BLOODGROUP - ICELAND (Reykjavík) ~ NORDIC MUSIC

This four-piece band is known for sensational live shows, their captivating melodies and powerfully crafted brand of electronic music. Having released one of the very best albums of 2009 in Iceland according to critics and others alike, Bloodgroup have risen from making simple electro pop in run-down houses in East-Iceland to something much bigger. [1]
Their music can be described as a mix of electro, pop and dance music, sometimes compared to The Knife and CSS. Their songs can be as nostalgic as Iceland, as energetic as the best rock and roll and as beautiful as the vocalist Sunna. All this is accompanied by a dance rhythm which will drag on the dancefloor even worst stiff. The word has been spread from Iceland to the rest of the world, that it is definitely worth to attend their concert, because very few bands give such great live shows. [2]
They proved it also in my country - Poland - and received lots of positive reviews after this year's show. Now Poland is eager for more of their music!
I think this short introduction should be followed by song, which has been hypnotizing me for a veeery long time - "My Arms", in which Janus Rasmussen took up the reins of lead singer and it was spot on!
Just find out for yourself...

"My Arms"

CONTENTS:

BAND NAME (etymology)

FORMATION YEAR

GENRE

HOMETOWN

RECORD LABEL

MEMBERS

HISTORY

DISCOGRAPHY

OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEOS

LIVE PERFORMANCES

I was lucky enough to get this firsthand information about Bloodgroup name etyomology - from Raggi, who came up with the idea for bandname very spontaneously:

"the story behind the name is a bit lame. We were doing a live interview just before our very first show, and the reporter asked us what our band name was. I opened my mouth and blurted out 'Bloodgroup'. Weird hah?"

I think the story isn't lame at all, it confirms that first thought is best thought, maybe better than long and complicated thought process in a search for commercially catchy name with assigned deep, deep meaning...

2006

Alternative electro pop

Reykjavík, Egilsstadir

Record Records

SUNNA
Margrét
(vocals)

JANUS
Rasmussen
(vocals, electronic percussion, synths)

RAGGI

Ragnar Láki Jónsson
(synths and samplers)

HALLUR

Kristján Jónsson
(synths and samplers)

FORMER MEMBER:

Lilja Kristín Jónsdóttir

(vocals)

Three of the members are siblings, Raggi, Lilja and Hallur. So making music together was an easy choice.
Bloodgroup was formed in 2006 by Hallur, Lilja, Raggi and Janus during some chilly winter days on the east coast of Iceland. After a few months of writing noticeable and catchy electronic dance pop, the group played at Iceland Airwaves festival. They received praise for a great live show, along with their terrific melodies and beats that seemed to get even the harshest metal heads to do the dance. The group evolved and got even better each time the went on stage, and are now considered one of the best live acts in Icelandic music.
[1]
Bloodgroup released their debut album, Sticky Situation, in November 2007. The album was very well received, and Bloodgroup were considered as one of the most interesting bands in Iceland following its release. The next two years were spent mostly on touring, playing festivals like SXSW in Austin, Texas, NXNE in Toronto, Canada, Roskilde festival in Denmark, CMJ in New York, Eurosonic in the Netherlands and Iceland Airwaves.
Bloodgroup's second album, Dry Land, was released in Iceland on December 2nd 2009. It has been one of the most successful albums in Iceland since its release, praised by critics and the first single, My Arms, has done extremely well on Icelandic radio. Dry Land received the Icelandic independent "Kraumur" Album awards and has been called "the best album of the year" by most critics in Iceland, and has been described as a big step forward for the band.
[2]

Albums:

'Sticky situations' (5.11.2007)

1 Moving like a tiger
2 Ain't easy
3 Hips Again
4 What I mean
5 Red Egypt
6 Try on
7 The carpenter
8 Chuck
9 Human qualtities
10 Masterplan11 Rain

'Dry land' (2.12.2009)