The Reykjavík Grapevine presents our daily, comprehensive coverage of 2025 Iceland Airwaves. This year, we are pleased to introduce a number of new writers joining us as we try to document and explain what makes this specific festival so unique. The reviews are posted by venue and in order of appearance.
ART MUSEUM
Bríet performing at The Art Museum // Photo by Art Bicnick
Bríet takes the stage in a white marshmallow covered one-piece, blue stockings, with a ponytail hanging down to her knees. In the cold blue lighting, she eases into the agony of surviving after a heartbreak, a topic that is a recurring theme in Bríet’s songwriting. The lights turn warmer as composer Magnús Jóhann softly plays an intro to one of her more recent tracks. Armed with a semi-hollow electric guitar and a heartfelt chuckle, we are presented with a version of Bríet that might best be compared to a phoenix rising from the ashes. The music video to her latest single “Cowboy Killer” plays on the stage screen behind her. Bríet has switched the language in which she writes her music to English, without losing the fundamentals of her sound and aesthetic. However, she concludes her set with the Icelandic language hit “Esjan” as an encore. SSS
Silvana Estrada
Silvana Estrada performing at The Art Museum // Photo by Art Bicnick
A wild string quartet appears. Silvana Estrada enters the stage and takes us on a spiritual journey with her voice alone. The string quartet awaits orders. She has a tiny cuatro guitar and a massive vocal range. The quartet eases into the mix. Only two minutes in and the performance is already sensational. Silvana Estrada reacts to the roaring crowd with a sly smile. She keeps us under her spell and carries on while the quartet tries to keep up. The crowd swoons as she continues to unleash her booming voice. When the crowd is asked to sing with her. The crowd obliges. Everyone in the room has a singing voice tonight. SSS
Saya Grey
Saya Gray performing at the Art Museum // Photo by Atli Freyr Steinsson
Rock, folk, jazz, R&B, rap, electronic music — even country. It’s hard to catch all the inspirations behind Saya Gray. She doesn’t limit herself to a single instrument either, moving effortlessly from playing a multi-neck guitar to an acoustic one. Her songs also break away from typical forms (verse-chorus), slowly transforming and sometimes completely changing tempo and mood. Yet one must admit, she does it all with taste, clearly having a great time on the stage. The audience sang along to her biggest hits and responded with enthusiastic cheers to her raised finger, as if she were holding a magic wand to command the crowd. Eclectic and electrifying — that’s a cocktail that can definitely get to your head and encourage you to dance without shame. AS
Joey Valance & Brae
“It is time to rave,” the rappers Joey Valance & Brae declared, turning the museum into a nightclub. It was hard, however, to tell what kind of club it was, as the tempo swung from downbeat to hardcore. It was a true Molotov cocktail — a volatile mix that set the audience on fire. “Give it to me, give it to me,” everyone chanted like a mantra, though it was hard to tell who should give what to whom — but it seemed that in the end, everyone got exactly what they wanted. AS
Retro Stefson performing at the Art Museum // Photo by Atli Freyr Steinsson
The Retro Stefson reunion show last year was full of excitement and well-attended, and I was curious if their Airwaves show would be the same. Despite the rose-tinted glasses nostalgia can sometimes hand you (re: cover bands), it’s hard to deny that Retro Stefson has both infectious energy and technical skill. They demonstrated that they’ve still got both in the final concert at Art Museum on the final night of Airwaves. I don’t think any other band in Iceland could steward a full crowd to dance from one side of the room to the other in sync, or divide themselves in half so Haraldur could run up and down the aisle — but Retro Stefson managed to do both. Towards the end, I experienced the first mosh I’ve ever seen in Iceland outside a DIY or metal show. Airwaves is all about the joy of music, and what better way to cap off the final night than with the beloved Retro Stefson? I left the museum content, and with barely any voice left. ISH
KOLAPORT
Daniil performing at Kolaport // Photo by Art Bicnick
Opening the night at Kolaportið with confidence and a grin that set the tone for what followed, Daniil kicked off with “ÁSTIN MÍN.” A large chunk of the crowd sang along instantly, their voices echoing through the room. The song’s Danish verse added a charming twist that made it stand out. His set moved between songs about cars and matters of the heart, all delivered with easy self-assurance. During “Andvaka”—a restless-night anthem with clear nods to Mika’s“Relax” — the energy hit its peak, and a gentle mosh pit even broke out, led by Daniil himself. Behind him, a stream of modified corporate logos flashed across the screen, each one humorously reworked with his own name which somehow felt very on-brand. AJDF
Milkywhale performing at Kolaport // Photo by Art Bicnick
Electropop powerhouse duo Milkywhale returned to Airwaves after a half-decade hiatus, following last year’s release of “Breathe In” and with more new music on the way. The collaboration between producer and FM Belfast member Árni Rúnar Hlöðversson and singer-dancer-choreographer Melkorka Sigríður Magnúsdóttir has always been unique, and tonight’s set proved it once again. On top of their already pumped, full-of-life energy, they invited Kvæðakórinn, a choir dedicated to traditional Icelandic “kvæði” — poetic chants of old — on stage for half the performance. Rather than just an accompanying element, the choir became an instrument on its own, their chanting blending seamlessly with Melkorka’s pop-infused vocals to create the most interesting mixture. What will Milkywhale do next? AJDF
Chopped up vocal samples, heavy bass and a beautiful violin solo open gugusar’s set, as the pop icon dances her way to a droning drop (sans violin). A staple in Iceland’s music scene by now, gugusar’s incredible knack for melodies and dense instrumental production keeps her head and shoulders above many artists from that same scene. Another sombre opening to the next track turns into an impromptu rave as a drum’n’bass drop throws the crowd into a frenzy, young and old. A first for a gugusar show (as far as I know), two backup dancers jump in and out of action. At one point, she goes and fetches her backup dancers from offstage to join her in starting a mosh pit in the crowd. Her show was most definitely a performance fit for much larger things. SAS
Getdown Services
“We’re two British guys with a really, really bad odour” Getdown Services announced to a full house as they opened their set at KOLAPORT, wearing only shirts and Adidas sport shorts. What to say? So stupid. So fun. Such impeccable crowd control. Such boundless energy. Such raw dumb energy. And so damn English. The banter is hilarious. They complain about the food, bitch about Eyjafjallajökull, the crowd loves it. The music. Not bad. Hard beats, then a lean towards rock and metal, and loud energetic vocal delivery. By the fifth song, shorts are the only garments still on stage. “This is my fat body, and it smells like eggs, like the rest of this fucking country” they shout, along with series of random profanities, while their beer bellies jiggle all over the place. Somehow, over all that nonsense, they still deliver good fun songs, with great guitar hooks, keeping the crowd grinning and dancing and end their final song — appropriately — with a fart sound effect. JTS
COLT
“This is the first time we play so late at a festival. We are called COLT, we are from Belgium,” singer Coline Debry tells us, after delivering, in French, the duet’s first stunning song of the night. Fittingly described as musically being on the crossroads of electro-pop and French chanson, they nailed every single one of their eight songs of the night, Coline giving mind-blowing vocal performance while dancing and jumping around like an athlete, yet with grace and seductiveness. The other half of the duo, Antoine Jorissen handled synths, keys and a drum pad with equal skill and spirit. Whoever booked this band to this festival should get a medal. COLT should be playing stadiums, for thousands. Those few who did witness their performance will not be forgetting that experience any time soon. JTS
Jeshi
Jeshi, a rapper based out of East London, got a tough slot at Airwaves: late, on the last night, while the final concert in the Art Museum was still happening. Alongside live beats and keyboard, the artist played to an excited but regretfully not-full Kolaportið. Known for inventive lyrics alongside elaborate videos, the artist’s lyrics range from commentary on London, being in your twenties today, and his childhood. Towards the end of the set, he told the audience, “You know what I’m going to do? Play exactly what I’m not supposed to play!” and proceeded into his song “DISCONNECT!” off his most recent album, Airbag Woke Me Up. He paced the stage, passionately singing the song while members of the crowd vigorously danced in their circles, only leaving us with curiosity for what a packed Jeshi show could be like. ISH
GAUKURINN
Inki performing at Gaukurinn // Photo by Art Bicnick
Inki’s music is built on a vast foundation of diverse electronic sounds, complex, energetic rhythms, and melodic, tranquil vocals. During her concert, there were two drummers on stage — one of them, Hrafnkell Örn Guðjónsson, handled a synthesizer, percussion pad, and a massive concert drum. The third “drummer” was the heavy bass itself, whose vibrations seemed to set membranes in motion. Together with the synths, they delivered an energizing, visceral massage to the audience. “This night is about connection,” Inki said — and she truly managed to create that bond with the crowd, even encouraging them to reconnect with their friends by writing postcards from the concert, which she promised to send personally. She kept the energy flowing until the very end — though, fortunately, her waters stayed right where they were, despite her advanced pregnancy. “You missed the chance of me going into labour,” she joked before the final piece. AS
Alaska1867 delivered dynamic drum and bass with honest lyrics, saying to a Gaukur full of young Icelanders “þið þekkið þetta”, meaning “you know this,” and they clearly did. Even when she played unreleased material, I saw people passionately singing word for word. The electronic sound had a depth to it, beats travelling through a soundscape on her newer songs. This was a party and the crowd bounced around, collectively breathing the music in and out. The thing that makes Alaska1867 stand out is her lyrics. They speak honestly of experiences of abuse, addiction and partying, shining a light on a part of society that often gets hidden away. It’s real, raw, and honest while still being incredibly cool. Vulnerability is cool. FLK
Bricknasty
The Irish quintet Bricknasty was in full swing as I made my way towards the front. Admittedly, I walked in with high standards: I had seen Kneecap on the same stage, also during Airwaves, just two years prior. I’m not meaning to draw a comparison between the two groups just for being Irish, but Bricknasty frontman Fatboy also performs in a balaclava. Despite the similar headgear, the groups deviate a bit in genre. Bricknasty draws influence from experimental jazz, neo-soul, rap, R&B, and, notably, the group was keen to switch genres mid-song. And that worked? Soulful verses, saxophone, plus a fiery rap in the middle? Bricknasty pulled it off. “Iceland, if you feel me, say ‘grrrrrrrr!’” Fatboy yelled at one point, and the entire room growled. He tells us that they’ve just inducted two new members of Bricknasty, both of whom are 20. Their set held some of the best drumming I’ve seen all Airwaves — provided by Korey Thomas — and overall, I didn’t leave disappointed in the slightest. ISH
Punchbag
Punchbag performing at Gaukurinn // Photo by Art Bicnick
Punchbag hit the stage like a sugar rush plugged into a distortion pedal. The London quartet opened with a shout, “we’re not your punch bag,” and for a moment I was thrown. It’s easy to get confused bouncing from show to show at Airwaves. Then came the confirmation: “Hey guys, we’re Punchbag.” Ok, good. Whatever this was, it was loud, ecstatic, and impossible to ignore. The wall-of-sound production of their records translates live as a beautiful mess of everything all-at-once: danceable anthems, echo, delay, screams, fuzz, joy. The shaggy guitarist’s SG howled, the bespeckled bassist/keyboardist locked the root notes while triggering the samples, and the drummer kept it aggressive yet danceable. The singer, with full-on stage swagger, commanded the crowd, belting out “Live, Laugh, Love´ without irony and somehow making it land. Between songs, she marvelled at Iceland’s landscape. Her little brother, the guitarist, repeated it, before being told by his older sister that she just said that. They channel early 2000s Williamsburg electroclash, LCD Soundsystem meets Andrew WK in a rush of hopecore euphoria. Rave pop welded to rock anthems, positivity screamed at full volume. Everyone moved. Everyone was smiling. ARG
Tófa performing at Gaukurinn // Photo by Art Bicnick
There is nothing better than being screamed at by the amazing band Tófa, who totally brought the energy up for the night at Gaukurinn. Tófa has everything you want from a punk band: they are playful, have great communication as a band, and they are having fun. The bassist is swinging in all directions, creating feedback with the amp, while staying perfectly connected to the drummer. The vocalist sings in a provocative and confident style. Though sometimes the words of the lyrics are hard to understand, she brings them with power. They are playing unreleased songs, as well as 10+ year old music pulled from their archives. ‘’We just want to play our favourite songs,’’ the vocalist says. This joy of playing together definitely translates to the audience, and everyone is dancing and headbanging along. EYM
Superkoloritas
Superkoloritas perform at Gaukurinn // Photo by Atli Freyr Steinsson
