This week Sónar 2016 begins the international tour with its winter festivals first in Reykjavik and then in Stockholm
The twoScandinavian Sónar festivals will present more than 100 shows in the Icelandic and Swedish capitals, featuring artists from more than 15 countries, with a strong emphasis on cutting edge Nordic music.
In addition to the concerts and DJ sets, the International Congress for creative technologies Sónar+D will take place in Reykjavik for the first time, with an intensive program that combines lectures, panel discussions and workshops, and an exhibition space dedicated to music technology.
- The 4thSónar Reykjavik begins this weekend on 18, 19 and 20 February. The festival will host 77 shows across 5 stages at the extraordinary Harpa auditorium, one of Iceland’s most iconic buildings, located opposite the city’s port
- The 3rd Sónar Stockholm will be held at its new Nobelberget headquarters in the Nordic capital on 26 and 27 February, with a total of 28 performances across 3 stages.
- Many of the leading artists playing at the two Scandinavian Sónar festivals will also perform in Sónar Barcelona on 16, 17 and 18 June: Hudson Mohawke and Oneohtrix Point Never (who will perform with Antony from Antony and The Johnsons as Anohni), Boys Noize, Jackmaster, Yung Lean, Mura Masa, The Black Madonna, Rødhåd, Ben UFO and Toxe.
- From Thursday 18th until Saturday 20th Feb, between 3 pm and 9 pm, RBMA Radio will be broadcasting live from Sónar Reykjavík with sets, talks and interviews with a selection of artist. Follow the broadcast here.
- Check out the “Sónar Takes Scandinavia” curated playlist which displays some of the artists in program for the Sónar Nordic festivals.
4th Sónar Reykjavík
The 4th Sónar Reykjavik follows the success of its three previous festivals. It takes place on 18,19 and 20 February across 5 stages at the extraordinary Harpa auditorium, located opposite the city’s port. The program consists of 77 performances, including leading international artists like: Hudson Mohawke who is experiencing a particularly productive period in his career with his new album, “Lantern”, and collaborations with Kanye West and Antony from Antony and The Johnsons; Squarepusher, with an electrifying live show and his latest album, “Damogen Furies”; Boys Noize, global techno masters for several years; Englishman Floating Points, with a special live band format (string, wind, piano), playing delicate pieces from his debut LP “Elaenia”; and Oneohtrix Point Never, with his new recently released album “Garden of Delete”, as well as numerous other projects including that of Anhoni, which will be premiered at Sónar Barcelona 2016.
To these names we should also add performances from internationally renowned artists including: The Black Madonna, Holly Herndon, Angel Haze, Ben UFO, Ellen Allien, Rødhåd, Recondite and Lone; Barcelonan Brigitte Laverne, the only Spanish representative at this years Nordic festival; and several names helping define the current Icelandic and Nordic scene, including duo Kiasmos, Úlfur Úlfur, Bjarki Pall Oskar and Harald Björk, among many others. And for the second consecutive year, Red Bull Music Academy will curate one of the stages at Sónar Reykjavik, which will feature performances by Mumdance, Koreless, Sevdaliza, James Pants and Throwing Snow, among many others.
Sónar Reykjavík 2016 line-up!!!, All Inclusive (Martin Kilvady & Mankan), Angel Haze, Annie Mac, Apparat Organ Quartet, asdfhg., Auður, AV AV AV, B-Ruff, Ben UFO, BenSöl, Bjarki, Boys Noize, Brigitte Laverne, Brilliantinus, Courtesy, DJ E.D.D.E.H., DJ Katla, DJ Margeir, DJ Tommi White, DJ Yamaho, Dorian Concept, Drippin, East of My Youth, Ellen Allien, ELOQ, Floating Points (live), Frank Murder, Futuregrapher, GANGLY, GKR, Good Moon Deer, Halleluwah, Harald Björk, Hildur, Holly Herndon, Hudson Mohawke, Intr0beatz, James Pants, Julia Ruslanovna, Karó, Kiasmos, Koreless, Kosmodod, KSF, Larry Gus, LE1F, Lone Live AV Ft Konx-om-Pax, Milkywhale, Mumdance, Óðinn, Oneohtrix Point Never, Páll Óskar, President Bongo & The Emotional Carpenters, Recondite, Reykjavíkurdætur, Rix, Rødhåd, Ruxpin, RVK DNB, Sevdaliza, Skeng, Squarepusher, Stereo Hypnosis, Sturla Atlas, Tandri, The Black Madonna, Throwing Snow, TM 404, Tonik Ensemble, Úlfur Úlfur, Ultraplay, Unkwon, Vaginaboys, Vök, Wife, Zebra Katz.
