Icelandic punk meets experimental on sideproject’s ambitious LP

Trailblazing label SVBKVLT has released the latest project from the Icelandic trio sideproject with the LP ‘sourcepond’.

This album stands out as one of the most unique bodies of work we've heard this year. Drawing inspiration from Iceland's fog-covered wetlands, the trio reshapes the low ends of grime and bass into a chaotic cacophony of Icelandic punk, contemporary club music, and experimental electronica.

The release is a balancing act of melodic hooks and experimental rhythms, all tied together by in-your-face synths, wildly creative ideas, and that uneasiness of not knowing what madness is around the corner.

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By no means is it an easy listen and it possibly won't appeal to everyone, but it surely is a masterclass in experimental abrasiveness and when it clicks, it’s a must-listen for those seeking something different. So many unique ideas are thrown at the wall, and so many of them hit incredibly hard.

It’s one hundred per cent better on a full listen to understand the overall world the trio have built, but our pick is ‘cannonposting’. It’s one of the more accessible tracks on the project but is by no means any less urgent and alarming.

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The punchy percussion is met with so many different elements that tie together so seamlessly. When it drops at 1:30, the intensity rises and doesn’t relinquish until it’s over. Although there is so much going on, it’s the subtleties you may miss on the first listen that make it something special.

Purchase sideproject ‘sourcepond’ here.

Henry Cooper is a Writer at Mixmag Asia. Follow him on Instagram.