Jóhann Jóhannsson

Jóhann Jóhannsson (born 1969) is an Icelandic-born musician, composer and producer. He also runs the record label Kitchen Motors in Reykjavík, the art organization/think tank/record label which specializes in instigating collaborations, promoting concerts and exhibitions, performances, chamber operas, producing films, books and radio shows based on the ideals of experimentation, collaboration and the search for new art forms.

Jóhann founded the Apparat Organ Quartet in 1999, who have played various European festivals to great acclaim. Jóhann has also produced and written music with artists as diverse as Marc Almond ("Stranger Things" album), Barry Adamson and Pan Sonic, The Halfer Trio, Magga Stina and many others. He has also written music for theatre, documentaries and soundtrack music for 3 feature films.

Discography

Albums

* (2002) "Englabörn" (Touch)
* (2004) "Virðulegu Forsetar" (Touch)
* (2004) "Dís" (12 Tónar, in Iceland) (2005, The Worker's Institute, in the US)
* (2006) "IBM 1401, A User's Manual" (4AD)
* (2007) "Englabörn" (re-issued, 4AD)
* (2008) "Fordlândia" ( 4AD)

ingles

* (2006) "The Sun’s Gone Dim And The Sky’s Turned Black" (4AD)

elected works

Feature film soundtracks

* "Íslenski draumurinn" by Robert Ingi Douglas (2000)
* "Óskabörn þjóðarinnar" by Jóhann Sigmarsson (2000)
* "The End of St. Petersburg" (soundtrack for the Soviet silent film by Vsevolod Pudovkin 2001)
* "Maður eins og ég" by Robert Ingi Douglas (2002)

Documentary soundtracks

* Corpus Camera (Stö_ 2, (Channel 2) 1999)
* Leyndardómar Íslenskra Skrímsla (Sjónvarpi_ (Channel 1) 2000)
* Erró- Norður, suður, austur, vestur (Stö_2 (Channel 2) 2000)

Installations, etc.

* "Já", music written for Sigurur Gumundsson’s installation "Duet" performed at the Icelandic National Gallery, October 2000.
* "Chairmen of the board", music for Ari Alexander Magnússon’s installation at the 30/60 exhibition, Kjarvalssta_ir Art Museum 1998 (with Óttarr Proppé), also at Akureyri Art Museum 1998
* Music for an installation by Ari Alexander Magnússon at Gallery Mokka 1997.
* Music for Snorri Ásmundsson’s installation "XXX-reyri" at the "Orgasm 2000" exhibition At Akureyri Art Museum, January 2000.
* Music for the performance "We are the world" by the Icelandic Love Corporation at Batofar, Paris 2000.
* Music for the installation "Fjörfiskar" by Finnur Arnar at the Epal showroom, March 2001.

Music for plays (composer)

* "Vitleysingarnir" by Ólafur Haukur Símonarsson (Hafnarfjör_ur Theater 2000)
* "Margrét Mikla" by Kristín Ómarsdóttir (Icelandic Take-away Theatre 1996)
* "Fireface" by Marius Von Mayerberg (RÚV 2000)
* "Englabörn" by Hávar Sigurjónsson (Hafnarfjö_ur Theater 2001)
* "Døden i Teben" by Sophocles/Jon Fosse (Det Norske Teatret 2008)

Other music (composer)

* Völuspá: Music for a radio art piece by Jón Hallur Stefánsson (with composer Haukur Tómasson)
* Theme music for the TV program "Femin" (Channel 2 2001)
* Music for the TV program "Svartir Englar" (RÚV 2008)

As producer/arranger

* Magga Stina: An album (One Little Indian 1998)
* Megasarlög (POP 1997)
* Siggi Ármann: Mindscape (Smekkleysa 2001)
* The Hafler Trio: La Chanson Dada (These Records 2002)
* Barry Adamson & Pan Sonic: The Hymn of the Seventh Illusion (Kitchen Motors/Ómi 2001)

Miscellaneous

* Member of the selection committee for ART2000, the first Icelandic International Computer and Electronic music festival which was held at Salurinn in Kópavogur.
* Musical Director for the Icelandic Dance Company's performance of "Milli Heima" by Katrín Hall.
* Course Teacher on the creative use of sound in art, film and multimedia at Borgarholts College in Reykjavík.

As composer, performer, producer (selected works)

* HAM: Saga Rokksins 1988-1993 (Nordisk Musik Disk 1993)
* HAM: Lengi Lifi (Smekkleysa 1994)
* HAM: Dauður Hestur (Skífan 1995)
* Lhooq: Lhooq (Echo 1998)
* Dip: Hi-Camp Meets Lo-Fi (Smekkleysa 1999)
* Emilíana Torrini: Love in the Time of Science (One Little Indian 1999)
* Works by Hljómúrinn on Kitchen Motors 1999: Nart Nibbles (Kitchen Motors 1999)
* Hilmar Jensson, Úlfar Ingi Haraldsson, Jóhann Jóhannsson and the CAPUT-ensemble: Veltipunktur on Motorlab 1 (Kitchen Motors/Smekkleysa 2000)
* Andrew Mckenzie and Jóhann Jóhannsson with Curver: "Telefónía" on Motorlab 1 (Kitchen Motors/Smekkleysa 2000)
* "Nafnlaust Uppklapp" by Apparat Organ Quartet on Nart Nibbles (Kitchen Motors/Ómi 2001)
* 3 songs by Apparat Organ Quartet on Motorlab II (Kitchen Motors/Smekkleysa 2000)
* Ham: Skert Flog (Hitt 2001)
* Marc Almond: "Stranger Things" album. (IIIX Bis Records/Universal 2001)

External links

* [http://www.johannjohannsson.com/ Johann Johannsson.com] - Official website
* [http://www.touchmusic.org.uk/Biographies/johannjohannsson.html Biography of Johann Johannsson] at Touch Music
* [http://www.kitchenmotors.com Kitchen Motors.com] - Johann Johannsson's record label
* [http://www.beggars.com/us/johannjohannson/index.html Beggars.com] - The biography, discography and promotional photos.
* [http://www.ausersmanual.com/index.html AUsersManual.com] - IBM 1401, A User’s Manual - Album released in 2006