Benni Hemm Hemm - Sneriltrommusóló
Aug
22
8:00 PM20:00

Benni Hemm Hemm - Sneriltrommusóló

Friday, August 22nd
Benni Hemm Hemm: Sneriltrommusóló
doors 19:30 / show 20:00
2500kr / 2000kr for students with ID

Benni Hemm Hemm er listamannsnafn Benedikts H. Hermannssonar. Fyrsta útgáfa Benna Hemm Hemm var smábreiðskífan SummerPlate, sem gefin var út í 30 eintökum árið 2003. Síðan þá hefur Benni Hemm Hemm gefið út 14 breiðskífur, 4 smábreiðskífur, eina plötu með leikritatónlist og tvær ljóðabækur og flutt tónlist sína á margvíslegum vettvangi í öllum mögulegum hljómsveitarmyndum og einn síns liðs.

Benni Hemm Hemm is the artist name of Benedikt H. Hermannsson. SummerPlate EP, released in 30 copies in 2003 was Benni Hemm Hemm´s first release. Since then Benni Hemm Hemm has released 14 LPs, 4 EPs, one theatre music album, two poetry books and has performed his music in various different band setups and solo performances.

***

Sneriltrommusóló eru tónleikar þar sem leikið er á margar sneriltrommur án þess að snerta þær. Verkið varð til í tengslum við opnunarviðburð 5 Radio Stations á Paris International á vegum frönsku listastofnunarinnar Lab´Bel en fyrir það bjó Benni til 24 tíma langan hljóðskúlptúr úr upptökum sem gerðar voru víðsvegar um Ísland sem tvinnað var saman við tónlist sem samin var fyrir verkið.

Sneriltrommusóló is a performance where many snare drums are played without being touched. The piece was originally made for the opening ceremony for 5 Radio Stations, a project produced by the french art institute Lab´Bel, for which Benni made a 24 hour long sound sculpture from field recordings made all over Iceland as well as music written for the project.

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Pikknikk
Aug
28
8:00 PM20:00

Pikknikk

Thursday, August 28th
Pikknikk (Sigga Eyþórs & Steini Hjálmur)
doors 19:30 / show 20:00
2500kr / 2000kr for students with ID

PIKKNIKK

Sigga Eyþórs er þekkt í íslensku tónlistarlífi og hefur lengst af starfað með systrum sínum í hljómsveitinni Sísý Ey. Árið 2022 unnu Sigga og systkini hennar hjörtu þjóðarinnar þegar þau kepptu fyrir hönd Íslands í Eurovision í Torino undir nafninu Systur með laginu „Með hækkandi sól“

Þorsteinn Einarsson eða Steini Hjálmur, eins og hann er oft kallaður, er maðurinn á bak við marga af helstu smellum Hjálma, hinnar góðkunnu reggísveitar. Hann hefur frá upphafi vakið athygli fyrir fallegar lagasmíðar og einstaka söngrödd.

Árið 2007 stofnuðu Sigga og Steini dúettinn Pikknikk og 2008 gáfu þau út plötuna Galdur. Tónlistinni má lýsa sem sálmaskotinni sveitatónlist. Platan hlaut mikið lof gagnrýnenda fyrir fallegan samhljóm og einlægan flutning.

Nú, eftir langt hlé, hafa þau sameinað krafta sína á ný til að endurvekja Galdurinn.

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Sigga, a well-known and beloved figure in the Icelandic music scene, has worked closely with her sisters Beta and Elín, better known as Systur. In 2022, they captured the hearts of the nation by winning Iceland’s national music competition with their song “Með hækkandi sól,” going on to represent Iceland at Eurovision in Turin.

Þorsteinn Einarsson or Steini Hjálmur, as he is often called, is the man behind many of the biggest hits by Hjálmar, Iceland’s renowned reggae band. Known for his soulful voice and unique musicality, Steini has left a lasting mark on Icelandic music.

In 2008, Sigga and Steini joined forces as the duo Pikknikk and released the album Galdur (Magic), a collection of country inspired songs with a delicate, hymn-like feel. The album received critical acclaim for its rich harmonies and heartfelt performances, earning a place as a hidden gem within Icelandic music.

Now, after a long hiatus, Sigga and Steini have reunited ready to bring the Magic back to life and share their timeless collaboration with audiences once again

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Oliver Devaney
Aug
30
8:00 PM20:00

Oliver Devaney

Saturday, August 30th
Oliver Devaney
doors 19:30 / show 20:00
2500kr / pay what u can

For the first time ever, on the 30th of August, Iceland-based musician Oliver Devaney (Xiupill, Charliedwarf) will be playing a live concert of his solo music.

See less

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Masaya Ozaki/Hiroki Kamoshida/Hlökk
Aug
21
8:00 PM20:00

Masaya Ozaki/Hiroki Kamoshida/Hlökk

Thursday, August 21st
Masaya Ozaki / Hlökk / Hiroki Kamoshida
doors 19:30 / show 20:00
2500kr / pay what u can

Masaya Ozaki is a New York/Iceland-based composer born in Niigata, Japan. His work is deeply influenced by the transient nature of space and the subtleties of sound within physical environments. Ozaki views sound not just as a medium, but as a form deeply intertwined with the spaces it inhabits, something that he explores extensively in site-specific projects like "Echoes," which involved live performances inside a lighthouse. Ozaki’s latest album, Mizukara (2024), is a reflection of his personal and artistic journey, primarily shaped by his experiences in Iceland. The album embraces minimalism and introspection, incorporating field recordings, sparse instrumentals, and the textures of the Icelandic landscape to explore the fluid relationship between self and environment. In recent interviews, he emphasized his shift from purely sound-based compositions to ones that deeply consider the environment and space. His relocation to Iceland has profoundly influenced his work, encouraging him to further merge the boundaries between music, nature, and architecture. Masaya Ozaki holds a B.Mus degree in film scoring from Berklee College of Music and an M.Mus degree in composition from Iceland University of the Arts in Reykjavík, Iceland. He is also a member of the Reykjavík-based emo anime doom metal band MC Myasnoi.

https://www.masayaozaki.com/

Hlökk
Ingibjörg Ýr Skarphéðinsdóttir and Lilja María Ásmundsdóttir will perform on piano, langspil, and Hulda, an instrument designed by Lilja. The performance will also incorporate their voices, featuring poetry by Ragnheiður Erla Björnsdóttir.

