What exactly do they teach Icelandic school children in music classes? Although I have no actual working knowledge of the syllabus, I’m quietly confident it includes a module in creating new worlds through musical composition. Some element of inducing dream states through the beauty of song may be involved.

Meanwhile, we have The BRIT School.

Running Amongst The Stars is a new release by Icelandic band Hinemoa. Formed in 2014, and based in Reykjavik, they rather modestly say in their Facebook profile that “the main focus of Hinemoa are harmonies, acoustics and rhythms that combined make relaxing, enjoyable music”, which is, at the very least, rather understating things. Perhaps that’s something else covered by the Icelandic curriculum. Or it could just come naturally, like the charm that flows out of Running Amongst The Stars, an acoustic-folk dream that flits effortlessly between two time signatures, capturing at the intersections the near-silence of the vast and distant night sky.

At the moment Hinemoa are working on songs for their debut album.

Hinemoa are:

Ásta Björg Björgvinsdóttir - vocals, guitar, ukulele

Rakel Pálsdóttir - vocals, guitar

Gísli Páll Karlsson - vocals, drums, percussion

Kristófer Nökkvi Sigurðsson - drums, percussion

Sindri Magnússon - Bass