Indie

Ice Hokku is an Israeli indie pop duo that grew up on Western music and are now drawing inspiration from the authenticity of the Middle East. The band’s name is a pun, a playful mix of Japanese poetry Hokku and ice hockey. 

Ice Hokku are live-looping artists with an electronic-acoustic sound – a mix of guitars, synthesizers, drum machines, and voice layers. The music of the duo is mostly pop songs in English and Hebrew with powerful, creative vocals and sprinkles of Middle East vibe. 

The founders and musicians of the Ice Hokku project:
Julia Garnits – vocal, spontaneity, emotional content, visual art for performances.
Anton Dmitriev – reason, calculation, production, guitarist, and multi-instrumentalist.

Ice Hokku was created in 2016, and it has been based in Israel since 2017. The duo has released their debut live album Fikus 2, two  EP’s, three singles, four clips, and five live sessions. Ice Hokku already played about 150 shows at the festivals and concert venues of Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa, Beer Sheva, and other cities in Israel. During the last two years, Ice Hokku had 4 sold-out shows at “Ozen” and “Kuli Alma” – legendary indie music venues in Tel Aviv. 

Last notable performances:
Israel Music Showcase Festival 2022
Winter 2023 European and Central Asia tour: Budapest, Prague, Berlin, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan.
Mind on Fire festival 2023 in Herbstein, Germany.
Autumn 2023 big European tour – 15 cities – including Vienna, Bratislava, Budapest, Prague, Brussels, Berlin, Munich, Stuttgart ect.
In May 2023 Ice Hokku were chosen by the Israel embassy in Vietnam to represent Israeli modern music at the big event in Hanoi city: 30 years of diplomatic relationship between Vietnam and Israel.

Press quotes:
“The duo’s surprisingly powerful sound is achieved by using loop stations that continuously record sound layers during a show in real-time.” – Nenesbutler Blog 

“Ice Hokku’s musical style uses a combination of guitar, synth, electronic drums, and powerful vocals, using mostly English and Hebrew language. Many of its role models include Depeche Mode, Massive Attack, Sia, and Fink, in combination with modern electronic Israeli music and traditional Middle East melodies and rhythms.” – Vietnam times

“Guitarist Anton Dmitriev and Singer Julia Garnits from Israel rocked Hanoi performing at the Israeli Independence Day Event and starring in a live concert on the backdrop of a Hanoi Lake” – Jerusalem Post