Sigur Rós and Björk are apparently fuelling Icelandic fish exports

Native Icelanders are saying that international exposure afforded to them by the renowned artists has led business dealings to run a lot smoother.

This is noticeable in Boston, USA, whihc has recently seen Iceland and Iceland Naturally host the 'A Taste of Iceland' food festival. Last week saw the city host North America's largest seafood/fishery fair, which was pulled off thanks to a heavy "Icelandic involvement".

Hlynur Guðjónsson, the head of Iceland’s trade delegation to North America, told RÚV that cultural exports have had a massive effect on commercial exports over the past 15 years. "Iceland is becoming increasingly more visible in terms of culture and art..." Guðjónsson said, specifically noting Björk, Sigur Rós and Of Monsters and Men.

Icelandic culture website, Icelandic Review, says that: "North Americans’ impressions of Iceland have been regularly polled since 1999. In the beginning, over 80% of respondents had a negative impression of Iceland and wanted no further information about the country. Hlynur says that this has been slowly but surely changing into a positive impression of Iceland, and from people wanting no further information to people generally wanting to know more."

Stream Of Monsters and Men's new single (taken from upcoming LP Beneath The Skin) below.