It’s a curious thing, this obsession with Iceland. It affects different people in different ways. Take, for example, Wit and Lisa. Having traveled to Iceland each year for the Airwaves festival, and each time sworn they wouldn’t be back next year, they have recently opened an Iceland-themed cafe/bar in Southsea, Portsmouth. There is a tendency, […]

I travelled to Booka Books in Oz tonight (Oswestry, not Australia) to meet Hannah Kent, author of the acclaimed Burial Rites, which is set in Iceland. We had a good old natter about all things Icelandic, awkwardly signed each other’s books, and she even posed with a copy of Iceland, Defrosted! Full interview to follow.

Alda Sigmundsdóttir is a respected writer, journalist, blogger and consultant on all things Iceland. During the economic crisis, she chronicled what life was like in Iceland, mainly for the world’s non-Icelandic speaking media, and on her blog The Icelandic Weather Report. I do wonder how many tourists have unintentionally clicked on her blog, though. Alda […]

The ever delightful Rökkurró have unveiled a new track today. Called ‘White Mountain’, it was premiered by The 405 and is an absolute beauty. I’m smitten with this band, but this and last years ‘Killing Time’ surely mean they are working towards a very special album.

So, here’s the thing. Several of my favourite things are combining on 10th May, are you are all invited. Let me explain. As readers of Iceland, Defrosted will know, I’m a huge fan of singer/songwriter Hafdís Huld. I managed to catch an interview with her a few years ago, which appears in the book itself, […]

CELL7 is making a splash in the Icelandic and international music scene. Cited by some as the Icelandic MIA, CELL7 is multi-talented Ragna Kjartansdóttir, a Filipino-Icelandic rapper, songwriter and sound engineer. Previously of Icelandic hip-hop team Subterranean, CELL7 returned to the music scene in autumn 2013 with her album, CELLF. CELLF was brought to life […]

Some places just get it right, don’t they? I had my first visit to Booka Books in Oswestry today, and they definitely have got it right. The combination of books, coffee and cakes is too good to miss, but when it’s presented like this, it’s like catnip to me. I lost myself browsing for books […]