KEXP at Iceland Airwaves 2013, Day 2: Boogie Trouble

Closing out day two of the KEXP broadcast live from KEX Hostel at Iceland Airwaves is dancetastic Icelandic disco band Boogie Trouble. The population may be small, but Iceland leaves no stone unturned when it comes to exploring genres. Tonight’s closing act is a great example. Fronted by sweet-voiced Klara Arnalds (sister of Ólöf Arnalds), the band’s funky basslines (courtesy of bassist Ingibjörg Elsa Turchi, formerly of Rökkurró) and toe-tappin’ beats may leave you stricken with long-eradicated disco fever. They’re currently recording first record.

This very fun set opened with Steinunn, a fast-paced, upbeat number hopping back and forth between harmonic indie-pop and straight-up disco, with classic 70's funk guitars marking each of the verses. It didn't take long for the crowd to start moving. Next was a new song called "í Bænum", which was a little slower, with heavier beats and a bass-heavy breakdown, but still very much a disco anthem.

After this was "Glópagull" (formerly called "Túttur og snakk", with sighing oohs and aahs building up to a cool, spacey funk jam. The next song, "Augnablik" had a little more of an indie rock/pop feel than the others (though not without some disco beats), and featured great harmonies and really showcased Arnalds' fantastic voice. Next was a disco cover of Britney Spears' "Toxic," which was definitely a crowd-pleaser. Finishing the set was "Diskosnjor", a song so disco-tastic, that would make even the stoic of listeners want to do the hustle.

Tune in at 13:00 GMT/6:00 PST for John Grant. Find out more about our broadcast during Iceland Airwaves here.