Maybe you’ve noticed that Iceland is having a moment? Between volcanic eruptions on the news, nonstop flights between Seattle and Reykjavík advertised on the side of every bus downtown, and oodles of on-air love from KEXP, it seems like Iceland is in the spotlight wherever you turn. The attention is well deserved; despite housing a population about half the size of Seattle, Iceland boasts a quality music scene as diverse as our own. But if you didn’t win KEXP’s Iceland Fly-Away contest to attend the Airwaves festival in Reykjavík, how can you find all that deserving music?

Iceland Music Export has your back. Each year, IMX puts out a compilation CD highlighting tracks from some of Iceland’s hottest new albums you never heard of. Bands like Of Monsters and Men already spend more time abroad than at home in Iceland; the IMX Made in Iceland VI compilation introduces you to what’s next.   

A few highlights are worthy of everyone’s attention. Government official by day, mad genius rapper by night, former Sugarcubes member Einar Örn contributes the track “Dreamland” by his project Ghostigital. KEXP favorite Ólafur Arnalds will be playing Decibel Festival here in Seattle in September. Prepare for that show by listening to “Old Skin.” Because Agent Fresco’s Arnór Dan is one of the most moving singers alive, the Pascal Pinon track “When I Can’t Sleep” featuring his guest vocals is required listening.

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{Man of Steel opens in Seattle on Friday, 6/14, and is screening at The Regal Meridian 16, The Big Picture, Sundance Cinemas Seattle, The Majestic Bay, and other Seattle-area theaters} 

As a child of the 80s, It's impossible for me to talk about Zack Snyder's Superman reboot without comparing it to both the 1978 Superman and 1980's Superman II (And I've almost completely forgotten about Superman Returns, because, eh). 

Superman II hit the cable pay channels when I was on the cusp of adolescence, so the romantic Lois/Clark Niagra Falls scenes and the awesomeness of its villainous trio (Zod, Ursa, and Non) filled me with so much glee that I spent many hours in front of the TV watching; imagining myself to be either a sassy reporter in love with a flying alien, or a kick-ass chick in a sexy, skin-tight pantsuit. 

I was wary of Snyder surpassing popular villain Lex Luthor and choosing to go straight for General Zod in Man of Steel, but if you're gonna do something like that, casting Michael Shannon is the best way to go about it. Plus, you win everything EVER by casting Henry Cavill as Kal-El. I mean it, that guy is a perfect genetic specimen -- who can actually ACT. Who knew? 

At 143 minutes, this film could've used just a bit more editing, but I get it: Snyder's trying to set up the whole backstory of Superman, including his planet's history, his childhood, and his struggle to understand who he is.

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