Ingibjörg Ýr Skarphéðinsdóttir, Lilja María Ásmundsdóttir and Ragnheiður Erla Björnsdóttir met during their studies at Iceland University of the Arts. They formed the ensemble Hlökk in the year 2015 and started out by performing Icelandic folk songs, improvisations and their own compositions along with old poetry. Now the ensemble has developed into the art collective Hlökk where they use different types of art forms, mainly music, visual arts and creative writing, to create new compositions. Their audio-visual album, Hulduhljóð, received the Kraumur Awards in 2019. The album was also nominated for the Icelandic Music Awards as album of the year in open category.

https://www.instagram.com/hlokkmusic/

Hiroki Kamoshida

Reykjavík most beloved performs sound art

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indek / KNACKERED
Aug
14
8:00 PM20:00

indek / KNACKERED

indek / KNACKERED
doors 19:30 / show 20:00

indek is a multimedia artist based in Kent, Ohio who channels elements of braindance, drill & bass, acid, electro, breakcore, and beyond into raw, frenetic live sets. Each performance is shaped by an unpredictable mix of styles, textures, and tempos, filtered through a lens of radical surrealism. Rhythms fracture, patterns convulse, and structures deform in real time as they are pushed to the edge of collapse and pulled back again.

Unlike the meticulously sculpted nature of indek’s studio recordings, the live sets are volatile and unstable. Focused on transformation, each performance deconstructs fragments of past and future compositions, stretching and reassembling them under pressure. Sounds are processed, reshaped, and recontextualized on the fly, forming fragile rhythmic structures where each element is vital and every moment one step from unraveling.

These performances are paired with surreal visuals composed of 3D scans of the artist’s face and body, merged with natural textures. Frozen in time yet set in motion, these forms drift through strange environments, distorting and reforming in sync with the sound. The result is an immersive experience that blurs the line between rhythm, body, and dimension.

KNACKERED

INFO TBA


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SuperCollider Session
Aug
9
8:00 PM20:00

SuperCollider Session

SuperCollider Session

6 performances worked in  Supercollider. 

Supercollider is a programming environment and language for real-time audio synthesis and algorithmic composition, widely used in experimental music and sound-based practices.

Throughout the evening, each performer will present a short set composed and executed entirely through code, using techniques in synthesis, pattern generation, and real-time control.

Performers:
Baldur Snær Bachmann,
Fanný Hrund Þorsteinsdóttir,
Karólína Einars Maríudóttir,
Katla Heimisdóttir,
Konrad Groen,
Steindór Grétar Kristinsson

doors 19:30 / show 20:00

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PUNCH IN THE MOUTH FROM THE INSIDE IV: Kira Kira, Lindy & Ronja, <333 Trio
Aug
8
8:00 PM20:00

PUNCH IN THE MOUTH FROM THE INSIDE IV: Kira Kira, Lindy & Ronja, <333 Trio

PUNCH IN THE MOUTH FROM THE INSIDE IV:

Kira Kira
Lindy Lin & Ronja
<333 Trio (Salóme Katrín Magnusd, Erla Hlín Guðmunds, & Maria-Carmela Raso)

doors 19:30 / show 20:00
pay what u can


Kira Kira:
To Kira Kira, music is a super power she approaches with curiosity and reverence. A saving grace to be of service to when music allows. Playful sound explorations in a meditative space form the core, then gentle voice and a gathering of friends embrace this core with trumpets, lap steel guitar, synths, strings, accordion, bass and all kinds of warmth. It's ambient music, but created with live instruments and voices, using medicinal lyrics, sometimes mixing in with field recordings. Kira has been developing this dreamsoundscaping through 6 solo albums and 10 LPs all together, released by Morr Music in Berlin, Ancestor Media and Time Released Sound in California, Letra Recs in the UK, Afterhours in Japan and Smekkleysa in her home, Iceland. Kristín Björk Kristjánsdóttir was named Kira Kira in a dream when she was living in Japan around the time she founded Kitchen Motors -An experimental music collective with Hilmar Jensson and Johann Johannsson. She grew up musically with artists from all traditions within this collective; Improvised jazz, noise music, melodic electronica, celestial film music, analog synth metal and wild audio visual pranks. They toured together all over the world for about 10 years and released 6 compilations with live recordings from the adventurous concerts they curated with kindred spirits. And from this colourful playground, Kira started releasing her solo albums, which aren't very solo because most of them host a big family of friends who generously pour their artistry into her soundscapes. Kira also writes and directs films. Grandma Lo-fi is a hybrid animated music doc about legend Sigríður Níelsdóttir and We The Lightnings and Flowers To The Bone are dreamlike shorts featuring Kira's music. She is now recording her 11th LP and preparing to make her first feature fiction film, while living in a little village in the South of Iceland called Stokkseyri and working in a flower shop.