Energetic disco lovebirds Superkoloritas take the stage at Gaukurinn wearing white costumes with colourful accents and, of course, flared pants. Giedrė and Adomas, a married couple from Lithuania, smile constantly — especially compared to our Finnish friends from last night. By “constantly,” I mean Adomas is still smiling while playing sax or flute. They’re just like those people in your life who radiate positivity. They deliver a dreamlike, funky set, somewhere between Italo disco and presumably Lithuanian schlagers, and someone in the audience even compares them to local legends FM Belfast. They’ve got the dance moves, too. Somewhere near the end of the set, they say Icelandic people are brave for being the first country to recognise Lithuania’s independence. Then they add, “Fuck Putin. Support Ukraine. It’s important.” IZ
OneDa
“I’m gonna bring energy” OneDa announces with a thick Manchester accent, just before launching into her first song, which samples John McVie of Fleetwood Mac’s bass solo on “The Chain.” OneDa tells no lies. Backed up by a yellow Carhartt sweater-wearing DJ, she sends out all the energy the room can muster, delivering lightspeed fast rhymes frequently interrupted by well-timed foghorn sound effects from the DJ and shouting “pussy power” between seemingly every song. JTS
FABRÄK
We’re getting the fucking Danes to close the festival? The answer is yes. And boy do these three guys, two rappers and a DJ, know how to command a room. They come in at full speed in their first song of the night, and it only goes up from there. “Are there a lot of people on drugs here? I get that vibe,” says one of the two rappers. “There is this Danish band…” has not ever been a good opening of a conversation about music. But hear me out here. There is this Danish band, and it fucking slams. We will accept our former colonial overlords, but only when they come to entertain us like this. “Let’s absolutely tear this place down. Respectfully,” one of the rappers says before launching into Fabräk’s last song and the final song of this year’s festival. Respectfully, they made sure it went out with a bang. JTS
IÐNÓ
Panam
Panam starts promising: there is a clock running down and a chaotic mash up of recorded voices that build the tension for what is about to come. When the band finally starts playing, it has a completely different vibe than one would expect from the intro, which makes for an awkward transition. Panam plays rock music with groovy bass and clean vocals. It seems to be a crowd pleaser, everyone is dancing along and cheering. Indeed, the music is easy to move to. Maybe that is because the drum beat stays the same for almost every song. It is an older crowd tonight at IÐNO and as I talk to a fan he tells me “The music takes me back, it has an old school feel to it, it has everything I love!” EYM
MS OBAMA
For the second night of MS OBAMA at Airwaves, she does not dial down. With an epic start, loud bass and thick beat, MS OBAMA struts the stage with the confidence of a big star. She is an absolute powerhouse both in her rapping skills and the way she is dancing with full energy on stage. It is amazing to see how she is telling a story through putting on different characters with her voice and facial expressions. In shifting between aggressive and rough vocals to innocent and cheeky voices, it is as if MS OBAMA is creating dialogues with multiple people all within her own voice. EYM
Maria Arnal
Maria Arnal performing at IÐNÓ // Photo by Red Illuminations
Maria Arnal is the perfect example of a musician who takes an idea to its full potential and excels at what she does. In her songs, Maria Arnal layers her own vocals to create polyphonic textures as a backing track for her singing and fleshy beats. Every song is spot on. From dream pop vocals to more traditional Spanish styles, her vocals are effortless. The highlight of the show is when she sings a traditional Valencian song accompanied only by her Shuri box, an instrument similar to the harmonium that produces a drone sound. She accidentally starts the song too high, apologises and starts over. From the moment she sings in the right key, it feels like something changes in the space. She has the full attention of everyone as she delivers an astonishing vocal performance, ending the song completely acapella. To sing without any instrumental backing in a venue like this is daring and makes this performance unique and intimate. After singing a couple more upbeat electronic songs, Maria Arnal leaves the stage under loud cheering. The audience wants more. She comes back for an encore but is sadly stopped by the Airwaves crew who is keeping a strict time schedule. ‘’I will have to come back next year!’’, she says. EYM
Mainline Magic Orchestra
Mainline Magic Orchestra performing at IÐNÓ // Photo by Atli Freyr Steinsson
Mainline Magic Orchestra is more like Manic Magic Orchestra, or Motherfucking-What-Did-I-Just-See Orchestra, or Why-Did-It-Take-So-Long-For-Me-To-Discover-This Orchestra. Hands down, the best gig of Airwaves 2025. Dressed in monochrome costumes with black balaclavas, balloon-like pants, and star-shaped vests that make them look like Patrick from SpongeBob, this Barcelona-based trio delivered a wildly disorienting but equally amazing set, blending house, disco, throwback pop — you name it — amazing dance music. I truly hope that under these vests they had ice packs like F1 drivers, but if not, huge respect. It’s really quite hard to describe what was happening on stage. Do I start with the moment the frontman put a mic head in his mouth? Or when he said he wouldn’t continue the set until someone rolled him a cigarette — and then smoked it on stage? Or when the same frontman emerged with a selfie stick and a camera that projected his face onto the screen behind, first with a “ridiculously big eyes” filter, then a sad face filter, and then passed the stick to the crowd? Or when, like some futuristic samurai, the trio unleashed neon green lasers? “House Music 2 The W??RLD” and “Skateboarding Is Not A Crime” were absolute bangers, but the whole set in total? Wild. Just wild. IZ
jasmine.4.t
“As a group of trans people, it’s fucking stressful crossing borders,” Jasmine Cruickshank of jasmine.4.t said, ”so thank you all for being in this room right now.” jasmine.4.t had been on my radar since their 2024 signing to Saddest Factory Records, and I’d venture to say this was the first proper rock concert I saw all Airwaves, full of guitar and bass shredding while on their knees, alongside an enthused crowd. Jasmine tried to say something else, but was completely drowned out by cheers from the audience. The group is almost two months out from the release of their You Are The Morning (YBT Deluxe), an extended version of You Are The Morning. Jasmine explained a dedication to their friend, Yulia Trot (YBT), who is “accused of being involved in disruption to a weapons factory in Bristol,” as the website freeyulia.com reads. The group was passionate, outspoken, and really fucking talented. If you missed this set, then you severely missed out. ISH
The Scratch
The Scratch performs at Iðnó // Photo by Red Illuminations
Two cajons and a kick drum would usually strike fear in most eyes (at least in mine) but in the hands of The Scratch’s drummer, it is the largest sounding fucking drums to have been played this side of the River Shannon. Two acoustic guitarists, a drummer and a bass player only wearing underwear, this layout of instruments deceives. Starting with a traditional Irish folk intro, with a stamp of their feet, distorted guitars and thundering bass make the chandelier shake. Their contagious stage presence may be the most fun of any band at Airwaves this year. Irish charm never fails. The track “Cheeky Bastard” opens a thundering chug of fuzzed out ACOUSTIC guitars. A set armed to the teeth with exciting lyrics and instrumentation switching smoothly from folky to HEAVY, The Scratch even gave their newest single “Pull Like a Dog” a christening with a mosh pit for the ages. SAS
Izleifur
Representing the Icelandic Hip-Hop scene, Izleifur is cool, calm and collected as he preaches in autotune. The audience feeds off this tranquillity that he emits confidently. As the show goes on, things start turning up. Hard techno beats are becoming a staple of the generational shift in Icelandic rap music, creating a deeper range of what direction rappers want to explore. Izleifur‘s performance is as personal as his lyrics tend to be. The beats come freshly made, paired with an upfront and honest Hip-Hop artist passionate for his craft. SSS
NASA
Declan O’Donovan started out strong playing soulful soft rock on a Wurlitzer keyboard. The songs had a nice flow, with “Get Thee Behind the Wheel,” a standout. In the audience a person by the front danced freely, which gave the other people courage to move around the spacious dancefloor. During the second half of the show, the bass drowned out Declan’s keys and voice, unnecessarily shaking the room when “room shaking” was not the vibe of the easeful music. FLK
The Follower
“They always give us an early set, because people have no idea what we are,” Colin Dorward of The Follower tells me just after he gets off stage. He and partner Victoria Parker, who travelled from the Yukon, were placed in an opener spot, but to play bass driven dance music in a legendary dance hall that now literally looks like a buffet lounge from a cruise ship. The result was performance art, as the DJs blended vocal samples with creative beats surely intended for a later night and younger audience. I witnessed three audience members do the Macarena. BC
Jeremy Parkin
Jeremy Parkin performing at NASA // Photo by Red Illuminations
