WATCH: Low Roar - "Give Up" // HEAR: Low Roar - "Tonight, Tonight, Tonight"

Iceland's Ryan Karazija (ex-Audrye Sessions) performs and records under the name Low Roar, which is a rather fitting name for how his music quietly knocks you off your feet. He recently released his eponymous debut as Low Roar, and, I must admit, after two songs it's slowly becoming one of my favorite releases of 2011. Check out those two tracks below.

LISTEN: Pascal Pinon - "New Beginning"

By Ellen

MP3: Pascal Pinon - "New Beginning"

Intimate, delicate, and utterly endearing -- it doesn't get much closer than this.

Iceland's Pascal Pinon is twin sister duo Jófrídur and Ásthildur with bandmates Halla and Kristín. The shy adolescent spirit of "New Beginning" isn't all that strange when you learn that Pascal Pinon consists of 16-years-olds (!). But the innocent spirit that lies within their music is rather fitting for a sound that reawakens old feelings and helps to recall fond memories. It possesses a nostalgic quality without being heavy-handed -- it is rather light-hearted in a way. Their songs are short, to the point, and have a direct honesty. It's calming music that's both comforting and personal.