State Of The Art: Energetic And Post-Genre

In their second iteration, the festival continues to explore unlikely collaborations and venues

The unconventional and experimental State of the Art festival entered the scene last year to much excitement; events such as Baroque music performed at AUTO Nightclub, a symposium on Icelandic electronic music, and a concert in an auto repair shop piqued the interest of melophiles and music-haters alike. In their sophomore edition, they continue their penchant for extreme musical scenarios.

The festival is the brainchild of some of Iceland’s top musicians — many boasting classical backgrounds: Bjarni Frímann Bjarnason, Bergur Þórisson, Magnús Jóhann Ragnarsson and Sverrir Páll Sverrisson.

“We’re doing a lot of things differently, and I think that we have gained way more traction as a festival,” Magnús Jóhann says, reflecting on last year. It seems this traction — and having last year as a “proof of concept,” as Magnús Jóhann puts it — has convinced more musicians and more unusual venues to join the festival this year.

Passing the baton

One notable event of the festival is the Singer-Songwriter Relay. From its name, you might think that State of the Art aims to test the running capabilities of eight of Iceland’s most interesting musicians. But, customary to the festival, they are taking a more nontraditional approach to the relay.
“It’s just a new flavour, and it’s a flavour that we need.”

In this event, musicians Bjarni Daníel, Bríet, Elín Hall, GDRN, Jón Jónsson, KK, Mugison, and Una Torfa will pass the baton — in the form of a song — to one another. Each artist writes a new song for another participant, which will be performed as a sort of chain reaction. Mugison will perform a song written by Jón Jónsson, followed by Bríet performing a song by Mugison, and so on until the relay has finished.

“I’m looking forward to the chance to hear my own composition in the hands of someone who has normally maybe such a different style from what I am used to doing, both in terms of vocal style and musical style,” says Bjarni Daníel, a singer-songwriter who writes music both independently and with the band Supersport!. Una Torfa, a musician and actress, agrees. “It’s been very interesting writing for someone else and imagining how the song will change in someone else’s hands,” she explains.

“It’s a great boost for us, the writers, and I love the idea, and I love everybody who’s participating,” Mugison, a beloved musician and acclaimed songwriter, says. In a similar vein, Una Torfa adds, “The solo-artist lifestyle can be isolating. The Singer-Songwriter Relay and other collaborative projects bring a lot of joy and value to my life.”

A new flavour

Some artists, like Bríet, participated in the festival last year, but most will be joining the State of the Art programme for the first time. To Bjarni Daníel, the festival is “a cool step towards ideology over style, it’s a post-genre vibe.”

“I think they’re adding this new flavour,” Mugison says. “You have the sveitaball, that is making people dance and drink, and then you have Iceland Airwaves, that is focusing on the acts themselves and trying to export them… and this is a new angle of a festival.” He clarifies, “not that Iceland Airwaves, or any of your other festivals, are not exciting. It’s just a new flavour, and it’s a flavour that we need.”

A musical pick-and-mix

Alongside the Singer-Songwriter Relay, more unconventional events join the festival programme. Aforementioned Bjarni Daníel will perform a second time with his band Supersport! (a genuine and endearing indie-pop quartet), sharing the stage with Flóni (a powerful mainstay of the Icelandic rap scene). The two have undeniably different audiences, but bringing together those audiences is exactly what the festival is going for.

“I think what makes State of the Art a special festival is this very intentional focus on mixing things that are kind of far out, or hard to imagine together,” Bjarni Daníel states. “This creates the opportunity for exciting conversation.”
“It’s definitely not a place that you visit too often for concerts or performances.””

Another pairing includes a contemporary dance piece performed and choreographed by Íris Ásmundar and Karitas Lotta Tulinius, soundtracked by festival co-founder Magnús Jóhann. Adding to the singularity of the event is its location: it will be staged in the Tennis and Badminton Association’s facilities (TBR). “Doing it in TBR is, of course, part of the whole vibe of the festival: doing performances in unconventional venues,” Magnús Jóhann says. “And it’s definitely not a place that you visit too often for concerts or performances.”

Garðheimar is, perhaps, another place you don’t visit too often for a performance. But with State of the Art you can; they will offer a free-to-enter performance of Mort Garson’s 1971 Moog Modular synthesiser masterpiece Plantasia.

Then there’s the string musicians of Tríó Sól and data-informed electronic music composer Halldór Eldjárn, performing all together at the Reykjavík Air Rescue Centre near the city airport. And, of course, the return of Baroque at the Club to AUTO Nightclub, which offers a commingling of Bach and beats, Vivaldi and vibes, all in period-correct costumes (courtesy of the Icelandic Opera). “It was an easy decision to bring back Baroque at the Club,” Magnús says. “You could say that last year was a bit of a trial for how it’s going to be this year. I think it’ll be even better.” He continues, “Who knows, it might even become a yearly thing. But maybe this will be the last time. I don’t know!”

The unlikely pairings of musicians already cultivate a level of playful experimentation, but the combination of those performers with their venues produces a festival full of exciting possibilities. The artists can feel it too, as Mugison concludes: “When a festival has a quirkiness through it, there’s this chance of experiencing something totally unique and exciting. And State of the Art has that potential.”

State of the Art runs from October 7 to 12. The Singer-Songwriter Relay will show its results on October 7 at Harpa. Tickets to the festival are available on tix.is and information is available at stateoftheartfestival.is