Review
Biography
Apparat Organ Quartet is a part of a closely knit collection of musicians working in Reykjavik. Often involved with the activities of the TMT Entertainment label and Kitchen Motors (Apparat member Johann Johannsson is a founding member of Kitchen Motors). This extremely active and vibrant scene includes members of Sigur Ros, Mum, Kanada, Trabant, Borko, Big Band Brutal and others. Some of these bands share members and frequently collaborate on other music and art projects.
Apparat Organ Quartet is basically a band that consists of 4 men, operating ancient, highly customized electric music machines, including various cheap home organs, Farfisas and Russian synthesizers, with the help of a trusty old drum set. All of it’s members are well known in the Icelandic music community for their previous work. Hordur Bragason, is a former associate of Austian artist Hermann Nitsch. Johann Johannsson is considered one of Iceland’s best producers, having worked with Marc Almond, Jonsi (the singer from Sigur Ros), The Hafler Trio, Barry Adamson, Pan Sonic, Stilliuppsteypa and mum. Ulfur Eldjarn is no stranger to the Icelandic music community as he is a member of great local band KANADA. Finally, there’s Musikvatur, who has also collaborated with mum and enjoys sawing home organs in half and jumping into harbors. Together they play rhapsodic, austere, mechanical, mysterious and strangely beautiful elektro-pop elegies, inspired by Steve Reich, Glam Rock, Mahler, 70’s horror soundtracks and Karlheinz Stockhausen. Apparat Organ Quartet has performed live at numerous places around Europe (often on tours arranged by the Icelandic art organization Kitchen Motors, among others, mum). They’ve also played at prestigious festivals such as the Holland Festival and the infamous Roskilde Festival in Denmark and are considered one of Iceland’s most promising live acts today.
The CD "Motorlab 2" (Kitchen Motors) includes Apparat Organ Quartet’s collaboration with visual artist Ingi Rafn and a trio of shortwave radio enthusiasts, on a performance involving shortwave receivers, morse code transmissions and similar outdated communications technologies, mixed with the Quartet’s sound producing machinery. This cd has received rave reviews in the international underground and alternative press, including The Wire and the track "Romantika" was recently selected track of the month on the City Slang label´s web site.
Review
Apparat Organ Quartet's first full lenght album is out, simply titled 'Apparat Organ Quartet'. The album is released in Iceland on TMT-entertainment, a subsidiary label of Thule records. The album contains 9 orgianl tracks, amon them the single Sterio Tock and Roll which was released earlier this year in a limited 7"; inch edition on U.K based on label 13amp.
Apparat Organ Quartet describe their music as machine rock and roll. Other people have described it as a mixture of Kraftwerk, Trans Am, Stereolab, mum, Iron Maiden and Itialian horror film soundtracks!!
Apparat Organ Quartet performed on this year's Icelandic Airwaves festival on Saturday the 19th of October in LaUGARDALSHÖLL, AT 20:00 sharp.
Those intrested in seing the band deliver their magnificent live set are advised to come in early for the show.
From Iceland
Label: TMT
Year: 2003
Style: Indie Rock, Indie Electronic
PREVIEW.-.Apparat.Organ.Quartet.-.Apparat.Organ.Quartet.ogg
Tracklist:
1 Romantika (4:42)
2 Stereo Rock & Roll (4:17)
3 The Anguish of Space-Time (6:10)
Vocals - Adda Ingólfsdóttir
4 Cruise Control (3:38)
5 Ondula Nova (5:25)
6 Global Capital (5:21)
Vocals - Adda Ingólfsdóttir
7 Seremonia (5:00)
8 Charlie Tango # 2 (7:23)
9 Sofðu Litla Vél (5:29)
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