A lot has happened since we last wrote a newsletter.. WOW! - where to begin?....  :)

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5 video singles

We have our 5 video singles OUT NOW! They are all released in 2015, with support from Synthadelia Records, co-recorded by Daði Birgisson and each video is directed by a female director.

Directors:

Þjóðlagið: Jess Swainson

Fram: Björk Viggósdóttir

Grúskuvals: Harpa Fönn Sigurjónsdóttir

Brokk: Kristín Helga Karlsdóttir

Raddataktur: Þórunn Ylfa Brynjólfsdóttir

The video singles are available HERE.

ÍRiS

the very talented musician iRiS, has joined the band. We are so thrilled to have her onboard! http://irismusiciris.com/. Welcome Íris! 

Tour around the UK

We just finished a tour around the West Country side UK, with 3 shows in Bristol (the Exchange, Crofters, Start the Bus), Cardiff (Buffalo Bar) and Glastonbury (The Kind Arthur). We loved it so much, that we are coming back to the UK in the fall og 2016! very exciting :D 

Live performances

We have been playing a lot live, and been busy here in Reykjavík ;) We have played Húrra a couple of times, Gaukurinn, Bar 11, Kvennó, Dillon… We have been lucky enough to share the stage with amazing talents, like Caterpillarmen, Jara, Just Another Snake Cult, Milkhouse, Sacha Bernardsen and more…. Please have a look at website under “LIVE” 

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Glastonbury residency

We loved Glastonbury so much, that we are going back there to write in the fall! We will spend a few days there in a residency, and hopefully write some lovely twisted tunes, and then play a few show afterwards around the area. We can not wait! 

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until next time....

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love,

the Gb´s

We are so happy to share with you our new newsletter, as today just these two last months, we are releasing two new singles - Fram and Grúskuvals - the second and third in a series of 5 video singles! :D

5 video singles

Fram is written by Grúska Babúska, recorded with Guðni Einarsson, Hljóðheimar, and Daði Birgisson, co-Produced and mixed by Daði Birgisson. Video by Björk Viggósdóttir,

Grúskuvals is written by Grúska Babúska, with a vocal input from ÍRiS, http://irismusiciris.com, co-produced by Daði Birgisson. Video by Orange ‘Ear, http://orange-ear.de/, co-directed by Harpa Fönn Sigurjónsdóttir, camera assistant Carolina Salas.

Both singles are released by Grúska Babúska and Synthadelia Records, Reykjavík, 6th of August 2015.

Fram is about moving on and moving forward (forward = fram). Even when things sometimes seem confusing - black and white, good and bad, happy and sad, and you are stuck in finding reasons and justifications to hold on - you should rather look at the right perspective, tear loose and move on....

Grúskuvals is about when something (or even a someone) from the past is hunting the now and your whole existence. The images and the spirits of the past hover and whisper everywhere around until the intensity thickens around your throat, but still you always linger for this past - you try to rewake it, you try to go back, wishing that it could be what it was…. but at the same time with massive tears and fears.

And the more you linger on that emotion and try to hold to it, then it somehow awakes! in a very twisted way… which is not necessarily good of course….

New recordings

We are very excited to announce that we will record and produce video single no 4 and 5, and therefore finish our video singles of 5, with Daði Birgisson from Monotown. The two remaining songs will be out in 2015, and are called Raddatakt and Brokk.

live performances

We have been on a bit of a brake since spring time, as some of us have been busy starting a family.  We are still 5 in the band, but just recently we had the pleasure of collaborating with the very talented musician iRiS, http://irismusiciris.com/. The collaboration was amazing and we so hope to work with her in the future ;)

So those are our very very happy news and amazingly exciting times ahead with the Grúskas!

Until next time and please share our video and single Fram and Grúskuvals.

xx
Grúska Babúska

We are so happy to share with you our new newsletter, as today, 6th of September 2014, we are releasing our single, Þjóðlagið! 

Þjóðlagið single

The single was recorded in a studio in Grandi, Reykjavík, in April this year, mixed and mastered by Mike Lindsay. 

A beautiful video was made by Jess Swainson and was released the same day and is accessible here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBKKxYcZefE and here: https://vimeo.com/105488581

Þjóðlagið is a special mantra about how our heart and mind doesn´t always tune in or sync together. Sometimes our heart wants to cry out in genuine despair or happiness, but unfortunately our mind and ego stops us from doing what our heart really wants and we tend to fall into our same route of behaviour pattern and defense mechanism.... And it frustrates - to the point were our body and hormones take over and our skin, need for closeness and our senses vibrate eagerly... until we finally let go and take off our clothes. Sleppa tökunum.... Fara úr fötunum.... 

