Filmur & vélar

Filmur og vélar is an album by radíókarlsson, taking its name from a film development lab and photographic store that operated from the late 1960s on Skólavörðustígur, in the centre of Reykjavík. Jóhann Valberg Sigurjónsson was the proprietor of the company where they sold film and projection equipment as well as repairing it and he became a pioneer of analogue technology in Iceland. He installed the film projectors and worked as the projectionist in the cinemas Trípolí Bíó and Tónabíó. Jóhann recorded his business trips and personal holidays abroad on 8mm film which sparked the creation of this album.

Limited Edition Vinyl - Digital downloads available on Bandcamp - Streaming Links

The film stock was almost lost but has been restored by Atli Már Sigurjónsson. radíókarlsson created the album as a soundtrack inspired by the found footage, and then edited the videos using the footage. Collaborating with radíókarlsson on the album is Orri Páll Dýrason, Elvar Bragi Kristjónsson and Gunnar Þorsteinsson.

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About the artists

radíókarlsson is an Icelandic ambient and experimental artist who builds electronic soundscapes and sonic theater as a refuge from the noise of modern life. He first performed under the radíókarlsson alias at Extreme Chill in 2011, and has since released Sound&Vision (2023), Hybrid (Spaceodyssey, 2023), and Ægisgata 34 (Moatun7, 2024).

His work draws deeply on his background in theater and his love of painting, weaving these disciplines into music that can be challenging, but is always compelling. Filmur og véla marks radíókarlsson's first release with Möller Records.

Um plötuna

„Filmur og vélar“ var framköllunarstofa og verslun með ljósmyndavörur sem starfaði frá lokum sjöunda áratugarins við Skólavörðustíg í miðborg Reykjavíkur. Jóhann Valberg Sigurjónsson rak fyrirtækið, þar sem seldar voru filmur og kvikmynda- og sýningarvélar. Jóhann var brautryðjandi á sínu sviði. Hann setti upp sýningarvélar og starfaði sem sýningarmaður í kvikmyndahúsunum Trípolí Bíó og Tónabíó. Jóhann festi viðskiptaferðir sínar og einkaferðalög erlendis á filmu (8mm), og það efni varð kveikjan að þessari plötu sem ber heitið „Filmur og vélar“.

Atli Már Sigurjónsson sá um að endurheimta margar af þeim filmum og gert þær upp. radíókarlsson (Egill Örn Karlsson) samdi tónlistina við plötuna sem eins konar hljóðrás innblásna af þessu gamla og næstum því glataða myndefni, og klippti jafnframt myndböndin úr efninu. Með radíókarlsson á plötunni vinna Orri Páll Dýrason, Elvar Bragi Kristjónsson, Orang Volante (Atli Már Þorvaldsson) og Gunnar Þorsteinsson.