OK I've finally been smacked in the face by the charms of Olafur Arnaulds. His Found Songs mini album is one of the most moving albums of neo classical music I've heard in ages. It really is the soundtrack to the saddest moments in your life. Normally the office is full with people talking stuff and nonsense but when Olafur came on it commanded silence and folks listened and got on with their work. Hey I should play it all the time! It really is some of the most beautiful somber sounding music I've been exposed to in a long time. Amazingly all of the music was given away free as part of a 7 songs for 7 days series a while back via twitter whilst fans posted artwork up on Flickr.... It's the future... but it's the present... I can't quite get my head around it all. So it's kind of pricey for 7 songs which were given away free but the label soften the blow with an 11 track compilation (label sampler) so you're getting a wee bit more for your money. With the vinyl you get a high quality download of the album and the comp album as well so the deal is getting better. There's amazing solo piano pieces (fans of that amazing Nils Frahm album will lap it up). There's Max Richter esque maudlin moments of neo classic anguish while you see your heart ripped out from within you in front of your eyes... so moving.... There's some twinkly Sigur Ros isms on there as well (he is from Iceland....). I could go on. The strings are utterly delightful to the point of me getting goose pimples on my arm while I'm typing. Always a good sign. This is some seriously beautiful music! Go on Arthur!
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Sound clips for Found Songs by Olafur Arnalds: on CD at Norman Records UK. CD, Erased Tapes, ERATP017CD , £10.09.
From Twitter via Flickr to traditional record stores. 7-songs in 7-days online series becomes physical In April 2009, Iceland s neo-classical export Ólafur Arnalds created the 7-song series Found Songs recording a song a day for 7 days and instantly making each track available via Twitter. With artwork contributions from fans via Flickr, this modern release awakens memories of a tradition that seemed lost in the digital age we live in. Born in 1987, Ólafur hails from the suburban Icelandic town, Mosfellsbær, just a few kilometres outside of Reykjavík. He has immersed himself completely in a world of delicate symphonic compositions generating near weightless orchestral pieces. Arnalds explores the crossover from classical to pop by mixing chamber strings and piano with discreet electronics which makes him a perfect fit for cinematic pop label Erased Tapes. His motivations are clear: The classical scene is kind of closed to people who haven't been studying music all their lives. I would like to bring my classical influence to the people who don't usually listen to this kind of music open people's minds. This young artist is steadily gaining recognition worldwide since his 2007 debut 'Eulogy for Evolution'. The 2008 follow-up EP Variations of Static earned Ólafur acclaim from both the contemporary and classical field transcending a traditional divide by uniting their ideals. After filling London s world-famous Barbican Hall, fellow Icelanders Sigur Rós invited Ólafur to open their most recent European shows, playing to an audience of over 5,000 per night. With the next full-length release due this winter, Ólafur conceived Found Songs as a way to collate several lost and found musical sketches and ideas in a 'very challenging, but fun' series. The experiment offers its listeners an intimate insight into Ólafur Arnalds creative world. 'The songs will be different from what's on my albums; they will be short, mostly just made up from piano. Something to keep me going So far more than 70.000 people downloaded the Found Songs series via foundsongs.erasedtapes.com. Each track inspired a wealth of artwork from his fans submitted via Flickr. Hosting this project on their official website, Erased Tapes Records watched the collaboration between Arnalds and his online audience flourish and found it fitting to combine the music and artwork into one complete work. A re-mastered physical and limited edition will now be released as a CD, 10 Vinyl and high-quality Download. Ólafur is currently in the studio with Bardi Johannsson (Bang Gang) who will be co-producing his upcoming album. Arnalds growing reputation has also won him the attention of the internationally renowned British dance choreographer Wayne McGregor who has invited Ólafur to score his brand new work. Dyad 1909 will be premiered in London at the Sadler s Wells Theatre this October. The show will go on a EU-wide tour with Arnalds included in an impressive creative line-up alongside acclaimed artists and filmmakers Jane and Louise Wilson.**PLEASE NOTE: CD comes in deluxe digipack with free download voucher for Erased Tapes Vol: 1 an 11 track label compilation. The 10" vinyl comes with free mp3 version of Found Sounds and E.T. Vol:1 comp.