We decide what to see so you don’t have to
At Grapevine HQ, Airwaves week is like Christmas. We get all giddy-like when the festival announces its lineup, and scramble to fill our Filofaxes once the schedule is up. In recent years, local grassroots artists have been largely ignored by the festival, but the 2025 lineup shows that the organisers have kept tabs on promising acts. If you’re experiencing decision fatigue from choosing what to see, look no further.
Alaska1867
Since releasing her debut album 222 in February 2025, this year has been Alaska1867’s year (1867 was also the year for Alaska, albeit a totally different one). Named after the Alaska purchase, musician Kolfreyja Sól stormed perennial hip-hop hangout Prikið and set up a permanent residence there. A bastion of ’00s nostalgia in sound and vision, Alaska is bringing back low-rise jeans, flip phones, and rawness to Reykjavík’s now-polished cityscape. JB
You can catch Alaska1867: Saturday at 20:10, at Gaukurinn.
digital ísland
The frontwoman of an avant-garde electronic group, the producer responsible for 90 percent of all listenable rap tracks released in Iceland for the last decade, and a German chart-topping producer all walk into a bar. They form Digital Ísland, a magnetic dance trio calling back to the ’00s (much akin to Alaska1867). It’s a household name, especially since the group’s moniker directly refers to the eponymous TV cable-converting machine, present in every good Icelandic home, from ca. 2005-2012. Cool, energetic and boppy, Digital Ísland are not to be missed. JB
You can catch digital ísland: Saturday at 22:50, at LEMMY.
Enji
The haunting jazz singer Enji sounds almost as if she is of a different era, but there is such creativity and engagement that she cuts through genres and timelines. The Mongolian singer and songwriter is truly captivating. Enji is touring after the release of her third album, Sonor, and she seems likely, based on her outstanding Live on KEXP set from December 2024, to be an international sensation. BC
You can catch Enji: Friday at 21:50, at Fríkirkjan.
Geðbrigði
Self-described as “drunga-þunga-paunk rokk” (terror-heavy punk rock), newcomers Geðbrigði veni vidi vici’d their way out of Músíktilraunir earlier in 2025. The young group is a real chimera of rock, mixing elements of punk, noise, and metal in their unreleased body of work. Consisting of members who are not even 20 years old, it’ll be intriguing to see whether the quartet woos the audience as they did with Músíktilraunir’s panel of judges. JB
You can catch Geðbrigði: Thursday (tonight!) at 18:50, at Gaukurinn & Saturday at 22:30, at Bird.
Knackered
An established artist in the Reykjavík grassroots scene since 2015, Danish-born Knackered (formerly known as IDK IDA) is now blooming into a force to be reckoned with. Seeking inspiration from technology, Knackered’s music is a swirling mix of techno beats and dance music. Recently signing on with creative nucleus Marvaða, Knackered’s EP fiy is slated for release on November 6, so her performance will likely be fuelled by post-release euphoria. JB
You can catch Knackered: Thursday (tonight!) at 21:50, at Gaukurinn & Friday at 16:00, at marvaða.
lúpína
Slowly building up a strong reputation as a live performer, lúpína has demonstrated that bedroom pop doesn’t need to be bare-boned. With two LPs under her belt, lúpína’s music works within the frame of dance-electronica, characterised by lúpína’s unique vocal delivery. Imbuing her live shows with DIY stage sets (including massive simulacra of jellyfish), lúpína utilises her creative talents in innovative ways. JB
You can catch lúpína: Thursday at 19:30, at Hafnarhús & Friday at 19:50, at LEMMY.
SCAM
Hailing from starry Hollywood and windswept Reykjavík, composers and producers Salka Valsdóttir (neonme, Cyber) and Herdís Stefánsdóttir join forces for a thrilling collaboration. Never heard or seen before, Scam looks to be a fun offshoot from the respective musicians’ busy itinerary — something only a festival like Airwaves could make happen. Expect a wild flurry of electronica, techno and dance at Airwaves’ most appealing experiment. JB
You can catch SCAM: Thursday at 19:10, at Kolaportið.
Slóra
Slóra is an odd one. Founded by the Icelandic Svanhildur Lóa and Danish Sara Flindt (who does a lot of work with Icelandic musicians), the duo has no material released under their name, except a 20-minute-long YouTube video. Underpinning the project is their philosophical inquiry into where work stops and play begins, as Slóra’s music stems from Sara and Svanhildur’s improvisational jam sessions. Possibly the group’s first-ever public performance, it’ll be exciting to see how Slóra faces on-stage pressure and the dynamics of a live crowd. JB
You can catch Slóra: Saturday at 20:30, at Bird.
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