‘Eyg’ by viibra

It goes without saying that Iceland has produced some of modern music’s most avant-garde sounds. Exploring further beyond these obscure musical boundaries are the homegrown talents of viibra, a seven-piece group of wind instrumentalists who first came together for Björk – supporting her 2016 album Utopia – and are regrouping to unveil their debut, self-titled EP this summer. An enticing preview of what’s to come arrived last week with ‘Eyg’, a beautifully eerie composition by viibra member Björg Brjánsdóttir. 

In tune with their music’s free-spirited nature, the ensemble took an unconventional approach to this project. Each featured song on viibra is the vision of an individual member – all of whom are esteemed musicians well-known in Reykjavík’s creative scene. Whilst ‘Eyg’ showcases the unique musical identity of Icelandic Performer of the Year winner Björg, it also encompasses her septet’s collective mission – to prove how fiercely experimental one can be in wielding a singular wind instrument. 

 Exploring the connection between flutes and human voice, Björg Brjánsdóttir’s flute piece emerges as a mesmerising sonic odyssey through piercing chaos, hymn-like chorals and an otherworldly existence. Reflecting on the creative process, the artist shares: “Instead of having the piece ready and fully written down on paper when we went to the studio, I had the main choral along with phrases, textures and sounds ready and then I edited the piece afterwards. I was quite aware of the fact that this piece was for viibra… we have some kind of a sisterhood going on between us. There is a lot of trust and that created a safe space to try out all kinds of things in the studio.”