PHOTO ASONATAnother band working in the midst of one of the world’s most unique music scenes is Icelandic group Asonat. The trio of Fannar Ásgrímisson, Jónas Thor Guðmundsson, and French singer Olèna Simon specialize in creating ethereal music that borders somewhere in between deep house, electronica, and conventional pop music.
With the help of other artists from around the world, Asonat has created two beautiful albums that rightfully received a lot of praise and garnered fans from all around the world. The closest groups I can think to compare them to would be popular electronic acts like Gold Panda and Tycho, but to pin them down to a specific genre or sound would be unfair, given the unique quality that exists across their entire catalogue.
Luckily the trio agreed to sit down and answer some questions for us in this installment of What’s in Our Luggage?
You can only pack three things for your next trip, what are they?
Jonas: I’d bring a laptop, Fannar and Olena. The baggage may exceed in weight.
PHOTO ASONATWhere is your favorite place that you have played a show?
All: Either Prague or Tallinn, for sure.
Fannar: Russia was also very nice, though we were missing Olena, our singer, from the shows.
If you could play a show at any venue anywhere in the world, where would it be?
Fannar: Fuji Rock in Tokyo or Sonar in Barcelona.
Olena: Yeah! I agree with Fannar!
Jonas: I’d go for Ólavsvaka in Faroe Islands.
On a long trip are you more likely to listen to music or read a book?
Fannar and Olena: Listen to Music
Jonas: I’d go for a good book.
PHOTO ASONATYou guys have an extremely unique sound, when I describe you to my friends I place you somewhere in-between new electronic acts like Tycho and Odesza and bands like Boards of Canada, but then the variety in your vocals has the power to completely change your sound through the course of the album. What genre do you guys place yourself in?
Jonas: Plehh… No idea. What do you guys think?
Fannar: Electro pop, maybe?
Olena: Yeah, maybe! Some days it’s Electro pop, sometimes experimental and also something completely different.
Jonas: I guess it’s not really an issue placing us within a certain genre. It gives fewer restraints.
If you could do an extensive tour through any country, where would it be?
All in choir: Japan
Jonas: Olena just came from a big solo tour in Japan now, so she has been telling us stories that have gotten us excited for Japan.
Which band do you think is hugely under appreciated that more people should know about?
Jonas: I’d go for M-Band, Ametsub, Kettel and Tonik.
Fannar: Kiriyama Family and Young Karin.
Olena: Let’s add Vök and Kiasmos as well.
PHOTO ASONATYou guys are a very international band; I read that you wrote your last album across different countries throughout Europe and that you collaborated with artists from around the world. Where would you consider the bands home to be?
Fannar: Probably Iceland
Olena: Yeah, of course!
Jonas: True. We work a lot over the internet, due to the fact that I live in Tallinn – but our “homebase” is Reykjavik, for sure.
How do you relax on tour?
Fannar: We enjoy local culture and alcohol.
Jonas: Jeez… that makes us sound alcoholic.
Olena: But that’s what everybody does.
PHOTO ASONATIf you could only play one song on repeat on your tour bus for the whole tour, which would it be?
Jonas: Who’d like to listen to something on repeat for days? That’s just insane!
Olena: I could actually listen to Avril 14th by Aphex Twin forever!
Jonas: ohh.. that’s a nice choice!
Fannar: Ryuichi Sakamoto – Opus
Jonas: Right… you proved me wrong. I’m choosing World Citizen with Ryuichi Sakamoto and David Sylvian.
Where is the band’s next destination?
All: Iceland! We got some local gigs coming up. We actually haven’t performed so often in Iceland, so we are making up for that now.
PHOTO ASONATWhat does traveling mean to you?
Fannar: Broadening my horizon
Jonas: True. Though I enjoy traveling, I must say that I despise airports. I feel like being stuck in limbo.
Olena: It’s adventure! Everything can be new!
