GusGus

GusGus is an electronic music band from Reykjavík, Iceland.^[1] Although initially a film and acting collective, the group is mostly known for its electronic music.^[2] The group's discography consists of twelve studio albums.

GusGus
GusGus performing in Aarhus, Denmark 2016
Background information
Origin	Reykjavík, Iceland
Genres	Techno house downtempo ambient
Years active	1995–present
Labels	OROOM 4AD Kompakt
Members	Daníel Ágúst Haraldsson Birgir Þórarinsson Margrét Rán Magnúsdóttir
Website	gusgus.com

History

GusGus was initially formed in 1995 as a film and acting collective.^[2] The band's name refers to the 1974 German film Ali: Fear Eats the Soul (German: Angst essen Seele auf) by Rainer Werner Fassbinder, where a female character is cooking couscous for her lover, pronouncing it Gusgus.^[3] GusGus' music is eclectic, and although primarily classified as techno, trip hop, and house music, the band has experimented with other styles.^[2] They have remixed songs of popular artists such as Björk, Depeche Mode, Moloko, and Sigur Rós.

Membership in the band has varied, and included:

• Daníel Ágúst Haraldsson
• Emilíana Torrini Davíðsdóttir
• Magnús Jónsson (aka Blake)
• Hafdís Huld Þrastardóttir
• Urður Hákonardóttir (aka Earth)
• Högni Egilsson
• Birgir Þórarinsson (aka Biggi Veira or Biggo)
• Magnús Guðmundsson (aka Maggi Lego, Herb Legowitz, Hunk of a Man, Buckmaster De La Cruz, The Fox, Fuckmaster, or Herr Legowitz)
• Stephan Stephensen (aka President Bongo, Alfred More, or President Penis)
• Sigurður Kjartansson (aka Siggi Kinski)
• Stefán Árni Þorgeirsson
• Baldur Stefánsson (Director of Financial Arts, aka DJ Tekno Jörgensen)
• Ragnheiður Axel
• Páll Garðarsson^[2]

In 1997, the band performed in Toronto. They returned for a second visit as part of a tour supporting their second album, Polydistortion.^[4]

In 1998, a remix of the track "Purple" appeared on Paul Oakenfold's trance compilation Tranceport.

After the group's third album, This Is Normal (1999), the filmmaking arm of GusGus (Kjartansson and Árni Þorgeirsson) split off to form the production company Celebrator, now known as Arni & Kinski,^[5] which has produced advertisements and videos.

In January 2004, they released the song "Desire" with Ian Brown.

As of 2011 the band had sold over 700,000 copies worldwide.^[6]

Its 2015 incarnation consists of four members (President Bongo, Biggi Veira, Urður Hákonardóttir and Daníel Ágúst Haraldsson). A few former members such as Hafdís Huld, Blake, and Daníel Ágúst have gone solo; Emilíana Torrini provided a song for the soundtrack of Peter Jackson's film The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers.

Band members

1995	Daníel Ágúst Haraldsson Emilíana Torrini Davíðsdóttir Magnús Jónsson Hafdís Huld Þrastardóttir Birgir Þórarinsson Magnús Guðmundsson Sigurður Kjartansson Stefán Árni Þorgeirsson Baldur Stefánsson Ragnheiður Axel Páll Garðarsson
1996–2000	Daníel Ágúst Haraldsson Magnús Jónsson Hafdís Huld Þrastardóttir Birgir Þórarinsson Magnús Guðmundsson Sigurður Kjartansson Stefán Árni Þorgeirsson Stephan Stephensen Baldur Stefánsson
2001–2007	Urður Hákonardóttir Birgir Þórarinsson Stephan Stephensen Magnús Guðmundsson
2008–2010	Daníel Ágúst Haraldsson Birgir Þórarinsson Stephan Stephensen
2011–2013	Daníel Ágúst Haraldsson Högni Egilsson Urður Hákonardóttir Birgir Þórarinsson Stephan Stephensen
2014–2016	Daníel Ágúst Haraldsson Högni Egilsson Birgir Þórarinsson
2016–2020	Daníel Ágúst Haraldsson Birgir Þórarinsson
2021–present	Daníel Ágúst Haraldsson Birgir Þórarinsson Margrét Rán Magnúsdóttir

Timeline

Discography

Studio albums

List of studio albums, with selected chart positions

Title	Album details		Peak chart positions
		ISL [7]	FRA [8]	GER [9]	SWI [10]	UK [11]
Gus Gus	Released: 1995 Self-released	—	—	—	—	—
Polydistortion	Released: 7 April 1997 Label: 4AD	—	—	—	—	—
This Is Normal	Released: 26 April 1999 Label: 4AD	—	40	65	—	94
Gus Gus vs. T-World	Released: 24 April 2000 Label: 4AD	—	—	—	—	—
Attention	Released: 14 October 2002 Label: Moonshine / Underwater	—	—	—	—	—
Forever	Released: 23 February 2007 Label: Pineapple	—	—	—	—	—
24/7	Released: 14 September 2009 Label: Kompakt	—	—	—	—	—
Arabian Horse	Released: 23 May 2011 Label: Kompakt	—	—	—	—	—
Mexico	Released: 23 June 2014 Label: Kompakt	—	—	62	82	—
Lies Are More Flexible	Released: 23 February 2018 Label: Oroom	—	—	—	—	—
Mobile Home	Released: 28 May 2021 Label: Oroom	11	—	—	—	—
DanceOrama	Released: 10 November 2023 Label: Oroom	—	—	—	—	—

Live albums

• Mixed Live at Sirkus, Reykjavik (2003)

Compilations

• 15 ára (2010)

Singles

• "Polyesterday" (1996) — UK No. 55 (as Purple EP: Polyesterday)
• "Believe" (1997) — UK No. 154
• "Standard Stuff for Drama" (1997)
• "Ladyshave" (1999) — UK No. 64
• "V.I.P." (1999) — UK No. 86
• "Starlovers" (1999) — UK No. 62
• "Dance You Down" (2002) — UK No. 141
• "Desire" (2002) — UK No. 95
• "David" (2003) — UK No. 52
• "Call of the Wild" (2003) — UK No. 75
• "Lust / Porn" (2005)
• "Need in Me" (2005) — BG No. 24
• "Forever Sampler" (2006)
• "Moss" (2007)
• "Hold You" (2007)
• "Add This Song" (2009)
• "Thin Ice" (2009)
• "Within You" (2011)
• "Over" (2011)
• "Deep Inside" (2011)
• "Crossfade" (2014)
• "Obnoxiously Sexual" (2014)
• "Mexico" (2014)
• "Airwaves" (2014)
• "Featherlight" (2017)
• "Don't Know How to Love" (2018)^[12]
• "Lifetime" (2019)
• "Out of Place" (2020)
• "Higher" feat Vök (2020)
• "Stay the Ride" (2021)
• "Our World" (2021)
• "Love is Alone" feat John Grant (2021)
• "Simple Tuesday" (2021)
• "Bolero EP" feat John Grant (2022)
• "Into the Strange" (2023)
• "Eða?" feat Birnir (2023)
• "When we Sing" (2023) — UA No. 55^[13]

See also

• List of bands from Iceland