Festival in oil cistern becomes bikram yoga for the mind

The Nonagon Festival on Svanö island offers a unique sonic experience, transforming a disused industrial oil cistern into a concert hall. This year, Austrian musician Fennesz performed, utilizing the cistern's extreme acoustics.

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Hearing Fennesz do his thing in the old rusty oil cistern by the Ångermanälven is like being inside a speaker element.

Fennesz, known for his ambient music, delivered a set described as "svinhögt, ogenomträngligt och mäktigt" (extremely loud, impenetrable, and mighty). The sound resonated intensely within the cistern, causing vibrations and a slight feeling of nausea for the reviewer. While not considered bad, the performance was deemed "a bit too much," suggesting the space demands a more sensitive approach from musicians.

The cistern's acoustics, with a 25-second reverberation, make percussion difficult and can muddy melodies or chords. Drones, noise, crackling, and rustling sounds are better suited for the environment. The festival, now in its fifth year, takes place on Svanö, an island historically central to Sweden's industrialization, particularly its timber industry.

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His set is extremely loud, impenetrable, and mighty. A sounding monolith that makes the entire cistern vibrate and makes me slightly nauseous.

Once a bustling center with nearly 700 inhabitants in the mid-20th century, Svanö now has about 70 permanent residents. The island's transformation is partly due to individuals who arrived during the 1970s' "green wave," bringing with them ideas like repurposing an old oil cistern for cultural events. The lingering smell of oil and the heatwave turning the cistern into a "sauna" contribute to the festival's distinctive atmosphere, likened to "bikram yoga for the mind."

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The reverberation is a full 25 seconds, so all types of percussion are out. Melodies or chord changes barely work either. Everything risks becoming muddy or dissolving.

Each year, the Nonagon association invites musicians and visual artists for residencies, allowing them to familiarize themselves with the space's acoustics and reverberation before the festival. This approach ensures artists can better engage with the unique environment.

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The latest heatwave has turned the cistern into a sauna, which in turn makes the concerts feel like some kind of bikram yoga for the mind.