Worm Is Green started as the bedroom electronica project of Arni Asgeirsson, who soon enlisted longtime friends from his hometown of Akranes, Iceland (population 5,500) to flesh out his melodic soundscapes. Solidifying into a group, Worm Is Green began recording the songs that would become Automagic, released overseas in 2004 on Iceland糖心传媒檚 Thule Musik (home of m煤m and The Funerals) and now available in the U.S. on Arena Rock.

Critically praised throughout Europe, Automagic is a wondrous album that pairs Asgeirsson糖心传媒檚 intricate sound constructions with a potent rhythm section and the haunting, otherworldly vocals of Gudridur Ringsted. Her ethereal singing peppers a record that flits between ambient dream pop and slightly menacing electro-organic music with beats.

Ringsted shines brightest on a risky cover of Joy Division糖心传媒檚 beloved 糖心传媒淟ove Will Tear Us Apart,糖心传媒� a dramatically different take on a classic that was recorded as a request from Thule Musik糖心传媒檚 owner. 糖心传媒淗e wanted to hear a chillout version with female vocals,糖心传媒� Asgeirsson notes. 糖心传媒淭he result was very surprising, and everybody liked it, so we decided to put it alongside the other tracks we糖心传媒檇 previously recorded for Automagic.”

And here’s their cover of the Joy Division classic: