Photo by Birgisdóttir Ingibjörg
Oh spring, you lovely little thing! Can you feel it in the air? The days are getting longer again, the bird awoke and the temperatures rise again. Yes, winter is finally ready to retreat as we embrace the blessing of a new season. And here to join us for that purpose is beloved Icelandic songwriter Sóley Stefánsdóttir. As her forthcoming new album Endless Summer (Out on May 5 via Indigo/ Morr Music) is a melancholic but hopeful interpretation of the year’s sunnier seasons, we thought it might be fitting to ask SÓLEY for her favourite spring tunes and asked her a few questions about her delicate selection right here.
What is your firmest memory of spring?
I clearly remember cold april days, like around to Easter when snow has usually melted, sun is brighter and the weather is very still. I have that weather kept deep in my brain from my childhood.
Any special picks in your selection which we should take a closer look on?
It’s a really random playlist but it almost all contains some summer, spring or sun in it. When I was totally out of ideas I just added some nice songs that I thought reminded me of the summer. You should check out ERIC CHENAUX, ABRA (I really like her) and I love this song Good to you again by IKO CHÉRIE.
It’s a small step from spring to summer which brings us to Endless Summer, an album that turns out to have a more melancholic perspective on the season. How come?
Well… this is my attempt to do a summer album! (laughs) No, but to be honest there are few reasons. After releasing and touring Ask the deep for a year i got extremely tired. I wasn’t enjoying my project, not as i should. Everything was so heavy and i was never happy with anything. I wanted to take a U-turn with my project. My first note about my new album was: ‘Write about hope and spring’. I bought myself a grand piano and started writing. I finished writing all the songs in 5 months and as soon as i felt i was pushing myself to create, i stopped. I was like, that’s it. I enjoyed it so much, the album just ran out smoothly. So meditating.
The title came even before the album. It’s not really about an endless summer it’s more the desire for an endless summer during other seasons. I started working on it in January 2016, then spring came, then summer, then autumn and i finished it in December 2016. So I went through all the seasons while working on it.
But would I want a summer never to end? Or do I need the dynamics that the different seasons have? I like waiting for the summer. I like having nostalgic memories of when night becomes a day without you noticing. Everything fades into each other.
Also, in Iceland during summertime the sun never goes down. It’s insane. The energy is just crazy. You never want to sleep. It feels kinda endless, doesn’t it? One can only hope that the feeling comes back.
Spring is also a season of hope and this one’s deperately needed in these times. What is your personal hope for mankind these days?
Well, I’d start with a fucking peace. I’d want every child in the world to feel safe. Ideally i’d like everyone to watch the movie Earthlings and then I’d crush down capitalism.
Alright now, what better soundtrack to detroy capitalism than this spring playlist featuring classics by THE ZOMBIES and NINA SIMONE, right next to contemporary beauties by SUFJAN STEVENS and SOLANGE. Follow, stream and enjoy!
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