Apparat Organ Quartet "Apparat Organ Quartet" (12 Tonar, 2002)

Artist: Apparat Organ Quartet
Album: "Apparat Organ Quartet"
Release Date: 2002
Label: 12 Tonar
Genre: Indie-Electronic, Post-Rock, Synth-Pop, Ambient-Pop
Mood: Spacey, Ambitious, Whimsical, Theatrical
Reminds Of: Kraftwerk, Stereolab, The Hafler Trio
What People Think: Boomkat
Definitely Worth Buying: Amazon, Boomkat

Tracklist
1. Romantika
2. Stereo Rock & Roll
3. The Anguish Of Space-Time
4. Cruise Control
5. Ondula Nova
6. Global Capital
7. Seremonia
8. Charlie Tango #2
9. Sofdu Litla Vel

Apparat Organ Quartet is a part of a closely knit collection of musicians working in Reykjavik. Often involved with the activities of the TMT Entertainment label and Kitchen Motors (Apparat member Johann Johannsson is a founding member of Kitchen Motors). This extremely active and vibrant scene includes members of Sigur Ros, Mum, Kanada, Trabant, Borko, Big Band Brutal and others. Some of these bands share members and frequently collaborate on other music and art projects. Apparat Organ Quartet is basically a band that consists of 4 men, operating ancient, highly customized electric music machines, including various cheap home organs, Farfisas and Russian synthesizers, with the help of a trusty old drum set. All of it's members are well known in the Icelandic music community for their previous work. Hordur Bragason, is a former associate of Austrian artist Hermann Nitsch. Johann Johannsson is considered one of Iceland's best producers, having worked with Marc Almond, Jonsi (the singer from Sigur Ros), The Hafler Trio, Barry Adamson, Pan Sonic, Stilliuppsteypa and mum. Ulfur Eldjarn is no stranger to the Icelandic music community as he is a member of great local band KANADA. Finally, there's Musikvatur, who has also collaborated with mum and enjoys sawing home organs in half and jumping into harbors. Together they play rhapsodic, austere, mechanical, mysterious and strangely beautiful elektro-pop elegies, inspired by Steve Reich, Glam Rock, Mahler, 70's horror soundtracks and Karlheinz Stockhausen. Apparat Organ Quartet has performed live at numerous places around Europe (often on tours arranged by the Icelandic art organization Kitchen Motors, among others, mum). They've also played at prestigious festivals such as the Holland Festival and the infamous Roskilde Festival in Denmark and are considered one of Iceland's most promising live acts today. Apparat Organ Quartet describe their music as machine rock and roll. Other people have described it as a mixture of Kraftwerk, Trans Am, Stereolab, mum, Iron Maiden and Italian horror film soundtracks!!!

"Apparat Organ Quartet has grown into a phenomenal force, playing soul-stringly portentous mechanical music, equal parts progressive rock and horror film soundtrack, remincent of older acts like Kraftwerk and Goblin and meticulous as Sigu Tose but who sound nothing like it."
Neil Strauss - New York Times

"A pulsing electronic drone.. .... hints of Kraftwerk, Wagner, Sigur Ros's and terrifying prog rock bands from the dark ages"
Ian Watson - NME

"An otherworldly fusion of Spiritualised and Static and very full stage"
Flux

"A highlight of the cd... Terry Reilly meets Stereolab"
The Wire

"Now this you have to like... ....deadpan Icelanders playing like a clockwork replica of the Glitter Band intoning the vocodered slogan "Stereo Rock & Roll" like a catechism"
The Guardian

(source: islandsdagurinn.nu)

Vocodered slogan: "Machine Rock 'n' Roll" ! ! !