Lindy and Ronja:
The duo is going to present new electronic materials that they have been working on since their first collaborative concert last March.

<333 Trio:
<333 trio is an improvised vocal trio made up of Salóme Katrín Magnúsdóttir (Salóme Katrín), Erla Hlín Guðmundsdóttir (Amor Vincit Omnia) and Maria-Carmela Raso (MSEA). Exploring the textural possibilities of the voice, they sharpen their ear while working together to build new worlds. Every performance is an expansion of their musicality as they allow themselves to fall into a pure state of creation.

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Marey / Anna Sóley
Aug
7
8:00 PM20:00

Marey / Anna Sóley

Marey / Anna Sóley

 

Thursday, August 7th

Marey / Anna Sóley
doors 19:30 / show 20:00
2.500kr / 2.000kr for students with ID

 

Dúóið Marey mun hefja tónleikana á frumsömdu efni þar sem gerðar verða alls konar tilraunir með tóna og hljóð. Þar á eftir flytja Anna Sóley, Lilja María og gítarleikarinn Daníel Helgason blöndu af nýjum og gömlum lögum í söngvaskáldastíl eftir Önnu með það að markmiði að mála upp hugljúfa stund með áheyrendum.

Systurnar Lilja María og Anna Sóley Ásmundsdætur skipa dúóið Marey sem blandar tilraunakenndri spunatónlist við rafhljóð og ljóðalestur. Áhrifa gætir frá samtímaklassík, hljóðlist, skandinavískum jazzi og söngvaskáldatónlist. Lilja María spilar á hljóðskúlptúrinn Huldu, hljóðfæri sem hún hannaði sjálf, og býr til hljóðmyndir. Anna Sóley spilar á fiðlu, syngur og hannar hljóðmyndir. Árið 2025 heldur dúóið tónleika á Íslandi, í Hollandi, Þýskalandi og Bretlandi. Þar má nefna tónlistarhátíðina Lost in the Hills og tónleikaseríur eins og Classic Jamming og Bruitkasten.

Anna Sóley útskrifaðist með BA próf frá ArtEZ Tónlistarháskólanum í Arnhem, BA gráðu í almennri bókmenntafræði frá Háskóla Íslands og mastersgráðu í bókmenntafræði frá Háskólanum í Utrecht. Hún sendi frá sér plötuna Modern Age Ophelia, árið 2022 og hefur komið fram víða í Evrópu bæði sem söngvari og fiðluleikari. „Ef þú heldur að enginn geri plötur lengur sem minna á fyrstu fjórar plötur Joni Mitchell, leggðu við hlustir hér.“ – David Fricke um Modern Age Ophelia.

Lilja María er með doktorspróf í tónsmíðum frá City, University of London. Hún hefur skrifað fyrir ýmsa hljóðfærahópa í Evrópu og sömuleiðis komið fram sem hljóðfæraleikari með alls konar hljómsveitum. Hún er meðlimur í Hlökk en plata þeirra Hulduhljóð hlaut Kraumsverðlaunin 2019. Lilja María gaf út hljóð- og sjónlistaverkið Internal Human árið 2022 í samstarfi við dansarann Inês Zinho Pinheiro.

Daníel Helgason hefur komið víða við í íslensku tónlistarlífi bæði sem hljóðfæraleikari og tónskáld. Hann útskrifaðist úr Tónlistarskóla FÍH á rafgítar og með BA próf í tónsmíðum frá Listaháskóla Íslands. Daníel hefur komið fram víða um Evrópu og samið tónverk sem hafa verið flutt á Íslandi og í Skandinavíu. Árið 2023 kom út breiðskífa með frumsömdu efni eftir Daníel sem ber nafnið Particles. Sama ár kom út platan ¡Mambó! með hljómsveitinni Los Bomboneros sem Daníel er meðlimur í. Daníel var valinn Bjartasta vonin í Djass og blús á Íslensku Tónlistarverðlaununum árið 2018 og það sama ár einnig tilnefndur sem flytjandi ársins í sama flokki.

www.liljamaria.com/marey
www.anna-soley.com/

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The concert starts with works by Marey, where the duo improvises, plays, sings, and experiments with sounds. Following that, Anna Sóley, Lilja María and guitarist Daníel Helgason will perform a set of original songs by singer-songwriter Anna Sóley, where they strive to create a cozy atmosphere and memorable moments with the audience.

 Marey plays improvised experimental music mixed with electronics and poetry, where contemporary classical music, sound art, Scandinavian jazz, and folk music meet. Lilja María plays Hulda, a string instrument of her design. Anna Sóley plays the violin and sings, exploring different soundscapes and extended techniques, using her voice at times somewhere between spoken words and singing. They both design electronics, and Anna Sóley writes the poetry. This year, the duo will perform in Iceland, The Netherlands, Germany and the UK at festivals such as Lost in the Hills and various concert series, for example Classic Jamming and Bruitkasten.


Anna Sóley studied music and literature in Iceland and the Netherlands, graduating with a BA in jazz & pop vocal performance from the ArtEZ Conservatory in Arnhem and a Master's degree in literature from Utrecht University. She released her debut album, Modern Age Ophelia, in 2022. Anna has performed around Europe both as a vocalist and violinist. “If you think nobody makes records like those first four Joni Mitchell albums anymore, listen here, and think again.” – David Fricke about Modern Age Ophelia.

Lilja María completed a PhD in composition from City, University of London. She has composed for different ensembles around Europe and performed with various groups. She is a member of the art collective Hlökk, and their album Hulduhljóð (2019) won the Kraumur Awards and was nominated for the Icelandic Music Awards. Lilja María released the audio-visual album Internal Human in 2022 in collaboration with dancer Inês Zinho Pinheiro.

