The Brag

Amiina
Organised Chaos
By Benjamin Cooper

As he coughs down the line from Reykjavik, Magnus Trygvason Eliassen insists he’ll be fine for his group’s upcoming show as part of the Sydney Festival. The man better known as Maggi pulls percussion duties in Icelandic band Amiina, and explains between wheezes that “it’s getting a bit cold here, and my cough is probably just because I smoke too much or something…”

The mind-bending prospect that is Amiina performing live has been slowed-down a little by a string of parenthood. “We have three babies now,” Maggi says, of the band. “No, wait! We actually have five babies now, I’m lying to you,” he laughs. “It was me that was on [paternity] leave the longest, and I only have one child. Oh, also – I should say that I don’t smoke at my house!”

Amiina began life as a string quartet providing the orchestral backing for Sigur Ros’ albums () and Takk. Maggi joined following the release of their 2005 EP AnimaminA, coming from a background of “avant-garde craft jazz” – and it’s a fondness for jazz that endures. “I would like to do more of that, but right now we’re so busy,” he says. “Some famous people that make movies are making documentaries about our tour, which is weird!”

Documentarians and Sydneysiders alike will be given a treat edging on the epic when Amiina inhabit The Famous Spiegeltent for a couple of shows. The Icelanders will be soundtracking the films of German silhouette animator and director Lotte Reniger, which for all their familiarity to the band still offer significant challenges. “We’ve done [live film scoring] before,” Maggi says, “but [this time] we’re adding all these new things. We’ll be doing a film we haven’t done before, and in Australia we’ve got five or six additional people… There are some really weird bass tones that we create, and given the circumstances it can be really hard to play, ‘cause we have to tune the computer, which is very hard. Having extra people will help, because it’s so complex and so hard to get exactly right. But we are rehearsing so much, always trying to work harder.” The Sydney Festival shows will also be an opportunity to show off their new material, something that Maggi announces with great relish. “It’s true – we do have a new song on us.” But as it turns out, there are many burdens to the carrying of new music. “We have actually promised ourselves, and a lot of important people, that we will play at least three new songs in Sydney. We will do it.”

The industrious trip to Australia will see the band trek further south for Hobart’s MONA FOMA festival, at the personal invitation of the owner of the Museum of New and Old Art’s collection. David Walsh, the man behind MOFO, “apparently really likes us and what we do,” Maggi says. More importantly, he’s able to facilitate Icelandic art in Hobart because “he’s a very rich man, and he is also a crazy guy.” Walsh’s abilities do not extend to working logistical timetabling miracles, though: “We’re missing all of her shows,” Maggi laments. “Doesn’t matter if we’re in Sydney or in Tasmania – no PJ Harvey for us.”

Where: The Famous Spiegeltent, Hyde Park/ Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre, Penrith
When: January 24 – 26 / January 27