Arnalds: Island Songs
Ólafur Arnalds
The most interesting tracks are those which feature the South Iceland Chamber Choir in the Pärt-like ‘Raddir’ and the brass trio in ‘Dalur’. Their contributions give a slightly rough hew to...
Arnalds: Island Songs
Ólafur Arnalds
Purchase product
The most interesting tracks are those which feature the South Iceland Chamber Choir in the Pärt-like ‘Raddir’ and the brass trio in ‘Dalur’. Their contributions give a slightly rough hew to...
About
Island Songs is the innovative brainchild of BAFTA award winning composer Ólafur Arnalds, alongside acclaimed film director Baldvin Z (BBC’s Trapped, Life in a Fish Bowl).
Ólafur will travel to 7 towns across Iceland where he will collaborate with 7 local artists, and at each location he will create, record and perform a new composition with the artist. He will deliver the audio and video the following day. Mercury Classics will release one audio track and one live performance video, each Monday.
Island Songs is a real-time interactive project that will evolve in the digital space, hosted via a bespoke website. Arnalds’ dedicated fanbase will be able to follow him on his travels via Facebook live-streams, Snapchats, Instagram, Twitter and Apple Connect.
Ólafur’s journey will also be chronicled by acclaimed film director Baldvin Z. The 7-week period will result in an hour-long music film, including conversations exploring music, history and identity, to create a powerful musical portrait of their native land. Marketing and promotional plans for phase two will be shared in the summer.
This is the most ambitious project that Ólafur has ever undertaken, creatively and logistically.
Contents and tracklist
- Ólafur Arnalds (piano), Einar Georg Einarsson (speaker), Hallgrímur Jónas Jensson: (cello), Ása Guðjónsdóttir (violin), Bjarni Frimann Bjarnason (violin), Karl Pestka (viola)
- Dagný Arnalds (harmonium), Ásta Kristín (viola), Sólveig Vaka Eyþórsdóttir (violin), Ólafur Arnalds (synthesizer), Ása Guðjónsdóttir (violin)
- Hallgrímur Jónas Jensson: (cello), Laufey Jensdóttir (violin), Ólafur Arnalds (synthesizer), Sólveig Vaka Eyþórsdóttir (violin), Karl Pestka (viola)
- Brasstríó Mosfellsdals, Ólafur Arnalds (piano), Bergur Þórisson (trombone), Þorkell Jóelsson (french horn), Emil Friðfinnsson (french horn)
- Ólafur Arnalds (piano), Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir (vocals), Unnur Jónsdóttir (cello), Sólveig Vaka Eyþórsdóttir (violin), Viktor Orri Árnason (violin), Karl Pestka (viola)
- Ólafur Arnalds (piano), Unnur Jónsdóttir (cello), Hallgrímur Jónas Jensson: (cello), Karl Pestka (viola), Viktor Orri Árnason (violin), Sólveig Vaka Eyþórsdóttir (violin)
Awards and reviews
January 2017
The most interesting tracks are those which feature the South Iceland Chamber Choir in the Pärt-like ‘Raddir’ and the brass trio in ‘Dalur’. Their contributions give a slightly rough hew to Arnald’s often smooth and polished musical surfaces, and confirm the composer’s view that ‘ultimately it is people rather than places that inspire music and art’.
