Syngja, (pronounced: SING-YAH) means “to sing” in Icelandic.
Experimental and psychedelic, Syngja’s music is both haunting and timeless, combining Icelandic folklore with dreamy melodic pop.
Cellist and singer Tyr Jami shares the sonic stage with multi-instrumentalist Justin Guzzwell.
They shape their sound with hypnotizing manipulated loops of Icelandic poems and stories recited by Tyr’s great-grandmother, Ingjibjorg Gudmunsdottir (1891-1994).
In May 2017 Syngja took part in the ArtsIceland residency in Isafjordur, Iceland, collaborating with other Canadian artists to develop a new multi-disciplinary performance called “New Spring” (with funding provided by the Canada Council for the Arts). The residency was followed by a small tour to the south of the country, ending in Reykjavik. The songs developed in Iceland were subsequently assembled as a live EP called “Echoing Rose”, which the group released in November 2018. This would be Syngja’s third album, preceded by Lang Amma (2016) and Bow & Arrow (2012).
The group has performed most notably for the Société des Arts Technologiques (SAT), MEG, M for Montreal, Pop Montreal, Suoni Per Il Popolo, I Love Neon, Mono No Aware (Brooklyn), BeauHaus (Brussels), Out Of Earshot (NL) and for the First Lady of Iceland.
