Island Songs Ólafur Arnalds

• 1 Árbakkinn 04:52
• 2 1995 04:00
• 3 Raddir 04:11
• 4 Öldurót 04:27
• 5 Dalur 03:59
• 6 Particles 03:55
• 7 Doria 03:19
• Total Runtime 28:43

Info for Island Songs

Zum Auftakt seiner siebenwöchigen Island-Reise nimmt uns Komponist Ólafur Arnalds mit in die Kindheitserinnerungen des Lehrers und Dichters Einar Georg Einarsson.

'Árbakkinn' taufte der isländische Multiinstrumentalist Ólafur Arnalds die erste Komposition seines Projekts 'Island Songs'. Mit Arnalds selbst am Piano und begleitet von einem Streichquartett rezitiert der ehemalige Lehrer Einar Georg Einarsson, Vater des Sängers Ásgeir Trausti, sein gleichnamiges Gedicht. Die Kombination des gesprochenen Wortes mit den einfühlsamen Klängen von Arnalds Komposition zollen einem ganz bestimmten Ort aus Einars Kindheit Tribut: Einem Flussufer, auf Isländisch auch 'Árbakkinn' genannt.

'Árbakkinn' – Gelungener Auftakt zum Projekt 'Island Songs“: Mit der Aufnahme von 'Árbakkinn' in dem kleinen Örtchen Hvammstangi begann Ólafur Arnalds seine siebenwöchigen Reise quer durch Island. Sein Ziel: Sieben Werke in sieben Wochen an sieben Orten mit regionalen Künstlern aufzunehmen. Begleitet von Regisseur Baldvin Z, wird am Ende der Reise ein komplettes Album stehen, dessen Erscheinen noch für Oktober 2016 geplant ist. Die einzelnen Stücke werden bereits vorab digital zur Verfügung stehen. Unter dem Hashtag #IslandSongs ruft der Musiker Interessierte dazu auf, sich in die Erschaffung seiner modernen musikalischen isländischen Saga einzubringen und ihn auf seinem Weg zu begleiten.

Ólafur Arnalds
Born in 1986, Ólafur hails from the suburban Icelandic town of Mosfellsbær, just a few kilometres outside of Reykjavík. He has immersed himself completely in a world of delicate symphonic compositions generating near weightless orchestral pieces. Arnalds explores the crossover from classical to pop by mixing chamber strings and piano with discreet electronics which makes him a perfect fit for cinematic music label Erased Tapes. His motivations are clear: 'The classical scene is kind of closed to people who haven't been studying music all their lives. I would like to bring my classical influence to the people who don't usually listen to this kind of music…open people's minds.'

Through relentless touring and determination this young artist has steadily gained recognition worldwide since his 2007 debut 'Eulogy for Evolution'. His 2008 follow-up EP ‘Variations of Static’ earned Ólafur acclaim from both the contemporary and classical field – transcending a traditional divide. He has sold out some of the world’s most renowned music venues including Barbican Hall in London and has been awarded ‘Best Live Session of 2008’ by BBC Radio 1 presenter Gilles Peterson.

Over the past eighteen months Arnalds has advanced from a former support-act for Sigur Rós to an internationally respected artists in his own right. In April 2009 Arnalds created the 7 song series 'Found Songs' – recording a song a day for 7 days and instantly making each track available via Twitter and the official Erased Tapes website with over 300.000 people downloading for free.

December 2009 saw the release of Ólafur’s contemporary dance score 'Dyad 1909', commissioned by the award-winning choreographer Wayne McGregor. The dance piece, inspired by Shackleton’s South Pole premiered at the Sadler’s Wells theatre in October 2009 and became a much talked about 5-nights of live music, dance and visuals. BBC Four, the ITV1 South Bank Show and Arte TV Europe broadcasted 'Dyad 1909' on primetime television. In March 2010 he embarked on his first ever China Tour, which included sold-out shows in Shanghai, Hong Kong and Beijing, and a live webcast watched by thousands of fans all round the world.

Ólafur Arnalds' second full-length album '...and they have escaped the weight of darkness', continues his mission to lure an indie-generation of pop and rock fans into an emotive world of beguiling electronic chamber music and delicate classical arrangements. The sense of an organic crossover recording is reinforced by the involvement of co-producer Barði Jóhannsson of eccentric pop/rock/electronica-formation Bang Gang. Those expecting a mere continuation of the minimal melancholia of his previous albums are in for a surprise, as the record may be the most uplifting and richly orchestrated work of his career.

'Precocious Nordic composer’s sumptuous second LP … Timeless and sublime' **** – UNCUT

'An artist of immense maturity' (9/10) – Drowned In Sound

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