Bedroom Community

Lore & Background

Bedroom Community was founded in 2006 by producer Valgeir Sigurðsson alongside Nico Muhly and Ben Frost, later adding more artists to the label. Based on the outskirts of Reykjavík, Iceland, it also houses Greenhouse Studios. The label has been praised by Drowned in Sound as 'one of the best guarantors of quality, even importance, out there' and previously as '[t]he best record label in the whole of Iceland and maybe even the entire world.' The Line of Best Fit described it as 'more of an ecosystem cultivating music than a traditional record label,' noting that 'within ten years they've gone from being a side concern for a bunch of preternaturally talented composers and producers to become one of the most respected record labels in... the world?'

In 2011, Pierre-Alain Giraud made a documentary film called Everything Everywhere All The Time, following Sam Amidon, Ben Frost, Nico Muhly, and Valgeir Sigurðsson on their collective tour. The documentary premiered at the Reykjavík International Film Festival, followed by screenings at CPH:DOX and Iceland Airwaves. In 2016, to celebrate the label's 10th anniversary, artists embarked on another Whale Watching Tour to the USA. Founder Valgeir Sigurðsson commented that the tour was 'an opportunity to manifest what we, as a record label and a collective of disparate musical personalities, do...to create something uniquely belonging to the live experience.' At Iceland Airwaves 2016, Bedroom Community performed with Crash Ensemble, the Iceland Symphony Orchestra, and conductor André De Ridder at Harpa, with Ja Ja Ja Music calling the performance 'Diverse and powerful.'

Reader's Guide

Bedroom Community's significance lies in its role as a collaborative collective and record label that has cultivated a distinctive body of emotionally powerful music since 2006. Founded by Valgeir Sigurðsson, Nico Muhly, and Ben Frost, the label expanded to include artists such as Sam Amidon, Daníel Bjarnason, Nadia Sirota, and many others. Its releases span from 2006 (Nico Muhly's Speaks Volumes) to 2021 (Jónsi's Obsidian and Valgeir Sigurðsson's Kvika). The label's approach, described as an 'ecosystem' rather than a traditional label, has garnered critical acclaim. The 2011 documentary Everything Everywhere All The Time and the 2016 Whale Watching Tour to the USA highlighted its collaborative live performances. The 2016 Iceland Airwaves concert with Crash Ensemble and the Iceland Symphony Orchestra was noted as a testament to the label's achievements over its first decade. Bedroom Community's legacy is one of fostering cross-genre collaboration and producing music that critics have deemed important and emotionally powerful.

Did You Know?

• The label is based on the outskirts of Reykjavík, Iceland, and is the home of Greenhouse Studios.
• In 2011, a documentary titled Everything Everywhere All The Time was made about the collective's tour.
• The label's 10th anniversary in 2016 was celebrated with a Whale Watching Tour to the USA.