Daníel Helgason has been active in the Icelandic music scene both as a guitarist and composer. He graduated from Tónlistarskóli FÍH on electric guitar and holds a BA degree in composition from Iceland University of the Arts. Daníel has performed across Europe. In 2023, he released his solo album Particles. That same year, the album ¡Mambó! was released with the band Los Bomboneros, of which Daníel is a member. In 2018, Daníel received the Brightest Hope Award in the Jazz and Blues category at the Icelandic Music Awards.

 

www.liljamaria.com/marey

www.anna-soley.com/

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Ólöf Arnalds
Jul
31
8:00 PM20:00

Ólöf Arnalds

Thursday, July 31st
Ólöf Arnalds í Mengi
doors 19:30 / show 20:00
3000kr / 2500kr for students with ID

Ólöf Arnalds í Mengi

Singer-songwriter Ólöf Arnalds returns to Mengi to play some new songs from her upcoming album Spíra along with other classics from her repertoire. .

Ólöf Arnalds is an Icelandic composer and multi-instrumentalist. Her most distinctive asset is, nonetheless, her voice of instantly captivating, spring water chasteness possessed of a magical, otherworldly quality that is simultaneously innocent yet ancient (“somewhere between a child and an old woman” according to no less an authority than Björk). Her work has been called "stunning" by SPIN, "bewitching" by Rolling Stone, "remarkable" by the NME, "ethereal" by Vanity Fair "otherworldly" by The New York Times, and "impossibly lovely" by Paste.

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Söngvaskáldið Ólöf Arnalds mætir til leiks á ný í Mengi og flytur áhorfendum m.a. ný lög af væntanlegri breiðskífu sinni Spíru í bland við gamalt og gott.

Ólöf Arnalds hóf feril sinn sem söngvaskáld með hljómplötunni Við og við, sem hún hlaut Íslensku tónlistarverðlaunin fyrir. Á erlendri grundu var hún valin í hópi bestu platna ársins af Paste Magazine, auk þess sem eMusic valdi hana eina af bestu plötum fyrsta áratugarins. Fyrir aðra sólóplötu sína, Innundir skinni, hlaut Ólöf Íslensku tónlistarverðlaunin sem tónsmiður ársins, auk þess sem platan var tilnefnd til Norrænu tónlistarverðlaunanna. Þá hefur Ólöf gefið út plöturnar Sudden Elevation og Palme en báðar hlutu þær mikið lof gagnrýnenda víða um heim. Fimmta breiðskífa Ólafar er væntanleg í byrjun desember. Á farsælum ferli sínum hefur Ólöf einnig lagt stund á að túlka lög eftir aðra, m.a. á smáskífunni Ólöf Sings.

Ólöf hefur leikið á tónleikum víðsvegar um Evrópu, Bandaríkin og Ástralíu og komið fram í útvarpi og sjónvarpi. Fjöldi dagblaða, tímarita, vefmiðla, útvarps- og sjónvarpsstöðva víðsvegar um heim hafa fjallað um hana og verk hennar. Má þar nefna The New York Times, The Guardian, Vanity Fair, Paste, BBC, KEXP og Uncut.

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Laglegt: spilað og spjallað
Jul
30
8:00 PM20:00

Laglegt: spilað og spjallað

Wednesday, July 30th
LAGLEGT: SPILAÐ OG SPJALLAÐ
doors 19:30 / show 20:00
2500kr / 2000kr for students with ID

come play a little cozy card with me, just me and the guitar and most all my songs . I get to talk as much as I want and give a lot of context.

so if you want to have your own interpretation of my songs, this is not the concert for you.

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komið í smá kosý spil með mér, bara ég og gítarinn og flest öll lögin mín . ég fæ að tala eins mikið og ég vil og gefa mikið samhengi.

svo ef þið viljið vera með ykkar eigin túlkun á lögunum mínum þá eru þetta ekki tónleikar fyrir þig.

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Lóa
Jul
27
3:00 PM15:00

Lóa

Duo Lóa , flautist April Clayton and harpist Kristi Shade, perform works by Arnold Bax, Atli Heimi Sveinsson, Daniel Dorff, Jean-Michel Damase, Harald Genzmer and Þórð Magnússon. The repertoire is the majority of an album that is expected later this year. Duo Lóa is a newly formed duo, but April and Kristi have played together in the trio Hat Trick since 2013.    

 

Kristi Shade  began studying and playing the harp at a young age, graduating from the Manhattan School of Music and the University of Florida. She is the principal harpist of the New York City Chamber Orchestra and frequently appears in Broadway musicals in New York City. She teaches at the Manhattan School of Music and also at the Brearley School and the Spence School. Kristi has appeared as a guest with symphony orchestras across the United States. She has released albums with the flute, viola, and harp trio Hat Trick ( Garden of Joys and Sorrows , 2017 and Big Sky , 2024), and with the harp duo Duo Scorpio ( Scorpion Tales , 2012 and Two Bridges , 2017). Her album with April Clayton is due out later this year.  

 

April Clayton  studied flute at Oberlin College and Oberlin Conservatory, and received her doctorate from the Juilliard School in New York. She was a longtime professor of flute at Brigham Young University, and currently teaches at Snow College, Utah Valley University, and Westminster University. She has performed extensively throughout the United States and Europe, as well as in Korea, Mexico, Brazil, Haiti, and Barbados. April was a longtime member of the Orpheus Wind Quintet and currently plays with the Aspen Winds Quintet. Her flute, viola, and harp trio, Hat Trick, has released two albums ( Garden of Joys and Sorrows , 2017, and Big Sky , 2024), and she has two more albums due out later this year, one (piano and flute) with composer Miguel del Aguila and the other with harpist Kristi Shade as the duo Lóa .  

