Bjarki
Tears in Berghain EP

In 2009, amidst the vibrant energy of a wild party, a match was lit between two music nerds: Bjarki, who played techno and Árni, back then a dubstep master—today, he commands the releases of NIX. From this serendipitous introduction, a bond was forged that not only tied them as best friends, but also as fellow travelers on a journey of sound. Bjarki's sounds? Ever-evolving and eclectic. Árni music is electric and leans towards the rhythmic pull of UK bass.

Their mutual admiration was evident through the intense and inspiring sounds of weird electronic music. Árni introduced Bjarki to a world colored by artists like Mark Pritchard’s and Tom Middleton’s Global Communication, Delia Derbshire, Loefah and many others; he was also often the first to experience Bjarki’s raw demos, from the earlier days in downtown Reykjavik to global stages and festivals. Together they have developed and sculptured a friendship and also the rave scene in Iceland, from underground raves in caves to big warehouse parties, like in their recent project BUXUR.

Later, both found themselves in Berlin—Bjarki chasing flights and Árni diving into electronic music production studies. Berlin also saw the birth of "Greafe", a music listening sanctuary, born from the minds of Árni and his roommate, Jade.

When NIX took its baby steps under Árni's guidance, it was only natural for Bjarki to come on board. The EP's A-side features "Tears in Berghain", a track inspired by Bjarki & Kuldaboli's deepfake sessions during the pandemic, brilliantly blending Eric Clapton's "Tears in Heaven” vocals into the Berghain cosmos.

As Bjarki recalls, "It just felt right.”

Craving a rave anthem? Ask Daddy. The A2 spot is taken with "Rave Daddy", an exclusive NIX MIX created for Bjarki’s AV live show Look At Yourself in 2022. This is your only shot to snag it on vinyl.

Flip over for the B-side and there's a tale to tell: entrusted with the keys to Greafe, Bjarki leaves London and makes the most of Arni's iconic speaker system in Berlin, delivering "Pano Party (Dressless)”. A seductive AI-generated voice chants – "you're wearing boots and a dress, in my mind you're dancing, in a dress... you're cute, and on top". Decipher its meaning if you can, but one thing's for sure, it's a track that you wished was always played at Panorama Bar. Or in your living room.

This EP certainly keeps it weird, fresh and funky. What more can you ask from Bjarki?