Trump has again raised the idea of the US taking control of Greenland, arguing that the Arctic island is important for security and strategic reasons. The latest remarks echo his 2019 push to explore buying Greenland from Denmark, which at the time was dismissed by Copenhagen as “absurd” and led to a diplomatic spat after Trump cancelled a state visit.​

In recent days, the rhetoric has sharpened. Katie Miller, wife of senior Trump adviser Stephen Miller, posted an image of Greenland covered by a US flag and captioned “SOON” on social media, prompting outrage in Denmark and Greenland. Trump has meanwhile tapped Louisiana governor Jeff Landry as a special envoy tasked with advancing US interests over the territory, a move critics describe as a political escalation.

Into this escalating geopolitical dispute, Björk has added a cultural and moral intervention, using her platform to spotlight Greenland’s long colonial history and present-day inequalities. In her Instagram note, she sends “blessings” to Greenlanders “in their fight for independence” and explicitly connects their struggle to Iceland’s own decision to break from Danish rule in 1944, saying Icelanders are “extremely relieved” they preserved their language and sovereignty.​

Björk also references historic and recent Danish policies towards Greenlanders, including reports of a state-backed IUD programme affecting Greenlandic women and girls in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and contemporary child welfare cases that campaigners say disproportionately target Greenlandic families. She characterises the current moment as a choice between continued subordination within the Danish kingdom and the risk of a shift to US control, which she frames as continuations of colonial dynamics.

Björk’s intervention lands in a music culture that is increasingly attuned to Indigenous rights, climate justice and the politics of land and extraction. Greenland’s own musicians have long folded themes of language, environment and autonomy into everything from indie releases to throat‑singing, and the renewed independence debate is likely to intensify that creative focus.

Denmark and Greenland have responded in unusually direct terms. Danish prime minister Mette Frederiksen has urged Trump to “stop the threats” and underlined that Greenland is “not for sale” and cannot be annexed under international law. 

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has voiced measured concern over the escalating rhetoric surrounding Greenland, emphasising the importance of respecting Denmark’s sovereignty as a key NATO ally. Speaking with the BBC,  Starmer said, “Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark must decide the future of Greenland, and only Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark”. 

In an interview aboard the Air Force One, Trump said “the EU needs us to have [Greenland], and they know that”. In response, Paul Pinho, European Commission chief spokesperson, stated it is “certainly not” their position.

The event kicks off early with a 24 hour radio DJ set which will begin at midnight PST / 8am GMT on Dec. 31, with a 24-hour DJ mix from Justice, John Summit, Rufus Du Sol, and other DJs worldwide.

.@Skepta and @unclewaffffles take #AppleMusicLive to London to ring in the new year. Watch their special performances on December 31st at 11pm GMT, only on Apple Music. https://t.co/KrhNzMXvo1 pic.twitter.com/nSM3T1uSqE

— Apple Music (@AppleMusic) December 18, 2024

The whole thing promises to be a cultural collision, uniting disparate sonic worlds under the auspices of Apple’s meticulously curated playlists. 

The event is all anchored by a rare DJ set from Björk, who is known for her ethereal voice and boundary-pushing albums, her foray into DJ-ing is a rarity. It acts as a glimpse into her singular musical mind refracted through curated tracks rather than original compositions. Expect her set to oscillate between the hauntingly experimental and the unexpectedly rhythmic, a sonic journey that only Björk could conceive.  

Skepta enters as a pioneer of grime, the genre that gave a voice to London’s streets, he has since ventured into new sonic territories, exploring house music with the same uncompromising energy. Whether delivering razor-sharp lyrics or curating beats that get the crowd moving, Skepta remains a compelling presence. His set promises to be as unpredictable as it is exhilarating—a reflection of his ever-evolving artistry.

The lineup also includes genre-defying artists like Swazi-born, South Africa-based DJ Uncle Waffles, a rising star in the global dance scene, who has become the face of amapiano, the hypnotic South African house subgenre taking over airwaves and dance floors alike. Born in Eswatini and based in South Africa, she exudes an effortless charisma behind the decks, her sets a celebration of rolling baselines, syncopated rhythms, and infectious vocal loops.

Both Skepta and DJ Uncle Waffles’ sets will be video rather than simply radio recordings from London’s The Cause—a venue celebrated for its contributions to dance culture, local nightlife, and mental health initiatives.

Tim Sweeney, has long been a tastemaker through his influential ‘Beats in Space’ radio show. Now, as a cornerstone of Apple Music’s DJ programming, Sweeney bridges the gap between niche dance floor sounds and mainstream accessibility. His sets are an education, seamlessly blending the familiar with the obscure, a testament to his encyclopaedic knowledge of electronic music and fitting for his role.  

