Emerging from Iceland, electronica outfit Blankiflúr echoes perfectly the iciness of her motherland, delivering solemn and poignant material drenched in ethereal sonic matter and bright harmonies. Joined by Jerald Copp on production duties, the pair have managed to create something really unique, starting a project that looks set on big things.
‘Modular Heart’ is Blankiflúr’s latest release: a perfect snapshot of what she’s all about. Introduced by a mangled piano line, the track soon evolves into intimate, spacious electronica, fittingly framing the Icelandic talent’s evocative and sultry vocals. Once the chorus hits, the listener is bathed in eerie, haunting vibes, while providing a feeble sense of comfort.
Intrigued by the project, we caught up with Blankiflúr to find out more about her artistry and future goals… interview below!
Hey Blankiflúr, how is it going? Your latest single ‘Modular Heart’ is a stunning piece of art-pop electronica. How proud are you of that? 🙂
I am very proud and happy that we are finally releasing this song. We had a lot of fun making it and I am really hoping that listeners will enjoy it also.
If we understand correctly, the project is a close collaboration with producer Jerald Copp, giving birth to an artistic partnership that’s absolutely terrific. How did you decide to work together?
We worked together on my first album, Hypnopompic. He co-wrote it with me and produced it so when we finished that album we just wanted to try and work on something together from scratch. He had some tracks saved on his computer and we just started building from there. The track for Modular Heart was originally just the post-chorus if I remember correctly. He showed it to me and I immediately asked him to make room for a verse and just started singing melodies over it. He then built the track from there, putting together melodies and the final thing we did was write the lyrics.
Blankiflúr’s music is very original, if not unique. Is there a particular inspiration behind its music?
I usually have a strong instinctive feeling when I am making and producing my music. I am never doing it to sound like a specific artist or genre. I am more thinking of how to create a feeling and the potential for reaching some kind of mood which is true to my own aesthetic and self.
You just released ‘Modular Heart’ – we particularly love the ethereal vocals – so luscious. How did the piece start? from you or Copp?
It started with a track from Jerald Copp, which he had made a while ago. It was mostly what is now the post-chorus. I fell for the sound and really wanted to take it further so we made room for the verses and then I free-styled melodies over it. Lastly, we used the sounds in the melodies to form the lyrics and some of the original vocals are still lingering in the background.
Do you feel more confident writing music alone, or within a team?
I usually write in a team. Since I do not play any instrument I rely on collaboration with other talented musicians when it comes to taking the ideas from the voice recorder and into a song. I can have the verse and chorus put together but I always collaborate later in the process.
Icelandic artists have always had a certain ‘coolness’ to them, often pairing well with an artistry that’s not afraid to break barriers and limitations. What makes Iceland such a special place?
That is a good question, I can only guess that it might be a mix of having role models in artists such as Björk, Sigurrós and more as well as connecting to nature here. We also have a lot of ADHD over here, which means many of us have a hard time working within the box and strive to find new and unexplored paths to tread.
Artistically speaking, what challenges have the last two years presented you with?
For me, it has mostly been getting Covid and really struggling with long Covid symptoms. I have also not been able to play my music live and since the music scene in Iceland is relatively small, it has been a challenge to reach an audience with so few opportunities to play live.
What are the next steps for your project? Anything exciting on the horizon?
We are releasing an EP in the upcoming months with three more original tracks and a remix of Modular Heart which we are really excited to share with the world so make sure you like and follow our social media for more releases. We also recorded a live set for three of our new songs which will be released soon.
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