grand pianos we figured we had to do some new arrangement so we could use them both, mainly because it looked cool but then it also turned out great, soundwise."
Does something similar transpire on the album as well?
"Yes I would say the new album has a lot of "new sides" to Rökkurró that we're super excited to reveal! The sound has evolved in many ways and I would also say my voice has. So, stay tuned for the album!"
- Birkir Fjalar
Photocredit: Helgi Jónsson
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