Last year’s inaugural event featured names like Kaytranada, Peggy Gou, and Honey Dijon, setting the stage for Apple Music to position itself as a leader in the intersection of live music and streaming innovation. It seems that this year’s line up will aim to transcend the humdrum of conventional New Year’s Eve fare. Apple Music hopes to reimagine the celebrations as more than just a concert, positioning itself at the forefront of innovation and connectivity in the streaming era.

Complete line up and respective timings for the event are listed below: 

24-Hour Radio Takeover (Starting at 12am PST / 8am GMT on December 31):

• Justice
• John Summit
• Rüfüs Du Sol
• Sonny Fodera
• horsegiirL
• David Rodigan
• Chris Stussy
• SPINALL
• Jyoty
• Skratch Bastid
• Kayan
• DIDI HAN
• Erol Alkan
• Malechin
• DJ KOCO
• Yanamaste
• Stacey Hotwaxx Hale
• Dylan Ali
• ARCHANGEL
• Cashu

This segment will be broadcast on the new Apple Music Club and Apple Music 1.

Apple Music Live: NYE Performances (Recorded at The Cause in London):

• Björk
• Tim Sweeney
• NAINA

These performances will air at 1pm PST / 9pm GMT on Apple Music Club and Apple Music 1.

Video Livestream:

• Uncle Waffles
• Skepta

The video livestream begins at 3pm. PST / 11pm. GMT on Apple Music, Apple Music Club, and Apple Music 1.

All performances will be available to stream in Spatial Audio exclusively on Apple Music.

Toying with dark sensualness, the first half of the song, “Playboy” starts with a dissonant melody with Shygirl cooling rapping over the top. In the video, a bikini-clad woman spins around a pole in a dark room an eerie face-printed mask obscuring her face. Shy introduces the second half of the song by uttering, “Wait let me just change positions quickly”, the beat quickening with the singer adopting a breathier vocal style. The video for the “Positions” portion features two tattooed men wrestling on a dry grassy football pitch.

Watch the video below:

Irish singer Cosha, English record producer Karma Kid, and English producer to the stars Mura Masa all worked with the singer on the single. London-based photographer Samuel Ibram teamed up with Shygirl once again for the haunting video. He previously directed the video for Shygirl and Björk’s “Woe (I See It From Your Side)” as well as photographed Shy for the cover for Nymph.

Nymph_o, the deluxe version of Shygirl’s 2022 debut album, Nymph, will be available on streaming on the 14^th of this month. The album will contain reimagines and remixes of songs on the original LP as well as some brand-new tracks like “Playboy/Positions”. So far, Shygirl has released three other songs that will feature on Nymph_o: a club mix of “Poison”, a reimagining of “Heaven” featuring the celestial vocals of alt R&B singer Tinashe, and Björk’s ethereal remix “Woe (I See It From Your Side)”. The genre-bending LP will also feature Eartheater and Arca. To preorder the album click here.

Southeast London rapper, DJ, and singer-songwriter Blane Muise, better known as Shygirl, entered the scene in 2017 receiving praise for her unique deconstructed club and experimental hip hop sound. Her debut EP Cruel Practice and her sophomore EP Alias caught the attention of Pitchfork, NME, Vogue, and Crack Magazine.

Currently, Shygirl is performing in North America on her Nymph World Tour. She will be performing at several festivals later this summer including Wide Awake Festival, Parklife, Flow Festival, and Øyafestivalen. For tickets see here.

For Shygirl’s UK & Europe dates see below:

27/05/23 – Wide Awake Festival – London
10/06 – Parklife – Manchester
09/08 – Øyafestivalen – Oslo
11/08 – Flow Festival – Helsinki

“Skrting On The Surface” may have been shown before, during the trio of gigs the band played at the end of January, but die-hard Radiohead fans might have clocked that this is, in fact, a reworking of an unreleased Radiohead track from 2009. Aside from the distinct time signature change, from 4/4 to 15/16, the song follows a borderline standard song structure. The joy of it comes from the underlying Radiohead influence, without the overwhelming pressure of having to write “a Radiohead song”. Which of course will inevitably come with people wanting, and hoping, for the best new thing since sliced bread. The Smile seems to be acting as Yorke and Greenwood’s escape from the sheer size of Radiohead at the moment.