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Jun Futamata (JP) / tech x copper
Jul
26
8:00 PM20:00

Jun Futamata (JP) / tech x copper

Saturday, July 26th
JUN FUTAMATA (Japan) +
tech x copper (Leifur Björnsson & Sólrún Mjöll)
doors 19:30 / show 20:00
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Jun Futamata is a composer and singer based in Japan. She expresses a one-of-a-kind sound world with her innocent and clear voice and her unique compositional style that builds on layers of voices.

After studying improvisation based on chord progressions in New York, she participated in numerous sessions with talented musicians from around the world.

Since returning to Japan, she has worked extensively on films, TV dramas, animation, games, commercials, and soundtracks.

Her recent career includes composition, arrangement, and vocals for the Sumitomo Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka-Kansai, participation in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, and vocals for popular anime series such as Pokemon and My Hero Academia. She has recently written and arranged for several primetime TV dramas and movies.

In 2021, she released her debut solo album, GRAVITY, which debuted at #1 on the iTunes New Age chart, and in 2024 she released her second album, When Your Bones Turn Into Opal, recorded in Iceland.

Her recent works weave together elements of ambient, post-classical, environmental sound, minimalism, and electronica-garnering attention for their quiet strength and emotional sophistication.

Website:http://junfutamata.com
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/junfutamata/

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Tech x Copper is an experimental collaboration between Leifur Björnsson and drummer/percussionist Sólrún. Built from analog synth sketches, voice notes, and half-formed ideas, the project explores rhythm, memory, and fractured experience, somewhere between structure and drift.

The material has come together over time, scraps and sounds collected alongside other projects, shaped into something of its own. Sólrún's rhythmic presence brings weight and motion, nudging the music into its own shape. The upcoming debut EP is co-produced with Howie B and features vocals by Ásta Fanney.

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Skúli Sverrisson &amp; Óskar Guðjónsson
Jul
25
8:00 PM20:00

Skúli Sverrisson & Óskar Guðjónsson

Friday, July 25th
SKÚLI SVERRISSON & ÓSKAR GUÐJÓNSSON
doors 19:30 / show 20:00
3.000kr / 2.500kr for students with ID

Don't miss the rare chance to hear a legendary duo of Icelandic music!

Skúli Sverrisson (b. 1966) is an Icelandic composer and bass guitarist. He has worked with musicians Wadada Leo Smith, Derek Bailey, Lou Reed, Jon Hassell, David Sylvian, Arto Lindsay, and composers Ryuichi Sakamoto, Jóhann Jóhannsson, and Hildur Guðnadóttir. Sverrisson is also known for his work as an artistic director for Ólöf Arnalds, recordings with Blonde Redhead and as a musical director for legendary performance artist Laurie Anderson. He co-founded the performance space Mengi.

Óskar Guðjónsson (b. 1974) is a versatile tenor saxophonist and has contributed significantly to the jazz-scene in Iceland. He sees music as his vocation, be it actively as a saxophone player or as a composer and discoverer of new talent, and is regarded by his colleagues as an incredible talent. «Óskar is one of those rare individuals, a unique improviser with a very personal sound that has carved his own space inside our universal language of music» (Jim Black).

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ronja / Mineo Kawasaki
Jul
10
8:00 PM20:00

ronja / Mineo Kawasaki

Thursday, July 10th
RONJA / MINEO KAWASAKI
doors 19:30 / show 20:00
2500kr / 2000kr for students with ID / PAY WHAT U CAN

Mineo Kawasaki (Japan) is a solo drummer and composer who manipulates rhythms and effects with a MIDI controller as he performs. His sets include a mixture of post-rock, indie, electronica, techno and minimal music.

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Ragnar Árni Ólafsson, che buford, &amp; Ana Luisa Díaz de Cossío
Jul
5
8:00 PM20:00

Ragnar Árni Ólafsson, che buford, & Ana Luisa Díaz de Cossío

Saturday, July 5th
Night of Improvised Music:
Ragnar Árni Ólafsson, che buford, & Ana Luisa Díaz de Cossío
doors 19:30 / show 20:00
2500kr / 2000kr for students with ID / pay what u can

Ragnar Árni Ólafsson - electric guitar
che buford - violin
Ana Luisa Díaz de Cossío - violin

Ragnar Árni Ólafsson is an experimental musician variously working as a guitarist, composer or improviser. He performs his own music and the music of others, most often operating along a gradient between the two, preferring a raw and real-time exchange of musical ideas. His artistic work extends into other mediums, particularly film and text. Upcoming projects this year include a concert-length performance for solo electric guitar and the release of video work Quantongue Lessons with long term collaborator Luke Deane.

che buford (he, they) is an NYC-based artist whose work explores creating new narratives within the world of music while engaging in themes of memory and place.

che performs as a violinist in various musical settings, specializing in improvisational performance, contemporary compositions, electroacoustic work, and interdisciplinary collaborations. They have performed and presented work in spaces such as Roulette, Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, Joe's Pub, Antenna Cloud Farm, Haus Der Kulturen Der Welt, ISSUE project room, and National Sawdust. He has collaborated with artists including Palaver Strings, Adama Delphine Fawundu, Deborah Jack, Steph Davis, Pamela Z, and others. As a composer, their work explores the possibilities of timbre and acoustical phenomena and connects them to elements of place, memory, poetry, and the quotidian. Che has received commissions from artists and organizations including Longleash, The Rhythm Method, Midori, The Museum of Modern Art, Castle of our Skins, and others.

che is a founding member of Diaphanous Ensemble, a genre-bending composition, improvisation, and performance collective started with Abby Swidler & Aimée Niemann. Diaphanous premiered four new string quartets by its members in August 2023. They also performed with Ioanna Gika as part of Jacolby Satterwhite's A Metta Prayer, at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in September 2023.

che holds a degree from Boston Conservatory at Berklee as a presidential scholar in violin performance. They are currently a DMA candidate at Columbia University in Music Composition. When Che isn't interacting with music, he enjoys taking long walks, cooking vegan food, and thrifting.

