Over the course of the
past 5 years, Ólafur Arnalds has established himself as one of the most
promising musicians in the Icelandic music scene. His sorrowful neoclassical pieces
evoked the stark minimalism of Sigur Rós, combined with the simple ambience
explored by Brian Eno. Through these influences and others, Arnalds was able to
create a simple, short-form take on modern classical music that had enough
crossover appeal to be enjoyed by fans of post-rock, ambient, and even pop
music genres.
For
Now I Am Winter is Ólafur Arnald’s latest effort and
major label debut. First track “Sudden Throw” gets things underway with a
typical Ólafur sound, much like that heard on 2010’s successful ...And They Escaped the Weight of Darkness.
However, this doesn’t last long before bouncy violins and a glitchy electronic
beat join the fray in “Brim,” a song that sounds very different to anything
else previously attempted by the Icelander. The song undergoes multiple mood
and atmosphere changes, eventually settling down into the slow and mournful
sound we’ve come to know and love from the man. But perhaps the most radical departure
comes in the form of vocal embellishments from singer Arnor Dan in the title
track. His tender voice is used sparingly, appearing in only four of the
album’s twelve tracks, and it certainly isn’t the kind of jarring voice that
detracts from the music. Nevertheless, it will certainly be one of the
release’s biggest talking points and could be a potential turn-off for some
fans.
Other highlights
include “Reclaim,” which combines the newfound electronic influences with the
addition of vocals, and the gorgeous post-rock inspired build-up in “Only the
Winds.” The strongest vocal performance from Dan can be heard in what is
perhaps the record’s most surprising song, “Old Skin.” His voice is stronger
and more confident here, providing a much-needed lift from the more
traditional-sounding mid-section of the album. Electronic instrumentation again
comes to the fore and percussive beats provide the backbone for “This Place Was
a Shelter,” before being rounded-off by the charming ambience of “Carry Me Anew.”
For
Now I Am Winter is a bold step forward for Ólafur,
adding an impressive amount of variety into an otherwise well-established
formula. The only question will be whether he manages to take this exciting momentum
on to much greater heights in future.
Rating: 8/10
(Originally posted on sputnikmusic.com: http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/55351/Olafur-Arnalds-For-Now-I-am-Winter/)