Kraumur List presented for the fifth time

19.12.12

The Kraumur List 2012, the Kraumur Music Fund’s annual award for albums was introduced today.

There are six albums on the Kraumur List, all of the highest quality. This is exceptional work by enquiring, modern and outstanding musical artists.

The albums that were selected to be on the list are all original, interesting and enjoyable. A total of 20 albums were nominated for the awards and are on the Kraumur Élite List. It was no easy task to select from all the exceptional albums that were on this year’s Élite List. There is no doubt that the musical year 2012 was prosperous and promising for the future of Icelandic music. This may sound like a cliché but it is the truth nonetheless.

Árni Matthíasson, the chairman of the selection committee, announced the prize albums that are six as they were in the last two years.  The allocation of the prizes took place in Kraumur headquarters at Vonarstræti 4b with a group of guests attending.

The Kraumur List 2012 – Prize albums

  •        Ásgeir Trausti – Dýrð í dauðaþögn
  •        Hjaltalín – Enter 4
  •        Moses Hightower – Önnur Mósebók
  •        Ojba Rasta – Ojba Rasta
  •       Pétur Ben – God’s Lonely Man
  •       Retro Stefson – Retro Stefson

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Kraumur List presented for the fifth time

The Kraumur List’s (sometimes called the Kraumur Prize) objective is to support the release of albums from Icelandic bands and artists – by supporting and promoting new and exciting material – and work that exceed others in quality, ambition and originality. The award is not linked to any particular musical genre and there are no subcategories.  The organisers of the awards hope they can promote the diversity of Icelandic recordings, now that Christmas is near and artists rely on the sale of their work for Christmas gifts.

Prizes

Kraumur will emphasise supporting all the artists that are selected for the Kraumur List, rather than focusing only on the prize album. The Fund will support the albums on the Kraumur List and also assist in increasing the artists’ opportunities to promote their work internationally by buying a certain number of copies of the albums and distribute them to various professionals in the international music business (music festivals, recording studios, agencies etc.).

The selection committee of the Kraumur List 2012 consisted of twenty one people, and they were:

Alexandra Kjeld, Andrea Jónsdóttir, Anna Andersen, Arnar Eggert Thoroddsen, Arndís Björk Ásgeirsdóttir, Árni Matthíasson, Benedikt Reynisson, Berglind María Tómasdóttir, Egill Harðarson, Eldar Ástþórsson, Elísabet Indra Ragnarsdóttir, Helena Þrastardóttir, Helga Vala Helgadóttir, Hildur Maral Hamíðsdóttir, Höskuldur Daði Magnússon, Kamilla Ingibergsdóttir, Ólafur Páll Gunnarsson, Ómar Eyþórsson, Trausti Júlíusson and Þorkell Máni Pétursson.

The objective of Kraumur List

  •       To introduce and promote Icelandic music, especially the release of music by young artists and bands.
  •       To award and promote original and interesting Icelandic music albums released each year.
  •       To award and promote music albums which are exceptional in quality, ambition and originality.
  •       The award has no age requirements but the aim is to focus on the younger generation of Icelandic musicians and bands.
  •       The policy of the Kraumur List is to focus on all the titles selected by the selection committee, rather than only one prize album.
  •      The award is not linked to any particular musical genre and there are no subcategories.

The Kraumur List 2011 – Prize albums

  • ADHD – ADHD2
  • Lay Low – Brostinn Strengur
  • Reykjavík! – Locust Sounds
  • Samaris – Hljóma Þú (ep)
  • Sin Fang – Summer Echoes
  • Sóley – We Sink

The Kraumur List 2010 – Prize albums

  • Apparat Organ Quartet – Pólyfónía
  • Daníel Bjarnason – Processions
  • Ég – Lúxus upplifun
  • Jónas Sigurðsson – Allt er eitthvað
  • Nolo – No-Lo-Fi
  • Ólöf Arnalds – Innundir skinni

The Kraumur List 2009 – Prize albums

  • Anna Guðný Guðmundsdóttir – Vingt regards sur l’enfant Jésus
  • Bloodgroup – Dry Land
  • Helgi Hrafn Jónsson – For the Rest of my Childhood
  • Hildur Guðnadóttir – Without Sinking
  • Hjaltalin – Terminal
  • Morðingjarnir – Flóttinn mikli

The Kraumur List 2008 – Prize albums

  • Agent Fresco – Lightbulb Universe
  • FM Belfast – How to Make Friends
  • Hugi Guðmundsson – Apocrypha
  • Ísafold – All Sounds to Silence Come
  • Mammút – Karkari
  • Retro Stefson – Montaña