Ana Luisa Díaz de Cossío is a performer-composer whose work traverses the space between social structures, individuality, spontaneity, and explores resonance in physical as well as cultural space. Through extreme extended techniques, I challenge conventional instrument playing, exploring the possibilities and limits of sounds within an instrument. My music is informed by political, social, and cultural awareness of the systems constituting our societies.

I have participated in Manifesté-IRCAM (FR), Darmstadt Summer Course (DE), OneBeat Taiwan (TW), Experimental Institute at Antenna Cloud Farm (USA), Ensemble Evolution (USA), Karp Kamina Residency (Togo), ANMA+NordPlus Music Forum (EE), Dark Music Days (IS), Time for Music (FI), ActinArt (DK) among others. I hold degrees from Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Boston Conservatory at Berklee, Listaháskoli Íslands and I am enrolled at the University of California-San Diego.

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Óskar Guðjónsson, Tumi Árnason, Sölvi Kolbeinsson, &amp; Jesper Pedersen
Jul
4
8:00 PM20:00

Óskar Guðjónsson, Tumi Árnason, Sölvi Kolbeinsson, & Jesper Pedersen

Friday, July 4th
doors 19:30 / show 20:00
2500kr / 2000kr for students with ID

Óskar Guðjónsson - saxophones
Tumi Árnason - saxophones/clarinets
Sölvi Kolbeinsson - saxophones/clarinets
Jesper Pedersen - electronics

When three saxophonists and one conjurer of electronic sound meet at Mengi, music becomes a conversation — each tone answering the next, until time itself loses track.” “In this first gathering of Óskar, Tumi, Sölvi and Jesper, musical ideas arise through shared listening — the moment shapes the music, not the other way around.

——

„Þegar þrír saxófónleikarar og einn galdramaður í rafheimum mætast í Mengi, verður spuni að samræðu — hver hljómur svarar öðrum, þar til tíminn sjálfur gleymir sér.“ „Í þessari fyrstu samveru Óskars, Tuma, Sölva og Jespers fæðast hugmyndir í sameiginlegri hlustun — stundin skapar tónlistina, ekki öfugt.“

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Óskar Guðjónsson's MOVE
Jul
3
8:00 PM20:00

Óskar Guðjónsson's MOVE

Thursday, July 3rd
Óskar Guðjónsson's MOVE
doors 19:30 / show 20:00
2500kr / 2000kr for students with ID

Óskar Guðjónsson: tenor / soprano saxophone
Eyþór Gunnarsson: piano
Valdimar Kolbeinn Sigurjónsson: contrabass
Matthías Hemstock: drumsrt

Seven years ago, saxophonist Óskar Guðjónsson assembled a quartet where the focuse was on performing handwritten compositions that had accumulated in his meticulously kept sketchbooks over the years. It soon became clear that this was a project all members were willing to invest significant time in and truly make their own. From this collaboration, a partnership developed, taking place in Eyþór Gunnarsson's studio. The approach was to repeatedly play the pieces, explore different interpretations, and experiment with various approaches. Simultaneously, the music began to take shape, building a strong connection among the members. In addition to Óskar and Eyþór, the quartet includes Valdimar Kolbeinn Sigurjónsson on bass and Matthías Hemstock on drums, all of whom share their initials in the name "MOVE."

During the digital age, handwritten scores have become increasingly rare, yet they hold a certain delicate nuance that can make a difference.

Óskar has long cultivated a personal style in his compositions, reflected in his handwriting and choices of what to write and what not to write down. This aligns with his approach to performance, which is
structured but open to endless spontaneous directions at the same time. The element of spontaneity stems from a desire for the music to develop independently, adapting and evolving based on the passage of time and circumstances.

Although the compositions are instrumental, they carry names inspired by reflections on life, existence, people, and related phenomena. The sketchbooks also serve as a form of diaries, capturing moments that arise in life.

Nearly all of MOVE's rehearsals have been recorded, and part of the work process involves listening back to the recordings to discern the essence of each piece. There are quite a few hours' worth of material accumulated, along with many liters of sparkling water and carefully brewed coffee that have been consumed during this creative journey. After a long joyful journey the members of MOVE now share a collective realm of ideas—one that can be entered, explored, and followed
wherever it leads. Welcome aboard!!

------

Fyrir sjö árum síðan setti Óskar saman kvartett til að skoða lagahugmyndir sínar. Upp úr þessu þróaðist samstarf sem fór fram í vinnustofu Eyþórs Gunnarssonar og gekk út á að spila lögin endurtekið og velta þeim fyrir sér og prófa ólíkar nálganir. Samhliða því að tónlistin fór að taka á sig mynd byggðist upp sterkt samband á milli þeirra sem eiga sína
upphafsstafi í nafninu MOVE sem auk Óskars og Eyþórs eru Valdimar Kolbeinn Sigurjónsson á bassa og Matthías Hemstock á trommur.

Á tímum tölvuvæðingar hafa handskrifaðar nótur orðið sjaldséðari en um leið tapast ákveðin fínni blæbrigði sem geta skipt máli. Óskar hefur fyrir löngu skapað sér persónulegan stíl í tónsmíðum sínum sem endurspeglast í rithöndinni og því hvað hann kýs að skrifa niður og hvað ekki. Það helst einnig í hendur við þá nálgun sem hann leitar að í flutningnum sem er vandlega mótaður en um leið opinn fyrir hinu óvænta. Þetta tengist lönguninni til að lögin öðlist sjálfstætt líf og geti fengið að þroskast og breytast eftir því sem tíminn og aðstæður bjóða upp á.

Þó lögin séu textalaus bera þau öll nöfn sem eru sprottin af
vangaveltum um lífið, tilveruna, fólk og fyrirbæri sem því tengist.
Skissubækurnar eru því einnig nokkurs konar dagbækur sem taka á málum sem koma upp í lífinu.

Nánast allar æfingar MOVE hafa verið hljóðritaðar og partur af vinnuferlinu er að hlusta yfir upptökurnar til að greina kjarnann í hverju lagi fyrir sig. Það eru ófár klukkustundirnar af efni sem hefur safnast upp og í leiðinni margir lítrar af sódavatni og úrvals kaffi sem hafa runnið niður.

Dropinn holar steininn og eftir allan þennan tíma eiga meðlimir MOVE núna sameiginlegan hugmyndaheim sem hægt er að stíga inn í og sjá hvert hann tekur bæði þá og áheyrendur í það og það skiptið.
Brottfararstaður hverju sinni liggja fyrir en svo má óvissuferðin byrja.

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SKEPNUR / CREATURES – Matthías Rúnar Sigurðsson,Tryggvi Haxan &amp; Úlfur Karlsson – featuring a live Ondes Martenot performance by Magnús Jóhann Ragnarsson
Jun
25
6:00 PM18:00

SKEPNUR / CREATURES – Matthías Rúnar Sigurðsson,Tryggvi Haxan & Úlfur Karlsson – featuring a live Ondes Martenot performance by Magnús Jóhann Ragnarsson

An exhibition of pictures and sculptures in the otherworldly atmosphere of the Ondes Martenot. By looking outward Úlfur finds creatures to inhabit his frames while Matthías finds them in the world of myth and imagination and carves them in stone. These opposite viewpoints converge in the electro-acoustic sounds of the Ondes Martenot played by Magnús Jóhann Ragnarsson.

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Emma
Jun
14
8:00 PM20:00

Emma

Emma is an Icelandic atmospheric folk band. The project was created by siblings Sindri Snær Ómarsson and Breki Hrafn Halldóru Ómars as well as Ásgeir Kjartansson and Óðal Hjarn Grétu. Together they have created a diverse set of songs that aim to encapsulate different emotions. The band is known for dynamic and gripping live performances and is currently working on their first album.

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HIST OG
Jun
13
8:00 PM20:00

HIST OG

Founded in 2017 to distil a murky blend of jazz and electronic music, hist og is an Icelandic trio featuring Eiríkur Orri Ólafsson on trumpet and electronics, Róberta Andersen on guitar, bass and synth, and Magnús Trygvason Eliassen on drums and percussion. Through the lens of their shared musical language, they explore a Day-Glo lit ruminative world of improvisation, jazz and electronic music.

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TENGGER (KOR)
Jun
12
8:00 PM20:00

TENGGER (KOR)

텐거/天郷
TENGGER is a traveling musical family, made up of Pan-Asian couple, itta and Marqido, who create their brand of psychedelic New-Age drone magic through the use of harmonium, voice, and toy instruments (played by itta) and analogue synths (played by Marqido). The duo originally started out with the moniker “10” but since the birth of their son RAAI (who joins them on tour and often on stage) in 2012, have called themselves TENGGER (meaning ‘unlimited expanse of sky’ in Mongolian) to mark the expansion of the family. It also means ‘huge sea’ in Hungarian. Travel, as spiritual experience in real environments, and the sound between the space and the audience have been central themes of their works. The family’s yearly pilgrimages inform every aspect of their art.

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Marey Feat. : Anna Sóley Ásmundsdóttir &amp; Lilja María Ásmundsdóttir
Jun
5
8:00 PM20:00

Marey Feat. : Anna Sóley Ásmundsdóttir & Lilja María Ásmundsdóttir

Marey Feat.

Næstu tónleikar í Marey Feat. röðinni verða 5. júní í Mengi. Marey býður til liðs við sig gest og munu þau spila, spinna, syngja og gera alls konar tilraunir með tóna og hljóð.

Systurnar Lilja María og Anna Sóley Ásmundsdætur skipa dúóið Marey sem blandar tilraunakenndri spunatónlist við rafhljóð og ljóðalestur. Áhrifa gætir frá samtímaklassík, hljóðlist og alþýðutónlist. Lilja María spilar á hljóðskúlptúrinn Huldu, hljóðfæri sem hún hannaði sjálf, og býr til hljóðmyndir. Anna Sóley spilar á fiðlu, syngur og hannar hljóðmyndir. Árið 2025 mun dúóið halda tónleika á Íslandi, í Hollandi, Þýskalandi og Bretlandi. Þar má nefna tónlistarhátíðina Lost in the Hills og tónleikaseríur eins og Classic Jamming og Bruitkasten.

