Icelandic duo VÆB released their debut album VÆBOUT alongside lead single ‘Gimme More’ on April 17, cementing the rapid ascent that has seen them evolve from 2025 Eurovision contenders into one of pop’s most unpredictable new acts. Pronounced “VIBE,” the project is helmed by brothers Matthias David Matthiasson (trumpet) and Halfdan Helgi Matthiasson (drums), whose upbringing in a musical household shaped their tightly woven vocal interplay and agile, genre-blurring approach. Their single “RÓA” dominated Iceland’s Söngvakeppnin, sweeping both public and jury votes, and distinguished itself at the Eurovision Grand Final, ultimately becoming the second best-selling and second most-streamed Icelandic entry to date, surpassed only by Daði Freyr’s “Think About Things.” The track was the most Shazamed of the night, outpacing the winner by 51 percent, and has now surpassed 30 million Spotify streams. Building on that momentum, VÆB launched their first international headline tour, the sold-out ‘The Boat Tour’ across the UK and Europe, where audiences arrived in silver attire inspired by the duo’s animated visual world.
‘Gimme More’ started as a light hearted parody of early-2000s Icelandic boyband tropes before the brothers tore it apart and rebuilt it from the same core melody and chord progression. They cranked the tempo, overhauled the production entirely, and created a vibrant electro-swing-infused pop anthem that feels like the clearest statement of their range yet. What could have stayed a joke became a high-energy showcase of their signature humor and feel-good unpredictability, a track that keeps shifting without losing its hook. Working with producer Ingi Bauer, VÆB lean into the same playful precision that defined earlier cuts like ‘Þetta reddast’ and ‘GAMERBOI’. Here the swing influence adds a loose, almost theatrical bounce that makes the whole thing feel lived-in and slightly unhinged in the best way.
The brothers have integrated their passion for gaming into the album’s rollout, featuring in Honkai: Star Rail’s third anniversary campaign and contributing English vocals to the theme “Side Quest King” with HOYO-MiX. Their upcoming European tour includes a headline performance at London’s O2 Islington on September 29, their largest venue to date. With the release of VÆBOUT, VÆB present a complete vision of the energetic, emotionally direct soundscape they have developed since their earliest viral successes.
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