The winner of the 2011 Icelandic Music Experiments (IME) is the band Samaris, as announced on Saturday, the final night of the contest. SÚR placed second, while The Wicked Strangers earned third place.

Primavera received the people’s vote, while Askur Yggrasils was awarded for Best Lyrics, as it says on IME’s website.

The IME has been the main venue for up-and-coming bands in Iceland since 1982. The festival is in the form of three to five semi-final nights and one grand final-night. Up to 40 bands participate every year in venues around Reykjavík, supported by professionals.

Through the years, IME has proven to be a milestone for young bands and is still an important venue for our ever-growing Icelandic music scene, the festival’s website says.

In other music news, Icelandic troubadour Svavar Knútur is currently on tour in Germany, Belgium and France, playing at the Melodica Festival in Hamburg this weekend. His tour ends in Paris on April 16 and 17.

For further information about his tour, visit svavarknutur.com and click here to read about last year’s winner at the IME.