Lilja María er með doktorspróf í tónsmíðum frá City, University of London. Hún hefur skrifað fyrir ýmsa hljóðfærahópa í Evrópu og sömuleiðis komið fram sem hljóðfæraleikari með alls konar hljómsveitum. Hún er meðlimur í Hlökk en plata þeirra Hulduhljóð hlaut Kraumsverðlaunin 2019. Lilja María gaf út hljóð- og sjónlistaverkið Internal Human árið 2022 í samstarfi við dansarann Inês Zinho Pinheiro.

Anna Sóley útskrifaðist með BA próf frá ArtEZ Tónlistarháskólanum í Arnhem, BA gráðu í almennri bókmenntafræði frá Háskóla Íslands og mastersgráðu í bókmenntafræði frá Háskólanum í Utrecht. Hún sendi frá sér plötuna Modern Age Ophelia, árið 2022 og hefur komið fram víða í Evrópu bæði sem söngvari og fiðluleikari. „Tónhöfundurinn syngur á ensku og íslensku, og skilur eftir rými fyrir spuna og lýrísk ljóðræn flug,” -úr umfjöllun sem Matthieu Jouan skrifaði fyrir Citizen Jazz um Modern Age Ophelia tónleika Önnu á Jazzhátíð Reykjavíkur.

www.liljamaria.com/marey

Tónleikarnir hefjast klukkan 20:00 en hurðin opnar 19:30.
Miðaverð 2.500 kr.


///


Marey Feat.

The next concert in the Marey Feat. Series will be on the 5th of June at Mengi. Marey invites a musician to join their performance to improvise, play, sing, and experiment with sounds.

Marey plays improvised experimental music mixed with electronics and poetry, where contemporary classical music, sound art, and folk music meet. The sisters Lilja María and Anna Sóley have played together since childhood. Lilja María plays Hulda, a string instrument of her design. Anna Sóley plays the violin and sings, exploring different soundscapes and extended techniques, using her voice at times somewhere between spoken words and singing. They both design electronics, and Anna Sóley writes the poetry. This year, the duo will perform in Iceland, The Netherlands, Germany and the UK at festivals such as Lost in the Hills and various concert series, for example Classic Jamming and Bruitkasten.

Lilja María completed a PhD in composition from City, University of London. She has composed for different ensembles around Europe and performed with various groups. She is a member of the art collective Hlökk, and their album Hulduhljóð (2019) won the Kraumur Awards and was nominated for the Icelandic Music Awards. Lilja María released the audio-visual album Internal Human in 2022 in collaboration with dancer Inês Zinho Pinheiro.

Anna Sóley studied music and literature in Iceland and the Netherlands, graduating with a BA in jazz & pop vocal performance from the ArtEZ Conservatory in Arnhem and a Master's degree in literature from Utrecht University. She released her debut album, Modern Age Ophelia, in 2022. Anna has performed around Europe both as a vocalist and violinist. “Composer of the repertoire, she sings in English and Icelandic, and leaves space for moments of improvisation and poetic-lyrical flights.” —Matthieu Jouan for Citizen Jazz, writing about Anna’s Modern Age Ophelia Concert at the Reyjavík Jazz Festival.

www.liljamaria.com/marey

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Etienne Nillessen (DE)
Jun
4
8:00 PM20:00

Etienne Nillessen (DE)

Wednesday, June 4th
ETIENNE NILLESEN – REIMAGINING THE SNARE DRUM
doors 19:30 / show 20:00

Etienne’s exploration of the snare drum redefines its role as a percussive instrument, transforming
it into a self-contained harmonic and melodic entity. His work is not merely an expansion of
technique but a fundamental reassessment of the drum’s sonic architecture, probing the
relationships between materiality, resonance, and perception.

At the core of his practice is an intimate engagement with resonance, treating the drumhead as a
dynamic surface that contains a latent field of overtones and microtonal interactions. Through
circular motions, variable pressure control, and precise manipulation of contact points, he
accesses a vast spectrum of pitches, harmonics, and sustained sonorities that are typically
obscured in conventional drumming. His snare drums, tuned a semitone apart, create a harmonic
framework where sympathetic resonances and interference patterns emerge, forming an evolving
tonal landscape that is as much about pitch as it is about texture.

The rhythmic dimension of his playing is equally unconventional. Rather than relying on fixed
pulse structures, he generates rhythmic flow through friction, tension, and gradual
transformation, where changes in speed, pressure, and angle modulate the sound field in real
time. This approach results in a music that is less about attack and more about sustain, less about
percussive impact and more about timbral evolution. In this way, his snare drums function as
resonant objects in constant flux, where rhythm emerges as a secondary consequence of
harmonic activity.

Nillesen’s work is deeply rooted in a minimalist aesthetic, yet it resists the stasis often associated
with minimalism. Instead of looping structures or static repetitions, he focuses on gradual
variations in overtone complexity—where microtonal beating, phase shifts, and unstable
resonances create a sense of organic, evolving motion. His use of extended duration is not about
endurance, but about cultivating a heightened perception of sonic detail, where the ear adjusts
to subtle fluctuations in frequency, dynamic weight, and spatial diffusion.

His performances blur the boundary between composition and improvisation, not in the sense of
balancing pre-determined form with spontaneity, but in that form itself emerges from the real-
time negotiation of sonic possibilities. Each performance is an act of deep listening—to the
instrument, the space, and the moment. The drum is not simply played—it becomes a resonant
entity that speaks through touch.

Through this intimate process of sonic excavation, Nillesen’s work challenges conventional
notions of percussion, creating a listening experience that is both immersive and forensic, where
every gesture is magnified, every resonance is consequential, and every shift in pressure reveals
new sonic terrain.

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