An Interview With Amína
We are proud to present you with our first Amína interview.
This interview was conducted on 9 November 2005, while Amína waited to conduct their sound check at Brixton Academy in London.
---
Amína are a quartet, that make fascinating music with a variety of instruments. All from Iceland, they are touring both as Sigur Rós' support act, and their string section, which means they have a lot more work than other support acts.
As 2 o'clock rolled around, I sat down with the four girls from Amína in their dressing room at Brixton Academy. There's a hustle and bustle about the back offices of the venue as everything is prepared for tonight's performance. The words "food" and "lunch" cause the girls' ears to prick up. Their tour with Sigur Rós is in full swing, and with new American dates announced for February 2006, it doesn't seem like the tour will ever end. For Sigur Rós and Amína fans, however, this might be considered good news. For Amína themselves, right now they're hungry.
Q: What is your song-writing process like? Does one person come up with an idea and you build on it, or do you just jam until it sounds good?
A: It varies but it's relaxed. Someone starts to bang on something or creates a feeling and the rest joins in.
We don't really have a specific way of making songs, and in some cases we don't know how to play the instruments we pick out, so it means that we can look at things differently than others who are trained in this or that particular instrument. Not having a particular work-pattern, too, perhaps makes us think more about what we're doing. Our individual interpretations of each instrument means we can get different sounds coming from those instruments. We're in the process of developing a working-structure but we tend spend a lot of time chatting or cooking!
It's flexible, but some days are easier than others.
Q: Did you find a difference in arranging and recording the strings for each of Sigur Rós' albums: ( ) and Takk...?
A: Yes. ( ) developed with us while on tour for Ágætis Byrjun, whereas Takk was composed in the studio. That meant that all the string arrangements on ( ) are our work, whereas the only songs on Takk... that are really our arrangements are Milanó and Gong.
Q: You now have a song in your set with vocals. Will there be more vocals in the future?
A: Yes, we think so. We never expected we would have vocals. It was almost taboo before, but we get a thrill about pushing our musical boundaries. It's an extra instrument that we can take with us anywhere. It would be a shame not to use it.
Q: Is there anything non-musical that influences you?
A: (they all roll their eyes at me) This is our least favorite question.
We work with what we have. If anything, we're influenced by each other.
Q: With whom would you most like to collaborate?
A: At the moment we need to develop ourselves first and release an album. After that, we’ll absolutely be open to more collaborations.
Q: What was the last CD you each purchased or listened to?
A:
Sólrún: José Gonzales
Edda: Grizzly Bear
Hildur: CocoRosie
María: Well, it’s a funny one. I have this thing about listening to The Best Of Leonard Cohen on an European autumn tour, it fits the melancholy in the environment.
Q: Will Sigur Rós collaborate on the new album with you as a sort of payback?
A: There are no plans for that, really. We need to be just the four of us on this one, we think.
Q: What was your favourite place to play and why?
A: The Hollywood Bowl because it was so freaky and big.
In Madison it was strange because the stage was very short and it was about 5 metres above the ground. When we bowed to the audience we were afraid we'd fall off!
Q: What's the weirdest thing that's happened on tour?
A: Touring is kind of weird in itself. Strange things do happen occasionally, but hey, what goes on tour, stays on tour.
Q: Do you have regular jobs in Iceland?
A: No. Up until last spring we were all studying various things, but at the moment touring is a full-time job. We worked out that we work probably 9 hours a day while on tour. Maybe more. María is still studying for a degree in composition but is deferring it at the moment.
Q: If you couldn't be a musician, what would you be?
A:
Hildur: Oh that's an easy one. I would be a nutritionist. I’m taking a break from studying biology.
María/Sólrún/Edda: We're sure we'd be doing something involving the arts.
Q: What about solo shows? Will you be doing any of those while on tour?
A: We would like to but a lot of it depends on agents and being able to find the time to squeeze the shows in between the Sigur Rós shows while on tour. We’ll see how it goes.
From the doorway came mention of food and lunch again.
"Would you girls ... (then he saw me) oh, and guy ... like some lunch?"
"I have no more questions," I say as they look at me expectantly.
"Okay!" and they all jump out of their seats to race down to the catering room.
Amiina
Amiina (formerly amína) is a quartet from Iceland comprised of:
- María Huld Markan - violin
- Hildur Ársælsdóttir - violin
- Edda Rún Ólafsdóttir - viola
- Sólrún Sumarliðadóttir - cello
They are best known for their work as Sigur Rós’ string quartet on the album known as ( ), as well as Takk… and re-arranged the string work on Ágætis Byrjun so that Sigur Rós could tour it.
amiina have their own EP available called “AnimaminA” (published under their previous name).
You can buy it from Amazon.co.uk