While there are still no confirmed details of an album insight, if you’re desperate for a physical release, you can join the free lottery to give yourself a chance to win a limited-edition joint A-side 7” vinyl pressing of the band’s 2 singles so far. A full list of participating record stores has been published by the band here, so if you get down there you can show some love for your local independent store, and maybe bag yourself some goodies. So far, the band have given fans 2 opportunities for free music, with this and the international raffle for tickets to their trio of shows depending on what country you are from. As we know, Yorke and co. in Radiohead are more than happy to push through an awkward release method, so could we be on the brink of one now? I’m saying yes… probably.

As I mentioned before, the UK dates of The Smile’s tour have long since sold out. But that means you’re now perfectly able to justify going abroad for a week or so to check out the festival circuit. With appearances in Switzerland, France, The Netherlands, and a bunch of others there’s no time like the present to give yourself a holiday. Check out the dates here.

The woman is of course a proxy for Arca herself, though it’s important to note that being a trans woman means the insult – which deliberately uses a masculine word – has cruelly transphobic implications. It’s a testament to the Venezuelan producer that she not only withstands the attack, but belittles her abusers by wearing their slur as a badge of honour. 

First made available to stream digitally on the 17th, NME reported that Arca considered “Mequetrefe” to be a manifesto in “the tenderness behind expressing who you are without shame, and the confidence and bravery it requires”. As with previous singles “Time” and “Nonbinary”, the song has now received visual treatment with a video co-directed by Arca and her partner Carlos Sáez. 

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the Mequetrefe video is out now! the journey of making of this video with @carlossaez1 and @wifiovermybody has been one of the most alchemical transformative processes I’ve ever experienced making a video. Thank you to both of you for your vision, patience, boldness, and sensitivity! To all of you who watch it, please let us know if you enjoy the video :] <3 together we did our best to lovingly, and with care, conceive and produce the video over the course of lockdown, in times when creating sometimes felt like a leap of faith! so it has been a great pleasure and honor to be a part of this collaboration , I love the video so much! I hope you have fun watching it! In virtue of the evemorphing, shifting and ripping of selfstates in constant permutation in transition toward the unknown nurturing a faith love as a light in the face of change. <3 ya esta aqui el video de Mequetrefe ! el proceso de crear este video con @carlossaez1 y @wifiovermybody has sido de las experiencias mas alquímicas y transormativas q he vivido en crear un music video. Gracias a uds. dos por su visión, su paciencia, sus ganas de echarle pichón y por tener tanta sensibilidad. A todxs uds. q lo vean, avísanos si te gusta el video! <3 trabajamos juntxs con mucho esmero y cariño para concebir y producir el video durante la cuarantena para seguir nuestro instinto de crear algo, incluso en aquellos momentos de mayor incertidumbre, y es un placer y un honor se parte de esta colaboración, me encanta taaaaanto el video ! Gracias <3 En virtud de la transmutación y la mutación, el misterio de lo desconocido, en transición constante, nutriendo la fe en el amor como una luz en virtud del cambio. <3

A post shared by Doña Arca (@arca1000000) on Jun 25, 2020 at 3:34pm PDT

Dreamt up and filmed by the two of them whilst isolating together, Arca and Sáez approached the Shanghai-based animator Kynan Puru Watt who fed close to 10,000 frames of Arca into a computer program to create the shifting, mutating face-to-face shots that make up the video. In an Instagram that was posted today, she called the production of the video “one of the most alchemical transformative processes I’ve ever experienced”, thanking the “vision, patience, boldness, and sensitivity” of her two collaborators.

Born in Caracas 31 years ago as Alejandro Ghersi, transition has been a recurring motif in Arca’s life. Moving from Connecticut back to Caracas during her childhood, the Venezuelan began to make a name for herself by producing avant-garde electropop from her bedroom, before returning to the US to study at the Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music at NYU. As her following grew, she gained high-profile production credits on Kanye West’s wildly experimental Yeezus album, as well as several early FKA twigs EPs. In 2014 she moved to Dalston in East London where she has since lived, and turned more heads by producing three of the songs on FKA twigs’ debut album, as well as much of the programming for Björk’s Vulnicura (who provides vocals on the KiCK i track “Afterwards”). In 2018, Arca came out as a trans woman, and has since been known privately by the feminine form of her name ‘Alejandra’.

KiCK i will be Arca’s first new album since her 2017 self-titled project, though earlier this month she released the hour long single “@@@@@” as well as the charity single “unconditional” with another guest on her new album, Shygirl. KiCK i is available to stream and download now, with a vinyl release coming next month via XL Recordings. Watch the video for “Mequetrefe” below:

The Icelandic legend’s nine albums are now uploaded for fans to enjoy on Bandcamp. They can also buy physical copies, including vinyl, CD, and cassette.