Show in Laugarnestangi, 

On 6th of September we celebrated the release of our single and video by putting up a show at the Icelandic director´s Hrafn Gunnlaugsson home. It was the first time we played together in 2014, and we really really loved it! The atmosphere was vibrant and cosy at the same time, at Hrafn´s wonky magical fairytail land. 

Blárkjár, Kría Brekkan, Kira Kira and Lucky Hymnists performed with us and helped us create a magical night ;) Thanks to all of those who came and enjoyed and listened! We are sure to put up another show in a years time and can not wait!

The new video was then screened at the end of the show, with a great delivery to the audience.

The International Northern Wave film festival

We are thrilled to announce that the video by Jess Swainson has been chosen to compete for the Icelandic music video of the year! We are so excited and honoured by the nomination. Here is a link to the festival: http://northernwavefestival.com/

New recordings

We are very excited to announce that we will record another single, Fram, with Daði Birgisson from Monotown. We are heading to the studio next week and can not wait to release a new song ;)

The band

We have been on a bit of a brake since spring time, and have been looking into the future and next steps of Grúska Babúska. Well, after a very thought up bonding and talking session, we decided that we just couldn´t be without each other and our music, and are so very very happy to announce that Arndís has re-entered the band! We are then now 5 in the band and can not wait to start making music, recording, rehearsing and playing together again ;)

So those are our very very happy news and amazingly exciting times ahead with the Grúskas!

Until next time and please share our video and single Þjóðlagið.

xx

Grúska Babúska

It sure is time for a new newsletter from us. So many things have happened and are about to happen! 

Live shows

After Airwaves last year - 2013, which was a blast and very successful festival for us - we decided to focus entirely on the new album. We are sorry for all the shows we´ve had to say no to because of this, but our head and spirit was so ready to start finalizing the new album and start rehearsing and playing some new stuff! We´ll hopefully have shows coming up soon after the new album is finished in 2014, and we´ll keep you posted on those for sure.

Swifts in the band

Arndís had to unfortunately leave the band, once we started writing the new album. We will miss her deeply and she still remains our biggest supporter and talent and will hopefully join us on stage for some live shows later ;)

But in came another amazing musician - a breathe of freshness and inspiration - Björk Viggósdóttir, who is also known as being the band member of former progressive experimental rock band Lúna and currently with her own project of electronic vibes and magical visuals, called La La Alaska: <a>https://soundcloud.com/lala-alaska</a>

Writing

We have almost finished all the writing and pre-production and recordings of our new album and we are bringing the stuff into a studio in the end of june. We had a little pre-run in the studio last weekend (4-6 April) and recorded and produced and mixed one of our songs - which will be the single of our new album.We are getting SO excited to finalize the whole thing and bring it out there… and play!!!

A new music video for our first single will be out in MAY!We are thrilled to announce that our first video of the new album will be made by illustrator/video artist Jess Swainson!!! <a>https://www.behance.net/JessSwainson</a>The single, with the video, will be out in May 2014… and we can not wait ;)

More news about the release

At the moment we do not have more news about the release, as we don´t want to ruin any surprises and are also still figuring things out, but all we have to say is that it´s coming out 2014 and it´s going to be awesome!

Until next time,lots of love!

Grúska Babúska

www.gruskababuska.com

gruskababuska@gmail.com

Yes, yes, yes, we are back with our fourth newsletter, full of exciting things and news! Read, enjoy and share....

A show in Laugarnestangi at Hrafn Gunnlaugsson place

We put up a show - and performed with 4 other musicians - at the amazing, wonky, one-of-a-kind villa and fairy-tale world of the eccentric Icelandic filmmaker Hrafn Gunnlaugsson. The scenery is absolutely extraordinary there and the music really suited the extremely artistic, special and wonky nest of the Icelandic Raven (Hrafn in Icelandic means Raven)

The event started with BBQ hot dogs and  then music from Low Roar, Cheek Mountain Thief, Caterpillarmen, DJ Flugvél og Geimskip and us. 

Please have a look at some photos in our gallery! 

Airwaves - on venue 

Woohoohoo! We are playing Iceland Airwaves Music Festival! What an honour and we are so excited! :) 

Our slot is on Wednesday the 30th of October at 20.50 at Harlem bar. And we´ll be releasing our B-sides the same day and selling at the show!

Airwaves off- venue

We also have a few off venue shows that are for free and where you can also get the B-side:

Thu 31 Oct - 13.00 at the Nordic House

Fri 1 Nov - 19.00 at Hlemmur Square

Sat 2 Nov - 18.00 at Bar 11

Sun 3 Nov - 14.30 at Skuggabar

The B-side release

We are absolutely thrilled to confirm the date for our B-side Grúska Babúska release. The release date is on the Wednesday the 30th of October. The physical release is extremely limited and will only be accessible during our shows over Airwaves, but a digital copy will also be release shortly after Airwaves. So be sure to come to one of our shows and pick up a copy of the B-side. We promise that you will not get disappointed with the physical copy.... !:)

Our next album

Our next album is still going on strong, and you´ll hopefully hear something before next Christmas, and the album will be out next spring! yeah, yeah yeah!!!

Well, once again we´re back with our newsletter for July/August 2013! We´ve mostly been enjoying the summer and having a bit of a vacation, but we´ve missed you all and hope you all have too! :)

A newborn grúska!

We truly welcome our newest and yet smallest fan! - Those of you who didn´t know - Guðrún Birna delivered a baby girl some 3 weeks back... The rest of us girls are so excited for her! CONGRATS!!! ;)

Melodica Reykjavík Festival

We wil be playing the Reykjavík Melodica Aucistic Festival, please see: https://www.facebook.com/events/143148195890756/?fref=ts and http://melodicafestival.org/post/57093853157/melodica-reykjavik-lineup-playing-times

We´ll be performing at 3.40 in the Maritime museum on the 24th of August, at the old Reykjavík Harbour area. We are super excited as lots of really interesting bands are performing over the festival! :) - from all over!

So we´l see you on the 24th! at 3.40, down by the harbour..... 

A show in Laugarnestangi

We are thrilled to announce that we´ll be implementing our Karolina fund, wwwkarolinafund.com, pledge!!! We´ll be putting up a show, and performing, at the amazing, wonky, one-of-a-kind villa and fairy-tail world of the eccentric Icelandic filmmaker Hrafn Gunnlaugsson. We can not wait to perform at this beautiful place, overlooking the see, the mountains and the city of Reykjavík. 

The event will start at 17.00 and go on throughout the night, with the bands Cheek Mountain Thief, Caterpillarmen, DJ Flugvél og Geimskip and us. We´ll be offering some drink and BBQ some hot dogs for the crew! YEAH!!!

So be there. This is the once in a lifetime opportunity! Do not miss it! :)

If you wanna book tickets or get more information about this gig send us a line: gruskababuska@gmail.com

a performance in a cave in Iceland September

Stay tune for the implementation of one of our other pledges from Karolina fund - but that involved a private unplugged concert in a cave, and a private tour around the cave. We plan to implement this pledge in September so stay tuned on our facebook! If you wanna book tickets or get more information about this gig send us a line: gruskababuska@gmail.com

More promotion

We just got a very nice feauture on Rocksucker.co.uk – Rocksucker features regular big-name music interviews, which in recent times have included the likes of Ian Brown, The Stranglers, Jethro Tull, Def Leppard, Meat Loaf, Dave Davies (The Kinks), The Vaccines, Elbow, Super Furry Animals, Snow Patrol, Feeder, Grandaddy, Deerhoof, The Dandy Warhols, The Brian Jonestown Massacre and many, many more. 

Grúska Babúska was one of their showcases, please read all about it here: 

http://rocksucker.co.uk/2013/08/showcase-gruska-babuska.html

An 4 tunes digital EP release

Is coming up before airwaves, or in October this year. The 4 songs featured are the B-side of our babuskha usb album, so it will be even more interesting to see and get reactions from the audience for these new 4 wonky tunes....... ;)

Our next album

We have started recording our new album! You´ll hopefully hear something before next Christmas, and the album will be out next spring! YEAH! 

That´s all for now... we can not wait to see you guys at Laugarnestangi on the 31st of August!!!!!

So here we are back with our newsletter no 2! And SO many things happened since last :) wow.... where to begin....: 

The tour in the UK

We played around in London from 11th to 14th of April. All the venues were so cool and we were so well received! Wow, thank you everyone that made it to our shows. We are so truly grateful. We are already thinking about when to play again in the UK.... Well, or anywhere around the world! Hmmmmm?..... Russia, Japan, Belgium, Holland, USA.... ? Ahh.... dreaming is good, but we sincerely hope we can visit you all and turn them into reality, and so many more places!

