Ari Alexander Ergis Magnusson's 2005 film Screaming Masterpiece documents Iceland's thriving music scene, from its elemental origins in the country's rich natural and literary history to the internationally recognized names like
Björk and
Sigur Rós. Both artists are featured prominently on the film's soundtrack,
Björk with "Oceania" from
Medúlla and a pretty live version of "All Is Full of Love" and
Sigur Rós with "No. 8, aka Popplagiò." (There's also a younger, more hyper
Björk featured on the
Sugarcubes classic "Motorcrash.") There are tracks from Icelandic indie notables like
Múm (the always captivating "Green Grass of Tunnel") and
Slowblow ("Within Tolerance"), but
Screaming Masterpiece also features work from
Jóhann Jóhannson (the tense violins and treated vocals of "Odi et Amo"),
Mugison ("I'd Ask," a dusty, folky number sung in English), and
Amina ("Fjarskanistan"), the string quartet that has worked with
Sigur Rós in the past. At the center of
Screaming Masterpiece is
Apparat Organ Quartet with the
Kraftwerk-ian workout "Romantica," as well as "Brostnar Borgir" from striking Faroese vocalist Eivor Pálsdóttir, which alternates stretches of haunting balladry with clanging, stinging metal. Take that,
Evanescence. ~ Johnny Loftus