MIDNIGHT, LOW NIGHT
From alcoholism and abuse to symbols of national identity, atmospheric Icelanders Sólstafir are baring their souls like never before on Endless Twilight Of Codependent Love. Prog caught up with frontman Aðalbjörn ‘Addi’ Tryggvason to find out more.
Words: Matt Mills Images: Gaui H
Twilight tales: Sólstafir are creating something different on their latest.
I
solation. It’s an emotion we’ve all become too familiar with in 2020, much more than we’d have ever liked. Thanks to lockdowns, curfews and social distancing, life has taken on an alien feeling that’s brought about the need for many adjustments.
For Sólstafir, however, isolation is the standard. For 25 years, the quartet have been creating dynamic post-metal from the beating heart of Iceland – a small island country in the North Atlantic, more than 700 miles away from neighbouring Greenland.
“It’s like creative inbreeding,” frontman Aðalbjörn ‘Addi’ Tryggvason says of sustaining a group in such a remote part of the world.
“I understand why
Sugarcubes and Sigur Rós sounded so weird: it was the isolation. You’re influenced only by your friends.
”
“The Sugarcubes were the first band to properly set foot outside of Iceland. They were a weird-ass band that came from an indie band and a punk band. Then you had Sigur Rós, another really weird band. No one came to see them, they were just in it for themselves. They played empty shows in Iceland, but people saw them internationally. I understand why Sugarcubes and Sigur Rós sounded so weird: it was the isolation. You’re influenced only by your friends.”