Buzzin Music

Feldberg’s debut album, Don’t Be A Stranger

The debut album Don’t Be A Stranger by Icelandic pop duo, Feldberg finally got a UK release in April, two years after its initial release in Iceland.  The album was preceded by two singles, Don’t Be a Stranger and Dreamin’.

Dreamin’ won Best Song at the 2010 Icelandic Music Awards and was selected by trendsetting French boutique label Kitsuné for its Maison 9 compilation, while the single, Don’t Be a Stranger spent four weeks in the Icelandic top 10.

Feldberg make beautiful, wonderful dream-happy music, best described as an electro acoustic folk-edged pop.  The music has echoes of sixties French pop and in parts resembles the less quirky side of Stereolab. Like a feel-good film they write songs that make me smile.  The songs sounded familiar with my first listen, though definitely not in a ‘heard it all before’ way, more in a perfect pop way that is given my instant approval.

Feldberg are Rósa Birgitta Ísfeld & Einar Tönsberg.  They were formed when songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Einar returned to Iceland from London looking for a female vocalist to record Running Around, a song he had written for an Icelandic advert.

“It was a lovely accident,” explains Einar. “I needed a vocal, somebody to do a female vocal. I called up my friends and they all said ‘You have to call Rosa.’ She was at my studio ten minutes later and she hasn’t left.”  Rósa adds: “It was really comfortable from the very beginning, like it was destiny. I felt like I should stay once I was there. It’s kind of like a relationship without the romance.”

“We kind of decided not to analyse anything,” says Einar. “Our rule was just to do the first thing that came to mind. Keep it fun and simple. I guess we’ve both been in projects where we’ve over-analysed things and wanting to do the most special music in the world but now we just want to do what’s natural for us.”

Don’t Be A Stranger by Feldberg is one of the most complete debut albums I have heard for a long time.  I have been playing it constantly now for the past month, and it has already taken its rightful place in my best albums of 2011.

Feldberg – Don’t Be A Stranger tracklisting:

1. In Your Arms
2. Farewell
3. Dreamin’
4. Running Around
5. House of Fun
6. Eleven
7. You & Me
8. Sleepy
9. Don’t Be A Stranger
10. Love Me Tomorrow

Feldberg’s debut album, Don’t Be A Stranger is available in the UK through Smalltown America.

For more information visit www.myspace.com/feldbergmusic or www.facebook.com/feldbergmusic.