Iceland Review Playlist | Vetrarhatið Music Programme

2026-02-05 - 13:47

Vetrarhatið or Winter Lights Festival is Iceland’s response to midwinter, the coldest and darkest time of the year. With the variety of cultural events all over the Capital Region, the week can be compared to the hurly-burly of the early November when the biggest showcase Iceland Airwaves takes over Reykjavík. In a similar way, Vetrarhatið fills up the space of major cultural venues (Museum Night) and public places, e.g. swimming pools (Pool Night). While Vetrarhatið has a strong focus on visual arts, especially lights installations, it boasts of an outstanding music programme featuring local artists and international acts. In this week’s playlist, we introduce the musicians performing at the festival this year. Coby Sey Coby Sey. Photo: Eleonora C. Collini 5 February, Reykjavík City Hall, 21.00 Hailing from South East London, Coby Sey is an independent producer whose music adventurously blends murky ambient, experimental jazz and spoken word. Whether recorded or performed live, his compositions are cinematic, conjuring up enigmatic cityscapes similar to the one depicted on the cover of his 2022 album Conduit. More information about the event here. Tómas Manoury 5 February, Hallgrímskirkja, 19.30 The major event during Vetrarhatið is the opening of Reykjavík Winter Lights Festival at Hallgrímskirkja. The launch of the striking light installation is followed by the HyperOrgan music programme taking place on the premises of the church. Several local musicians present their compositions, some of which are computer-controlled organ works. One such is by Icelandic-French multiinstrumentalist Tómas Manoury who will premiere his electroacoustic piece tonight. More information about the event here. Svartþoka Svartþoka. Photo: Katie Metcalfe. 7 February, Hallgrímskirkja, 16.00 One intriguing collective performing during the HyperOrgan music programme in Hallgrímskirkja is darkwave trio Svartþoka. Drawing from traditional music, their electroacoustic compositions impose a translike effect similar to that of Finnish psychedelic folk eccentrics Paavoharju. More information about the event here. Benni Hemm Hemm & The Choir Benni Hemm Hemm & The Choir. Photo: reykjavík.is. 7 February, Reykjavík City Hall, 20.00 It’s hard to put Icelandic auteur Benni Hemm Hemm aka Benedikt H. Hermannsson in a box of any music genre. As some of his works align with most disobedient forms of avant-pop, Hermannsson can easily shift between disco, drone-ambient and choral chamber pop with a halo of gospel music. At Vetrarhatið, the composer will perform with The Choir, also featured on Benni Hemm Hemm’s album Ljósið & Ruslið (Light & Trash), released in 2024. More information about the event here. Hafdís Huld Hafdís Huld. Photo: reykjavík.is. 6 February, Mosfellsbær public library, 17.00 If you are attending Vetrarhatið with children and wondering how to entertain them, there is one event targeting audiences from different age groups. Icelandic songwriter Hafdís Huld will conduct a “cosy sing-along” at Mosfellsbær Public Library. The musician who began her career as a member of Icelandic trailblazing electronic band Gus Gus later recorded a few solo albums inspired by traditional lullabies and motherhood. She had her first child in 2012, around the time her third record Vögguvísur was released. More information about the event here. Unfiled and MOTET 6 February, Hafnarhús, 22.00 Two audiovisual collectives, Unfiled and MOTET, will perform at Hafnarhús on Museum Night. While both share the multimedia concept, sonically they explore contrasting realms. MOTET creates minimalist electronica gently suggesting a soundtrack to your morning walk to the city harbour on a still cloudy day. The project’s Instagram profile describes MOTET as “beauty against decay, dystopia against hope”. Unfiled embraces dystopia in a different way, looking the reality into the eye and denying it. Their menacing compositions echo the latest album by Osmium, the project featuring Hildur Guðnadóttir. More information about the event here.