Amiina

Amiina is a band based in Reykjavik Iceland. At present the band counts six people - Edda Rún Ólafsdóttir, Hildur Ársælsdóttir, María Huld Markan Sigfúsdóttir, Sólrún Sumarliðadóttir, Magnús Trygvason Eliassen and Guðmundur Vignir Karlsson (aka Kippi Kaninus).

The bands origins go back to the late 1990s when four girls studying string instruments at the Reykjavik College of Music formed a string quartet, playing classical music, but increasingly moving on to playing all sorts of music with various bands in Reykjavik.

In 1999 the quartet joined Icelandic band Sigur Rós on stage. The collaboration has continued ever since with amiina contributing strings to Sigur Rós’ music on tours and in the recording studio on the albums ( ) , Takk and Með Suð.

In 2004 amiina’s first EP AnimaminA was released, followed by the Seoul single (2006), the album Kurr (2007), a Lee Hazlewood collaboration on a 7” vinyl Hilli (at the Top of.) (2008) and the limited release EP Re Minore (2009).

In the autumn of 2007 drummer Magnús Trygvason Eliassen joined amiina on tours, adding percussion to the band’s textures. A few months later in early 2008 collaboration between Kippi Kaninus and amiina was established while preparing a show together for the Reykjavik Arts Festival. The merging of Kippi Kaninus' electronics and rhythms with amiina's sounds and Magnús' percussion became the starting point for more established collaboration between the six musicians.

Their latest album, Puzzle, was released in September 2010.