Our debut release 

We released our music on an babushka doll usb stick just recently. In April/May with the UK label Static Caravan, and online with the Icelandic label Synthadelia Records

http://www.staticcaravan.org/

http://synthadeliarecords.bandcamp.com/

We´ve had great reaction and reviews of our album! It´s been played on BBC6 a few of times, as well as some reviews have dropped in! It´s so beautiful and flattering that our music is being heard so widely and we are so thankful and excited for that. 

Reviews and plays:

http://www.vitalweekly.net/879.html

http://www.discoveringiceland.com/music/gruska-babuska-album-review/ 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01sfhj3

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b021m3tp

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b021mfnw

There are still a few babuscka doll usb sticks left of our album. You can order the from here:http://www.staticcaravan.org/ (send an e-mail to: geoff@staticcaravan.org).

And if they run out, you can order our album online here:

http://synthadeliarecords.bandcamp.com/album/gr-ska-bab-ska

More shows

We are planning some shows in August now, locally. One around Reykjavík Culture Night (around 23rd - 25th of August) and another one the weekend after - at the amazing, wonky, one-of-a-kind villa and fairy-tail world of the eccentric Icelandic filmmaker Hrafn Gunnlaugsson. We can not wait to perform at this beautiful place, overlooking the see, the mountains and the city of Reykjavík. 

We´ll keep you posted nearer to the time, but the date is set - the 31st of Agust. You can also tune into our facebook page to be sure not to miss it!: 

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Grúska-Babúska/342196042480495?fref=ts

A new B-side EP

On the 1st of October, we´ll be releasing an online 4 track B-side EP! The single from that EP will be released on the 1st of August and the second single on the 1st of September. The EP will be FREE OF CHARGE - but limited edition available for download.

So please stay tuned on our website and facebook page to ensure a copy!

A full 10 track album! 

And on top of that!.... : At the moment 10 tunes are being written, arranged and sung and played on. We went to a summer cabin for some days and wrote a bunch of wonky sounds and beats and melodies, which have now resulted in 10 new songs!!! At the end of this month we´ll be going to the studio of Hljóðheimar:http://hljodheimar.is/, to record the first song from this new experience. And believe you us - these new songs are even more cooler - more mature, more fixed and more confident, then our last album. Wow, it´s going to something else!... That´s for sure:)

A new babushka!!? :)

Guðrún Birna, our singer and guitarist, is pregnant and is expecting in the beginning of July! We are so thrilled and excited for her - and the newborn will definetely be a huge fan of our music - having had to listen to it throughout the past 8 months ;) 

We can not wait to welcome the little babushka into our world of music :) 

That´s all for now, and please continue to stay tuned at:

www.gruskababuska.com

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Grúska-Babúska/342196042480495?ref=ts&fref=ts

https://twitter.com/gruskababuska

https://new.myspace.com/gruskababuskaband

xx

Grúska Babúska

gruskababuska@gmail.com

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Launch show in KEX- Reykjavík, Iceland on 3rd of April

We played for a full house in KEX Hostel last Wednesday. The program was full of surprises - starting with the electronic-piano-loop vibe from Mikael Lind, following with an audio/visual ineractive performance by FERSTEINN, followed by our own music, where we performed the full album as well as two extra songs.

Album release in Iceland and the UK on 1st of April

Our album was released here in Iceland in the 1st of April. The album was released on an usb-babushka doll and is now available in 12 Tónar and Smekkleysa in Iceland. The Birmingham label, Static Caravan, will release the usb in the UK and distributes. It will be available through their website soon!: http://www.staticcaravan.org/item.asp?Ref=261, 

Tour!
We are going on Tour tomorrow, the 11th of April, to London, where we´ll be playing three shows:

11. April - The Windmill í Brixton, London - http://www.facebook.com/events/150693478422969/?fref=ts
12. April - the Dublin Castle, London - http://www.ents24.com/web/venue/London/Dublin-Castle-4154.html

14. april - Boogaloo, London - https://www.facebook.com/Hullabalooattheboogaloo

Project funded through Karolina crowdfunding! - http://www.karolinafund.com/project/view/80 

In March we launched a project through the Karolina crowdfunding page where we asked people to pledge to our project and therefore receiving some very cool prices and by doing so supporting our release and tour in the UK! On 3rd of April the project was fully funded! We thank you big time for your support and making our dream come true. We are absolutely bursting with joy!!!! :) Over the 

next days we will fulfill the pledges and send off the prices. Thank you all once again ;)



SEE YOU IN LONDON!

The grúska babúskas xxx