Reykjavik guests shown love at 12 Tonar Record shop
These photographs and words were created as part of Point Park University's 2017 International Media class trip to Iceland and Ireland. Students were free to pick their subject matter.
Johannes Ágústsson humbly reveals five well-worn guest books, carefully filled with signatures, notes and drawings from all over the world. “This is where the love is,” says Ágústsson, co-founder at 12 Tonar, a record and CD shop and independent record label in Reykjavik, Iceland.
The love and kindness begins a few moments after customers walk in the door, with the offer of a free cup of espresso.“It’s nice for those who want to have a listen to some of our Icelandic music, to have a sip, sit and enjoy a little cup of espresso. It is our own special blend, and we are quite proud of it; it’s the same blend we’ve always had, little secret but very strong,” Ágústsson said.
12 Tonar started out as a classical shop 19 years ago but now carries most genres of music, with a focus on Icelandic music. “We have a lot of great Icelandic music that we want to introduce to our guests who maybe come here knowing only one or two like Björk or Kaleo,” Ágústsson, a Reykjavik native, said.
It has always been Ágústsson’s dream to work in a record store, which he did before opening 12 Tonar, but he never imagined running one. “Like many people when you were a kid you had a strong experience; I remember when I was a kid and heard Joy Division for the first time in a record store and knew then that I wanted to work at one.”
Ágústsson’s favorite area of the shop is one of two listening rooms; it contains an old furniture set that belonged to his grandparents. There are two chairs: one belonged to his grandpa the other to his grandma. The couch is where he used to sleep as a little kid. There are two rooms like this at the shop, one downstairs and one upstairs. “That was always our thinking whenever we started out, to have a little room to feel at home in,” said Ágústsson.
Sharon Welch and Cameron Nelson, a couple from Wisconsin on summer holiday, sat on Ágústsson’s grandfather’s chairs in the listening room, where his grandfather used to drink wine and smoke cigarettes. “We just found this place walking around the city,” said Nelson.
The two listened to newer Icelandic music, including the band Samaris who are a part of 12 Tonar’s record label. “Some of the albums that we released on our label are very dear to our hearts. The second album of the group Samaris is especially a favorite of mine; they released three albums on our label,” said Ágústsson. Welch noted that although she is not a coffee lover, she appreciated how welcoming the people and atmosphere are at 12 Tonar. “I come from a small farming town in Wisconsin where the idea of hospitality is very important. The attention that the owner and the person working at the desk paid us– with the espresso, music suggestions, and storytelling about Iceland and their store– made me feel at home.”
Samaris is an electronic band and according to Ágústsson, their music includes references to Icelandic texts from “some of the most brilliant poets here from the late 19th century, early 20th century so it’s a little bit old meets new.” Samaris won a prestigious annual competition at 12 Tonar in 2011 that involved young bands competing against each other. Tonar’s record label was established in 2003, and it has released over 80 albums.
Ágústsson is still a “CD man” while a lot of Icelandic people enjoy digital music.
“Spotify hit the Icelandic shores a couple years ago, so I would say that most of the listening takes place through that medium. We still sell quite a lot of CDs, and LPs are more of a recent thing here that’s always growing,” said Ágústsson.
From Reykjavik to Wisconsin and all over the world, all are welcome at 12 Tonar, especially espresso and Icelandic music lovers. “It was my father’s influence that made me want to stop in 12 Tonar. He always stood by the quality and convenience of CDs over records, and I remember fondly stopping in CD stores with him wherever we travelled,” said Nelson.12 Tonar provides visitors a home away from home, no matter how far away you live.
“Come here with an open mind, [and] be ready to be nicely surprised because there is no one direction the Icelandic musicians go in. They’re all having their own sound routes. There is so much to explore here,” said Ágústsson.