Hatari

Icelandic provocateurs Hatari channeled their anti-capitalist stance and pointed political statements through a harsh fusion of industrial, EBM, and punk textures. Clad in aggressive BDSM-inspired spikes and leather, the trio unveiled their first EP, Neysluvara, in 2017 and quickly drew widespread notice by finishing tenth at the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest. Their debut full-length, Neyslutrans, followed the next year.

Taking their name from the Icelandic term for “hater,” the group formed in 2015 with vocalists Klemens Nikulásson Hannigan and Matthías Tryggvi Haraldsson alongside producer and drummer Einar Hrafn Stefánsson. Emerging from Reykjavík’s club scene, they gained initial traction with a 2016 appearance at the Iceland Airwaves festival. Their confrontational demeanor and provocative stage shows soon extended their profile beyond Iceland. The EP Neysluvara arrived on Halloween 2017 and featured the songs “Odyr” and “X.” In 2018 the single “Spillingardans” earned them an Icelandic Music Award nomination for Song of the Year; they ultimately received the Performer of the Year trophy.

Capitalizing on the resulting publicity, Hatari progressed through regional contests to secure Iceland’s entry at the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest in Israel with the song “Hatrið mun sigra,” ultimately placing tenth amid considerable debate. Following the event they collaborated with queer Palestinian artist Bashar Murad on “Klefi/Samed.” That recording, together with earlier singles and several new tracks, comprised the album Neyslutrans, issued in early 2020.