Bloodgroup

Artist Information

Biography

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.

The four-piece band is known for sensational live shows, their captivating melodies and powerfully crafted brand of electronic music. 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. What's next for Bloodgroup? World domination or simple stardom?

Instrumentation

Hallur - Bass synth, Vocal Fx
Janus - Synth, Lead Vocal
Raggi - synthesizers
Sunna - Lead Vocal

Discography

//2009
Bloodgroup's second studio album was released in Iceland on Dec 2nd.
Bloodgroup received the independent "Kraumur" album awards 2009 for the album. Dry Land is scheduled to be released in Europe/US early 2011.

reviews:
Morgunbladid: 4,5/5 (album of the year)
Frettabladid: 5/5 (album of the year)
Rjominn.is: 4/5 (Readers album of the year)
Reykjavik Grapevine: 3/3
Laut.de: 4/5


//2007
Debut album "Sticky Situation" was release in Iceland and Faroe Islands November 7th.
Sitcky Situation is also available worldwide on iTunes.

The album features 11 original songs recorded at various SILD studio locations in Iceland. Mixing done by Bloodgroup at SILD and SYRLAND Studios Reykjavik. Mastered by Guy Davie at The Exchange in London.

Sticky Situation:
(4/5) Morgunbladid
(4/5) Frettabladid
(4/5) DV
(3/5) Drowned in Sound
(3.5/5) Rjominn
(87/100) MONITOR
(4/6) Dimmalaetting

Compilations:
//2006
"Santa Baby" - Electric Fantastic Sound (X-mas compilation). Released in SWEDEN
//2008
"Hips Again" from Sticky Situation featured on "Broken Hearts in Paris" released in FRANCE
//2008
"Moving Like A Tiger" from Sticky Situation featured on "The Morgans Compilation" released in USA
//2008
"Chuck" from Sticky Situation featured on "CMJ Music Compilation" released in USA
//2010
"My Arms" from Dry Land was released on several Icelandic compilation CD's.

Links

• Facebook
• Last.fm
• MySpace
• Twitter
• Youtube

Audio

• MY ARMS (album: Dry Land)
  Listen  
• THIS HEART (album: Dry Land)
  Listen  
• Moonstone (album: Dry Land)
  Listen  

Video

Photo Gallery

Press

• Iceland's most unmissable [+ Show ]
  

  Bloodgroup London, 229 "Don't be fooled by the Hammer horror handle - Bloodgroup may be bludgeon...Bloodgroup
  London, 229
  
  "Don't be fooled by the Hammer horror handle - Bloodgroup may be bludgeoning long on unsubtlety, but they're bracingly short in gothic gloom. Co-fronter Janus'Euro-hop geek-chic may be an aquired taste, but partner Lilja is unquestionably starry, sneaking Bjorky flicky bits into her come-hither trill and announcing amazedly that the album's "quite good, actually!", and from the MSTRKRFTy thunderstorm of opening 'Moving Like a Tiger' through the vixenishly PJ Harveyeque 'Hips Again' to the windmilling-on-tables disco-treadmill trouble of 'Chuck', they're a thrilling brew akin to an overwrought Underworld; more gigs in this vain ant they'll practically be Iceland's most unmissable..."
  
  Iain Moffat - The Fly
  February, 2008

• By:Larm - The highlight of the final night [+ Show ]
  

  By:Larm Festival, Oslo, Norway "The highlight of the final night was Icelandic electro-pop act, B...By:Larm Festival, Oslo, Norway
  
  "The highlight of the final night was Icelandic electro-pop act, Bloodgroup, who unleashed a whirlwind of sleazy electro disco. At times they sounded contrived, with lyrics including 'You've got to move your ass / To realise that it's the best!', but the boy/girl vocal interplay, wash of electronic melody and filthy basslines won over the crowd, which was in raptures of ecstasy by the time the final chord rang out."
  
  Rob Dabrowski
  The Notion / Hot Ticks
  May 2008

• Final Score - America: 0 /The Rest of the World (Iceland): 1 [+ Show ]
  

  Much Music: Having had a flood of press releases hit my inbox about the Icelandic electro-house q...Much Music:
  
  Having had a flood of press releases hit my inbox about the Icelandic electro-house quartet, Bloodgroup for the past two weeks, I decided to give them a chance to hit me with their best shot (musically speaking, we’ve had enough verbal/physical assaults last Sunday with Will.i.am dropping a different kind of beat on Perez allegedly) (editor’s note: if you believe Perez).
  Thanks to my two-night stand experience with Guelph synthers, Green Go, I was preparing myself for an onslaught of synthy goodness and Bloodgroup did not disappoint. At times thrusting Kate M. into a euphoric freedom dance, the crowd went crazy creeping closer and closer to the former-Air Sex Championships stage as the magnetic frontman, Janus, exchanged endearing glances with the his equally enthralling and undeniably alluring frontwoman, while performing “Ain’t Easy.”
  