Also from the Yukon, Jeremy Parkin hopped on stage with a similarly difficult task. Building a dance vibe from an early set in a room meant for slicing prime rib. Inexplicably, Jeremy Parkin destroyed. Where the confidence came from I can’t say. The artist explained from stage that he composed the night’s set while locked in his hotel room sick for 48 hours. Somehow, NASA transformed during the set and people definitely danced, almost impossibly, from a sample of Black Eyed Peas’ “Humps” that morphed into far more ambitious electro jam. Jeremy Parkin also seemed recovered from illness, as the exuberant DJ told me after the gig that he was rushing off to see Faroese phenom Marius DC. BC
Sunna Margrét performs at Nasa // Photo by Red Illuminations
Sunna Margét’s band, consisting of a drummer, a guitarist who often swapped to bass, along with Sunna herself, who played alternatively keys and bass, delivered seven songs, including a risky but confident cover of The Strangler’s “Golden Brown.” Every song got to breathe tastefully, every musical choice seemed thought through. The third song saw an intro where Sunna Margrét made use of her voice and loops to build up a quire of acapella, reminiscent of Björk’s arrangements on Medulla. The set ended with a demonstration of Sunna’s singing abilities, which are magnificent. JTS
54 Ultra
Nasa got a soulful and sultry set from 54 Ultra, their frontman jittering across the stage with charm and quick-witted banter. The band—guitar, bass, keyboards, and drums—was tight and precise, sported an enviable hat collection: furry hats, a Kangol, you name it. The keyboardist added depth, conjuring the richness of a full brass section on top of everything else. “Talk 2 Me” felt like a direct conversation with the audience, while other moments stretched into prolonged waves of feeling. They closed with “Heaven Knows,” a song about making, having, and finding love. With obvious chemistry and a frontman who kept things humorous and alive, 54 Ultra are a band with a bright future ahead of them. AJDF
Night Tapes
Night Tapes performing at NASA // Photo by Red Illuminations
Closing out Nasa tonight was Night Tapes, a London-based band whose dreamy, powerful sound feels both intimate and otherworldly. The quartet — guitar, bass, and drums — is impeccably tight, anchored by a serene, angelic frontwoman whose high, Kate Bush–like voice floats over emotional yet electronic arrangements. Their sound a perfect reflection of their big-city roots. The standout was “Leave It All Behind, Mike,” an ethereal, heartwarming track accompanied by visuals of cloudy skies from a plane. It felt as we were floating in the air with the band. The lead singer punctuated moments with dance moves, like she was ready to take flight. AJDF
FRÍKIRKJAN
RAKEL performing at Fríkirkjan // Photo by Atli Freyr Steinsson
RAKEL’s ethereal atmosphere lures you into her world from the jump. accompanied by a full band of various instruments, her hauntingly beautiful vocals breathed life into everyone at listening distance. A plucked guitar anchors fluttering flugelhorn and flute during her second track, “rescue remedy,” with the refrain “As I ponder, I grow fonder”, as does the audience. A surprisingly distorted Wurlitzer keyboard breaks up the latter half of a song, breaking into magical chaos, brass instruments littered all over the track, the band clocking in for vocal duty as well. A faint exclamation of “hell yeah!” is noted as the final track “Always” starts and the ending is met with a deserved standing ovation. Honestly, it seems unjust to try and write about RAKEL’s performance as I could never get the complete experience across. I ponder how such beautiful music can come from a human being. SAS
Hania Derej
Hania Derej performs at Fríkirkjan // Photo by Atli Freyr Steinsson
Composer, pianist, and conductor Hania Derej sat down at the piano bench quietly, donning a New York Yankees baseball cap and a white shirt. Without introduction, she began playing with the dynamics that would define her entire performance. When her pieces grew emotive and forte, she would jerk from the effort; as she played, her eyes looked anywhere but down at the keys. After the first piece, she explained to the audience, “I won’t be singing today, because sometimes, we don’t need words.” The same ideology held steadfast later, when she transitioned to electronic and introduced a piece by saying, “You will hear my thoughts and feelings.” There were no words, of course, but nevertheless we could hear Hania’s feelings. She explained that she began experimenting with electronic music during lockdown, but she moved with such deftness — often with one hand on the keyboard, another on her laptop — that you’d assume she was born with this talent inherently. Before the last song of the set, she shyly said, “I hope it was okay for you,” which was met with intense applause, followed by a standing ovation once she finished the final piece. ISH