The discography features Björk’s numerous iconic records like 1993’s ‘Debut‘, 1995’s ‘Post‘ and 2001’s ‘Vespertine‘. Her latest LP ‘Utopia‘ released back in 2017 is also available on the platform.

“Today, Bandcamp is thrilled to announce the arrival of Björk’s complete studio discography, with proceeds from all sales being donated by Björk and One Little Independent to Black Lives Matter UK from today until the end of Bandcamp’s NAACP fundraiser tomorrow,” announced Bandcamp on its official site.

This charity is a perfect event held by Bandcamp, which commemorate Juneteenth—aka June 18—the day that celebrates the end of slavery in the United States. Bandcamp will donate the entire share to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund.

Back in May, the “It’s Oh So Quiet” hitmaker announced the postponement of her 2020 orchestral concerts to 2021 due to the coronavirus outbreak. She took to her Instagram, giving out the sad news to her fans:

“And as clearly as India can see the Himalayas, I announce that my concerts in the summer have been moved back a year. I hope you understand and looking forward to seeing you reborn,” said the singer.

ดูโพสต์นี้บน Instagram

dearestest of concert lovers here i am , in iceland , all safe from them viruses but unable to travel to you this summer i hope sincerely you are safe too i look around and this corona has strangely given each of us tasks some to stay still some more , centre ourselves better some to focus on family , some to become better chefs or cleaners and the collective earth to pollute less need less moveless and as clearly as india can see the himalayas i announce that my concerts in the summer have been moved back a year i hope you understand and looking forward to seeing you reborn warmth björk

โพสต์ที่แชร์โดย Björk (@bjork) เมื่อ พ.ค. 22, 2020 เวลา 4:55am PDT

Unfortunately, the UK did not appear in the dates for Björk’s upcoming shows. However, the rescheduled dates comprise five shows in total, with two back-to-back shows in Paris.

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A post shared by One Little Independent Records (@onelittleindierecords) on Jun 10, 2020 at 11:06am PDT

In the announcement, Birkett said that whilst originally the name had sought to embody his “respect and appreciation of [Native American] culture”, he had recently received an “eye-opening letter from a Crass fan that detailed precisely why the logo and label name are offensive”. Birkett did not relay these details in his own statement, though as the title was lifted from a 19th century minstrel song about “dark-skinned boys … never learning from experience”, and given the word ‘Indian’ was an exonym (and misnomer) White European invaders first applied to Native Americans, it’s easy to see why a term steeped in colonialism’s bloody legacy should be perceived as outdated.

Birkett went on to apologise “unreservedly to anyone that has been offended by the name and the logo”, saying that he “felt equally appalled and grateful” to the person who had made him aware of the name’s implications. It is of course worth noting that these implications have always existed; it is instead the public’s attitude towards testaments of Britain’s colonial history that has changed. When Birkett opened his statement with an acknowledgment that “the last few weeks have been a monumental learning curve”, it is more than likely that he was referring to initiatives such as Blackout Tuesday, as well as an open letter from Black British music executives, that have called for the music industry look inward at its own systemic racism.

One Little Independent’s previous logo.

Along with Sue Birkett and Tim Kelly, Derek Birkett first founded One Little Indian in 1985 as an independent record label based in Balham. One Little Indian arose from the ashes of Spiderleg Records, a short-lived anarcho-punk label that housed Birkett’s own band and partial namesake of Spiderleg’s successor, Flux of Pink Indians. Spiderleg began after the band had gotten to grips with releasing material after putting out their debut EP on the eponymous label run by fellow punk band Crass. Inspired by “the philosophies of the Indigenous People of the Americas”, Birkett and co. melded this outlook to the “DIY principles and anarchistic ideals” of their own punk origins, thus bringing One Little Indian to life. Their willingness to give “complete control to artists [they feel] deserve a shot at a wider audience” has helped enable the careers of Sigur Rós, They Might Be Giants, and most notably Björk. 

Read the full statement from One Little Independent here.

2010 – 2020 pic.twitter.com/jNQ85hhWmr

— Tri Angle Records (@TriAngleRecords) April 24, 2020

The record label was established in 2010 and since its inception, has gained a reputation for being highly influential, particularly within the electronic music scene. The first release from Tri Angle Records was the album “Let Me Shine For You”. It was a compilation of experimental Lindsey Lohan cover songs created by producers Laurel Halo and Oneohtrix Point Never, Babe Rainbow,  Autre Ne Veut, oOoOO and Stalker.

