Up­prásin | Spouses, Bren­ninet­la, ÞESAL

This concert will feature Spouses, Brenninetla and ÞESAL.

Harpa, in collaboration with the Reykjavík Music City and Rás 2, is hosting Upprásin, a concert series dedicated to grassroots Icelandic music, across musical genres. Upprásin is now taking place for the fourth year in a row and a total of 27 bands will perform, three on each concert night.

Ticket prices are only 2000 kr. but it is possible to contribute a higher amount during the ticket sales process, which will go directly to the artists.

Spouses

Born in Canada, Joel Durksen cut his teeth in the UK’s music scene, performing and recording with numerous bands before relocating to rural Iceland in 2023. Despite a growing profile as a multi-instrumentalist for Brad Stank, Dent May, and Two Blinks I Love You, he found himself increasingly disconnected, unsure whether he was moving closer to his own voice or further from it.

What followed was Spouses. Based on a horse-breeding farm in South Iceland, Durksen wrote and recorded the debut album, I Could Be Your Dog (released 22 May 2026 via Kálfholt Records), largely alone in a small loft above a stable (Kálfholt Studios). Mixed by Finn Howells at Alan Moulder’s A.M.C. Studios, the album blends the guitar-driven energy of The Bends-era Radiohead with folk and folktronica influences. Songs from the record have received support from The Reykjavik Grapevine, RÚV, The Line of Best Fit, BIRP!, and For The Rabbits.

Brenninetla is a jazz trio consisting of Kjartan Hugi (saxophone), Stígur Grendal (guitar and bass), and Hinrik Torfi (drums). The band began as an improvisational duo between Kjartan and Hinrik, but when Stígur joined the project it evolved into a dynamic trio exploring a wide range of musical ideas. Their music is rooted in jazz and free improvisation while drawing inspiration from many other genres and influences. The trio aims to let the music unfold naturally in the moment, ensuring that no two performances are ever the same.