An artist who needs no introduction in Iceland, JFDR is known for her airy, ethereal voice and highly distinctive expression. Having released several albums, she continues to evolve, and her concerts always bring surprises. This time, we saw her accompanied by a six-piece band — five of whom played guitar. During her composition studies, she realized how much she loved singing with the guitar: “The more you think about it, the more basic you want to be — at least I do,” she said, attempting to justify the presence of her guitar band. However, it wasn’t the guitars but the beautiful harmonic multi-voiced arrangements that formed the essence of the new material we got a glimpse of. There was a special connection between the musicians — their voices complemented, supported, and intertwined with each other, at times evoking the sensation of waves, each cresting in a different place and reaching the listener at a different moment. There was a lightness in it all, and something of the classical essence of beauty (simplicitas et serenitas), which captivated the audience and earned her a standing ovation. AS
Katie Gregson-MacLeod
Katie Gregson-MacLeod performs at Fríkirkjan // Photo by Atli Freyr Steinsson
Katie Gregson-MacLeod captivates the audience urgently with her vibrating vocals and synchronised playing on a grand piano. In between songs, the Scottish songwriter entertains us with fun stories and gives us insights into her compositions. Each time she addresses the crowd, she reveals more and more of her witty and sarcastic personality. Katie Gregson-MacLeod‘s music is earnest, and her performance is powerful which the church’s acoustics amplify perfectly. SSS
Two years ago, Elín Hall released her debut album, Heyrist í mér?, just to check if someone was listening. Ever since then she has been polishing her career, both as a musician and as an actress. After getting her debut album’s single” Vinir” out of the way, Elín and her supporting piece of guitar and drums ascend to higher ground. She sets the guitar aside and a new dynamic unfolds as we are introduced to unreleased songs through confident stage performance. SSS
LEMMY
Ari Árelíus performing at LEMMY // Photo by Atli Freyr Steinsson
It’s 19:47, three minutes till the scheduled time when the voice says, “DJ, cut the music. I’m Ari Árelíus and we’re gonna play a few songs for you.” Ari is joined on stage by a bassist, a sax player, and a harpist — the harp, especially, is not exactly your standard Lemmy’s backyard setup. The moment the band starts playing, the good vibes begin. Ari Árelius is groovy and upbeat, drawing from a swirl of psychedelic rock, jazz, and folk. His sound has been described to sit somewhere between “Icelandic desert music” and “mountain funk.” He keeps interacting with the audience, tossing out lines like, “How are you doing Airwaves? Feeling frisky?” During “Upp og niður,” he gets the crowd crouch and jump, commenting, “I can tell who’s been going to the gym,” and “You in the back, you can do it.” In the end of the set, Ari and the band play an instrumental song, which is so meditative almost trance-like. Good vibes only. IZ
Marius DC
Marius DC performing at LEMMY // Photo by Atli Freyr Steinsson
When a Faroese kid approached me at IÐNÓ three years ago and asked me to stay for his show because “it’s going to be a religious experience,” I couldn’t have imagined that fast-forward to today I’d be going to his shows two nights in a row entirely at my own free will. Marius DC is the reason the term “Faroese rap” exists and God, he’s a fucking national treasure. Marius probably doesn’t know how to shave yet, but he’s been active in the scene for years now, playing festivals, collaborating with other Faroese artists, some of which join him on stage tonight, and even producing for others. Listening to his music at home can’t compare to experiencing it live — both yesterday at IÐNÓ and today at Lemmy, he gives the set it all. Starting with his hood up, dark and enigmatic, by the end he’s half undressed, jumping into the crowd and hugging everybody. On the backdrop, we see a slightly cringe slideshow of his childhood photos — apparently made by his dad, who’s in the audience. At one point a voiceover asks what I can only assume means “Who do you want to be when you grow up?” and baby Marius answers, “Listamaður,” fittingly the name of his eponymous track. Marius fiddles with a bracelet on his wrist and tells a story about how it was given to him by a 13-year-old girl after one of his gigs. “This is why I do this,” he says, pointing to the crowd. “The energy here is palpable.” He sings mostly in Faroese, but a few songs are in English, and by the end of the set I’m shouting with him: “Rap saved my life.” IZ
digital Ísland performing at LEMMY // Photo by Atli Freyr Steinsson