Check the full program here.
Sónar+D Reykjavik program
Sónar+D, the international congress for creative technologies, comes to Reykjavik for the first time. The “Congress” area will host roundtables including “Women in Music”, with participation from international DJs and producers like Ellen Allien and The Black Madonna; talks from Ólafur Arnalds together with local composer Péttur Jonsson, or panels between communication and pop culture expert Oliver Luckett and Margeir Ingolfsson, 50% of Gluteus Maximus and the owner of a highly regarded Icelandic web design company. Rounding off conference presentations on music technology will be Reactify’s Frank Murder, and from the visual arts, Gabriel Benedikt and Atli Bollason.
The “Exhibition” area will display various essential elements from the Icelandic music scene, including: a version of “Gameleste“, the Björk conceived hybrid instrument, somewhere between a Gamelan and Celeste, built by the island’s sole organ maker, Björgvin Tómasson; synthesizers created by local Frank Murder; and a record pressing machine which has helped stimulate the active Reykjavik record label scene.
During the three day festival there will be an interactive visual presentation -designed by Atli Bollason, who will also be participating at the conference- on the spectacular façade of the Harpa building, which houses all the activities of Sónar and Sónar+D.
More information and tickets at www.sonarreykjavik.com
RBMA Radio live
The Redbull Music Academy Radio will be broadcasting live from Sónar Reykjavík every day from 3 pm to 9 pmGMT with sets, talks and interviews with a selection of artist.
Altready confirmed participating artists include Ben UFO, Ólafur Arnalds, The Black Madonna, !!!, plus Red Bull Music Academy alumni Sevdaliza, Koreless, Mumdance, Zebra Katz, WIFE, Larry Gus, Courtesy, Throwing Snow and many more.
Follow the RBMA Radio broadcast here.
The embed code for online media is: <iframe src=’http://live.rbmaradio.com/events/sonar-reykjavik/embed’ width=’800′ height=’400′ frameborder=’0′></iframe>
3rd Sónar Stockholm
The 3rdSónar Stockholm will be held on 26 and 27 February and inaugurates its new Nobelberget headquarters, a large area with an industrial aesthetic located in the Sickla suburb in the south of the city, which will host the two-day festival. The line-up for the 3rd Sónar Stockholm consists of 28 names, including five international artists who will also perform at Sónar Reykjavik: Squarepusher, Oneohtrix Point Never, The Black Madonna, Rødhåd and Holly Herndon.
They will be joined by performances from: highly praised Dutch producer Fatima Yamaha, who returns with her excellent new album, “Imaginary Lines”; Britain’s Annie Mac, British radio star and a DJ with an unparalleled music selection and knowledge; NY based American Le1f, representing the most advanced underground hip-hop; Youth Lagoon, the shadowy synthetic pop project from Ohio musician Trevor Powers; and the UK’s young and up and coming Mura Masa, whose fractured pop voice has been compared with James Blake. The Swedish scene is extremely well represented by names like Yung Lean (the largest exponent of new Scandinavian hip-hop, already with a significant fan base in the US), Ida Engberg (one of the most respected DJs in the country) and two women with their own, very personal sound, Fjäder and Toxe, to which we must also add Copenhagen house trio AV AV AV.
Sónar Stockholm 2016 line-upAnnie Mac, AV AV AV, Duvchi, Fatima Yamaha, Fjäder, Gander / Örnell, Holly Herndon, Hudson Mohawke, Ida Engberg, Jackmaster, Jessie Granqvist, Jessy Lanza, Johanna Knutsson, Kablam, LE1F, Maya Jane Coles, Mura Masa, Nadia Tehran, Niki & The Dove, Oneohtrix Point Never, Rødhåd, Samanta, Squarepusher, The Black Madonna, Toxe, Youth Lagoon, Yung Lean, Yung Sherman.Check the full programme here.
More information and tickets at www.sonarstockholm.com
// Source: Festival’s press kit.
