FURA is the new, magnetizing musical project on the Icelandic scene, born in a small fishing town on the East Coast. It is a collaboration project of Björt Sigfinnsdóttir and the producers – Hallur Jónsson and Janus Rasmussen (Bloodgroup). Their first single “Demons” has been released in september 2013. For the next song we had to wait until the beginning of 2014. But it’s been worth it! „Poems of the Past” is a great track, that makes me feel impatient while waiting for the upcoming EP.
I’ve talked to Bjórt about the beginning of the project, their music and plans for the future. Here it is!
Bartek: I would like to get back to the beginning of Fura. I’ve found the song Desperate Silence which I think (I might be wrong :)) is Björt solo record. That’s why I wanted to ask you what was the beginning of Fura? Do you started play as a band, project or maybe it’s been evolving over time?
FURA: In the start FURA was Björt’s solo project and she had been working on an album for some years when she decided to drop it, start from scratch and her, Hallur and Janus started collaborating in the late 2012.
Bartek: Janus and Hallur are well-known in Poland, because of Bloodgroup (also Byrta and Kiasmos). But I have to ask you about Björt, whose voice and lyrics make your songs flowing into listeners heads and just stay there for a long time. Could you introduce Björt to us?
FURA: Björt comes from a small, magical fishing town on the east coast of Iceland called Seyðisfjörður. She was born and raced under the majestic mountains, protected and inspired by the extreme landscape. She was a hyper active child missing the right platform for her creative output. As a result from that, during her teenage years, Björt co-founded the LungA Art festival together with her mother and two others and she has been managing that festival every year since 2000. In addition to that she co-founded the LungA school, last year together with Jonatan Spejlborg Jensen and runs that as her day time job at the moment. The LungA school is a folk high school with focus on self development through art and creativity (www.lunga.is). Björt is educated in music, both classical, jazz and electronical music as well as vocal techniques. She studied fashion design for a while and art theory as well. Finally she graduated as a Kaospilot in 2012, which is a creative entrepreneur, leadership and project management school with great focus on self development.
Björt is a passionated doer with great sense for people. She is a walking emotional explosion and has spent most her life trying to figure out how to express her feelings in a comprehendible way. Her music and lyrics have proven to be the most suitable passage so far.
Bartek: There are three of your latest records, what people can find in the Internet. Demons, Poems Of The Past and Raining. Do you have all the songs from the new album already recorded? When we can expect it to be released?
FURA: Well both Desperate silence and Raining is from the not released solo album of Björt and should not be on the internet actually, but Demons and Poems of the past are from the coming album of FURA which we expect to be ready later this year.
Bartek: The most magnetizing thing about your music is the mood, subtle vocals, melodies and musical space in which you mix different music genres like electronic, chillout, downtempo, jazz, rock… Could you tell us more about your inspirations and the musical path, which you want to lead your listeners?
FURA: We definitely want to lead our listener through a journey of their own emotional story. We like them to connect to our music in a personal way and find their own mental space in the lyrics, the bass, the melody or just a single note for that matters. We are telling our stories, but even though we as human beings are all formed by our different pasts, experiences and surroundings, we can always, if we just look close enough, find symmetries or relate to what others have gone through. At least to a certain point. It sometimes demands the use of our imagination to be able to look beyond the facts and focus on the feelings. And this it is important to realise this as it is the core ingredient for empathy and we need more empathy in the world.
Bartek: Icelandic bands and music are being very popular all over the world. What’s the most extraordinary thing about it in your opinion?
FURA: Thats a tough questions but the nature must have something to do with it. The contrast and isolation of living on this island where the weather is so rough and unpredictable.
Bartek: You’ve played live in Iceland, but do you have any plans for more bigger, maybe European tour? Would you like to play in Poland?
FURA: We would love to play in Poland and all over the world, we’ll see what the future brings!
Bartek: I wish you all the best and I keep my finger crossed for you. And ofcourse We are all waiting for your album!
FURA: Thank you very much.
