Every year I try very hard not to plan too far ahead of the first band of the first night and then see what happens from there. Cryptochrome play in Hurra before it's even 8pm on the first night of Iceland Airwaves 2016 so I suggest you join me in checking out their hard to classify (but with a significant nod to hip-hop) sounds in one of the best venues you'll ever set foot in. I needed to find out more…
Hi, where are you right now and what are you doing?
Hi! We are at home on a Saturday morning, 101 Reykjavík. Anik and Una, starting the day with the kids and working on our future like we always do. Una is making a collage cryptologo, and the kids are freestyling songs. I haven't yet had breakfast.
Who is in the band, and what other bands do you play with (if any)?
Anik and Una are the vocalists and lyricists, and we write some of the music too. We are trained visual artists but have always made music as well. S.O.N is the beat maker, dj, and he also does graphics. Anik and S.O.N used to be part of the European hip hop group 'dark circle'. Leigh is the producer and he also engineers other bands as well. All of us focus mainly on Cryptochrome.
You have an early slot on the opening night of the festival. Is it cool to be the first taste of Airwaves 2016 for a lot of people?
It's very cool! We'll give the people a good start to an amazing festival. and for us as well, to be able to relax afterwards. We also have a free hallowe'en Airwaves warm-up gig at Stúdentakjallarinn which we're headlining, alongside some very nice other acts which will be very worth checking out. Then a small London/Berlin tour soon afterwards.
Who would you most like to see dancing at the front of your show?
Lovely people. We always have a very loyal core of devout followers, plus a selection of new converts. We are blessed to have a very broad demographic so it's always nice to see a wide spectrum of people enjoying our music, we wouldn't want it otherwise. There are always musicians in the crowd which is much appreciated. Our music is always about peace, love and unity haha, so we like to see hatchets buried and peace pipes smoked. a whole lot of lovers, basically.
More than once, I've seen your music described as genre-defying. Do you feel a part of any particular scene or sound in Iceland or elsewhere?
No, not really, and we really enjoy that. S.O.N and Anik come from a traditional hip-hop background, but even there we were boundary-pushing. We take our influence from such a broad base, 'music', basically, that it would be uncharacteristic of us to adhere to one particular sound. This can make it tricky for people to categorise us, but at the same time it gives us the broad demographic we enjoy so much, and allows us a wide range of expression, which we find vital as creative people.
Have you checked out the entire schedule? What else are you super keen to see?
It's always super nice to see friends doing their thing, which is what airwaves is perfect for… Mr.Silla, Kött Grá Pje, Berndsen, Avóka, Amabadama, Futuregrapher, Múm, Lord Pusswhip, rvkdnb, Reykjavíkurdætur, Sóley, Sin Fang, Singapore Sling (kinda alphabetical haha!)… it's also a great opportunity to see people we've never got round to seeing. I'm really looking forward to Kate Tempest and Kano who are both doing big things in the UK, plus Digable Planets, PJ Harvey, The Internet… the list goes on. Whether or not we'll actually manage all that is a completely different story!
What advice can you share for first-timers at Airwaves and in Iceland?
There seem to be two schools of thought. As airwaves is unlike most other festivals in that it's held in a wide variety of venues that mostly have queues, some like to find one venue for one night and stick to it. Others like to drift and be drawn into places on a whim, as there's lots going on off-venue as well, and the streets are always just as electric as the venues themselves. we say: one of the above, according to what suits your temperament. And, do try to take some time in the countryside, that's no secret. Allow yourself some time to switch off: That's the magic that fuels this place. Drink from the streams and rivers, respect the countryside, and don't buy bottled water.
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That's the longest list of recommended bands I've ever had here, good luck seeing all of them!
Cryptochrome play their Iceland Airwaves 2016 shows at 19:50 on the Wednesday night in Hurra. A very fine way to start your festival. I'll be there.
