KEXP : Where the Music Matters

This week, Iceland Airwaves announced the latest additions to their lineup for October 2011, prompting a look & a listen back to KEXP's trip to Reykjavik for Iceland Airwaves 2010 featuring some of Iceland's most exciting artists.

Today I'd like to spotlight the avant-punk band S.H. Draumur from Kópavogur, Iceland. Originally active from 1982-1988, the three-piece was inspired by Pere Ubu, Suicide, Swell Maps, Joy Division and The Birthday Party, as well as by the vibrant Icelandic music scene, where they served as the local opener for Swans and Einsturzende Neubauten. Along with a handful of cassettes and 7"s, S.H. Draumur recorded one LP -- Goð -- over the course of 50 hours spent in a YMCA community center, as bassist/vocalist Dr. Guuni recounts in The Reykjavik Grapevine.

That sought-after LP (picutred R) was reissued by Iceland's Kimi Records in 2010 to coincide with S.H. Draumur's reunion at the Iceland Airwaves Festival. KEXP was there all the way from Seattle (Reykjavik's "sister city") to record the performance (stream it here), and "Nótt Eins Og Þessi" (below) is part of KEXP's Iceland Airwaves MP3 compilation.

KEXP will return to Iceland Airwaves for the third year in a row Oct 12-16th 2011. This year's lineup again features an incredible array of Icelandic artists (including Retro Stefson and Who Knew who are also featured in KEXP's 2010 mix) and internationals (tUnE-yArDs, K-X-P, Liturgy, Dungen, Suuns, and Beach House to name a few). Check out the latest on the 2011 lineup here and more of KEXP's Iceland Airwaves coverage here.

So many incredible artists have played live on KEXP this year, from top local Seattle artists like Damien Jurado and Black Stax, to those of international renown like Vieux Farka Touré, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Beach House, and Devendra Banhardt. The venues have ranged from KEXP's 90.3-FM headquarters in Seattle, to the Cutting Room Floor in New York City (where KEXP programming airs on 91.5-FM), to live events like Bumbershoot, SXSW, and the Capital Hill Block Party.

We've put together seven mixes that offer some of the many highlights from KEXP's live performances:

KEXP 2010: Worldwide -- 2010 marked the 25th anniversary of "The Best Ambiance" hosted by Jon Kertzer, and these were just a few of the many recent highlights:

KEXP 2010: Shimmering Pop -- these artists bring a fresh, irresistable approach to pop music

KEXP 2010: Rock! -- classic artists like The Wedding Present and The Posies, contemporary heavy-weights like Drive-By Truckers and The Hold Steady plus up-and-coming artists like White Mystery and Love Is All...