“Icy & brilliantly foreboding future-rock” (NME)
If Apparat Organ Quartet had plugged their Moogs in to Marshall amps instead of guitars, one might easily have confused them for a danceable Motörhead. Effortlessly switching between dance floor-fillers and headbanging anthems, Iceland’s Apparat Organ Quartet is sometimes described as “Machine Rock and Roll.” AOQ is a band that sometimes describe their music as “Machine Rock and Roll”, and indeed the band’s sound veers between pulsing floor-fillers and headbanging anthems, served with a mixture of Kraftwerk-inspired electronics, Daft Punk-like robot voices, and hard rock beats. The almost surreal melodies seem to be derived equally from medieval Gregorian chant, American cartoons and Russian Romantic music of the 19th century. After finding success in Europe, AOQ have signed to Head in the Sand Records and are releasing Pólýfónía in Canada. No longer strangers to North America.
AOQ were the featured guest of KEXP for Reykjavik Calling 2012 in Seattle, for their annual celebration of Icelandic music. AOQ were part of the first ATP (All Tomorrow’s Parties) in Iceland in 2013,as well AOQ made a big splash at CMW in Toronto in 2013.
VIKINGS’ focus on the sound and the spaces in between Their music is equal parts dance-worthy and expansive. The electro-pop band from Winnipeg has played a number of Festivals such as Rainbow Trout, MEME and the Festival du Voyageur. The trio independently released their debut self-titled album in December of 2013. The band is currently working on a follow up release and looking forward to a summer of festivals. Great Abyss, their first single from the release, has been in heavy rotation on CBC Radio 3, reaching number 3 on the R3-30, where they play the top 30 Canadian indie songs of the week.
The cutest rapper that you ever did see, SMRT is a rap vocalist from Winnipeg, Canada. A true pumpkin pie bad boy, he moves from beautiful love songs to blazing rap ballads at the speed of a hair flip, all while maintaining the same mesmerizing intensity. IX Daily said SMRT “demonstrates that something better is being produced than what is commonly observed in the mainstream.”
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