Árstíðir (English: Seasons) is an Icelandic classically influenced indie-folk rock/chamber pop band. The defining characteristic of this band is their vocal harmonies, as all members sing. Just like the Icelandic culture, Árstíðir’s music sits somewhere between history and modernity. Their songs draw on a millennia of culture and weaves it together with the sounds of our times. Genres give way to intention and their songs celebrate the music of the heart.
The band formed in 2008 in Reykjavik as a trio, consisting of Daniel Auðunsson (guitar), Gunnar Már Jakobsson (guitar) and Ragnar Ólafsson (baritone guitar). When they recorded their first album, Árstíðir, Jónas Jensson (cello) and Jón Elísson (piano) joined the band. In 2010, the band became a sextet with Karl James Pestka (violin). Jón Elísson and Hallgrímur Jónas Jensson left Árstíðir in late 2013, and Karl James Pestka in 2016.
Currently, Árstíðir is composed of members Gunnar Már Jakobsson, Daniel Auðunsson and Ragnar Ólafsson. Since founding the band, they have released eight albums: one live EP and seven studio albums. Árstíðir have always been an independent band. In Iceland, they have their own record company, Nivalis, and in Germany they have a cooperation contract with Beste Unterhaltung. In 2014, they crowdfunded their third studio album, Hvel, via Kickstarter, which was released in March 2015. Another trademark is the band’s use of strings, and how they interplay with the vocal harmonies. On tours and in the studio the band teams up with the dynamic French string duo Jean-Samuel Bez (violin) and Guillaume Lagravière (cello).
Árstíðir leapt onto the international arena in 2010 as clouds of ash from the Eyjafjallajökull volcano spread across Europe making Iceland the talk of the day. Having spawned two No. 1 hit singles in Iceland, the band, now embarked on a relentless touring excursion spanning Siberia to SanDiego, Zagreb to Svalbard. Árstíðir became known to a wider internet audience in 2013 when a YouTube video of an impromptu a capella performance of Heyr Himna Smiour, (English: Hear, Smith of Heavens), a 13th-century Icelandic hymn, at Vohwinkel train station in Wuppertal, Germany went viral after a performance there. The video was shot by their PR manager.
Their cult like following of devoted fans has crowdfunded half of the band’s 8 album strong discography.The band is currently working on their 9th studio album, which will be released in October of 2024.
