From Barcelona to Reykjavík. My impressions from Sónar Reykjavik 2014, International Festival of Advanced Music :)

© triskel    Harpa Concert Hall

Sónar Reykjavík 2014 just finished last Saturday night with fantastic and one of the biggest spectacles of aurora this winter! The northern lights were dancing just above Harpa Concert Hall, so close to the ground and people that were admiring this incredible colourful  dance of lights! This time aurora was like a huge horizontal ribbon shifting from one end to another, changing colours from green to white-yellow and rose. It looked so unreal, more like a visuals during the Sónar performances than like a natural phenomena.. JUST WONDERFUL!!!!!!!

© triskel   Bonobo at Sónar  Reykjavik 2014

Sónar Reykjavik lasted for 3 days, 13-15 February. A lot of interesting DJs and bands, mostly from Iceland, U.S. and Europe (U.K).  It's aim is to be constantly on the pulse of the current electronic music landscape.

 


And for me this is very clear link between Reykjavík and Barcelona, my two favourite cities in Europe!!! They have much more in common, but this is one of the most visible links between them!

© triskel    Reykjavik at night (without aurora this time)

Sónar is the International Festival of Advanced Music and New Media Art taking place in Barcelona during three days every June. Combining a playful nature, the avant-garde, and experimentation with electronic dance music's newest trends.

Here in Iceland Sónar Reykjavík took place at awesome concert venue, Harpa, that is situated by the harbour in downtown Reykjavik,  in the midst of the city’s heartbeat. The festival took place at five different stages: Silfuberg, Norðurljós, Kaldalón (seated!), Flói and the underground car-park.






 And here go the biggest stars... :)))

© triskel   Bonobo at Sónar  Reykjavik 2014

BONOBO, most people came to Sónar to see him! This time playing with full band. Gentle, melodic, ethnic sounds mix with electronic. Beautiful and harmonious. LOVE THEM, AWESOME PERFORMANCE!!! 

© triskel   Jon Hopkins at Sónar  Reykjavik 2014

JON HOPKINS, extremely energetic, colourful and trance performance of an awesome guy from U.K. He is a London-based producer and musician who writes and performs his own melodic electronica and dance music. I  lost myself completely in his music!!!! Here is a piece from the last Airwaves :) And one of his masterpieces.

© triskel   James Holden at Sónar  Reykjavik 2014

JAMES HOLDEN, the biggest surprise at Sónar! He's British electronic music artist and DJ. Cosmic trance music with some ethnic roots combined with artistic visuals filled Harpa with incredible energy! Amazing and beautiful!! Here is one piece with irresistible rhythm.



















And these are my highlights from the Sónar Reykjavík 2014:

© triskel   Good Moon Deer  at Sónar  Reykjavik 2014

• Good Moon Dear (Iceland). This is an experimental electronic music project leaded by Guðmundur Ingi Úlfarsson. Atmospheric filled soundscapes and live percussion make a great show! This is a part of their performance from las year at Harlem Bar 'Heimurinn'
• Muted (Iceland), a big curly-haired guy that's mixing music in a marvellous way, have a look at this: Samaris - Hljóma þú (Muted Remix)
• Hermigervill (Iceland), tatally crazy guy full of energy playing so vivid and colourful music. Volcano of energy awhile visible was only a cascade of reddish hair. Wonderful performance!! Here you can see the video from Airvawes 2013
• Kiasmos (Iceland), electronic music  from Reykjavik. Kiasmos is the brainchild of Icelandic modern classical composer Ólafur Arnalds and Bloodgroup mastermind Janus Rasmussen from the Faroe Islands. They are linked by common love for minimal, experimental techno music. 

 

© triskel   Hjaltalín at Sónar  Reykjavik 2014

•  Hjaltalín (Iceland), really good voices and energetic performance. I was waiting to see them at the Sónar. To be honest, I like them more on the stage then from the recordings. Very good performance, alot of energy and sincerity on the stage!
  

© triskel   Low Roar at Sónar  Reykjavik 2014

• Low Roar. Love their music, but the concert was too short, only 30 min at the very beginning of the last festival day, so there was no proper atmosphere for their music. Just have a look at their newest song that I really love: 'Breathe in'.  Ryan moved to Iceland from the States. I recommend you to read my favourite article about Low Roar music and life in Iceland. I feel exactly in the same way!! 'It seems that some people living lobe trick and the birth of throwing a person in not quite suitable for him on the ground. A goodbye with a cynical smile, he adds, "We'll see how you can handle it." During the life of such a person appear more often different dilemmas, loneliness, alienation, detachment from the surrounding reality. Lack of synchronization between "I" and "a place where I am 'cause internal disharmony and leads to discomfort and tune, and it involves various activities in their consequences.'

© triskel    Reykjavik at night

So I spent 3 fantastic nights at Sónar festival in a company of my Polish colleague, a very friendly guy, that has quite similar musical taste to mine. Also meeting some other colleagues, two nice Dutch girls and some Spanish people from my Icelandic course.. Because it's such a small town and it's so easy to bump into someone just by 'coincidence', and I love it!!!! :)