ÓLAFUR ARNALDS ~ Some Kind of Peace
![[Image: R-16175616-1604740364-7324.jpeg.jpg]](https://img.discogs.com/pqn8gdvPyGkmu7RkRN7T6T7tMJc=/fit-in/300x300/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(40)/discogs-images/R-16175616-1604740364-7324.jpeg.jpg)
Cello – Unnur Jónsdóttir
Electronics – Ólafur Arnalds
Piano – Ólafur Arnalds
Viola – Karl Pestka
Violin – Björk Óskarsdóttir, Sigrún Harðardóttir
Written, Arranged and Produced by – Ólafur Arnalds
Engineer – Hafsteinn Þórólfsson, Ólafur Arnalds
This is ambient music using both standard instruments and elements of electronica as well as loops and other devices. He’s an Icelandic artist and has released several solo albums as well as having been involved in other bands of the much heavier persuasion, from what I can gather, which is not surprising given his latitude of origin! There is definitely a propensity to metal as one edges towards the north pole – a magnetic attraction?? Lol!
There are several guests (including Bonobo on track No 1) who contribute vocalese and actual singing, and some spoken word on the last track which gives pause for thought, however, those tracks seem to take a back seat throughout – it’s primarily an instrumental album and even although in hindsight I note that probably around half the tracks are vocal in some degree, they never dominate. I found it sparse yet lush in some strange way – loops and all – lots of breathing room. The production is such that the operational sounds are evident, purposefully – so there’s an alive feeling, but I can imagine there might be some criticism in that department - might become intrusive after a while, hard to say. I liked the album regardless – quite a lot - it really is some kind of peace - a little oasis in among all the crazy. Something different ... the eternal quest!
The full album - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMDwqeFQ...9sIsllSUy8
"Spiral" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1OatmatkMs
"New Grass" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-6WSrgr2xI
The last track with spoken lead in ...
Cello – Unnur Jónsdóttir
Electronics – Ólafur Arnalds
Piano – Ólafur Arnalds
Viola – Karl Pestka
Violin – Björk Óskarsdóttir, Sigrún Harðardóttir
Written, Arranged and Produced by – Ólafur Arnalds
Engineer – Hafsteinn Þórólfsson, Ólafur Arnalds
This is ambient music using both standard instruments and elements of electronica as well as loops and other devices. He’s an Icelandic artist and has released several solo albums as well as having been involved in other bands of the much heavier persuasion, from what I can gather, which is not surprising given his latitude of origin! There is definitely a propensity to metal as one edges towards the north pole – a magnetic attraction?? Lol!
There are several guests (including Bonobo on track No 1) who contribute vocalese and actual singing, and some spoken word on the last track which gives pause for thought, however, those tracks seem to take a back seat throughout – it’s primarily an instrumental album and even although in hindsight I note that probably around half the tracks are vocal in some degree, they never dominate. I found it sparse yet lush in some strange way – loops and all – lots of breathing room. The production is such that the operational sounds are evident, purposefully – so there’s an alive feeling, but I can imagine there might be some criticism in that department - might become intrusive after a while, hard to say. I liked the album regardless – quite a lot - it really is some kind of peace - a little oasis in among all the crazy. Something different ... the eternal quest!
The full album - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMDwqeFQ...9sIsllSUy8
"Spiral" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1OatmatkMs
"New Grass" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-6WSrgr2xI
The last track with spoken lead in ...
"The surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that it has never tried to contact us." ~ Bill Watterson