Composer, multi-instrumentalist and producer Ólafur Arnalds started his career in music as a drummer with a series of metal bands in his native Iceland before transitioning into the ethereal soundscapes for which he has made his name. His work mixes together classical elements with flourishes of pop, rock and electronica to create music that transcends any single genre and delivers a fairly unique listening experience.

His fifth and latest studio album – Some Kind Of Peace – follows on from 2018’s Re:member, a record that pushed boundaries as Arnalds worked with fellow composer and audio developer Halldor Eldjarn to create a system of self-playing pianos that were triggered by and responded to a central piano played by Arnalds himself. This ground-breaking new musical system, dubbed Stratus, also spawned the algorithm that was used to create the album’s artwork. Arnalds, you can perhaps tell, is something of an innovator.

Recorded at his studio in downtown Reykjavik, Some Kind Of Peace is a more reflective, even introspective, affair than his last work. But there’s still plenty of exuberant flourishes – opening track Loom, for example, features British-born, LA-based DJ, musician and producer Bonobo, and builds from a gentle intro to a raucous, disorientating middle section, before drifting away once again.

The album is predominantly comprised of Arnalds’ signature piano loops, classical strings and ambient beats though, and it’s a joy from start to finish. Still / Sound represents the sparser end of the musical spectrum on show, a simple but haunting offering that captivates from its opening notes. Back To The Sky, meanwhile, complete with its vocals from Icelandic singer JFDR, is a complex, mesmerising and multilayered affair that requires multiple listens to unravel.

Best appreciated as a complete collection rather than individual tracks, Some Kind Of Peace represents some of Arnald’s most enticing, most complete work to date and deserves to find him a new audience of fans.

Some Kind Of Peace tracklist:

1. Loom

2. Woven Song

3. Spiral

4. Still / Sound

5. Back To The Sky

6. Zero

7. New Grass

8. The Bottom Line

9. We Contain Multitudes

10. Undone

Watch the official video for Loom here.

Author: Joe Sharratt

Joe Sharratt is a writer and journalist based in the UK covering music, literature, sport, and travel.