OLAFUR ARNALDS レコード& CD

Review: For Now I Am Winter is Olafur Arnalds' third full-length studio album. His earlier albums, soundtracks and EPs, have been released through the Berlin based cult label Erased Tapes. Building and expanding on his previous more minimalist work, Arnalds' new album is his first to involve a full orchestra (co-arranged by Nico Muhly) and a vocalist (Agent Fresco lead singer Arn). Three shorter pieces - 'Sudden Throw', Nils Frahm's rework of 'For Now I Am Winter', and 'Brim' first signalled the emergence of the album, which now hears a full length release, with additional sonic pearls including 'This Place Was A Shelter' and 'Words Of Amber' standing out as especial highlights.

Review: ***B-STOCK: Missing plastic outer sleeve with slight tear on spine, but otherwise in perfect working order***


For fans of experimental and ambient music, olafur Arnalds is as vital as they come. He has amassed an innovative discography over the last decade, joining the dots between classical and electronic sounds. His new album, though, marks a new chapter in his ongoing story. The self-confessed perfectionist dips his toe into messy waters such as romance, a global pandemic and settling down. It was written at home in his harbour studio and captures the essence of what it means to be alive in 2020. It's enthralling, challenging, and thought provoking, and is his most coherent work for a while.

Review: For fans of experimental and ambient music, olafur Arnalds is as vital as they come. He has amassed an innovative discography over the last decade, joining the dots between classical and electronic sounds. His new album, though, marks a new chapter in his ongoing story. The self-confessed perfectionist dips his toe into messy waters such as romance, a global pandemic and settling down. It was written at home in his harbour studio and captures the essence of what it means to be alive in 2020. It's enthralling, challenging, and thought provoking, and is his most coherent work for a while.

Review: Second time around for Icelandic neo-classical composer Olafur Arnalds' 2018 album "Re:Member". This version, pressed for Record Store Day 2019, boasts a fine bonus 7" containing strings-only re-recordings of three original album tracks ("Saman", "Momentary" and "Nyepi"). These are superb and genuinely compliment the original 12-track set, which was produced using specially created software capable of triggering new musical sequences on "two pianos chained to his primary instrument". This cutting-edge approach, combined with live percussion and the multi-instrumentalist's own considered electronics, resulted in an album that remains thoughtful, mesmerizing and entertaining in equal measure.

Review: Since leaving his hardcore metal drummer past behind, Olafur Arnalds has gone on to become one of the most lauded composers and producers of his generation, balancing experimental work that blends neo-classical movements with most rock and abstract electronics, with acclaimed work for film and television. Re:member is the Icelander's first album since working on the Broadchurch soundtrack and undeniably his most high profile release to date. It's also fiendishly cutting edge, utilizing specially created software to trigger new sequences (as well as randomized electronic feedback) on two pianos chained to his primary instrument. These elements, naturally mixed with strings, live percussion and the multi-instrumentalist's own considered electronics, combine to create a mesmerizing and thoroughly absorbing album.

Review: Since leaving his hardcore metal drummer past behind, Olafur Arnalds has gone on to become one of the most lauded composers and producers of his generation, balancing experimental work that blends neo-classical movements with most rock and abstract electronics, with acclaimed work for film and television. Re:member is the Icelander's first album since working on the Broadchurch soundtrack and undeniably his most high profile release to date. It's also fiendishly cutting edge, utilizing specially created software to trigger new sequences (as well as randomized electronic feedback) on two pianos chained to his primary instrument. These elements, naturally mixed with strings, live percussion and the multi-instrumentalist's own considered electronics, combine to create a mesmerizing and thoroughly absorbing album.

Review: **CLEAR VINYL RE-PRESS** Only 21 years of age when this was recorded, Ólafur hails from the suburban Icelandic town, Mosfellsbær, just a few kilometres outside Reykjavík. He as immersed himself completely in the world of delicate symphonic compositions in a near weightless orchestral undertaking. Mixing strings and piano with loops, ambiance, electronics and beats, his music fits into the Erased Tapes catalogue like a piece of a jigsaw puzzle. Debut album 'Eulogy for Evolution' took the listener on a journey, representing different periods in life, from birth to death. The first pressing of the follow-up EP ?Variations of Static? sold out on his winter tour already and will now be available in stores. While keeping the classical foundations of his debut album, here Arnalds incorporates crackling electronics and the dead voice of a machine; like vague memories of tradition lost within the digital age we all live in. It comes with a voucher for a free digital copy of the 'Erased Tapes Collection I' compilation to celebrate the label?s 1st anniversary. The 10" is a super limited clear vinyl issue, we are getting 100 copies only.

PRESS: Full feature, EP review and covermount CD track in Rock Sound June issue coming out in the end of May! Gilles Peterson BBC Radio 1 Session, Classic FM & iTunes involved in Barbican show. More press & radio tba. 'Iceland?s best new export!' ? Clash Magazine ? Achingly beautiful!? ? Rock Sound ?An auspicious debut from a promising young talent.' ? Drowned In Sound

Review: Iceland's Olafur Arnalds (Kiasmos) and German multi-instrumentalist Nils Frahm team up again for some breathtaking excursions in classical/ambient crossover bliss. Frahm's sombre piano passages gently dance over Arnalds' serene soundscapes and eerie field recordings on this bittersweet and emotive journey. What was meant to be a one hour video recording of the duo in action turned out to be an eight hour long improvisation session and these are some of the segments of the wonderful marathon recording. We particularly enjoyed the gorgeously haunting electronic soul captured on "23:52" where those analogue synth strings just rise and rise to an epic climax.

Review: Current scene favourite Nils Frahm teamed up with Icelandic multi-instrumentalist Olafur Arnalds on three breath taking excursions through lush ambient textures on "Stare" as a surprise release back in 2012 for label founder Robert Rath. "A1" features Frahm's entrancing irresistible melody over some gorgeous all-consuming strings and glacial soundscapes courtesy of Arnalds. "A2" with its heavenly, transcendental beauty has just got to be heard while "B1" explores darker territory with its excavating soundscapes accompanying the most hauntingly delicate cello notes. Exquisite!

Review: Icelandic classical, experimental and soundtrack composer Olafur Arnalds steps away from the loops and Broadchurch OSTs to conjure yet another sublime LNT saga. Carefully balancing between contemporary odysseys ("Jomsvikingarimur"), dense futuristic electronic weaves ("Last Remnants"), fuzzy 22nd century pop ("A Noise") sludgy cosmic funk ("Jasmine") and introspective soul ("Our Love Comes Back"), Olafur blows wave after woozy wave of soft sonic conjurations in a way that's broad, detailed and cleverly considered. Good night.

Review: Icelandic classical, experimental and soundtrack composer Olafur Arnalds steps away from the loops and Broadchurch OSTs to conjure yet another sublime LNT saga. Carefully balancing between contemporary odysseys ("Jomsvikingarimur"), dense futuristic electronic weaves ("Last Remnants"), fuzzy 22nd century pop ("A Noise") sludgy cosmic funk ("Jasmine") and introspective soul ("Our Love Comes Back"), Olafur blows wave after woozy wave of soft sonic conjurations in a way that's broad, detailed and cleverly considered. Good night.