Einar Örn is one of my very few proper, all out, musical heroes. Along with Bjork and The Sugarcubes he started my love, some would say obsession, with all things Icelandic back in 1987/1988. That may have been his most public peak but Einar was a busy and influential part of the Icelandic punk scene before The Sugarcubes, most notably with Kukl and Purrkur Pillnikk. Since The Sugarcubes he has headed up the record label Smekkleysa (Bad Taste) and the associated record store and has recently helped comedian Jan Gnarr become Reykjavik's mayor and has a seat on the City Council himself. And all of this time he has continued to produce staggering, innovative, unique music with Ghostigital with his partner in crime, the utter electronics genius, Curver. Ghostigital shows have always been essential, from the year they had the whole of the Nasa venue dancing as one sweaty mass, to the year they very literally blew up the sound system in Gaukurrin to last year when they played in the daytime in a room full of dry ice so thick you had no idea what was around you. I cannot tell you how excited I was to have a conversation with this guy…

Hello Sir, where are you right now and what are you doing?

I have just returned from a Reykjavik city council meeting. I will be cooking supper quite soon, then I will contact Curver for next weeks performance.

You seem to have a lot going on – musician, the label, the shop, vice-president of the best political party – what's occupying you the most right now?

Mostly answering emails and spending time on the phone, and sitting in a chair, trying not to turn into a chair myself.

You were very involved in comedian Jan Gnarr becoming the mayor of Reykjavik, with the aim of "making Reykjavik an enjoyable place" – how is it going? Will October 13-17 be enjoyable?

October is always enjoyable. It is my Birthday month, and Iceland Airwaves does not spoil the month at all.

I once asked Mark the reverse question so – how was working with Mark E Smith on "Not Clean"?

What can one say but, recording in a hotel room in manchester is certainly an experience. Check Curver's facebook to see a photo from the session or after the session.

Can I ask you what song you are most proud to have been involved in is?

All songs are quite good, but i do believe that the whole of Einar örn Ghostigital record is one hell of song in itself still. Very complete and good.

A lot of people will want me to ask you how you write your lyrics?

The lyrics are stories. Maestro Ken Thomas urged me to write my stories, as I was a story teller a decade ago, so these days I say stories. I have a start to a story, then I end it. The way it works in the studio with Curver, is we a have song and I start a story to fit the song, we go over it, and I improvise the story, so it evolves and finally we are happy, and we have a lyric.
Previously I have written poetry, which have been the key to a lyric in a song, which like in The Sugarcubes, evolved around what Björk was writing. In both these cases it is a matter of feedback.
In Purrkur Pillnikk I started writing lyrics, sometimes as poetry, but I then discovered it as a key, a tool to open up my thought.

How do you describe the Ghostigital sound? I can't find a way, wikipedia goes for "electronic beat music, drawing in elements of dub, hip-hop, rock and noise, combined with Einar's idiosyncratic worldview" – any good?

I am not idiosyncratic, I describe the world as I see it. That might be idiosyncratic. Ghostigital always pushes the envelope a little bit further. We thought we were pop, now we realize we are somewhere else, somewhere where no one else is, and it feels not lonely but good.

There will be 5 other bands playing at Iceland Airwaves at the same time as you – so why should people choose the Ghostigital experience?

For the simple reason we are unique and play few concerts, every concert might be our last, so at least me and Curver will not for the love of our life, try to miss it. That is good enough reason.

Have you seen the festival line-up? What other bands are you excited to see?

Every band at Airwaves deserves to be there, but we curated our night, with the artists we wanted to see, so that explains a little what we are wanting to see and not miss.

And finally, how about a few local tips for the festival first-timers?

If you get lost, walk back, and take a right, you will find something.

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Ghostigital are playing in the new venue, Tjarnarbíó, on Staurday at midnight. Not only that but they have curated the whole line-up at that venue on that day. Check it out.