Ásgeir: Big Success from a Small Town Band
Icelandic electro indie folk group Ásgeir first came to our attention in the summer of 2013 with their debut single “King and Cross.” Several months later, Ásgeir signed a deal with Columbia records who released their first English album, In the Silence, in conjunction with One Little Indian Records, in early 2014. With their album receiving critical acclaim, Ásgeir spent most of the summer touring the US festival circuit.
Music:
Hailing from a town with a population of 48 (yes, that’s 48 people total), Ásgeir Trausti and his band create music with an otherworldly quality that can only be described as ethereal. While “King and Cross” and our personal favorite Ásgeir track “Torrent” offer more driving beats, much of their other work tends to be more ephemeral, laden with ambient synths that
create a light airy vibe in their music. Ásgeir lends his subtle yet powerful vocals to lyrics in both English and Icelandic, creating multiple versions of some songs.
Future:
After a very successful album in the US, Ásgeir seems to be on track to have a strong career. They have well over 35 million Spotify streams, yet even more impressive is that they have at least 10 tracks that each have more than 1 million streams. Their success landed them a special guest spot on alt-J’s Australian tour in 2015, which is huge not only because of the recent success of alt-J but also because Australia has a history of driving the future of the US alt music scene, with many major labels seeking artists who are popular in
Australia. We’re looking forward to a hearing a follow up album from Ásgeir and even a headlining tour one day.
Audience Gender Breakdown
63%
37%
