Junius Meyvant

It could well be that "coolness" translates into Icelandic as Júníus Meyvant , the pseudonym of Gisli Sigurmundsson. This musician with a quiet grunge look, who wouldn't look out of place in a Gus van Sant film about American teenagers despite his 40 years, has a sense of melodies that are half disenchanted, half cheerful, a southern crooner's voice (the splendid Carry on with Me) that knows how to reach high notes (Signals) and a sense of arrangements that sometimes flirt with Burt Bacharach (Lay Your Head). In short, he swings quietly and brilliantly between styles and each of his songs is enough to brighten up a day.