Warm vibes on a grey Sunday. 

Denmark’s marquee chill-out festival, Stella Polaris, proved to be an expectation-defying affair on Sunday, as thousands of Copenhageners, young and old defied the grey summer weather and flocked to the the grounds outside Denmark’s national art gallery for the fourteenth installment of the annual event. This year’s occasion featured an intriguing blend of veteran Stella Polaris artists such as Lulu Rouge and Nicka, newcomers such as Kura and established headliners such as Moby and Le Gammeltoft, in contrast to last year’s lineup which was a tad more-star-studded. As always, Stella Polaris was much more than merely a musical event. Many turned up with nothing more than a picnic basket and a blanket with little notion of what sort of music to expect and left the event beaming and in good spirits.

Chill-out don Kalle B got the ball rolling at noon, showcasing the very best of his laid back take on electronic music fused with the odd pop influence every now and again. With the crowd warmed up and the grey skies that had looked rather threatening during the morning clearing steadily, “Kura,” one of the hottest prospects in European electronic music took to the stage on their Stella Polaris debut and delivered a set that showed exactly why the Danish-Icelandic duo are as highly rated as they are right now. Their compelling fusion of dreamy ambient soundscapes and potent vocals paired alongside hefty bass thuds set the tone perfectly for Denmark’s first ladies of Deejaying, Le Gammeltoft and thereafter Rosa Lux, both of whom delivered energetic and clinical performances.

Chilled masterclass

Come Moby’s late-afternoon appearance, and the grounds at Østre Anlæg were as crammed as they got all day. Moby’s spellbinding performance was arguably the best of them all, a dreamy rendition that featured covers of timeless classics such as Johnny Cash’s “Ring of Fire,” Lou Reed’s “Wild side” and Agnes Obel’s “Riverside.” The critically acclaimed New yorker , in veritable Stella Polaris spirit stuck to the confines of ambient, laid-back grooves in his 2 hour set, and seemed to enjoy every minute of his stint behind the turntables. Moby’s tranquil performance was followed by a somewhat livelier appearance by the ever-consistent Lulu Rouge, who ended the event in style as they always do, smiling and waving as they lashed out witty, uplifting music to the delight of the energetic crowd.