Pertego

Since the days of the Sugarcubes, the question of what phenomenon in Iceland might generate so many weird and wonderful musical artists has troubled our nerdy brains. Pertego are an Italian four-piece that have made the trek Northward to record a type of epic rock that drinks deep of those glacial waters. What they've returned with, perhaps unsurprisingly, is a sound that takes the hjärta-on-sleeve emotional openness of Sigur Rós and imbues it with a soupcon of guitar aggression for extra spice. If you're able to put aside the boldly plagiaristic elements (the Jonsi-esque falsetto vocal register and string quartet reinforcement) then you can jump onboard for the excitement. The headlong rush of "Vigo" towards a wired crescendo, or the blooming drone into guitar chimes that introduces the melancholy on "Hjarta" into "Bideri" both follow the textbook examples flawlessly. Thankfully, it's a textbook that holds still-valuable lessons.