Profile
Ólafur Arnalds is one of representative musicians in today’s Post-classical music scene, is from Mosfellsbær, Iceland and now lives in Reykjavík.
Solo Albums
Eulogy for Evolution (Erased Tape, 2007)
“Eulogy for Evolution” is an early work of Ólafur Arnalds. The songs are Classical also modern and minimal (But it isn’t Minimal Music) that make use of space and intervals among instruments, and effects of ensemble. On his compositions, there’s no clear theme and minute melody.
“Boundaries” is a slow, beautiful but splendid piano quartet song.
“The Engine” is a good song features passionate strings.
“Kistch” is a simple but grandiose and passionate song. The plays of strings are impressive and vivid.
“3055” is a melancholic and elegant song with splendid violin melodies, a piano accompaniment and reflection noises. Then the drum follows and become a dynamic instrumental Pop song.
“Vemeer” begins a silent piano passages but it expands Heavy Metal song with very distorted guitar, then suddenly the guitar is cut out ends with strings calmly.
…And They Have Escaped The Weight Of Darkness (Erased Tapes, 2010)
“…And They Have Escaped The Weight Of Darkness” is a Post-classical album. It contains songs of various arrangement styles. The concept of this album is a crossover between Classical and Pop or Rock. He made the album for the wide range of listeners.
“Tunglið” is a passionate piano and strings song, a drum kit follows.
“Loftið verður skyndilega kalt” is an impressive sophisticated Minimal Music piano quintet composition with few notes.
“Kjurrt” is also a Minimal Music piano quintet composition with fewer notes.
“Gleypa okkur” is an orthodox piano quintet composition with drums and an electric base. The next song “Hægt, kemur ljósið” is more passionate one includes a keen tone synthesizer pad solo.
“Undan hulu” is a simple composition with piano arpeggios with cello melodies.
“þau Hafa Sloppið Undan þunga Myrkursins” is a melancholic also refleshing piano quartet composition, drums follows in the later part.
“Hratt” is a mysterious and wonderful, Folk taste ensemble song with a electric piano and drums.
A very nice and typical Post-classical album.
For Now I Am Winter (Mercury, 2013)
“Sudden Throw” is an apathetic song of pad and Pino backing. In later part strings, bass guitar follows and become very dynamic and suddenly ends.
“Brim” is Electronic with drum sample loops, piano arpeggios, sequences and strings ensemble melodies.
“For Now I Am Winter” is a sorrowful Post-classical and Electronica style vocal song with strings, piano electronic drum loop accompaniments.
“A Stutter” is a non-rhythem apathetic vocal song with strings, piano and pads.
“Words of Amber” is a track like Ambient which is consist of piano arpeggios, slight, vague pads and electronic pulses.
“Reclaim” is a significant and grandiose vocal song with a bold and avid string orchestra. Later part drum sample loops follows.
“Only the Winds” is a sentimental also hopeful but brave song with piano, string ensemble and drums.
“Old Skin” is an English Folk mood vocal Pop song beings with a vocal and piano, later part, electronic drums and strings synthesizers follow.
“This Place Was a Shelter” is sad and significant Electronica with impressive sold string ensemble, synth sequences, pads and electronic drums.
“Carry Me Anew” is a silent pad solo like Ambient.
A good Post-classical and Electronica album combines vocals, electronic and acoustic instruments, and contains various style and formations of songs.
Island Songs (Mercury KX, 2016)
“Island Songs” is the Post-classical album by Ólafur Arnalds. It’s consist of seven songs, and in each song, it collaborates with a musician and/or an ensemble.
“Árbakkinn” is sentimental and apathetic song, which begins with a narration or a poetry reading and piano, then string ensemble follows.
“1995” is a minimal also serious composition with repetitions of a motif by organ, and string ensemble accompaniment.
“Raddir” is a song like Choral of sacred chorus with organ, electric bass and some string instruments.
“Öldurót” is a grandiose composition with an impressive strings arrangement, is consist of string orchestra, oboe and electric bass with electric piano backing.
“Dalur” is a melancholic song features piano arpeggios, with some strings and percussions accompaniment and tape noises.
“Particles” is a female vocal Ballad song with piano chord backings and strings chords.
“Doria” is a wonderful minimal Classical composition. It begins with fine piano arpeggios. Strings and another piano melodies and chords follow.
“Study for Player Piano (II)” is a miserable and melancholic mood minimal piano piece.
A good acoustic Post-classical album of various styles and the melancholic and apathetic mood.
re:member (Mercurey KX, 2018)
“re:member” is a Post-classical or Electronica album by Ólafur Arnalds.
The title track “re:member” is a refreshing piano and strings song, but the later part an organic electronic drum kit, and electric base and voice synthesizer pad take part in.
“samen” is an arpeggio based very good minimal piano piece. My favourite song.
“brot” is a sacred song like a choral consist of beutiful strings and synthesizer pads.
“they sink” is a silent Electronica track with piano collages and strings.
“ypsilon” is a piano arpeggio and backing based calm Electronica song with cute percussions.
“partial” is a beautiful song is consist of strings, synthesizer pad and impressive synthesizer sequence arpeggios. The synthesizer sequence must be made by Arnalds’ own making plugin “STRATUS”.
“momentary” is a very tiny but precious short piano solo piece.
“undir” is a sentimental and refreshing and bright minimal song features a fragmental piano and swinging electronic drums.
“ekki hugsa” is a wonderful, refreshing and bright minimal song features arpeggios of strings. Then the later part, it expands dynamic with synthesizer pads and arpeggios and an electronic base.
“nyepi” is a simple apathetic piano piece is composed by few tones.
He did experiments in each track, and this album is full volume album in the length and the contents, you can enjoy various styles and tastes his production. And this album is one of the fruits of Arnalds’ career.
Some Kind of Peace (2020, Mercury KX)
A Post-classical and Electronica album features some guest musicians.
“Loom” is a short electronic track features Bonobo.
“Woven Song” is Classical also experimental song, is consist of a motif by violin, strings chords accompaniment, later part strings become dynamic and piano fragmental accompaniment follows.
“Still / Sound” is a silent Electronica song with electric piano, chorus sample and electronic noises. Later part small string ensemble replaces them.
“Back to The Sky” is melancholic vocal song features an Icelandic singer JFDR (Jófríður Ákadóttir). The song associates songs of Bjork. It’s consist of synthesizer pad, strings electric piano and electronic percussions.
“Zero” is a Post-classical tracks like Ambient. It begins with few tones piano and strings chords. In the middle part, strings sound become bold by filter and/or delay effects.
“New Grass” is a sorrowful also grandiose traditional composition. It consist of piano arpeggio and string orchestra.
“The Bottom Line” is a serious Pop style vocal song features a German singer-songwriter Josin. The songs is her vocal with piano arpeggios, and string orchestra. Later part electric bass and electric percussions follow.
“We Contain Multitudes” is a solitary and apathetic piano piece.
“Undone” is melancholic and apathetic song with fragmental piano and glockenspiel and string orchestra passages.
Resources and Links
Ólafur Arnalds (official site)
Spitfire Audio – Ólafur Arnalds
