Puddlegum

Sindri of Seabear announced today on Myspace that they are writing new songs for their next album. “Yep we’re working on a new album these days and it’s going great.. Let’s hope it will come out this year.”

Last year Seabear found a home at Morr Music, label mates of Mum and Borko, among over thirty Icelandic artists. In August of `07 Seabear released The Ghost That Carried Us Away, an album that resonated well with fans of dreamy acoustic indie pop. They gave their first album, Singing Arc EP, away as a free download on their website, a glimpse at the direction the seven piece artists from Reykjavik would take.

Seabear are “always working in a studio thats in a book company down the stairs pass the photography studio in a basement that smells weird with apple cartons on the walls.”

I’m a sucker for Icelandic post-rock, and Morr Music is scratching this itch by bringing us bands like Seabear, Múm, and Benni Hemm Hemm. Borko is their latest offering, with the release of Celebrating Life.

Borko, whose actual name is Björn Kristjánsson, began writing Celebrating Life six years ago. During this lapse of time, Borko wrote music for theatre, film and modern dance, and taught in a primary school.

Largely instrumental, Borko layers simple guitar tracks with electronic experimentation, horns, bells, samples and strings. The eight tracks on Celebrating Life are full of color, dynamic and explosive. The electronic tones are intriguing, reminding me at times of old sci-fi sounds effects.

Borko spoke about the elements of life he is celebrating in his album:

“I’m very influenced by loads of great musicians in the music scene here in Iceland. I’m inspired by the kids in the school where I work. I’m inspired by good people, I’m inspired by bad people. I’m inspired by crazy after-parties. I’m inspired by good food. I’m inspired by alcohol. I’m inspired by mirror balls. I’m inspired by noises.”

10. Rosie Thomas - These Friends of Mine
Just as the title portrays, you feel as though you’re sitting in the studio with Rosie.

9. Seabear - The Ghost that Carried Us Away
This album makes me miss Iceland, though I’ve never been.

8. Taxi Taxi! - Taxi Taxi!
I could sit and listen to these Swedish twins sing all day.

7. Radiohead - In Rainbows
Not only did this album stir the industry up, these songs will be favorites for a long time.

6. Shout Out Louds - Our Ill Wills
Our Ill Wills struck me as an album I had heard before, yet never had.

5. The Innocence Mission - We Walked In Song
The Innocence Mission has a way of grabbing my emotions like no other band.

4. Blonde Redhead - 23
Phenomenal album. It felt like a chemical addiction and I kept sneaking spins.

3. The Forms - The Forms
Twelve songs, each under four minutes, and I find myself listening to them several times on repeat.

2. Pela - Anytown Graffiti
My friends will attest that I asked them if they had heard Pela yet, and made sure they had.

1. Twilight Sad - Fourteen Autumns, Fifteen Winters
Maybe it’s the thick Scottish accent, the shoegaze distortion, and lyrics that plot out like a well written film, but this album continues to amaze me.

I’m so lucky this week. I’ve been feeling just a tad under the weather and really needing softness around me - and that’s exactly what I got. Neighbours have been quiet, weather has been dull and dozy, and the right music found me.

I’m so relaxed right now and my arms are so heavy, I’m struggling to write this. What I really want to do is lie down, close my eyes and just listen, drift away.

I’ve got the new Seabear album on. If you’ve heard it, you’ll know exactly how I’m feeling. The Ghost That Carried Us Away is an exercise in soft, restrained, gentle, dreamy acoustic indie pop.

I can hear a whisper of Mr. E of the Eels in the vocal style. I can hear a silhouette version of The Shins, as if through a fog far, far away. Most of all, I can hear Belle and Sebastian as they used to be years and years ago, but again, only sketched. Sufjan Stevens is a heavy influence, but I am also reminded of Iron & Wine. That’s the best comparison I can come up with - Iron & Wine. Slow, draggy, makes you slump and not want to get up again.

I’m just… going… to check… my… cushions… are as… soft and fluffy… as I think.. they are…

(later) … I actually fell asleep. : )

Just looking up Seabear in YouTube and I see my response was entirely appropriate. Michel Gondry used Seabear in his film, The Science of Sleep (2006).

This is incredible. As some of you know, I have chronic insomnia, which is why you see me listening to music day and night. I wonder what makes this album so soporific? I have 754 artists/tracks tagged in my “music to fall asleep to” tag radio, and none have had this effect on me. Not so immediately anyway.

As I was drifting off, I heard “Just squeeze the blue out of the sky”, “You punched a hole in the sun” and “You’ve got a diamond under your skin”. The language of dreams; imagery to capture the imagination.

I shouldn’t really be surprised. Seabear are from Iceland, home of Sigur Rós, and are on the Morr Music label, specialists of idm, electronica and dreampop.

These videos are worth watching - they’re a showcase of what’s on the Morr Music label:

Part One (06.27)

Part Two (04.58)

I’ve got a craving for The Eels album, Blinking Lights and Other Revelations which I think should go well next. But where ‘Blinking Lights…’ is downbeat, rich and heavy with emotion and sadness, ‘The Ghost…’ is downtempo, slow and light. Like playing with soap bubbles. Watch the stopmotion video for this Seabears track and you’ll see what I mean.

To conclude: after today’s amazing response, I think I’ll be listening regularly, if not daily. Don’t play this album in your car, will you?! Wait till the end of the day, when all your jobs are done and it’s time to unwind. That’s the time for Seabear.

Seabear - Cat Piano

Seabear - The Ghost That Carried Us Away