The most Northerly outpost of the cutting edge Sónar Festival family, Sónar Reykjavik, returns to the atmospheric Icelandic capital from 25th – 27th April 2019. Freshly expanded to a three-day event, Sónar Reykjavik is renowned for line-ups which mix the most influential names in electronica alongside the scene’s most creative emerging talents and homegrown artists.
2019 continues that trend in fine form with the news that one of electronic music’s most influential pioneers, RICHIE HAWTIN, is confirmed to play the 2019 edition. Over a career that’s approaching its 30th year, Hawtin has pushed the boundaries of techno and reshaped the perception of what a DJ’s live performance can be. Continuing with the marquee names, techno auteur JON HOPKINS, whose vast, psychedelic 2018 masterpiece, Singularity, elevated him to the coveted status of being one of electronic music’s most exciting big-room live talents, will also be performing at the Icelandic festival.
Also confirmed to play are: Berlin-based OBJEKT, the experimental and uncompromising London rapper LITTLE SIMZ, Warp mainstay and experimental noise artist YVES TUMOR, Somali-Swedish R&B artist CHERRIE, FATIMA AL QADIRI, who will perform a live set. Elsewhere AÏSHA DEVI will unleash an alchemic cocktail of pounding beats and ethereal atmospherics alongside the futuristic sonic visuals of Fractal Fantasy duo SINJIN HAWKE X ZORA JONES. An incubator of talent for homegrown talent, Sónar Reykjavik will once again program some of Iceland’s most groundbreaking artists. And what better time, when Icelandic music is undoubtedly having its moment? Confirmed for 2019 are CLUBDUB and KEF LAVÍK, the latest hip hop collectives to emerge from the country’s burgeoning scene. Ethereal R&B tinged pop – a signature Icelandic sound – will come from duo JFDR, singer GDRN and mysterious trio AYIA.
Also confirmed are composer, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist SiGRÚN, who has toured with artists such as Björk, Florence and the Machine and Sigur Rós, and whose LP Onælan is one of Iceland’s albums of the year, and SÓLVEIG MATTHILDUR who has been described to Rolling Stone as a “high priestess of dark wave.”
Elsewhere, Iceland’s electronic music contingent will be represented by DJ MARGEIR, EXOS, one of the country’s most respected techno figures and трип mainstay and THORGERDUR JOHANNA, whose residency at respected underground Oslo club The Villa is earning her a reputation as one of the most exciting emerging talents.
Sόnar Reykjavik will once again be located at the city’s internationally renowned cultural hub Harpa. Just minutes away from the city centre, the striking, acoustically-optimised concert hall hosts the festival across four spaces. Details of artists for the fourth stage, SónarLab, located in the depths of the venue’s underground car park, will be announced soon. Red Bull Music return as partners, continuing their long standing support by hosting the SónarHall stage with Little Simz, Fatima Al Qadiri – Live, Yves Tumor, Cherrie, GDRN, JFDR and kef LAVIK.
Aside from its world class line-up and ultra-modern line-up, Sόnar Reykjavik’s location makes it a highlight of the international festival circuit. Iceland is a destination like no other. Reykjavik offers a compact city, with an individualistic creative scene that informs everything from its hedonistic party vibes to its bold New Nordic cuisine. While Mount Esja provides a stunning cinematic backdrop to Reykjavik, heading a short distance outside of the city centre offers some of the world’s most beautiful sights including the shimmering Northern Lights and the awe-inspiring natural beauty of the Golden Circle. Where else can you start the day relaxing in a geothermal bath before listening to techno in the Harpa basement carpark?