Taking your first steps as an artist can be an elusive task. How does one promote themselves when no one’s seen you, heard you, or even knows who you are?
DJ-ÓK are a duo who faced that problem when the two friends wanted to showcase their DJ skills. Computer programmer Elísa Björg Tryggvadóttir and clothing design student Íris Ólafsdóttir tackled the challenge with ingenuity and creativity.
Since December 2023, the duo has become a bi-monthly staple at at Kaffifélagið — a hole-in-the-wall café located on Skólavörðustígur. Performing in the morning, the pair welcome coffee-thirsty regulars with the sound of blaring techno and dance music.
Boring Reykjavík
“I got a text from Íris: ‘Should we start DJ-ing?’” Elísa says joyfully, by way of explaining how the two got together. “All of our friends had moved abroad and it was just the two of us left in town. We had nothing to do. So we were bored and started playing around. But then we were like, ‘how do we get booked?’”
During Elísa’s time in secondary school, she worked alongside her studies at Kaffifélagið. Fast forward a few years, and Elísa is now a computer programmer. She’s walking past the café when she runs into its owner. “Einar is a good guy,” she says. “We had become good friends. He was leaving town and he suddenly tried to convince me to work a shift. He had no one to cover. At first I was hesitant, but then I thought it could be funny to premiere my DJ set there.”
Íris chimes in. “Elísa sends me a message asking if we shouldn’t play at Kaffifélagið. There isn’t a way to get gigs when you’re starting out, because no one trusts you.”
“We were just trying to play!” adds Elísa.
A loyal following
Kaffifélagið boasts a loyal clientele of regulars — a group Elísa befriended during her stint as a barista. Predominantly frequented by older men, Elísa was convinced they’d receive the DJs well. “At first, the old people had no clue what’s going on,” she grins, “and they’re like, ‘sure’. Drinking their morning cup while we’re playing techno.”
Conceived in the winter months when seasonal darkness is at its longest, the pair managed to generate a small amount of light emanating from the tiny café. “There’s techno blaring and nothing else going on at Skólavörðustígur,” says Elísa. “It’s like being at Kaffibarinn in the early morning.”
Through their residency at Kaffifélagið, DJ-ÓK expanded their network of like-minded jockeys, getting in touch with Atli James of the internet radio station DRIF. Soon enough, other DJs took to Kaffifélagið’s decks, curating music for passersby. “There are interesting conversations taking place at 9 in the morning when our friends are there with the old regulars. You don’t get these two crowds together anywhere else,” Elísa notes.
Through their self-promotional endeavour, DJ-ÓK have made a name for themselves in the local scene, ultimately booking gigs at Reykjavík clubs. “We make space for a DJ set in places not designed for that sort of thing,” Elísa says. “We like to decorate the everyday.”
Catch DJ-ÓK at Kaffifélagið twice monthly. Make sure to get their early though, and check out their Instagram for updates on their performances @djokokokokokok
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