Sveinn Guðmundsson

Sveinn

Sveinn (short bio)

Sveinn Guðmundsson is a solo act from Iceland. The music is based up with an acoustic guitar and a voice, then spiced with bass, keys, typewriter and what is around at the time. The words are in Icelandic and about TV characters, bodily functions, warm beverages, being slow, getting old or dealing with your inner capitalist.

Sveinn released his first album, Fyrir herra Spock, MacGyver og mig late 2013 and his second album Skrifstofuplanta in April 2020.

If you like naive and folkie sounds with incomprehensible Icelandic words then check Sveinn Guðmundsson out.

Sveinn (big bio)

Sveinn began playing music as a teenager in various garage bands in his hometown Hafnarfjörður.

At the same time he attended guitar courses and studied electric bass guitar under the supervision of Birgir Bragason in the Hafnarfjörður Music School.

In 2001 Sveinn moved to Denmark and attended Danebod Hojskole where he studies music, composing and played with the school band.

In the years 2002-10 he was a part of bands such as Girlieboys, Lófi og Juel Juel Juel. Sometimes he played bass, sometimes guitar and sometimes as a vocalist.

In the summer of 2013 Sveinn began performing solo and in the autumn that year releaed his first album „Fyrir herra Spock, MacGyver og mig”. The album is comprised of 11 songs in Icelandic by Sveinn. Its making was supported by the Icelandic Musicians Union and Music Fund.

One of the albums tracks „MacGyver og ég“ was chosen one of the 30 best Icelandic songs by the Radio program Straumur (straum.is). The track was also a part of a compilation album „Made in Iceland 7“. The album was released by Iceland Music Export in order to promote Icelandic music outside of Iceland.

After the release of „Fyrir herra Spock, MacGyver og mig” Sveinn has performed live in all kinds of places; cafe's, bars, festivals, museums, swimming pools and community halls in the capital area as well as in the country side.

He has been a part of the international singer/songwriter music festival Melodica Festival Reykjavík for many years. In the summer of 2016 Sveinn did a small tour around England performing in radio programs, poetry festivals and the Liverpool SoundCity+ Festival where he was a part of a stage introducing new international acts.

2017-20 was mostly spent making and recording music and on the 26. of Apríl 2020 Sveinn released a 8 track album titled „Skrifstofuplanta“. It has been well received by critics and was chosen as the album of the week at Radio Rás 2. The album has gotten a lot of airplay and the title song made it to the Radio Rás 2 top chart.