It’s been a long weekend of some excellent music. But unlike the multi-day marathon that is Iceland Airwaves, we’re not in full post-festival recovery. Why? Well, one of the most exciting and innovative music festivals these days is chiller than most. In fact, it’s extremely chill!
Extreme Chill Festival began as a showcase of innovative ambient music, but it’s also slightly broadened its scope over the years, including everything from contemporary jazz, electronic music, contemporary classic, and industrial music. You won’t hear your run-of-the-mill rock and pop here, but instead get a crash course in some of the most interesting musical innovative not just in Iceland, but throughout Scandinavia and Europe.
One unique feature of the festival is that it’s much more relaxed than most. In fact, for many of the performances, the audience chooses instead to hang out on the floor and relax. It’s a fun and cozy vibe that feels just as much like you’re hanging out at a friend’s house as you’re at a cool concert in downtown Reykjavík.
Some of the more aggressive music might not be for everyone, but we were very impressed by the Danish musician Puce Mary, who takes a dark ambient sound to a whole new level with her interesting compositions. Finnish musician Hüma Utku was also a gem for us, and we’ve found ourselves listening to her ambient compositions at the What’s On office!
Extreme Chill Festival for 2023 is a wrap this year, so you’re going to have to wait until 2024 to get your next fix of innovative electronic and ambient music. But we’re dropping the official festival playlist down below so you can relive some of your favorites that you discovered if you attended, or else check out what you missed!
Here’s the website for more information.
