Night three at State of the Art 2025 features an amazing double bill of Europe's finest jazz paired with one of Iceland’s most exciting alternative pop artists.

With Veslemøy Narvesen on the drums, Kit Downes on the Hammond organ and piano and Ketija Ringa Karahona on the flute, Trio Holistic appeared for the first time ever at the A’LARME festival 2023. The three artists work at the intersection of composition and improvisation. Individual themes written by the musicians for one another establish a foundation for collective journeys into the realm of possibility offered by the unusual combination of their respective instruments. At the same time, Narvesen’s kinetic energy and chemistry with Downes and Ringa guarantee an electric performance filled with surprises. All three musicians are active voices on the European music scene, contributing to a wide range of projects as both leaders and collaborators. Downes, a recording artist with ECM, brings his experience with the label’s exploratory aesthetic into this unique setting, while Ringa and Narvesen likewise draw from diverse artistic practices that reflect the evolving language of contemporary improvisation.

Róshildur is an Icelandic/Danish musician, producer and performer whose alternative pop is a blend of melodic, layered vocals and textured production. Loops, samples and synths, layered with a beat made from the sound of a squeaky chair. This is the soundscape that carries Róshildur’s melancholic but often humorous lyrics, sung in Icelandic.

Róshildur will take the stage at 20:00 in Fríkirkjan í Reykjavík for the first set, followed by Trio Holistic at this fantastic double bill event. Tickets are 4.990 ISK but access is also available through a festival pass.