Olafur Arnalds
Eulogy For Evolution (Erased Tapes)
From all accounts there have been several delays in getting the Icelandic composers masterpiece beyond its domestic market. I am pleased to inform that Eulogy For Evolution does not disappoint. The delicate balance of emotionally charged piano, strings and (occasional hardcore) drums enthrals and mesmerises from start to finish. The whole record segues together so well that it is near impossible to dip in and out or have a favourite song - it’s just not that sort of record. This is a trait that works very much in its favour, from the gentle opening strings to the near deafening crescendo that closes the album; it provokes all sorts of thoughts and feelings. The entire album is very much alive, the wonderfully elastic tempo, the beauty of the composition, competence of arrangement and the real sense of progression place this head and shoulders above anything else I’ve heard this year. Gentle, epic, beautiful, visceral, masterful and utterly essential. Juxtapositions fully intended.
Stuart Torrance