One year after, Tri Angle was named one of the top 50 labels in America by Billboard. Releases from the label have been featured on “Best of” lists by publications such as The Guardian, Pitchfork and Rolling Stone.

Shortly after, another tweet was posted, comprising a link to a Spotify playlist of Carolan’s personal favourites from the 10-year history of the label.  In the playlist, fans can hear the works of artists such as Vessel, Evian Christ, AlunaGeorge, Katie Gately and many more.

A playlist of my own personal Tri Angle favorites. Thanks everyone… Tri Angle: The END (2010 – 2020) https://t.co/pw0tfAAjmZ #NowPlaying

— Tri Angle Records (@TriAngleRecords) April 24, 2020

Artists from Tri Angle Records have collaborated with mainstream artists like Kanye West, Bjork, Disclosure and FKA Twigs. Björk, in particular, has been a strong supporter of the label. In 2015 she performed a DJ set at the Tri Angle Records fifth birthday party during Red Bull Music Academy Festival.

Album copies and merch can be purchased on the official Tri Angle Records website. More music from the label can also be heard on its official Spotify profile.

Originally set to be held this year from July 23 to July 26, at the Jodrell Bank Observatory, in Cheshire, Bluedot’s organisers have now been forced to act as the coronavirus crisis continues. Bluedot is the latest festival to announce its cancellation following a string of similar announces from the UK’s biggest festivals and music events.

“Our teams have been working with partners and authorities to assess the impact of the coronavirus outbreak on the festival. Although bluedot may still seem some time away, the virus and its associated effects are unlikely to ease for some months and it is important to us that any additional or unnecessary strain on medical services is avoided,” the organisers said in a statement, which can be seen in full below.

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A message from the bluedot team. discoverthebluedot.com

A post shared by bluedot festival (@bluedotfestival) on Apr 16, 2020 at 4:00am PDT

The statement continued: “This decision has been a necessary but difficult one to make as it affects not only our wonderful bluedot family of festival-goers and staff but also a large number of artists, performers, speakers, suppliers, traders and freelancers, many of whom have been hit hard during this period. Within our limited means, we will continue to do everything we can to support them and the wider sector during these difficult times.”

This year’s three headliners – Metronomy, Björk, and Groove Armada – have all confirmed their appearances at next year’s festival. They are set to be joined by many other artists and speakers from this year’s line-up.

The next Bluedot Festival will take place between July 22-25, 2021. Björk, Groove Armada and Metronomy will top the bill, while Bluedot say they are “working to transfer as many of 2020’s artists and speakers to Bluedot 2021 as possible”.

Among the tther acts, who were set to appear at Bluedot 2020 includ Spiritualized, Roisin Murphy, Squarepusher, Tangerine Dream, Ride, Daniel Avery, EOB (the solo project of Radiohead’s Ed O’Brien), Pussy Riot and Chk Chk Chk. Tickets for this year’s festival will automatically be transferred to 2021, but any ticketholders who can’t attend the 2021 festival will be entitled to a full refund on their ticket and any extras, including boutique camping.

“We are happy to confirm that our three Lovell Stage headliners – Björk, Groove Armada and Metronomy – will join us on these new dates, and we are working to transfer as many of 2020’s artists and speakers to bluedot 2021 as possible, alongside new additions.

Last week, The xx and The National were confirmed as the first headliners of the 10 day festival, which will take place in the capital’s famous Victoria park, and will run from May 25- June 3. Lykke Li, Popcaan, The War On Drugs, Future Islands, Warpaint, and more were also announced in support of these two headliners.

Beck, Father John Misty, Phoenix, Flying Lotus, Glass Animals, Sampha, Richie Hawtin, Rex Orange County, Sylvan Esso, Dixon, Alexis Taylor and George Fitzgerald will also be playing over the course of the festival.

After the release of their long-awaited comeback album American Dream, and a subsequent string of hugely popular live shows, LCD Soundsystem will be kicking the festival off on Friday, May 25. Accompanying them will be a returning set from Yeah Yeah Yeahs, who made their first live appearance for four years over the summer, at Austin, TX’s Sound on Sound Festival.

Bjork will close the first weekend of the festival, in support of her new album Utopia, her first LP since 2015, which will be available everywhere on November 24.

The Icelandic songstress recently came forward to show solidarity to the recent victims of sexual assault and harassment in Hollywood. Taking to Facebook, Bjork described her own experiences at the hands of an unnamed director. However, many suspect the director in question to be Lars Von Trier, the controversial Danish auteur who worked with Bjork on 2000’s Dancer in the Dark. Von Trier vehemently denies these accusations.