Björk marked Iceland's total solar eclipse with a DJ set unlike anything else this week. The Icelandic icon took over the decks at Echolalia festival on Tuesday 12 August in Víðistaðatún, Hafnarfjörður, wearing an elaborate balloon-like outfit as the sky darkened around her.
The one-day festival sat directly in the eclipse’s path of totality. Arca performed as the sky began to darken, before Björk took over from 5:50PM to 6:47PM GMT. Totality lasted one minute and four seconds, with the moon fully covering the sun and plunging the festival site into darkness at the exact moment she was behind the decks.
The setlist matched the moment. Björk played Marina Herlop’s ‘Jaque’, Safety Trace & Arca’s ‘El Alma Que Te Trajo’, Kelela’s ‘If We Meet Again’, Machine Girl’s ‘Down to the Essence’ in the Mun Sing remix, HWXXNG’s ‘Cyber Shamanism’, and the Rosalía, Björk & Yves Tumor remix of ‘Berghain’. The full lineup also included Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith, 33EMYBW, Sideproject, and Ronja Jóhannsdóttir.
Echolalia forms part of Björk’s ongoing project of the same name, which also includes an exhibition at the National Gallery of Iceland featuring three tracks presented on a theatrical scale, including two written in memory of her late mother. A third comes from her forthcoming album, currently slated for 2027.
The festival also marked the 40th anniversary of pioneering Icelandic label Smekkleysa (aka Bad Taste), founded in 1986 by members of the country’s experimental music scene. A limited-edition collector’s package accompanied the ticket, featuring a Björk-curated compilation of new Icelandic music, signed records, and a copy of the Smekkleysa book World Domination or Death. Explore more Björk coverage.
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