New York, NY (Top40 Charts/ Green Light Go) Influenced by his house by the sea, Knútur's newest record, Ölduslóð (Way of Waves), presents a metaphor for happiness in the waves' ever changing and dynamic passage to the freedom to make mistakes. "It's so easy to write about misery and sadness and self pity. It's the bread and butter of singer/songwriters. However, writing about real happiness is the great challenge," says Knútur.
Knútur started writing music at the age of 27 as a catharsis to work through his father's violent death. He says, "I had been numb for almost a decade. I just wanted to feel again, just something, anything. So I started writing to get the feelings out of my numb heart."
Family continues to inspire his songwriting today. Three of the songs on Ölduslóð (Way of Waves) are dedicated to his two daughters. A dedication to his older daughter, "Spor", explores the lessons of holding your head up high, believing in yourself, finding your own path in life, and a father's pride. His older daughter is also involved in her father's music in other ways. He began working with his daughter to create the artwork on his albums when she was 11 years old. "It's our "family art project," and it shows how our relationship and her picture of me develops throughout her youth. I only wish I would have started earlier. I pay her a fair amount of money for her artwork too, because I need her to learn that art is serious work and you should be paid fairly for it, always." "Soundtracks", is a song about how much he dreams of spending time with his daughters when he's away. "Emma" is dedicated to his baby daughter and the challenges of leaving her behind. "A baby puts things into perspective and you have to rearrange priorities. "There's no time to feel sorry for yourself when you have a little baby with all the needs and attention."
Svavar Knútur's time away from his family has found him performing throughout Iceland, Europe, Australia, the U.S. and Canada with such artists as Markéta Irglová,
Glen Hansard and Owls of the Swamp. His live shows present a night of storytelling, taking the audience on a bit of an emotional roller coaster where he swerves between the serious and joyful, sometimes joyfully melancholic, and quietly joyful. "I don't pretend to be a creator of wheels or treader of fresh paths, although I try to make my path interesting and my wheels crooked," Knútur explains. His favorite venues include out of the way weird spots, like the pirate house in Patreksfjörður, a tiny settlement in the western fjords of Iceland, or the arctic fox museum in Súðavík or cozy cafés like the Café Galao in Stuttgart or TrachtenVogl in Münich Germany. "There's only one kind of venue I don't like. It's the one full of drunk people expecting to be entertained."
Knútur chose to record Ölduslóð (Way of Waves) at Greenhouse Studios because of their reputation for a cozy working environment and fun people to hang with while working. It was there he first met Markéta Irglová while they worked with the same producer, Mio Þórðarson (Owen Pallett, CocoRosie, Bonnie 'Prince' Billy), on their individual albums. They hit it off and Irglová ended up appearing on three songs on Ölduslóð (Way of Waves)to include "Baby Would You Marry Me?", "While the World Burns", and "Prayer for the Dead". The album which was originally released in Iceland, will be released in the U.S on CD and vinyl through Red Eye Transit in the summer of 2013.
Knútur's pursuit of happiness has reaped him just rewards. His song "Ástarsaga úr fjöllunum (Love Story from the Mountains)" made it to the final five of the worldwide televised BBC's Next Big Thing Competition. The Copenhagen Songwriter Festival named him as the most interesting emerging artist from Iceland to follow in 2012. And in March 2013, he was the first recipient of the Anna Pálína Árnadóttir memorial award, an Icelandic honor, recognizing excellence in the field of folk music and singer/songwriter work. "It was a very big moment for me, as she was one of my heroes in her life."
Ultimately the pursuit of happiness finds its destination at the home by the sea with his family, the connections he makes while on tour and in the studio, and the music he makes that is inspired by it all. "I go with the flow and the flow is never wrong. Unless it flows into the toilet, but I don't think I'm headed there."
NXNE Showcase:
Saturday, June 15
9PM
Free Times Cafe
320 College St.
Follow Svavar Knútur on Facebook & Twitter
facebook.com/SvavarKnutur
twitter.com/SvavarKnutur
Praise for Svavar Knútur
"For his third piece, he had both vocal and piano support from the Czech artist Markéta Irglová. Her input results in a good synergy with Knútur's voice." - Wim van Hooste - Icelandic
Music Review
"The jolly eccentrics of the earlier emcee are channeled into passionate concentration as he plucks away, adding swoon-worthy vocals to the beautiful simplicity and raw emotion of songs like Goodbye My Lovely. An outstanding evening of incredible talent." - Camilla Jones - Rave Magazine Brisbane
"Having more in common with singer/songwriters such as
Bon Iver or Dent May than any other Icelandic performer, Knutur is a revelation. ... There is a lot to love about Svavar Knutur and it's good to know he'll be back soon." - Andy Hazel - Inpress Magazine - Victoria
"Even though I don't understand one single word, I'm totally fascinated by the nocturnal acoustic guitar melodies, the slightly melancholic timbre of Svavar's voice and the wonderful backing vocals that are supported by a smooth, deep and slow bassline." -
Sebastian Schmidt -
Common folk meadow
"The room is completely silent and the first chords of Emotional Anorexic fall deeply into the ears of a stunned audience that had freaked out laughing just moments ago. He got us again." - Florian Zühlke - Reykjavik Grapevine
