"I'm just a normal person who drinks blood"

Icelandic artist Barði Jóhannsson has just released a new Bang Gang album titled "The Wolves are Whispering." The multitalented Jóhannsson has also composed film scores including the score to Swedish silent film Haxan, performed by the Bulgarian Symphony Orchestra, written an opera and hosted a surreal Icelandic TV show. He is also well known for his work with French musician Keren Ann and their project Lady and Bird, and recently, Starwalker, a collaboration with Jean-Benoit Dunckel of French duo Air.

The new album, out on June 23rd,  heralds a certain comeback for Bang Gang, his first group, as it's been seven years since the release of an album under that name. Mysteriously titled The Wolves are Whispering, Jóhannsson explains that most of the new album has a theme of separation in many forms and has an element of subtle danger to it. "Sometimes you can imagine yourself in a forest, and sometimes not," he offers. Asked if the title of the album is related in any way to the fact that he publically declared on Facebook recently that he is a vampire he retorts mysteriously, "My vampirism wasn't a surprise to any of my friends, I just hadn’t declared it publicly before." He adds that the first release of the album, My Special One and a track called Out of Horizon are the bright moments of the album. "But there is some dark stuff there too."

Not afraid to be upfront

The lyrics on the new album seem to be very honest and upfront and Jóhannsson says that he has been going further towards direct lyrics. "Before it was all in the clouds, but with less codependency I am not afraid to be upfront. The lyrics are a combination of things that I or my friends have lived or felt. I cannot say that the lyrics are directly about some special event or person, more like a combination of a mood or feeling that has occurred during all my post-teen years. My Special On is the only exception. It is directly about something." One of the tracks is accompanied by the voice of Keren Ann, a long-time collaborator and friend through the project Lady and Bird . "We have always appeared in some way on each others solo albums.  I'm sure that a Lady & Bird album will be made some day."

An opera turns into animated film

Jóhannsson wrote an opera called Red Waters with Keren Ann which was performed in several opera houses in France. "Red Waters is now being developed into an animated film. We have been trying to bring it to Iceland, but there seems to be more interest for cool stuff in France than in Iceland."  He adds that he has a few film scores in the pipeline although there's nothing he can reveal for the moment." I am also doing a classical project that is very “film score” sounding. It will come out soon."

The artwork on the new Bang Gang album is dark and hauntingly beautiful and is the work of German artist Ulrike Theusner. "I first met her when she was a model and was featured in a short film I did a few years ago called Red Death. Then a few years later we met and she showed me some of her paintings, they were amazing. Now she is exhibiting all over the world. I asked her if she had anything I could possibly use as artwork and she sent me a few photographs.  I loved the one, now on the cover of my album, from the minute I saw it. I even decided to not include the name of the band on the front cover so that the image could get it’s space."  Jóhannsson's side project Starwalker with Jean-Benoit Dunkel has been met with critical acclaim. But how did that collaboration come about?  "The first time that I met him properly was when I was supporting Air in France. Then later on we met through a mutual friend and we had a go at making one song together. We ended up making another and now we have an album, released later this year."

A show never seen on TV before

Jóhannsson's multifaceted past includes co-hosting a surrealistic TV programme called Konfekt which has since gained cult status on YouTube . The show was made up of surreal sketches, unusual interviews and in which the hosts spat and vomited on camera and finallyset fire to the set.  "We used alternative ways to do interviews," explains Jóhannsson who says that at the time, all TV shows were the same with no alternatives. "We did what we always wanted to see someone do on TV. This show was definitely nothing that you had seen on TV before. Most people didn’t like it, because they didn’t understand what it was. But the few people who got it are still talking about it. For a few years we have been wanting to make a sequel but I don't think any TV channel is ready to invest in Konfekt part two. It is taking everything to the next level."

Allergic to garlic and can't stand daylight

When asked whether he'd like to collaborate with any emerging Icelandic artists, such as the new star of rap, Gísli Pálmi, he reveals that Gísli Pálmi is actually a favourite. "Finally Iceland's got a real star. I think he is by far better rapper then me. He is fun to hang out with and I would love to work with him." So, does Jóhannsson have any recommendations for our readers on his favourite spots in Reykjavik or Iceland? "My favourite hang-outs are my home, my studio and my car. But for a beautiful spot in Iceland, I think Ásbyrgi in north Iceland is amazing." But what does he dislike most about Iceland? "Envy."  Asked whether there is anything that noone has ever heard about Barði Jóhannsson he smiles and says, "Yes, I'm not a vampire. I'm just a normal person who drinks blood, is allergic to garlic and can't stand the daylight."

A release concert for The Wolves are Whispering is planned for the end of summer.

You can preview the new album on I-Tunes HERE.

Listen to My Special One below

See the trailer for the animated version of the opera Red Waters below.