  For bringing us good tunes and the keytar, Canada salutes you Iceland.
  Final Score for NXNE on Thursday, June 18.
  Canada: 1
  America: 0
  The Rest of the World Iceland: 1
  While NXNE does whet our inner-indie appetites, let’s not let our inner patriot forget that like the Southern counterpart, NXNE is a Mecca for all bands to flock to, Canadian or Non-Canadian. We’re a cosmopolitan of diverse music, art and culture, why not bask in it?
  So to answer your question Mr. NXNE-should-be-all-CanCon to why there was a band from Iceland playing that night? Well, I guess you’ll never know…at least until they come back.
  ## http://blog.muchmusic.com/nxne-to-cancon-or-to-not-cancon/

• claim for Reykjavik´s party crown [+ Show ]
  

  "Bloodgroup also stacked their claim for Reykjavik´s party crown with their own brand of dance pop t..."Bloodgroup also stacked their claim for Reykjavik´s party crown with their own brand of dance pop that showcased a three-keyboard attack and th Icelandic Karen O, who resembled the Yeah Yeah Yeahs frontwoman from her sexy vocals to her bobbed hair and spandex tights. Only once did Bloodgroup´s dance party let up so that they could 'slow it down for some sex.'"
  -Joel Hoard

• Bloodgroup are making serious waves [+ Show ]
  

  From Iceland, Bloodgroup have been making serious waves since their appearance at Airwaves last year...From Iceland, Bloodgroup have been making serious waves since their appearance at Airwaves last year. So serious that we couldn't actually get into the venue a good half hour before they were due to play. But a quick go on their myspace reveals some throbbing she-robo-disco, and a debut album 'Sticky Situation' that sounds well worth checking out.
  
  -NME on Eurosonic Festival 2008

• Iceland Airwaves 08 the DiS awards: Best Icelandic Party [+ Show ]
  

  Best Icelandic Party; sponsored by Raz's Liver: Saturday night's always the night to party and nobo...Best Icelandic Party; sponsored by Raz's Liver:
  Saturday night's always the night to party and nobody knows how to party like the islanders do. A totally unofficial gig at a Thai karaoke bar (they needed to build the stage), next to Reykjavik's strip club (yes, the strippers joined us) is always going to be interesting. With the kings of Faroese indie, Boys In A Band as well as hard-touring natives Skatar and Bloodgroup on the bill, this was a showcase of the finest the country has to offer.
  
  by Sean Adams
  http://drownedinsound.com/in_depth/4135498

• Best new band at Airwaves [+ Show ]
  

  "The best new Icelandic band I saw at Airwaves was Bloodgroup. Great songwriting, cool sound, a grea..."The best new Icelandic band I saw at Airwaves was Bloodgroup. Great songwriting, cool sound, a great frontwoman and a particularly joyful and lively performance on stage."
  -Trausti Juliusson

• Radiating Bloodgroup [+ Show ]
  

  "...[Bloodgroup] have a funky groove about them and also the unselfishness that you have to admire. ..."...[Bloodgroup] have a funky groove about them and also the unselfishness that you have to admire. I saw them perform last Icelandic Airwaves (they happened to go on after a very good dj) and I was totally unprepared for the effect they had on me and I ended up staying for the whole gig.
  
  They also seem to radiate this charm that you have to experience for yourself because you can dance to their tunes as well as just chilling, they are good for whatever mood you are in."
  - Margret - GETRVK.COM

• Iceland has more to offer than Björk and Sigur-Rós... [+ Show ]
  

  "Und es gibt einige Musiker in Island, die auch international in Erscheinung treten wollen. Island w..."Und es gibt einige Musiker in Island, die auch international in Erscheinung treten wollen. Island wird auch deshalb auf der Berliner Musikmesse PopKomm im Herbst erstmals mit einem Stand vertreten sein. Neue Musiker wie der Songwriter Petur Ben, Elektro-Popper wie Bloodgroup oder Belfast FM und superharte Rock-Acts wie Dr. Spock und Reykjavik! können auch in europäischen Clubs und Hallen beweisen, dass Island nicht nur seine bekannten Stars Björk und Sigur Ros zu bieten hat"

• DiS's guilty pleasure of the festival [+ Show ]
  

  Bloodgroup sound like they should be a heavy metal outfit, but here's the news: they most certainly ...Bloodgroup sound like they should be a heavy metal outfit, but here's the news: they most certainly are not. Rather, this Icelandic quartet deal in glitchy new-rave pop, the kind that should, in theory, ensure they're snapped up to some cash-happy major looking for the next Klaxons by the time you read this. Their sweaty set in NASA reminds us of Hadouken! fronted by a younger, geekier Madonna - in other words, they ain't that original but all their songs are a) about sex and b) riddled with filthy electro beats. They prove to be DiS's guilty pleasure of the festival.
  
  
  by Shain Shapiro and Rob Webb
  http://www.drownedinsound.com/articles/2525749

Setlist

usually 8-12 original songs
40 - 90 minutes.

Basic Requirements

Calendar