Iceland is known for producing a certain type of musician.
An island nation, it’s thriving, incestuous arts scene tends to birth uncompromising, deeply idiosyncratic souls. To rebel in those circumstances, you need to think even further out of the box than usual.
Which perhaps explains Of Monsters & Men. The band’s music has a streamlined, straight ahead quality – pounding, punching songs with a momentum which is difficult to ignore.
A sextet, Of Monsters & Men have a wide open quality which is equal parts Ohio and Reykjavik. Less overtly Icelandic than, say, Bjork the band are almost even more rebellious for their supposed confirmity.
There are no grand concepts here, no post-rock symphonies; simply beautifully crafted songs performed in a manner, an arrangement which suits them.
Debut album ‘My Head Is An Animal’ is already massive in the United States, where Of Monsters & Men can be heard everywhere from alternative podcasts to the latest teen TV show.
Setting their sights on the UK, the band recently played a fantastic show at the Hoxton Bar & Kitchen. Selling out the London venue in just a few minutes, Of Monsters & Men showed more charm, wit, personality and potential in 45 minutes than some (much better known) bands do in their entire career.
Here’s ‘Six Weeks’ as a quick teaser.
Listen to it now…
Of Monsters & Men will release ‘My Head Is An Animal in the UK on August 13th.