“We are digital ísland and we’re here to entertain you” announces frontwoman Tatjana Dís as they fly off into their techno set. Feeling like a threat more than a promise, they did not fall short. A confident, laid-back frontwoman singing auto-tuned melodies and seasoned pros from the techno biz taking care of the instrumentals, they managed to flip a jaded rock venue into a club with complete control of the crowd. A part of the final chorus “Hvernig enduðum við hér” (How did we end up here) echoes in my brain as I walk out the venue. A rave with Icelandic lyrics isn’t one of the usual suspects in my life. SAS
BIRD
Slur performing at BIRD // Photo by Atli Freyr Steinsson
An Icelandic drummer and a Danish keyboardist/vocalist walk into a bar… and give you one of the most intimate performances that bar has and may ever see. Slóra, a mix of the duo’s names Sara Flindt (keyboards/vocals) and Svanhildur Lóa (drummer) sit at opposite ends of the stage, playing off of one another in a thoughtful manner. Singing and looping her own vocals as a steadfast groove is played until the drums drop out for just a moment, Sara lays into impressive melodies over a droning organ, the drums slink fluidly back in, only to drop out once again as a glitchy, symphonic synth ends the track. An immaculate saxophone appearance is apparently a must at every show, and Slóradoesn’t disappoint as a double bass and the aforementioned saxophone enter the equation for a jazz jam, as the drummer makes you understand she is a force to be reckoned with. At one point the double bass is switched out for, you guessed it, a second saxophone! Every track felt like improvisation yet somehow, so precise. A breath of fresh air at Iceland Airwaves, it struck a fantastic, special chord. SAS
Álfgrímur performing at BIRD // Photo by Atli Freyr Steinsson
A voice starts singing, but from where? Álfgrímur, formerly known as BLOSSI, begins his show with intrigue singing behind the crowd. On stage with him he had two dancers as well as Kolbrún and Hrannar of KUSK & Óviti as DJs. The choreography complimented both lyrics and rhythm of the songs in a way that left me with goosebumps. Throughout the show he connected to the audience, asking a crowd member if they’ve “ever been in love” before introducing a song about loving someone deeply and popping up a bottle of champagne to celebrate his first time playing at Airwaves, toasting “all [us] beautiful people” in the audience. FLK
Hasar
HASAR performing at BIRD // Photo by Atli Freyr Steinsson
Hometown rockers Hasar call one of their early songs “the band’s national anthem,” a track they’ve played since their first show three years ago but still haven’t released. It fits. They open with solid rock n roll energy that deserves a far darker and dirtier venue. The singer points his guitar at the crowd like a weapon, Johnny Cash-style, daring them to give more. He’s giving his all. “Everyone take one step forward,” he commands. “Make it one and a half.” The room listens. When the energy dips, the bass player swings the chandeliers overhead, shaking the audience loose. It works. The band is a pure force, tight and sweaty. The singer drinks from the stage, toasts the crowd with a loud “skál,” which they join, and climbs onto a speaker for the finale. He drops into the audience, guitar in hand, ready to tear the room apart for the moment. He would burn the place down if the audience would join him. When the set ends, the locals in the crowd chant “meira, meira,” wanting more. They do not get it. The band didn’t get what they wanted from them. ARG
SMEKKLEYSA (HONORABLE OFF-VENUE MENTION)
Pussy Riot’s Diana Burkot, currently working on her album Sweat and Blood, joined Icelandic electronic artist Ronja for a gripping hour-long performance at Smekkleysa’s off-venue program tonight. The performance felt raw and pressing, pairing Ronja’s dark, pulsing production with Diana’s commanding presence. “We have a crisis of democracy and we have lost many of our freedoms,” she declared, as surreal GIFs, memes, and portraits of those she sings about flickered behind her: like Audrey, unable to live freely under LGBTQ+ repression, and Egar, caring for Diana’s cats back in Russia, where she now faces criminal charges alongside other Pussy Riot members. The set ended with Diana climbing off the stage and onto the stairs next to it, standing under a blood red shower, slow-dancing as Ronja’s beats practically churned out of the speakers. It was shocking, strangely beautiful, and impossible to look away from. She signed off with a closing provocation: “Death to prison, freedom to protest — and have fun tonight.” AJDF
For even more, check out our coverage of Iceland Airwaves Day One and Day Two.
Grapevine’s Airwaves Writers 2025:
ARG — Adam Roy Gordon
AJDF — Alexander Jean De Fontenay
AS — Aleksandra Siatkowska
AJ — Aðalsteinn Jörundsson
BC — Bart Cameron
EYM — Eva Yuki Mik
FLK — Francis Laufkvist Kristinsbur
IZ — Iryna Zubenko
ISH — Ish Sveinsson Houle
JB — Jóhannes Bjarki Bjarkason
JTS — Jón Trausti Sigurðarson
SAS — Sævar Andri Sigurðarson
SSS — Snæbjörn Sigurður Steingrímson
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